Truck winches

[MTGreen]

Bought one of these for the times when you don't have an anchor point a few years back. I needed it a few times before I bought one, then of course I've been carrying it since and haven't needed it. I know that day 1 after I take it out of the truck I'll need it for sure

Pull Pal | Off Road Anchoring | Specs

Pull Pal gets your rig out...fast. Simply insert the plow point into the soil, mud, sand or snow.

www.pullpal.com

 

[LittleBill21]

Bought one of these for the times when you don't have an anchor point a few years back. I needed it a few times before I bought one, then of course I've been carrying it since and haven't needed it. I know that day 1 after I take it out of the truck I'll need it for sure

Pull Pal | Off Road Anchoring | Specs

Pull Pal gets your rig out...fast. Simply insert the plow point into the soil, mud, sand or snow.

www.pullpal.com

been staring at those for years. when you need one you need one

 

[Hay Dude]

All the winch comparisons and write ups got my head spinning.
I was all set to buy a Ramsey 15K used off some dude on FBM.

Then I scrapped that idea and went with a new Sherpa Stallion 25K.

Went with the 31K rated rope instead of the cable to save weight & make respooling easier.

Should have it installed next week.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

Nice.

They claim that the later synthetic rope is better at resisting UV, but I'd still keep it covered. Just in case.

 

[Hay Dude]

Nice.

They claim that the later synthetic rope is better at resisting UV, but I'd still keep it covered. Just in case.

Thanks.
I almost bought the cover. Might get one on a separate order soon.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I got a cheap generic one from Amazon. Seems to work just fine.

 

[WinterDeere]

I've mentioned before I race sailboats, and the lines used on these winches are mostly taken from sailboat racing, generally Dyneema or Vectran. I have miles and miles of each, they're our bread and butter, so to speak.

Does your application involve any chafing? What line exactly did you get? I suspect most are single braid, no sheath, which can work fine as long as you keep it out of the sun and never let it chafe against anything. Yes, these lines are incredibly strong, like "pick up your truck with a single 1/4 inch diameter line", strong. It really only ever fails at the knots and splices, in the absence of UV damage or chafing.

 

[Hay Dude]

I've mentioned before I race sailboats, and the lines used on these winches are mostly taken from sailboat racing, generally Dyneema or Vectran. I have miles and miles of each, they're our bread and butter, so to speak.

Does your application involve any chafing? What line exactly did you get? I suspect most are single braid, no sheath, which can work fine as long as you keep it out of the sun and never let it chafe against anything. Yes, these lines are incredibly strong, like "pick up your truck with a single 1/4 inch diameter line", strong. It really only ever fails at the knots and splices, in the absence of UV damage or chafing.

No idea. I am going to “close my eyes” and believe in the technology. Can’t believe its actually stronger than the steel cable….
I went with it because it’s much lighter and easier to re-spool.

The winch will bend my Ranch Hand bumper before it stalls, so I have to keep an eye on the bumper when pushing it hard.

 

[Hay Dude]

I actually got sick of comparing & searching. There were chances to buy Ramseys, but they were 15K LBS and everyone has told me to try to buy a wich with at least 50% more pulling strength than truck weight.
My truck weighs 11,000lbs with typical tool weight, so I needed at least a 17K winch.

I found a few, but they were used with asking prices of ~$1,500.

I haven’t read hardly any negative reviews on the Sherpas, so I went with it based on reviews, 25,000lb pull strength and a reasonable price.

 

[WinterDeere]

No idea. I am going to “close my eyes” and believe in the technology. Can’t believe its actually stronger than the steel cable….
I went with it because it’s much lighter and easier to re-spool.

I believe the most common line used on winches is Amsteel Blue, which is a dyneema single braid, running about 30,600 lb. minimum breaking strength at 1/2". Engineering Toolbox puts 1/2" steel cable around 21,400 lb., so Amsteel blue is about 1.4x as strong as steel, in the same diameter.

But when you look at weight and response to failure, the advantages become even more obvious. Steel cable weighs 42 lb./100 ft in 1/2", and Amsteel Blue weighs less than 6 lb./100 ft. Moreover, single-braid Dyneema isn't anywhere near as likely to turn anyone legless when it snaps and recoils, as a steel cable.

Taking the weight and relative strengths into consideration, you could do a 4000 lb. pull at 100 feet on 42 lb. of 1/2" steel cable, with typical recommended 5x safety factor, or the same on 4.5 lb. of 7/16" Amsteel Blue. I know which one I'd rather drag uphill!

The downside is the chafing and UV damage. Keep a cover on it, and protect it where it wraps around trees, etc. They sell double braid line, essentially Dyneema core inside a polyester or nylon sleeve, which protects it against both UV and abrasion. But the outer jacket adds diameter, so all ratings go down per same finished diameter. In other words, 1/2" double braid might be 5/16" dyneema inside a polyester jacket.

AmSteel-Blue Rope | High-Strength Synthetic Winch Rope

AmSteel-Blue is a lightweight Dyneema rope with unmatched strength, abrasion, and cut resistance—ideal for winch lines, towing, and rigging.

www.samsonrope.com

https://pelicanrope.com/content/PDFs/DyneemaSK75_Tech_Sheet.pdf

 

[Hay Dude]

Now am needing some kind of harness to go around trees.

 

[WinterDeere]

When you think about it, there's not going to be all that much chafing of a winch line, other than at the fairlead where it enters the winch. Everywhere else, it's a fixed line, not a running line. Fixed lines don't chafe much, and it would probably even be fine wrapped around a tree. If you want to be super-careful, I guess you could use a nylon strap around a tree, then fix to that, which is probably a heck of a lot less point load on the tree bark, too.

I would be sure the fairlead you're using in front of the winch is the best type for a Dyneema line, which might be different than the types used for steel cable. In fact, the soft line fairleads might just be an aluminum ring with a slot, and stainless steel rub points around the slot. That's the primary chafe point, in this application.

One excellent property of single braid Dyneema (eg. Amsteel Blue) is that it's super easy to splice the stuff. A child could do it, with pretty minimal training, and the splices are super strong... stronger than the original line, if done right.

 

[LittleBill21]

in high abrasion environments, like winching tree's, cable should be used, the synth ropes are only good where the line won't rub on anything, and its lighter, and less dangerous if it breaks

 

[WinterDeere]

in high abrasion environments, like winching tree's, cable should be used, the synth ropes are only good where the line won't rub on anything, and its lighter, and less dangerous if it breaks

Agreed. In fact, that's what I use, since my winch is mounted on my trailer, and aimed at pulling trees. But I thought @Hay Dude was using this only for self-rescue of his truck, fixed line situation.

If you're using this to drag trees to the truck, then call the supplier and have them switch you to steel cable!

 

[LittleBill21]

and the strap your looking for if staying with the rope is called a tree saver...

https://www.amazon.com/Winching-Rec...2db664b395f72&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

 

[Hay Dude]

I’ll check into the tree saver.
I already bought the winch with rope and it’s en-route.

No biggie. I’ll be careful when dragging logs. Can’t be all that delicate. They said it was fine for log pulling.

It will be used for equipment/vehicle recovery and logs.

 

[ning]

I’ll check into the tree saver.
I already bought the winch with rope and it’s en-route.

No biggie. I’ll be careful when dragging logs. Can’t be all that delicate. They said it was fine for log pulling.

It will be used for equipment/vehicle recovery and logs.

Mostly watch for (ie, avoid) it going over rocks or around trees. As soon as there's tension on it, on flat ground it'll be in the air away from most stuff.
You may need a shackle if you get a tree saver strap as the loops at the ends of that are large and two of them may not fit on the winch hook.

 

[WinterDeere]

A short (eg. 10 feet) chain with a slip or choker hook on one end and a grab hook on the other, makes a great durable choker, for this application. Chain around the log, choker hook so it draws tight. Then use grab hook on other end to make a loop into which you hook your soft winch line. The chain takes all the abuse of dragging on the ground.

I made my pair of choker chains real cheap, by buying a 20' chain 5/16" with grab hooks on both ends, and cutting it in the middle for two 10' pieces. I ran slip hooks on the new ends for a few years, until someone here convinced me to try choker hooks. I like the idea of the choker hooks, they won't fall off the chain like a slip hook can, when tension is released, but the pair I bought has an eye a bit too small for the 5/16" chain for which they're spec'd, so I'd try a different brand, next time.

Amazon.com

 

[Hay Dude]

Will install next week.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Whoop! New toy day!