limited use of 9500i winch, would good quality synthetic line be worth buying

[FJ62INTX]

Buying a used HS9500I winch and it currently has the stock 5/16 cable in decent shape.

I am honestly not planning to use the winch very much, except for a few times a year if needed......Of course, I may get much more brave once I have a winch and I will be trying it out some when I get in a pickle.

My main question is about the synthetic line vs. the steel line. It looks like there is a ton of advantage for the limp, lightweight cable versus the stiff, heavy steel cable that will recoil like a bullet if the cable breaks or the hook gives up or slips....

Obviously, the pro for the steel cable is that the winch already has it on there and it is decent.

it doesn't have a fairlead currently though, and I have a 4+ front bumper already on order, and I think a hawse fairlead for the synthetic line will be much lower profile than a roller fairlead for a steel cable.


What are the pros and cons of steel versus the synthetic cable for a daily driven, minimal winch use application?


Thanks!!

 

[Southeast Overland]

Syn is
Lighter
Easier to handle
Recoils less = safer
Can field splice repairs
Flexible and doesn't kink
Stronger

Steel
More abrasion resistant
Cheaper

Both need maintenance.

For a 9500 lb winch Id go with 3/8" line. The Amsteel Blue that we use has an average break of 19,600 lbs and gives you a MUCH more appropriate safety factor over the smaller 5/16" cable.

PS: We offer MUD discounts too. <wink wink>

 

[FJ62INTX]

I have been looking at your products and I must say You have nice stuff!!

I was actually already considering your products for my decision.

What types of maintenance are required for the different materials, steel vs synthetic?

 

[Southeast Overland]

I have been looking at your products and I must say You have nice stuff!!

I was actually already considering your products for my decision.

What types of maintenance are required for the different materials, steel vs synthetic?

Thank you! We take pride in our gear and splice all our lines in house to order.

Steel cable needs to be lubed. Steel cable is a love member with strands that move against each other. Hardly anyone lubes their steel cable.

Synthetic line needs to be washed when it becomes very dirty - such as if sand etc gets in the fibers. Pull out the line, put it in a bucket, slosh it around and work the line open by pinching the line with two hands a couple inches apart as pushing together to open the strands. That's about it!

 

[FJ62INTX]

Pics of the winch I picked up today....

so....

Today I bought a car hauler and the winch came with the deal, but wasn't installed.

I sold the trailer without the winch today for more than I paid with the winch.

All this equals = AWESOMENESS.

I made $150 for my trouble and now I have a good working winch that I can clean up and throw some good Synthetic line on.

The steel cable on it now looks great, but there is no fairlead and the hook is a chinese High Test..... The SUCK!

Going to go with some 3/8 Amsteel blue from Southern Overland.


Here is a quick pic of the winch as it sits in the back of my wagon:

 

[Southeast Overland]

Sounds like you made a good deal!

 

[Bomar]

Rope makes everything and everyone happier.

I don't even like being around when winching without rope.

 

[Josie'sLandCruiser]

Hi all,

FJ62INTX if the stock 5/16ths inch steel cable is in decent shape, then go ahead and use it, either with a hawse or roller fairlead.

Sure, the synthetic rope is much nicer in many ways, but it does not sound like you will be using this winch very often. You can spend your $$ on this if you like, but it sounds like a waste of money to me.

Regards,

Alan

Buying a used HS9500I winch and it currently has the stock 5/16 cable in decent shape.

I am honestly not planning to use the winch very much, except for a few times a year if needed......Of course, I may get much more brave once I have a winch and I will be trying it out some when I get in a pickle.

My main question is about the synthetic line vs. the steel line. It looks like there is a ton of advantage for the limp, lightweight cable versus the stiff, heavy steel cable that will recoil like a bullet if the cable breaks or the hook gives up or slips....

Obviously, the pro for the steel cable is that the winch already has it on there and it is decent.

it doesn't have a fairlead currently though, and I have a 4+ front bumper already on order, and I think a hawse fairlead for the synthetic line will be much lower profile than a roller fairlead for a steel cable.


What are the pros and cons of steel versus the synthetic cable for a daily driven, minimal winch use application?


Thanks!!

 

[cruiserjunkie]

5/16 cable has a pretty low safety factor rating for that size winch. Thing I don't like about rope is uv light breaks it down and my cover helps block air flow to the radiator

 

[Southeast Overland]

5/16 cable has a pretty low safety factor rating for that size winch.

This

Thing I don't like about rope is uv light breaks it down...

It depends on the rope you are using. Amsteel Blue by Samson, which is what we splice all our lines from, doesn't have an issue dealing with UV and is UV stable. Amsteel Blue is used heavily in the marine fishing industry where the lines are constantly in the direct sun, and also wet.

 

[cruiserjunkie]

I have amsteel blue and it came with a note about direct sunlight exposer been 5 years or so cannt recall any details. Have i been worried for nothing guess i need to research more.

 

[FJ62INTX]

I have seen a 5/16 cable break on someone who was pulling much less than 3,000 lbs..... and it came back and beat the crap out of the guys hood and grill...

a new windshield, grill, or paint and body work all cost quite a bit more than a $300 synthetic line, so I think I will go synthetic....

 

[jvazquez53]

Syn is
Lighter
Easier to handle
Recoils less = safer
Can field splice repairs
Flexible and doesn't kink
Stronger

Steel
More abrasion resistant
Cheaper

Both need maintenance.






For a 9500 lb winch Id go with 3/8" line. The Amsteel Blue that we use has an average break of 19,600 lbs and gives you a MUCH more appropriate safety factor over the smaller 5/16" cable.

PS: We offer MUD discounts too. <wink wink>

Steel, lot less maintenance...

 

[Southeast Overland]

Steel, lot less maintenance...

Steel does not need a "lot less maintenance" than synthetic, Steel needs to be oiled which almost no one does, and has to be respooled very nearly or it will be damaged (kink and flatten) the line. Messy spooling won't permanently damage synthetic line.

Syn line needs to be washed with water if drug through very gritty mud - that's about it.

 

[jvazquez53]

Steel does not need a "lot less maintenance" than synthetic, Steel needs to be oiled which almost no one does, and has to be respooled very nearly or it will be damaged (kink and flatten) the line. Messy spooling won't permanently damage synthetic line.

Syn line needs to be washed with water if drug through very gritty mud - that's about it.

It all depends how often you will use the winch, weather conditions on the area you normally use it, if weight factor on the wire and the vehicle is an issue. For me, I don't use the winch very often, here the weather condition in most areas are wet and muddy and the weight is not an issue, even the stores that sells the rope has told me to weight in those factors, vs the extra cash. Eventually, I'll go for the rope, but I'll wait for prices to go down. Technology advances very fast, and prices drop. A few years ago, there were a couple of winch brands and there were pricey except the Warn 8274, which sill expensive. Now you have dozens of brands and models to choose from, 99%, including Warn, Superwinch, etc. from China and lot less expensive. You can get a n 8,000 winch for less than $250.00, with rope, $150.00 extra. Some people will say, those are Chinese knock offs, but we use then here all the time and they rarely fail, So, if you don't mind spend the extra $$$ for the rope, go for it.

 

[Southeast Overland]

It all depends how often you will use the winch, weather conditions on the area you normally use it, if weight factor on the wire and the vehicle is an issue. For me, I don't use the winch very often, here the weather condition in most areas are wet and muddy and the weight is not an issue, even the stores that sells the rope has told me to weight in those factors, vs the extra cash. Eventually, I'll go for the rope, but I'll wait for prices to go down. Technology advances very fast, and prices drop. A few years ago, there were a couple of winch brands and there were pricey except the Warn 8274, which sill expensive. Now you have dozens of brands and models to choose from, 99%, including Warn, Superwinch, etc. from China and lot less expensive. You can get a n 8,000 winch for less than $250.00, with rope, $150.00 extra. Some people will say, those are Chinese knock offs, but we use then here all the time and they rarely fail, So, if you don't mind spend the extra $$$ for the rope, go for it.

Yes - the setting where you use the winch line will impact the amount of maintenance you need - but - it is not THAT big of a deal. Synthetic line does not require a "lot less maintenance" than steel.

You are also correct in that prices are going down. The Amsteel Blue lines we splice in-house are more affordable than they were a few years ago. Imported Chinese synthetic winch lines are even less but they are not equivalent to the Amsteel Blue products that are made in America.

All in all, synthetic lines are more expensive but I feel you get your money's worth. I don't fault anyone for using steel cable, you just have to know and operate within it's limitations, just like with synthetic line. Neither are perfect.