Lessons Learned From Winching

[mr jits]

Hard side pulls w/ synthetic line can warp the side guides of the drum. (replaced, and no questions asked).
Never use those lame delrin rollers designed to replace steel rollers for use with synthetic line. A side pull will cut right through that stuff.
Use the snatch block. It saves the winch, and your line.
You should load your synthetic line under a decent load to prevent the line from trapping itself on the drum.
Read about synthetic line use before using it on your winch.

 

[cruiserpilot]

Should a person replace a roller fairlead with a hawse when using synthetic line? BTW I had a big winching learning lesson last weekend in the snow. J

 

[1911]

Should a person replace a roller fairlead with a hawse when using synthetic line?

I have two winches on two different trucks, both with synthetic line; one with a hawse fairlead and one with a roller fairlead. Both work, but I much prefer the roller fairlead. Better spooling/less bunching of the line, easier to do angled pulls. Just use new rollers or at least rollers with no nicks or cuts in them from previous use of steel wire.

 

[Southeast Overland]

Should a person replace a roller fairlead with a hawse when using synthetic line? BTW I had a big winching learning lesson last weekend in the snow. J

A roller fairlead can be used with synthetic line if it has no rough areas that could abrade your line.

I prefer an aluminum hawse fairlead. It is lighter, more compact, and I've never had trouble spooling my line or doing angled pulls versus using rollers.

 

[Warn Industries]

I can tell you here at WARN, we advise using a polished aluminum hawse fairlead with synthetic.

- Andy

 

[cruiserpilot]

I can tell you here at WARN, we advise using a polished aluminum hawse fairlead with synthetic.

- Andy

That is what I'd read somewhere. I know that all the performance winches sold directly from Warn use hawse fairleads. I had a synthetic rope break last weekend on my quad right at the point it sat on the upper roller while in transit.
I'll be ordering a hawse I think with my new synthetic rope - expensive lesson!

 

[Warn Industries]

That is what I'd read somewhere. I know that all the performance winches sold directly from Warn use hawse fairleads. I had a synthetic rope break last weekend on my quad right at the point it sat on the upper roller while in transit.
I'll be ordering a hawse I think with my new synthetic rope - expensive lesson!

Yes, all new WARN winches on both the powersports and truck side use hawse fairleads with synthetic rope.

- Andy

 

[mr jits]

Warn, blah, blah, blah.

 

[Jetboy]

Mr. Warn - what data did you use to make that choice?

 

[Warn Industries]

Mr. Warn - what data did you use to make that choice?

The engineers would've been the ones that made the decision. I'm not sure as to specifics. The basics are a smooth, solid surface so the line slips easily over the fairlead and prevents fraying.

As far as why not a roller fairlead with our synthetic line, the rollers can have a big enough gaps in some areas that there is a potential the line can get sucked between the rollers and ruin the rope.

- Andy

 

[LittleRock80]

Lesson I learned while recovering a small Honda SUT up an incline in a snow storm:

Excerise EXTREME CAUTION if your synthetic line is FROZEN, as it may SNAP while under load.

I went back to the old-fashioned stuff (wire cable) ......

My2cents
JWP

 

[LittleRock80]

Warn, blah, blah, blah.

Did someone at WARN piss in your cheerios?

I've noticed you badmouthing their products (and vendors) on several threads. I've run cheap winches before and been "less than satisfied" with their performance. (they sucked and were a waste of money) I hear the cheaper models (HF) are improving, but why screw with them when there are plenty of used (quality) WARN/Ramsey/Superwinch available on CL, eBay, etc for the same or less money?

I don't get it.

JWP

 

[ironhippy]

Excerise EXTREME CAUTION if your synthetic line is FROZEN, as it may SNAP while under load.

I have not read about this being a problem, that is very interesting.

Thanks.

 

[mr jits]

Did someone at WARN piss in your cheerios?

I've noticed you badmouthing their products (and vendors) on several threads. I've run cheap winches before and been "less than satisfied" with their performance. (they sucked and were a waste of money) I hear the cheaper models (HF) are improving, but why screw with them when there are plenty of used (quality) WARN/Ramsey/Superwinch available on CL, eBay, etc for the same or less money?

I don't get it.

JWP

Very simply, Warn isn't what it once was. Sure, they're top of the line winches are great. But the ones worth anything are also starting above $1200. Their "budget" winches are made of the same Chinese parts as every other brand out there, just assembled here and sold for three times the price of their Chinese counterparts. Oh, and that "lifetime" warranty? Better read the fine print, I found that out first hand.
I purchased a Runva brand winch, put it through its paces, jacked up the drum (my fault and it didn't leave me stranded), and parts were replaced with a smile.

 

[LittleRock80]

Fair enough.

I've wondered about the Runva's. Many people swear by them and they look good to boot. Made (or at least assembled) in Canada, correct?

 

[Southeast Overland]

Excerise EXTREME CAUTION if your synthetic line is FROZEN, as it may SNAP while under load.

Can you provide more info on exactly what happened and what type of synthetic line you were using? The most common line is Dyneema SK75 and in a lab setting it does not get weaker as it gets colder (at temperatures humans will typically see outdoors.) It actually gets a bit stronger.

Check out a document HERE and look on the first page, second column (left column) under Operating Window/Temperature.

"Temperature.
Dyneema® fiber has a melting point between 144ºC and
152ºC. The tenacity and modulus decrease at higher
temperatures but increase at sub-zero temperatures.
There is no brittle point found as low as -150ºC, so the
fiber can be used between this temperature and 70ºC.
Brief exposure to higher temperatures will not cause any
serious loss of properties."

Now there are some potential explanations as to why your line broke below freezing. Had the line been shock loaded or previously damaged?

 

[GeologistFelix]

How about wet Dyneema exposed to extreme cold? Presence of ice crystals within the matrix of the rope could put large stresses on individual fibers, as well as cause shock loading as the fibers overcome the rigidity of the ice and force it out of the rope.

 

[Southeast Overland]

How about wet Dyneema exposed to extreme cold? Presence of ice crystals within the matrix of the rope could put large stresses on individual fibers, as well as cause shock loading as the fibers overcome the rigidity of the ice and force it out of the rope.

If there were ice in the line, just like a rock in the line, it could cause problems. I was addressing cold temperatures by themselves.

 

[nuclearlemon]

wasn't one of the reasons people started looking at rope for winches was because of how well they worked on ships, which are routinely exposed to wet, cold weather?

 

[Southeast Overland]

wasn't one of the reasons people started looking at rope for winches was because of how well they worked on ships, which are routinely exposed to wet, cold weather?

Synthetic lines that we use in off road applications are often heavily based from and tested in the marine and commercial fishing industries.