Enthusiast III
Whats the difference between a winch designed for steel cable and one designed for synthetic line? Are they interchangeable?
Difference between Steel vs Synthetic Winches?
- Thread starter TrippinStfflr
- Start date
Off-Road Ranger I
One of the differences is overall weight. Steel cable will weigh more vs. synthetic. Also, steel can snap back and potentially hitting the rig the winch is mounted to. One way to prevent that is to get a dampener. A synthetic line will just drop to the ground since it has less energy stored. Best thing to do is learn winching techniques to learn how to use it properly and to prevent harm. I'm unsure if they are interchangeable though.
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aren’t some of the drums and cable attachments different? im not all that sure.
I have seen somewhere that a synthetic line does store some energy. I may snap a little if broken. Im not sure that the ‘fall to the ground ‘ thing isn’t a bit of a myth.
I have seen somewhere that a synthetic line does store some energy. I may snap a little if broken. Im not sure that the ‘fall to the ground ‘ thing isn’t a bit of a myth.
Off-Road Ranger I
I definitely agree that there's is some energy stored within a synthetic line, just not as much as steel, making it drop a lot faster. I've seen a steel snap back and it's scary. Regardless, I'll still put a dampener on synthetic just to be safe.
Enthusiast III
Thanks for the responses but I was more concerned with how the actual winch itself might be contructed different or not, between synthetic or steel?
Seems I've heard people mention something about the drum heating up and melting the synthetic line? Or the fairlead needing to be different?
Seems I've heard people mention something about the drum heating up and melting the synthetic line? Or the fairlead needing to be different?
I've heard that some or most of the heat issue comes from using the winch to back down something and not so much from winching forward.
The main thing as far as the fairlead goes when going from steel to synthetic is to make sure there are NO burs from the steel line as that will quickly damage the synthetic line. It's probably just easier to buy a new and proper Hawse fairlead than to try to clean up your existing one.
The main thing as far as the fairlead goes when going from steel to synthetic is to make sure there are NO burs from the steel line as that will quickly damage the synthetic line. It's probably just easier to buy a new and proper Hawse fairlead than to try to clean up your existing one.
Trail Blazer III
There is no difference in the winches themselves. My ex owns a towing company and he swapped out the steel cable for synthetic with no issues on all his trucks and when he was unable to get synthetic for whatever reason he just put steel cable back on.
The plus is that you can actually spool more line on the winch with synthetic than you can with steel. You just have to ensure that the surfaces are smooth as synthetic line is more susceptible to abrasion than a steel line.
The plus is that you can actually spool more line on the winch with synthetic than you can with steel. You just have to ensure that the surfaces are smooth as synthetic line is more susceptible to abrasion than a steel line.
Enthusiast III
Enthusiast III
When I bought my winch, it came with a steel cable, and the first thing I did before putting the winch on the Jeep was to put on a MasterPull synthetic line. I use a roller fair lead with my synthetic line. I've done 2 normal recovery pulls, and 2 self recovery pulls with it, and I've had no issue so far. I check the rollers every so often to make sure there are no burrs, but one of the reason I went with the rollers was to attach my license plate on the front.
There are some possible differences, but they don't really prevent you from running whichever cable you want on most winches.
Method for attaching the cable to the drum.
On some winches there is a eye crimped on the end of the metal winch line then then bolts to the side of the drum. This is not a very secure mounting setup, and would not work well with a synthetic line. Other winches allow you to run the cable through the drum and then attach it, and again it may not work well with synthetic. In my opinion it is good for the cable to be strongly attached to the drum so that if you accidentally spool it out all the way it does not fully come off the drum and can still hold a load. In my case I tied the synthetic cable to the drum using a clove hitch and then used the factory bolt to keep the knot from coming undone. Here's a picture.
http://www.blankwhitepage.com/gallery/t4r_arb_prado/IMG_0436
Heat Issues
Winches with the brake inside the drum can heat up the drum and possibly degrade the strength of some synthetic lines. Some synthetic lines have higher heat tolerances than others, and while thinking about this it is also good to consider that some lines also degraded by sunlight as well. From what I've read the heat only effects about 1/8" deep into the first layer of the line, and if your line came with a heat guard as many do that will greatly help out. Just keep this in mind if you have to winch out under load and let things cool if you are concerned.
Fairleads
There are basically two common types of fairleads, roller fairleads and hawse fairleads. You can use a synthetic line with either, just make sure there are no burrs from previous use with a metal line. Most hawse fairleads are made of aluminum and you would not want to use a steel line with them.
Enthusiast III
Creator III
Every winch I've seen and used can be used with steel or synthetic rope. Heat only comes from using the winch to hold back, or brake while paying out. There are different designs of braking systems, most act directly on the drum, which is how the heat is generated, others operate off the drum, thus reducing the amount of heat generated during braking.
I was always taught that a winch rope, steel or synthetic, should not be fixed to the drum. If it spools out quickly to the very end, it will snatch if fixed solid to the drum, if it's not fixed, it can simply slide off with no sudden tightening, which might cause it to snap, depending on the amount if kinetic energy built up, a sudden release of that energy is the most dangerous thing that can happen.
A synthetic rope can still do a lot of damage if snapped under extreme tension, there is still a lot of kinetic energy stored in the rope, which has to be released some how. A wire rope is more dangerous due to it's weight. A synthetic can still recoil at an alarming rate, it will stretch slightly (in the same way a KERR - kinetic energy recovery rope - can) when under tension, which is it's way of storing the energy it can't release until the tension is removed, either by slackening off, or by breaking. Yes, less dangerous than a wire rope, but still lethal if not controlled.
A roller fairlead should never be used with a synthetic rope, the small gap between the rollers will damage/fray the rope over time, always use a hawse fairllead with synthetic and a roller with wire rope. alloy hawse fairleads will soon end up with grooves worn in them by wire rope.
Winching is probably THE most dangerous activity we undertake in 4x4s, yet so many do not understand the risks and dangers involved. For our own, and others, safety, if there's one thing to spend money on being trained for, it's winching and the dangers of it, second to 1st aid, which may well be needed if a winching exercise goes sideways.
I was always taught that a winch rope, steel or synthetic, should not be fixed to the drum. If it spools out quickly to the very end, it will snatch if fixed solid to the drum, if it's not fixed, it can simply slide off with no sudden tightening, which might cause it to snap, depending on the amount if kinetic energy built up, a sudden release of that energy is the most dangerous thing that can happen.
A synthetic rope can still do a lot of damage if snapped under extreme tension, there is still a lot of kinetic energy stored in the rope, which has to be released some how. A wire rope is more dangerous due to it's weight. A synthetic can still recoil at an alarming rate, it will stretch slightly (in the same way a KERR - kinetic energy recovery rope - can) when under tension, which is it's way of storing the energy it can't release until the tension is removed, either by slackening off, or by breaking. Yes, less dangerous than a wire rope, but still lethal if not controlled.
A roller fairlead should never be used with a synthetic rope, the small gap between the rollers will damage/fray the rope over time, always use a hawse fairllead with synthetic and a roller with wire rope. alloy hawse fairleads will soon end up with grooves worn in them by wire rope.
Winching is probably THE most dangerous activity we undertake in 4x4s, yet so many do not understand the risks and dangers involved. For our own, and others, safety, if there's one thing to spend money on being trained for, it's winching and the dangers of it, second to 1st aid, which may well be needed if a winching exercise goes sideways.
This might be a bit of a grey area, especially since many winches are built so that the synthetic line runs through the drum and is rigidly attached. I hear what you are saying about the danger of shock loads. On the other hand, I was taught that the line should be firmly attached so that if you are winching out to lower your vehicle down a hill you don't winch "off the end of the rope", which could be a very dangerous situation.
I should have been more clear, they do make specific rollers for synthetic rope. They are usually made of polyurathane and don't have major gaps. I agree that in either case the hawse fairlead is a lighter, simpler, and better option.
Member I
I just changed out winches on my truck, I went back to my old winch & changed out fairlead along changed out from wire rope to 75ft. of 7\16" synthetic rope
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