Where 5 16 steel winch cable breaks at 9800 lbs masterpull s 5 16 standard winch rope breaks at 12 300 lbs which is an okay strength increase.
Winch rope vs cable weight.
The truth is that they both have a number of pros and cons.
Both can kill you and it s not something to take lightly.
When steel cable breaks it creates a really dangerous situation.
Here s our take on it.
Synthetic rope on the other hand can be mended much easier.
Brian shares pros and cons to using wire vs synthetic rope for winching.
There is a big divide between offroad enthusiast when it comes to choosing between steel cable and synthetic rope.
Synthetic rope for winch.
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If you winch a lot and are concerned about weight synthetic can be a great option since it is lightweight and easy to handle.
Steel debate has heated up recently as synthetic rope becomes more mainstream.
Steel cable for as long as winching has been around the industry standard has been aircraft grade steel cable which is more durable than synthetic rope but comes at the expense of weight and.
Inherent safety is probably the major difference between synthetic rope and still cable.
This is a 29 reduction in weight.
Similarly an 8274 can also see huge weight savings with synthetic winch rope and an aluminum fairlead dropping from 110 lbs to 78 lbs.
Ever since synthetic ropes began to become popular it has been a big debate between off road enthusiasts as to whether metal or synthetic ropes are the better option.
Synthetic rope is a great product for many vehicle recovery situations.
The synthetic rope also requires special maintenance than the steel cable.
Synthetic easily wins out here.
Metal winch rope.
This is more than 25 of the winch s original weight.
But switching to synthetic winch rope and using an aluminum fairlead brings the weight down to 100 lbs a 36 lb savings.
You should wash the rope after every use especially.
Winches don t do much without a rope or cable.
The problem is that using a winch to move a vehicle with a steel cable loads a very small and flexible structure with a huge amount of weight.
While mending rope or cable on the trail should only be done as a temporary fix it s something to consider.
If you ve ever witnessed a winch cable or rope break under load you know it happens in the blink of an eye.