Winch Cables
Selecting Winch Rope: The Upside and Downside of Steel Winch Cable
First, wire rope or cable is cheap and it is less subject to abrasion than is its newer synthetic cousin. It’s also heat resistant. The heat generated by the braking system in planetary gear driven winches can pose a problem for synthetic winch rope.
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12V REMOTE CONTROL 2000LBS CAP. POWER CABLE WINCH HD US $79.99  |
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12V REMOTE CONTROL 2000LBS CAP. POWER CABLE WINCH KIT US $79.99 |
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12V REMOTE CONTROL 2000LBS CAP. POWER CABLE WINCH US $79.99 |
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WARN 61560 Snatch Block 19000 lb M8000 Cable Winch US $77.59 |
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3000LB ATV ELECTRIC WINCH w/Cable/Fairlead/Mount Plate US $76.90 |
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Superwinch 1577A Winch Cable Galvanized Steel S5000/C10 US $71.95 |
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Superwinch Replacement Winch Cable 1577A US $71.95 |
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Superwinch Replacement Winch Cable 1514A US $69.95 |
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Superwinch Replacement Winch Cable 1514 US $69.95 |
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Superwinch 1514 Winch Cable Galvanized Steel X3/X3F US $69.95 |
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Superwinch 1514A Winch Cable Galvanized Steel 7/32 in US $69.95 |
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Ramsey Replacement Winch Cable 251123 US $62.95 |
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Ramsey Winch 251123 Cable With Clevis Hook 100 ft.x3/8 US $62.95 |
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Superwinch 1513 Winch Cable Galvanized Steel 3/16 in. 4 US $62.39 |
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Chain V Bridle w/ RJT Hook Tow Truck Winch Cable Pull US $59.95 |
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Chain V Bridle w/ RJT Hook Tow Truck Winch Cable Pull US $59.95 |
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Chain V Bridle w/ RJT Hook Tow Truck Winch Cable Pull US $59.95 |
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Chain V Bridle w/ RJT Hook Tow Truck Winch Cable Pull US $59.95 |
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1/4x150FT, 4X4 JEEP, WINCH CABLE, TOW, AXLE, CLEVIS US $59.40 |
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WRECKER TOWTRUCK ROLLBACK 3/8 x 50' STEEL WINCH CABLE US $59.00 |
On the downside, wire rope is heavy and the individual wire strands frequently fray leading to potentially serious injury to the hands of the winch operator, even with gloves on. In addition, wire winch cable can be difficult to respool, kinking up along the way. It also gets very cold to the touch during winter operation and it can rust and stretch out with repeated use. But most significantly, wire rope actually stores energy and if it snaps during winching the recoil can produce devastating results.
If you are a newcomer to the off road world you may have wondered why you’ve seen what appears to be car floor mats draped over wire cable in some of the pictures and videos of winches in operation. That’s why they are there: to minimize the recoil snapping effect of a cable that breaks under stress.
