# Winch line breakage



## skamaniac (Aug 24, 2009)

What is the leading cause of winch line breakage? Rope & wire. Is it that the hook gets run into the the fairlead and stressing it? I was wondering if that is the case, would it be better to use a rope that has some amount of stretch. A winch setup for just plows that has a clutch?


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## mcfly89 (Nov 2, 2005)

theres a rope specifically made for this purpose. warn makes some, i think moose does too. check out rocky mountain atv, i think they sell it. if not I can dig thru some of my literature and find it.


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## skamaniac (Aug 24, 2009)

I know about the synthetic line that is stronger than wire and has very little stretch. It seems to me this is good line for general winch use, but if it is breaking because of the hook being jammed into the fairlead constantly, i would think that a rope that has some stretch would be more of a benefit. It's not like your lifting a lot of weight. If any of you guys do much fishing/trolling, you know what i mean, you need a shock cord between your "no stretch" line and your lure. If you don't, the shock of the fish striking will break your line every time.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

One of the biggest causes of rope AND cable failure is the fair lead getting nicked up. The ever so smallest nick will eat up a rope in just a days use. It's best to use a open fair lead without rollers when using rope or at least replace the original fair lead with a new one.


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## skamaniac (Aug 24, 2009)

There is a company offering fairleads made of UHMW (Polyethylene) and also replacement rollers for your current fairlead. Combined with a Winch Saver puck, this would solve your problems of fraying worn rope/wire. I thought that there was more breakage at the eye although i could be wrong.

Moose Country is also offering a roller fairlead with a large roller on the bottom to help with the angle of the line.


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## Reb (Feb 8, 2008)

As was stated, nicks in fairlead rollers cause a lot of cable and rope failures. When ever I have replaced cable for rope I swap the top and bottom rollers.

One of the reasons cable fails when used to operate a snowplow is the tight radius going over the bottom roller. The bigger rollers help but don't completely solve the problem. Years ago I even built a pulley that would slip over the bottom roller to increase the radius. Again, it helped but didn't solve the problem.

Years ago I tried some of the short ropes made for operating a snowplow. They always failed at the braid of the loop. Found out later from a rope manufacturer that the company braiding the ropes wasn't doing it right which caused the failures.

Several years ago I figured out how to attach rope to the drum so I would end up with 4 lines coming off the drum. It doesn't require any braiding and I have never had a failure since.


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## carver60 (Jul 18, 2009)

rope isnt a good idea. the same as synthetic winch cable...when it gets wet and freezes, its a useless block on the front of your atv. check out the new topic of the can am outlander 800. he has rigged up a perfect solution


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## fordguy55 (Oct 26, 2009)

I have a 450 HONDA and I mounted my winch on the outside front of my racks so the cable was pointing straight down with only about 4' of cable, never had a problem and the winch doesnt work as hard.


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## 06Sierra (Nov 30, 2008)

I use synthetic with my snowblower and never had a problem with it. Like the others said, make sure you put a new fairlead on when changing from cable to synthetic.


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## ffemt911 (Oct 31, 2009)

also - may want to check out e-bay and grab a synthetic 7' cable - rather than eating up the expensive 50' cable that you want to use for actual winching the rest of the year


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## ScubaSteve728 (Jan 17, 2012)

the issue is ussually pulling in the rope too tight not always the hook hitting the fairlead the plow may be fully up against the bottom of the frame and you may still be pulling and that only stretches it and snaps it


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## blazer2plower (Nov 19, 2011)

They sell a cable stops its a hunk of rubber about 3" around. Its supposed to keep the hook from going into the rollers. And change out you rollers


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## noooooo (Nov 17, 2009)

When your cable winds in it goes through the fairlead and under the bottom of the spool. If you wind it where the cable winds in and goes to the top of the spool, (backwards) it should make the angle much much less and not break it. When the cable comes off the bottom of the spool , through the fairlead and down to the pushtube it is basically going 180 degrees. Off the top of the spool would be maybe 30 degrees. I have an actuator to raise and lower the plow so I never tried it to know if it actually kept the cable from breaking.


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## alaska snowplow (Oct 6, 2012)

I plowed about 35 homes with a Rhino for 5 years, went through a lot of cable. The problem is that the fairlead rollers do not roll so since you are only using a few inches of cable over and over, it will rub back and both against the fairlead roller and break quickly. My fix was to to get a real high quality pulley that you can hang off the bumper so so he cable comes out of the winch up through the pulley with out using the fairlead then down to the plow. This works great and you will not break the cable any more. The rope is ok for just a home but if you nose it alot, it will break quicker than the cable.


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## My07Brute (Feb 9, 2011)

Use a roller fairlead and a 1-2" wide tow strap instead of syn or steel cable.

Its been discussed all over the internet, VIPER even offers one now.
https://motoalliance.com/Site.Store.go?action=gotoProductDetails&id=606


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## Plow More (May 26, 2009)

Leading cause is when you have two quads tied together with 15ft of slack of the winch line but sitting bumper to bumper and on "go" you both drive in opossite direction of each other as fast as you can. Dont ask how i know


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## blazer2plower (Nov 19, 2011)

Please please tell us


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## 450foreman04 (Sep 23, 2010)

I take my cable off and replace it with a two inch wide strap (from an old ratchet strap). Only use like 10 feet. Cut the end to a taper to allow it to be pushed through the drum on the winch. Works perfect. Much cheaper than replacing a cable. After plow season I put the cable back on. On my third season with the same strap and still in great shape.


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## livergsp (Aug 13, 2011)

*This is the best idea EVER!!!*



450foreman04;1539787 said:


> I take my cable off and replace it with a two inch wide strap (from an old ratchet strap). Only use like 10 feet. Cut the end to a taper to allow it to be pushed through the drum on the winch. Works perfect. Much cheaper than replacing a cable. After plow season I put the cable back on. On my third season with the same strap and still in great shape.


The end already has A hook that you can keep from slipping off by using tape or A zip tie.

I also use stuff called muletape....If it goes bad I just cut it off and re-tie.

Scott


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

I used a 2" strap and a solid fairlead.


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## Dave T (Feb 11, 2009)

ALC-GregH;1545393 said:


> I used a 2" strap and a solid fairlead.


ACL-GregH,

That's a great shot. That clamp should also help the strap from stretching which could be why the threads break. I'm going to make one up... just in case.

Are you still using duct tape to attach the strap to the drum? How's it holding up?

Thanks


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

Hi Dave, yes on the duct tape. I actually never have taken it off. I rarely use the atv for recreation anymore and under normal conditions, I'm never in a predicament that I need to winch the atv out.

If you look close at the strap, I folded it neatly in the clamp in a way that it protects itself when tightened up good. It was a pain to get it just right but the end result is, it most likely won't break. One more shot.


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## Dave T (Feb 11, 2009)

Thanks man... appreciate it! Thumbs Up


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

Dave T;1545554 said:


> Thanks man... appreciate it! Thumbs Up


No problem. The "D" ring is stainless by the way. It's easier to unscrew the pin versus normal steel that rusts after a bunch of use.


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## Dave T (Feb 11, 2009)

ALC-GregH;1545730 said:


> No problem. The "D" ring is stainless by the way. It's easier to unscrew the pin versus normal steel that rusts after a bunch of use.


Yep... thought it was. I try and use all stainless whenever possible and figured you do the same.

Thanks again!


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## irv (Oct 20, 2010)

ALC-GregH;1545544 said:


> Hi Dave, yes on the duct tape. I actually never have taken it off. I rarely use the atv for recreation anymore and under normal conditions, I'm never in a predicament that I need to winch the atv out.
> 
> If you look close at the strap, I folded it neatly in the clamp in a way that it protects itself when tightened up good. It was a pain to get it just right but the end result is, it most likely won't break. One more shot.


put the plastic shield back on your power pivot. makes it look pretty!--irv


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

irv;1547044 said:


> put the plastic shield back on your power pivot. makes it look pretty!--irv


Merry Christmas Irv. The plastic cone is on it. If you mean the motor, it didn't have anything to cover it, just the bigger cone. I did use flat washers to hold it down since it would pop up all the time and then the keys would pop out and get buried in the snow. :realmad: That's why I made the bracket assembly with the keys welded in place, I can just unbolt the plate (4 bolts) if I need to disassemble for any reason.


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## livergsp (Aug 13, 2011)

*This work too*

http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufact...F8&qid=1356711329&sr=8-3&keywords=Winch+Strap


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## irv (Oct 20, 2010)

ALC-GregH;1547178 said:


> Merry Christmas Irv. The plastic cone is on it. If you mean the motor, it didn't have anything to cover it, just the bigger cone. I did use flat washers to hold it down since it would pop up all the time and then the keys would pop out and get buried in the snow. :realmad: That's why I made the bracket assembly with the keys welded in place, I can just unbolt the plate (4 bolts) if I need to disassemble for any reason.


sorry. guess it didnt show well to my old eyes. just funnin!
i did buy the latest keys and just ran cable ties through them.
have a great 20131


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## champ3jd (Dec 16, 2005)

great setup Dave T


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## MTV712 (Oct 24, 2005)

Need some help!!! I have a polaris 500 with the polaris plow assembly and blade. As you know i can only raise and lower my blade. Are there any available plows that would allow me to replace current assembly and blade with one with an assembly i could attached to my polaris that would have give me the 4 functions (up,down, right,and left)?


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

Take your pic. Most plows have options for power angle. The new BOSS plow is hydro powered up/down left/right.


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## irv (Oct 20, 2010)

same strap. 4th season. doesnt even look warn[no pun intended. i
have a warn plow setup].
on another subject, how have your power pivots held up?
ive had mine since 07 when they first came out. lubed only
so far.


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## BOWCHIEF (Feb 7, 2009)

I like the strap method. Any of you strap users have it freeze on the winch, say, after it's been retracted wet? That would be my only concern. Probably wouldn't take much to unspool it if it did freeze. I'm probably just over thinking it.


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## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

irv;1733008 said:


> same strap. 4th season. doesnt even look *warn*[no pun intended. i
> have a warn plow setup].
> on another subject, how have your power pivots held up?
> ive had mine since 07 when they first came out. lubed only
> so far.


 Should be a "O" in there but we get the idea. LOL



BOWCHIEF;1760208 said:


> I like the strap method. Any of you strap users have it freeze on the winch, say, after it's been retracted wet? That would be my only concern. Probably wouldn't take much to unspool it if it did freeze. *I'm probably just over thinking it*.


WAY..... LOL


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## RichTJ99 (Feb 6, 2012)

Do you guys have a parts list for that? I have a RT25 warn winch & want to do something like that. I got a synthetic line last season & it is almost broken. I need something pretty quick I think!


Where can I buy it?


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## Doughboy12 (Oct 15, 2014)

livergsp;1549782 said:


> http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufact...F8&qid=1356711329&sr=8-3&keywords=Winch+Strap


This....
Available at any boat store or outdoor/fishing/hunting store...


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## Matt0644 (Oct 15, 2012)

Doughboy12;1943479 said:


> This....
> Available at any boat store or outdoor/fishing/hunting store...


How do you secure it to the drum? I have a Warn 2.5ci. And keep having the Syn rope break, not very happy with the rope.


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## sublime68charge (Dec 28, 2007)

I think just some duct tape and if you get 3 wraps around the drum the wraps are what take up the tension and hold in place.

Just my thoughts


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## Doughboy12 (Oct 15, 2014)

sublime68charge;1945722 said:


> I think just some duct tape and if you get 3 wraps around the drum the wraps are what take up the tension and hold in place.
> 
> Just my thoughts


This......:salute:


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## Doughboy12 (Oct 15, 2014)

Matt0644;1944248 said:


> How do you secure it to the drum? I have a Warn 2.5ci. And keep having the Syn rope break, not very happy with the rope.


It's not the rope....it is the bending cycles. Ropes don't like to be used like that and especially synthetic ones. Like taking a wire and bending it back and forth..only takes so many to break it. The synthetics also can't tolerate the nicking that a steel wire rope can.

(Its a bit more involved than that but you get the idea.)


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