SuperWinch upgrade

[77GreenMachine]

So I was going to put brakes on my car yesterday, I pulled the jeep around to it to use the tools in it. I got completely distracted working on the jeep and never did touch the car, does that happen to anyone else?

Anyway, I had gotten hung up pretty bad the other evening after work and used my 8500lb SuperWinch for the hardest pull I've ever put on it. I already had a few questionable spots in the cable and knew it needed replacement soon. It got wrapped over itself and put a few more bad kinks on it and with Harlan coming up its time for synthetic rope. My problem is the anchor point on the drum isn't any good and the cable has been welded to the drum to hold it the first few wraps. This was done by the PO but again by me because I took the winch apart to service it and I spooled it all the way out to look at it and it came off.
Is it ok do just do like a slip knot with the new rope to get it started? I know not to let my winch out all the way anyway.

Snapped a few pics of the cable. It has so much memory and spots that would cut off my hands without gloves. Every time something happens I find myself saying "this wouldn't happen with synthetic rope" so it's time to get one. My winch gets a LOT of use between the work days and things I shouldn't have tried but did just because I have a winch.

 

[77GreenMachine]

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Doesn't matter what you do....it'll be better than what you have!

 

[shawn]

The anchor point isn't super important... you just need some way to hold the end steady so that you can get the first few wraps on. The eyelets they crimp onto synth rope would come right off if you put any real pressure on them.

I'm not sure how easy it is to pop that winch apart, but I'd probably look into drilling and tapping a new hole in the spool. You can just go around partway from where it was before. Only trick would be getting the shavings out, since it likely has a brake inside the spool. If you can pull an end cap off to get access inside, you could also just drill a larger hole, slip the rope through, and tie a figure-8 in it. That's basically how the 8274 works.

You can certainly tie a knot in it, but I wouldn't want to do it just b/c it would screw up the lay on the upper wraps. It's not a problem per se, it would just piss me off.

 

[77GreenMachine]

Yeah I guess long as I get a few wraps on it will be fine. I may get creative with it.

I think the brake is shot on my winch cause it will go back out when I let off the button and it has a load on it.

 

[RHSCTJ]

1 thing I found when I put new rope on mine, if you just spool rope on the winch it will pull through the under layers of rope creating a similar problem to the steel cable in pics. Ive never heard anyone talk about this. I totally unspooled the rope except 2 wraps and pulled the jeep up a hill to tighten it up.

 

[CLRracer]

1 thing I found when I put new rope on mine, if you just spool rope on the winch it will pull through the under layers of rope creating a similar problem to the steel cable in pics. Ive never heard anyone talk about this. I totally unspooled the rope except 2 wraps and pulled the jeep up a hill to tighten it up.

Both steel cable and synthetic rope should be spooled in under load to keep the outer layers from pulling into the inner layers.

Duane

 

[shawn]

Both steel cable and synthetic rope should be spooled in under load to keep the outer layers from pulling into the inner layers.

This. Get the first 5-6 wraps on, then pull the Jeep up a hill while you steer the rope back and forth on the spool. I'll repeat this every once in a while after the winch has gotten a bunch of use, too. Get it all laid back down nice, even, and tight.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

It's funny...when I see a winch, it's either NEVER been used or unspooled or it's in a complete birds nest! They definitely take some upkeep to make sure they last and function properly for a long time.