An ADDED feature of safety, that I have yet to see in all of these winch reviews, is what I have been using for years and definitely know the safety it provides is, whenever winching, I, and many of my fellow offroaders, open our hoods on our jeeps. If, in the event of cable snap, the hood keeps the cable from blowing through your windshield. I think any added safety information is worth knowing.
i use moving pad 's like you can get from u-haul. they also work great as pads for under your sleeping bag. insulation, and not feeling that "rock, or root". at 2: am. but i have in over 35 years of hard wheeling. never broken a cable. but seeing possible to real damage i do replace the wire rope. cheaper than a problem on a trail.
I have been next to synthetic many times and of those that snapped I may have got whipped and bruised, but not ever got maimed or cut and bled like steel would do.
Depends on the rope. I've seen synthetic lines break with hundreds of tons of force on them and when they part the entire rope doesn't break all at once, but each strand breaks and it ultimately just falls down. (mooring lines on a US Navy warship parting when moored in Guam)
Been Jeepin' winchless now for over 40 years. If you're needing a winch on a regular basis you're overdriving your rig. The best tool you have is to know your limitations and *not* get stuck in the first place. That being said in the rare 'sitch you do get stuck the best winch setup is the one on somebody else's rig . You're not doing hard trails solo, right? The beefed up bumper, winch and heavy duty electrics add a lot of weight/cost, weight mostly up front which is a bad spot. Concerning steel cable vs. synthetic line I wuz surprised when line showed up. Yes, it has the same breaking strength/stretch as cable when new but it also has *much less* abrasion/chafe resistance than steel so is inappropriate for the Jeepin' environment except for rare vanity pulls. Yes cable is more dangerous but with care can be used safely if you know what you're doing. I could go on but will stop here and say synthetic line is a solution in search of a problem.
Synthetic Line will snap and fly back at you. It doesn't fall to the ground. Source: 20 years in the Navy and buddies who lost limbs from synthetic line.
Yep ive seen it too in the coast guard watched a mooring line snap on a 41ft boat and the line cut the post in half clean imagine what it could do to a body
From my own experience, I never got maimed or bled from getting hit by a rope line of synthetic, bruised and hurt ego, but never seriously or more less fairly injured beyond a bruise and some soreness compare dot what a steel line can do. And those cases I was not doing using for recovery work, it was utility winching use. Never would I stay as close to a line if using steel cable/wire, as MythBusters showed how bad it can injure beyond bruising, but yes with larger diameter rope you get a bigger risk of having that much more weight of rope coming back at you, but I have yet to see images of said event you claim.
Which synthetic line? What was it made of? What size was the line? There are break test videos that show an anxil failure of dyneema rope but the energy level is only comparable to something like a bosemans wip, can still injure but not like the flying battle axe of broken steel cable that can remove heads .....
Ocean House I've seen 3/8 synthetic line take out the grill, ac condenser & rad on a 1/2 ton pickup. Not sure of the brand but if you think you're safer using that crap you're either misinformed or deluded.
I had my 3/16" synthetic line on my atv snap on me last week. It sure as hell didn't just "fall to the ground". It whipped all 25 feet that were extended into the tree I was winching to. It hit hard enough to knock some bark off the trunk. Definitely would've made a nice welt on the leg had somebody been standing there!
why EVERYBODY must stand clear. next time attach a weight to your cable (steel or plastic). hit the wrong spot on a body, or angle, etc more than a bad welt.
Steel cable for me! I don't want a cable that is damaged by the sun or from getting muddy :-D. If you simply use safe/proper winching practices to begin with - wear gloves, use line dampers, and good rigging techniques (all the stuff you should do anyway regardless of cable type) the extreme durability of steel cable far outshines the weight and "safety" factor of synthetic IMO. You can highly minimize the risk of injury by just knowing how to winch properly... A synthetic cable will not teach you these skills, or make you safe with out them. I have witnessed firsthand a synthetic tow strap snap and blow in the back steel corner of a pickup cab. It severely bent the rear cab corner/roof in and shattered the entire rear window in the blink of an eye; synthetics store lethal energy too... Synthetic is the trendy thing right now though, I get the marketing push to buy it. But I think the synthetic marketing that concentrates heavily on the huge "safety" benefit is a bad one. Learning how to properly use your equipment will mitigate the risks, the cable type won't keep you safe. Warn 9500 CTi here with 125' of STEEL cable on board. I also think steel looks better wound up neatly on the drum :-D.
I seen stress tests showing how the individual wires of steel cable breaking and whipping enough to cause any unfortunate person standing close enough to cause very possible serious injury and bleeding. Where as the rope strands show the same failure but hardly whip due to the weight and slightly whips when failure happens and it just drops, steel literally flails like there is no tomorrow. By any chance of your synthetic horror story was the attachment gear it was tied to still tied to it? because I have seen many kinetic ropes and straps whip only to see it did so due to the misused tow ball or a shackle or even hook it was attached to was still hanging on.
Oh and yes I too prefer seeing a nicely neatly wound steel or rope line instead of wildly wound line which only means harder time to unspool when needed again.
Extra safety is always better, whether you can mitigate the danger of steel cable or not, extra safety is always something to look into, especially if you use winches professionally on a daily basis, it is important to keep yourself and others safe.
@@towtruckaj Tell that to all the wreckers, cranes, bridges, elevators, and navy/shipping industry using steel cable and blocking in heavy duty applications daily.
Way late to this, but can't forget to mention the safety in cold environment too! You might not even be able to unwind your synthetic line in the cold if it gets frozen from snow/slush!
I think synthetic has been way over-hyped. Yes, it's lighter and more pleasant to work with, but I think those are the only clear benefits. It may be stronger under LABORATORY conditions, but in off road use it sure seems to be more prone to failure than steel. Videos of winch lines failing are ten (maybe twenty) to one synthetic, so it's a good thing it stores less energy. I suspect the average user is much more likely to experience a failure with synthetic than steel which sort of negates its "safety" attributes (a flying winch line isn't the only potential hazard if the line snaps in use). Everything about off roading is bad for it: UV, mud/dirt/dust/sand, sharp edges, rock abrasion, heat, and cold (it'll turn into a useless block of ice on the drum). It's high maintenance and damn expensive, particularly if you have to replace it every few years. Neither will tolerate straight abuse, but I think steel is more reliable in the real world, and certainly more tolerant of doing actual work with your winch beyond recreational four wheeling.
the avg fun time jeeper. just use steel rope, as it takes the abuse very well and keeps on working. for a poser go plastic for the looks. each has it's place. but in all i have seen, rarely does the winch line not touch something that will cut a plastic line. but yes can damage steel. the only time on the trail i have seen steel fail. was were they were trying to pull too low and the truck was being pulled into the car sized boulder, not up to get over it. i have seen more very poorly made attachment points fail that the cables.
the best winch line is one that gets you out when you need it...get steel. if you so much as neglect a synthetic as much as most people would (install one, only use it when they need it every 2 years), or the line slips and scrapes against a rock.. synthetics are viable to snap on you when you need it most, and no, synthetics dont just "fall to the ground", treat them like they wanna kill you, so they cant. i think of it like a gun. you can have one thats "more dangerous" (keep it in your house loaded, by your bedside) or one thats "safer" (unloaded, in a locked box)...sure, the second is safer, but when someone is in your house, the one whos locked up, and whos ammo is in a separate, also locked case, is MUCH more likely to fail you, and if you take proper precautions, its not even that much safer. the MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY TOOL IS YOUR EDUCATION AND PRACTICES! BAR *NONE*
Steel under great tension if it breaks it can take a head off an arm off or a leg clean off. I’d go with safety before ever thinking three or four years buying a new Nylon rope can break the bank.
And asked by an amateur in my eyes. it was a single static line, so yes it was fine what he did for "demonstration" only, rather he got a velcro sleeve for the handles of the bag.
C’est Moi using a bag as a damper is retarded in the first place. To be sn effective damper, whatever is used as a damper needs to be spread out. Hell, a sleeping bag would be a far more effective damper than the tool bag.
I operate a 6x6 Studebaker truck a fair bit in the bush,(AUS.) it is 70 y.o. (like me).It has a very useful feature not found in any of the modern winches that I have seen. Firstly it is a large drum winch with a LOT of cable, it is powered by a p.t.o. from the truck gear-box. This gives it the unique feature that gets me out of a lot of trouble ; as I winch myself forward I am driving the truck, which of course gives a lot of help to the recovery, through the gear-box the winch is synchronised to the gear and speed of the truck, that means that if I strike a bit of good going I can go up a gear or two and the winch keeps pace, ready to take up the slack , in the next bad bit the winch is taut and ready to pull again. This is a huge help in getting out of really bad situations. Davox.
Probably should've mentioned that even when the winch is rated for 9.5k lbs that is only for the first row on the spool. By the 4th or 5th row on the spool your about 1/3 of the weight which can cause issues.
Synthetic is saf-ER. You can still knock an eye out if it fails, and if it’s the rigging that fails, the metal shackles can fly and hit you. Always stand clear.
Anony Mouse for example him saying that you don’t need a damper with synthetic line. Or the bag he used as a damper, a bag works but a winch blanket a better and should be the exemplar used by him.
@@triddle5593 mate, ask any experienced off roader from Australia and I guarantee that they'd say you should NEVER winch without a winch dampener regardless of steel or synthetic. Also a BIG NO NO... either he has to be in the car or the length of the line x2 away from an active recovery... VERY dangerous practices been shown. If I do a double line-pull I'll use 3 dampeners,
agree, attaching the dampener with shackles defeats the purpose and violates the main rule to remove as much metal from a recovery, standing next to winch while operating also not recommended. Steel cable should still be cleaned and maintained big kinks for example do damage to cable while not to rope.
I don't normally prescribed to the hood up recovery. I like to watch the recovery and I like to do so without having to stick my head out the window. If you use correct line dampeners you will be good to go. Hood up can create more issues.
Im an old retired logger, an 8000 lb winch is plenty for any jeep. A winch needs 450 amps to run properly and best to use 800 - 100 amp battery. Add a second battery and set it up with a charging isolator and then run a solenoid from positive to positive for emergency boosting and extra battery power when winching, use a automatic release push button switch to engage solenoid. Very important is to know that the first wrap or layer of cable - rope on your winch is rated pull of the winch the second wrap or layer is like shifting into second and you will lose 1500 - 2000 pounds or pulling power in winch, so the 9500 lb winch shown with a full drum could only pull {4 wraps x 1500 = 6000 } 3500 pounds. I only run three wraps on my winches top wrap and second to reach tree or other truck, bottom or first wrap to pull full power! winch only first anad second wrap then let winch cool down, backup or pully to maintain full power. To reach long distances carry extra cables with 2ft chains and hooks on each end, when you shorten { cut your winch cable } put 2ft chain on each end, only pull first and second wrap then let winch cool then while winch is cooling shorten or remove extra cable lengths.
Good advice. I have 100 feet of 1/2 inch synthetic rope on my Warn 9.5ti on my 88YJ. I also carry 3 snatch blocks to increase the pull if needed. That way I don't have to run on the last couple wraps on the drum. I want to add a duel battery setup like you described :)
I wish someone would do a video of a cable and a rope snapping to show what would happen in each scenario. I have heard that synthetic just falls to the ground many times but I’ve also heard that they do snap back, just not as bad. I would like to know which it is.
ronny dahl did one on steel lines, 3 years ago, titled: mass damage snapping winch cables, a good job on illustrating what can happen. do it right ✅ shouldn't be big problems.
i do not know any name or links. but a guy/groop down in the down under land did such a video. the tests were to the fail point on all the winch lines. they used a large bulldozer to do the pulling. can you say carnage.
Steel cable + safe handling practices > synthetic. Lower maintenance, longer lasting and more affordable. Synthetic manufacturers should cut their prices if they're going to sell an inferior product.
It is inferior to the OP in regard to line durability and cost, two huge points. Synthetics don't have much advantage over steel other then weight, certainly more cons then pros IMO. How many wreckers, hoists, and cranes do you see running synthetic cable?
One thing no one seems to EVER make is the fact that steel line will un spool itself when you pull the line out in free spool or even under power unwind if there is no a moderate amount of tension on the line. The problem them comes when one winches back in the spool does not automaticly take up the slack so as you winch the line slips between the layers and makes it almost impossible to unspool the line next time you need. I've seen people tie to a tree or vehicle and reverse until the line becomes free, sometime it just will not come off. Taking the time to completely unspool till all the wraps are tight before you begin to winch is really nessisary, However dynema line does not store this extra tension so when frees spooling off the drum it will stay tight to the drum, eliminating the complete unspooling and re spooling of the line.
you ever notice how these "EXTREME" channels only show themselves driving on terrain that the family van could easily traverse? Seriously, went off roading in the family van, most sketchy shit ever but hella fun.
One thing that is always overlooked is that the winch rated capacity is only one wrap around the drum. The 2,3 & 4th wrap reduce its capacity. So shortening the line and using the rest as a jumper is more efficient!
Just ask any water skier what happens when the synthetic rope snaps. I've had almost all 75ft of ski rope end up back in the boat when my handle snapped off. Anything under tension is holding kinetic energy of some sort. If it hits the ground, then you really didn't have much tension on it yet when it broke.
As Ryan stated there are pros and cons to both types of recovery system line. You make the decision for yourself. To say synthetic rope is inferior is an incorrect statement, it has excellent pulling power and he went over the disadvantages as far as maintenance, where you can be more lazy with your cable. I run steel cable and have considered synthetic rope a few times. The consumer can now make the informed decision. Start acting like a bunch of men instead of some cackling hens. And the reason wreckers with their recovery equipment rarely use synthetic rope is they do not want to deal with maintenance and cleaning they want to move on spray a little lube and be done with their cable. When you have a Jeep or another off-road vehicle you won't be using recovery equipment as often so maintenance won't be as high as it would be in the wrecker recovery game. Stay safe on the trails gentlemen.
Same here, I like synthetic for self recovery and lighter duty heavy pulling utility purposes as needed, but for its better durability prefer to go with steel for heavier duty use.
I have seen one of these synthetic lines snap under serious load. Couldn't quite reach both ends standing between them. However, if you are attached to something like a tow hook on a chevy truck, and the hook breaks free from the frame, the hook will indeed fly a hundred feet or more, dragging the rope with it. Also saw that. As for remote batteries, i have replaced one battery in 2 years with daily use of the winch. I have 2 remotes in addition to the corded unit that has never been used beyond testing it when the winch was installed.
the last two trucks I had I had winches on them and never used them even once. so this last truck I never put a winch on it and have needed one at least 3 times. I love the ideal of having one just not sure it will be worth the money now that I no longer go mudding.
I have steel cable on my 2010 sahara unlimited. Proper care is waaaaaay easier with the steel. Synthetic would require a washing and drying everytime you get it dirty. That would be a major pain in the... to maintain my steel i pull it all the way out, wash it down with a brush, rinse and let dry in the sun. Then pull it back in under tension by draggin another car up the street. Tightly wind onto the drum while spraying every inch with wd40 as it goes in.
one thing so few people cover is using a snatch block to double your pulling power so you can you can use your 8k winch to pull 16k of weight and not buy a new one. assuming you have a long enough cable.
Whoa, only a single weight point and while under load with a metal cable, Ryan adjusts the weight bag while in line with the cable. Safe practices haha
Probably could have made it up this hill?? Lol more like probably could have made it up in 2wd or in a crossover SUV. Jesus I've seen driveways worse than that.
Just because he has harder time pulling it does not mean the rope was difficult, the larger the winch the harder it is to pull the line no matter if steel or rope, remember the synthetic is spooled on a 12k winch as opposed to the steel on a 9.5k winch. Try unspooling a 50k or 100k winch by yourself be it hydraulic or electric which is more difficult but not impossible unless the winch is 'seized'.
the first thing you realize about off roading in a jeep is it that it's painfully slow, you go about 4 mph so avoid the temptation to just jump out and walk at 5 to 7 mph you will need at least twice the normal amount of alcohol and more important is the fact jeep people seem to like a good trail break down where they get to test their self sufficiency and proceed to work on the broken down rig for hours but not before an hours long confluence of ideas as to what the best method of trail side repair would be best
That's freaking funny. I hate most of these elitest comments guys give on winching, but your comment is relevant. At least an hour and 15 minimum comments on how to fix a situation is an offroading must. Then, their all hoping you can't fix it so someone else's rig looks boss hauling some poor guys broken dreams in off the trail. Classic
stickloaf in reality, most "jeep people" are hipster assholes who've never changed a tire and who's rigs never even see grass, let alone s trail. I'd rather take the extra 10 min to load the SXS on the trailer and unload at the trailhead. That way, the wife & I can still get around the cry assing hipsters and their busted fiat.
Most steel lines are made from galvanized steel, and don't rust, however some may not be; you'll have to check with your manufacturer. Synthetic line doesn't get stiff in the cold, however if it was wet when it froze, the ice can make it feel that way until you wiggle it a bit or put some tension on the line. One cool thing about most synthetic lines (ones that are made from Dyneema fiber, such as Amsteel Blue) is that they actually get stronger as they get colder.
Galvanizing is a sacrificial coating that wears off, then it rusts. The dark grey color is the zinc oxidizing before the base metal being protected. It takes a long time to rust through but there will be surface rust forming here and there. I have a 9500lb superwinch on a 2" receiver plate so I can keep is in my Jeep until I need it or switch it between Jeep's...cause you can't just have 1, right? Lol
My synthetic line did not handle any diffrent when I used it and it was -15 F° out verses when I used it in the summer and it was 80 F° now my winch diffrent story at -15 F° it did not want to free spool
I can tell you 100% from owning a tow company and working as a former merchant marine and navy Submariner, use steel cable. Synthetic does not last. Plus you can't get it dirty.
I was really set on getting synthetic after a friend got it on his rig and i used it for the weekend. But then i found out that the synthetic has a shelf life and is compromised by sunlight and dirt, and that is a deal breaker for me. I have several winches on multiple vehicles and trailer, and it's steel for me. I want durability and years of use.
Synthetic is fine so long as you keep it out of the sunlight when not using and cover the winch as well anyway to also protect it from the sun and other elements to last longer along with proper maintenance care as recommended by manufacturer
steel is the best/only way for proper safety in winching. it survives most everything dumped on it, hook points not done right fail more times. ripping loose. crunching/twisting frames, etc.
i wish they would have shown installing the line into the winch. i assume the steel is heavier? and how to make the lines last longer if you can put oil on steel or grease on synthetic?
Steel lines will be heavier in comparison to synthetic lines. The main thing you have to worry about when preserving synthetic lines is keeping them clean and keeping them away from UV light which can break them down and make them brittle over long periods of time. I highly recommend getting a winch cover if you plan on using synthetic lines. -Zach
No info on properly re-spooling the cable properly after use? Does synthetic line still have to deal with that? I've also heard that sand/mud can get between the strands of the synthetic and slowly cut it from the inside. Do you have to wash it out if you've been winching through mud/muck?
Protip for keeping synthetic lines from rotting in the sun: spray the line with 303 aerospace protectant every six months or so. You don't even have to unwind it. Just spray the spool with 10-12 squirts and let it just dry.
I have not used synthetic rope but I worry about it's durability if it rubs on the ground or against a rock while recovering your vehicle. Do you know how well they handle a unfortunately event like that?
I run a steel hawse style fair lead with my cable. The rollers get rusty or seized and won't even spin under severe side load. The hawse is harsh on the steel cable but much safer for side pulls.
It depends. If you are doing hard angled pulls all the time that will damage the rope and you should rethink a roller. The old you can't and shouldn't ever run a roller with rope just isn't true. As long as the rollers are spaced so there are no gaps the rope can get in and the rollers are clean and not burred up they will work with rope just fine. Just don't buy into the daystar urethane rollers BS. I've seen way too many ropes cut those things like a cheese cutter first time they were used. Then unless you want to carry a ton of spares you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no fair lead.
Picked up a 9,500 lbs winch for my '80 Powerwagon. Probably should of went with a 12,000, because I also picked up a set of Dana 60 axles, and a NP 205 transfer case. Just adding more weight to an already heavy truck. Any input about lubricating the winch line with penetrating oil. Live in central Alberta Canada. Lots of -30C to +30C, road salt, mud and dust.
many people fail to realize the max rating is only good for the very first layer on the drum, the subsequent reduces the winches power by at least 10% for each additional layer, four layers equated to half the capacity of pulling strength. If anything 12k should be the minimum for greater inclines beyond 15% angle. Synthetic has proven to be stronger and more durable in such temps as you note.
True but thing improve over time, to say wireless is not for synthetic is untrue, it just happens the winch the rope was being used on did not have wireless option in general.
You’re correct in saying that synthetic line is not as dangerous as cable but..... I strongly disagree in saying that it’s harmless and it will just fall to the ground. it still stretches and holds energy and recoils hard when it breaks. I’ve personally seen synthetic line break and go through windshields, especially when there’s a shackle hooked to the other end of it. Speaking of shackles why would you use a shackle to hook your cable to your tree strap? just use the hook on the cable or a soft shackle. you’re adding another piece of steel that doesn’t need to be there. Same story with the shackle holding the recovery bag on your line, ditch that shit and get some winch blankets.
Should have talked about duty cycles. You can't keep the power on indefinitely without over heating a winch. Also should have talked about spool size. A winches pulling capacity decreases when the amount of line you have out decreases due to reduced leverage. Nice video otherwise! I really enjoy watching the Extreme Terrain content.
JeepCollector91, it would be interesting to find out the results of that winch. A cheapo winch came on my Jeep ( a Champion). I was immediately skeptical of it. But after a few trips comparing how it vs a friend of mine's Smittybilt (at a higher pound) performed, I was pleasantly surprised. The Smittybilt definitely sounded like it was struggling compared to the champion that just powered through pulls.
I used to run an old Warn 8274 winch and loved that thing but sold it with my '59 Willys. The only other winch I had ever used was a Mile Marker hydraulic winch that was run off the power steering pump. It too was a great winch but was useless if the engine wasn't running. I figured for the price of the Badland winch it was worth giving it a try. I don't go wheeling down logging trails all that much anymore so I haven't had a chance to try out the Badland winch other than just messing around with it in the yard...
Wrong no, you operate within your means. A tow/recovery bill out of the woods is expensive though... Also money typically buys you speed and less power draw. It is nice to have a fast winch that you can drive slow and winch with, and its nice drawing the least amount of amps possible.
A winch is better than no winch so there is nothing wrong with owning a brand X over a brand Y or Z as long as it's properly maintained. BL are a bit slower compared to warns but I wheel not race. Pay attention to the duty cycle and don't try to burn it up running it non stop. I've owned a few badland winches. My suggestion is to take it apart and clean the chinese crap grease and metal shavings out of it as soon as you get it. Inspect it to make sure all the gears look good. If there is any question take it back and swap it out before it even gets installed. If it looks good then get some good quality marine waterproof grease, load it up, and put it back together. I always inspect mine after every hard wheeling and clean it out at least once a year no matter what brand it is. Take care of your tools and they will take care of you.
You failed to mention that synthetic line is worthless once it gets a simple snag in it (like when it brushes by a pricker bush when simply driving through underbrush) and that UV light will start breaking down synthetic winch line within a few hours. Oh, and if you get it wet it also grows mold and rots. No thanks, I'll stick to my steel cable.
Yes, you should put the Jeep in neutral if at all possible - trying to drive forward while winching will cause your Jeep to slip about sideways or bounce forward and slide back, and could shock load the line.
Ryan,I do have a question. For your first rigging I noticed you used the shackle or what some Call d-ring. At the second rigging I notice you just put the hook through the tree saver strap. Which method is proper? I've been told whenever you can use less Steel in a rigging it is best to do so. Looking forward to your comments.
Hey James, You can absolutely use both methods when out on the trail, although I would recommend using as little rigging as possible. That way if you were to snap a line, you have one less piece of rigging that could potentially come back and cause damage to yourself or the Jeep. -Jake
Every time someone call those shackles a d-ring I cringe deep inside, seeing as d-ring is the term from a tie down which is not ever to be used as a recovery device.
Always use more rigging. This guy clearly knows nothing as shown in the video lol. When hooked back to the bumper shackle it doubles the pulling power of the winch. (As long as its ran threw a block. Less cable/rope unwound means less power from the winch. Yea it will pull 9k but only with 1 roll on the spool. Sorry been doing recovery most my life, and I'm an avid off reader and this moron really needs to educate himself
having more weight is better to a point then just over kill, a steel shackle here is a better choice, but adding a 50 pound rock is just a back breaker.
When you're winching, does you just keep the Jeep's transmission in Drive? If so, does the driver apply any gas? I originally thought you winched in neutral but that seems like a terrible idea on a hill.
Typically you'll be in neutral. You'll stall the engine or kill the clutch if you try to winch in gear (unless you just happen to have a very slow crawl ratio that moves the jeep at the same speed as the winch). In an automatic, it's still going to be a good idea to be in neutral. If the cable snaps, the person in the jeep should easily be able to apply the breaks in time.
wireless remotes are subject to random rf interference. your winch could do random movements you do not want it to do. as per fed law, everything electronic, (including that very old pre electronic is here), even your toaster, causes rf. and MUST accept interference from everything else. a dash mount control (with a off switch), and a 15 foot wire lead for a hand controller is best.
warn evo 10-s steel , rough country 12k lb synthetic , or smittybilt 10k synthetic , ??? i need more reviews on rough country 12k lb synthetic how good is it really ? warn has the best warranty but rough country is great price
Isn't really related but I'm looking for a heavy duty winch to put on my truck but warn has 15,000 pound winch and Smittybilt and super winch have 17,500 pound winches for almost half the price which would be better?
Synthetic is amazing stuff but I would worry about UV damage, abrasives in the rope, and abrasions from use. Sand, mud, thorns, rocks, etc are too common to avoid even for pavement pounders. I guess I think there’s more of a safety threat in the 2-5 ton of vehicle that is in a precarious situation when a cable does give out rather than the cable itself. Use your head and whatever your feel safe with. If you can’t get situated to feel safe then don’t get involved.
I run the same bumper as the jeeps in this video and am looking to mount a light bar just like the one on the orange jeep on the tube. Can you tell me the length of the bar and how you mounted it.
I see a lot of synthetic lines here in AZ, but I also see a lot of synthetic lines snapping in use simply because one year of AZ dust is more than enough to cause microcuts in your line that severely weaken it. Also, in the sharp rocks we have out here, you are going to cut that synthetic line in no time under normal winching operations. Plus the AZ sun is murder on those synthetic lines, yes even the more expensive "uv resistant" lines don't stand a chance. Unless you take the time to hand wash your line 3 or 4 times a year, (and still replace it every 2 or 3 years anyway) or are willing to pay $350 for a new winch line every year, you are MUCH better off with steel cable in the southwest.
See, there's useful information on the winch line. (And as someone who does RC crawling a hell of a lot more than real crawling, my little winch DOES use synthetic line, and that DOES wear out pretty quickly. I've gone through 2 lines since June. Here in AZ.)
In some cases its 50% stronger and balk at the term tree saver but yes 3 is better, but 4 is best especially longer for large diameter trees, though its best to have all three widths so if you need to reposition you can use one and a static line to hold said vehicle from sliding back down in wet slippery situations or the brakes are malfunctioning.
Using a steel d ring on your bag just adds to things that can fly through the air and injure or kill you, if the line brakes, just run the line though the handles
I️ know this is off topic but what size tires ars on that 2 door. I️ have a 2 door same color as that one and I have 35s but those tires look a lot bigger.
Hooking straight to the eyes of the tree strap is bad and unsafe practice. The safer setup is to collect the eyes of the tree saver strap in the bow an anchor shackle, and then hook to the pin. This keeps an even load on the eyes of the strap, and prevents one from crushing the other against the hook. Additionally, you should still put a line weight on a synthetic line, as although synthetic stores less potential energy than steel, it can still give you a pretty good welt if it snaps next to you.
While I agree that a proper shackle mount such as a Factor55 unit is better than a sling hook, in this case they were demonstrating poor practice by overloading the basket of the hook. A shackle would improve safety here, not reduce it.
I threw my hook away when I mounted my new 9500lb COMEUP synthetic. I baught one of their rubber line stoppers and use a shackle direct to the winch rope in place of the hook, most all the time, the hook goes into a shackle anyway!
I would very seriously suggest placing no faith in a weighted bag, flag or ? in case of a cable or rope snapping. The stress is axial, along the cable, and the energy is adequate to move a vehicle. That weighted bag _might_ help, but the cable recoil might just as easily snap right through the bag's handles or what ever the weight is suspended from. Worse, the weight might very well become a projectile attached to one part of broken line. And, since physics are physics, a fiber cable snapping should have essentially the same stored energy as a snapping cable. The only really safe place is well off to the side. In fact, if you're in the vehicle being towed, if possible, have the hood up.
saw a video of a guy wheelin, not sure what type of rope/chain he was using, but shit snapped, broke his windshield and tore his face up. either way...i think you can be screwed.
Kind of cracks me up when people start talking about the cost difference in the tens to hundreds of dollars on rigs and systems that are in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. I get not wasting money when you don’t need to but an extra $100 in a system that cost $1000+ to save your $50k-$100k+ vehicle just doesn’t seem like a consideration to me. All the other pros and cons make sense but cost difference just doesn’t seem like it should be on the list. It’s an irrelevant rounding error.
I would have liked if you explained and reviewed the synthetic line vs steel cable and didn't ramble on about other shit, I could care less about your winch systems and your jeeps, I need facts on the synthetic line to make a judgment on whether or not it is better than cable, mainly considering safety and ease of use.
I’ve seen synthetic rope cut a bloke when it snapped under load , he required stitches to a deep cut and the rope had a dampener on it . synthetic rope is as dangerous as wire
An ADDED feature of safety, that I have yet to see in all of these winch reviews, is what I have been using for years and definitely know the safety it provides is, whenever winching, I, and many of my fellow offroaders, open our hoods on our jeeps. If, in the event of cable snap, the hood keeps the cable from blowing through your windshield. I think any added safety information is worth knowing.
The 4x4 Recovery Skills video on the 4xOverland channel shows this, as well as using safety straps. It's the only video I've seen which shows this.
This could of prevented that off road fatal recovery
this is the second time that me (a newbie) has read about the hood.
I won’t forget it and will do it every time.
Thank you.
i use moving pad 's like you can get from u-haul. they also work great as pads for under your sleeping bag. insulation, and not feeling that "rock, or root". at 2: am.
but i have in over 35 years of hard wheeling. never broken a cable.
but seeing possible to real damage i do replace the wire rope. cheaper than a problem on a trail.
Ropes under tension do not simply fall when they snap. Do not operate a synthetic line under that assumption.
I have been next to synthetic many times and of those that snapped I may have got whipped and bruised, but not ever got maimed or cut and bled like steel would do.
Know what a STATIC rope is?
Depends on the rope. I've seen synthetic lines break with hundreds of tons of force on them and when they part the entire rope doesn't break all at once, but each strand breaks and it ultimately just falls down. (mooring lines on a US Navy warship parting when moored in Guam)
There are many videos of them actually just falling to the ground. But like all things in life somethings are not controlled and you get whipped.
Been Jeepin' winchless now for over 40 years. If you're needing a winch on a regular basis you're overdriving your rig. The best tool you have is to know your limitations and *not* get stuck in the first place. That being said in the rare 'sitch you do get stuck the best winch setup is the one on somebody else's rig . You're not doing hard trails solo, right? The beefed up bumper, winch and heavy duty electrics add a lot of weight/cost, weight mostly up front which is a bad spot.
Concerning steel cable vs. synthetic line I wuz surprised when line showed up. Yes, it has the same breaking strength/stretch as cable when new but it also has *much less* abrasion/chafe resistance than steel so is inappropriate for the Jeepin' environment except for rare vanity pulls. Yes cable is more dangerous but with care can be used safely if you know what you're doing. I could go on but will stop here and say synthetic line is a solution in search of a problem.
Synthetic Line will snap and fly back at you. It doesn't fall to the ground. Source: 20 years in the Navy and buddies who lost limbs from synthetic line.
Yep ive seen it too in the coast guard watched a mooring line snap on a 41ft boat and the line cut the post in half clean imagine what it could do to a body
From my own experience, I never got maimed or bled from getting hit by a rope line of synthetic, bruised and hurt ego, but never seriously or more less fairly injured beyond a bruise and some soreness compare dot what a steel line can do. And those cases I was not doing using for recovery work, it was utility winching use. Never would I stay as close to a line if using steel cable/wire, as MythBusters showed how bad it can injure beyond bruising, but yes with larger diameter rope you get a bigger risk of having that much more weight of rope coming back at you, but I have yet to see images of said event you claim.
Which synthetic line? What was it made of? What size was the line? There are break test videos that show an anxil failure of dyneema rope but the energy level is only comparable to something like a bosemans wip, can still injure but not like the flying battle axe of broken steel cable that can remove heads .....
Ocean House I've seen 3/8 synthetic line take out the grill, ac condenser & rad on a 1/2 ton pickup. Not sure of the brand but if you think you're safer using that crap you're either misinformed or deluded.
@@ROTAXD Ya I'm skeptical sounds like a my pit bull broke a 3/8 inch tow chain story to me
6:28 if the glove does not fit, you must acquit
or no glove no love?
I had my 3/16" synthetic line on my atv snap on me last week. It sure as hell didn't just "fall to the ground". It whipped all 25 feet that were extended into the tree I was winching to. It hit hard enough to knock some bark off the trunk. Definitely would've made a nice welt on the leg had somebody been standing there!
why EVERYBODY must stand clear. next time attach a weight to your cable (steel or plastic).
hit the wrong spot on a body, or angle, etc more than a bad welt.
Steel cable for me! I don't want a cable that is damaged by the sun or from getting muddy :-D.
If you simply use safe/proper winching practices to begin with - wear gloves, use line dampers, and good rigging techniques (all the stuff you should do anyway regardless of cable type) the extreme durability of steel cable far outshines the weight and "safety" factor of synthetic IMO. You can highly minimize the risk of injury by just knowing how to winch properly... A synthetic cable will not teach you these skills, or make you safe with out them.
I have witnessed firsthand a synthetic tow strap snap and blow in the back steel corner of a pickup cab. It severely bent the rear cab corner/roof in and shattered the entire rear window in the blink of an eye; synthetics store lethal energy too...
Synthetic is the trendy thing right now though, I get the marketing push to buy it. But I think the synthetic marketing that concentrates heavily on the huge "safety" benefit is a bad one.
Learning how to properly use your equipment will mitigate the risks, the cable type won't keep you safe.
Warn 9500 CTi here with 125' of STEEL cable on board. I also think steel looks better wound up neatly on the drum :-D.
I seen stress tests showing how the individual wires of steel cable breaking and whipping enough to cause any unfortunate person standing close enough to cause very possible serious injury and bleeding. Where as the rope strands show the same failure but hardly whip due to the weight and slightly whips when failure happens and it just drops, steel literally flails like there is no tomorrow.
By any chance of your synthetic horror story was the attachment gear it was tied to still tied to it? because I have seen many kinetic ropes and straps whip only to see it did so due to the misused tow ball or a shackle or even hook it was attached to was still hanging on.
Oh and yes I too prefer seeing a nicely neatly wound steel or rope line instead of wildly wound line which only means harder time to unspool when needed again.
Extra safety is always better, whether you can mitigate the danger of steel cable or not, extra safety is always something to look into, especially if you use winches professionally on a daily basis, it is important to keep yourself and others safe.
@@towtruckaj Tell that to all the wreckers, cranes, bridges, elevators, and navy/shipping industry using steel cable and blocking in heavy duty applications daily.
Way late to this, but can't forget to mention the safety in cold environment too! You might not even be able to unwind your synthetic line in the cold if it gets frozen from snow/slush!
I think synthetic has been way over-hyped. Yes, it's lighter and more pleasant to work with, but I think those are the only clear benefits. It may be stronger under LABORATORY conditions, but in off road use it sure seems to be more prone to failure than steel. Videos of winch lines failing are ten (maybe twenty) to one synthetic, so it's a good thing it stores less energy. I suspect the average user is much more likely to experience a failure with synthetic than steel which sort of negates its "safety" attributes (a flying winch line isn't the only potential hazard if the line snaps in use). Everything about off roading is bad for it: UV, mud/dirt/dust/sand, sharp edges, rock abrasion, heat, and cold (it'll turn into a useless block of ice on the drum). It's high maintenance and damn expensive, particularly if you have to replace it every few years. Neither will tolerate straight abuse, but I think steel is more reliable in the real world, and certainly more tolerant of doing actual work with your winch beyond recreational four wheeling.
I've seen line snaps fall straight to the ground (mostly) but it reduces injury and damage a great amount.
the avg fun time jeeper. just use steel rope, as it takes the abuse very well and keeps on working.
for a poser go plastic for the looks.
each has it's place. but in all i have seen, rarely does the winch line not touch something that will cut a plastic line. but yes can damage steel. the only time on the trail i have seen steel fail. was were they were trying to pull too low and the truck was being pulled into the car sized boulder, not up to get over it.
i have seen more very poorly made attachment points fail that the cables.
the best winch line is one that gets you out when you need it...get steel. if you so much as neglect a synthetic as much as most people would (install one, only use it when they need it every 2 years), or the line slips and scrapes against a rock.. synthetics are viable to snap on you when you need it most, and no, synthetics dont just "fall to the ground", treat them like they wanna kill you, so they cant. i think of it like a gun. you can have one thats "more dangerous" (keep it in your house loaded, by your bedside) or one thats "safer" (unloaded, in a locked box)...sure, the second is safer, but when someone is in your house, the one whos locked up, and whos ammo is in a separate, also locked case, is MUCH more likely to fail you, and if you take proper precautions, its not even that much safer. the MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY TOOL IS YOUR EDUCATION AND PRACTICES! BAR *NONE*
Great video. I learned what i needed to know.... go with steel.
Steel under great tension if it breaks it can take a head off an arm off or a leg clean off.
I’d go with safety before ever thinking three or four years buying a new Nylon rope can break the bank.
He used a metal shackle to hold the bag as a damper? This guy is a professional right?
And asked by an amateur in my eyes. it was a single static line, so yes it was fine what he did for "demonstration" only, rather he got a velcro sleeve for the handles of the bag.
C’est Moi using a bag as a damper is retarded in the first place. To be sn effective damper, whatever is used as a damper needs to be spread out. Hell, a sleeping bag would be a far more effective damper than the tool bag.
@@ROTAXD I don't think you understand how the damper works. It doesn't need to be spread out, you just need some weight to absorb the energy.
Doesn't matter if it is a steel shackle. That shackle isn't under load and it isn't going to go whipping around.
Kur Norock Weight does not mean shit unless the break is directly under the weight.
I operate a 6x6 Studebaker truck a fair bit in the bush,(AUS.) it is 70 y.o. (like me).It has a very useful feature not found in any of the modern winches that I have seen. Firstly it is a large drum winch with a LOT of cable, it is powered by a p.t.o. from the truck gear-box. This gives it the unique feature that gets me out of a lot of trouble ; as I winch myself forward I am driving the truck, which of course gives a lot of help to the recovery, through the gear-box the winch is synchronised to the gear and speed of the truck, that means that if I strike a bit of good going I can go up a gear or two and the winch keeps pace, ready to take up the slack , in the next bad bit the winch is taut and ready to pull again. This is a huge help in getting out of really bad situations. Davox.
Probably should've mentioned that even when the winch is rated for 9.5k lbs that is only for the first row on the spool. By the 4th or 5th row on the spool your about 1/3 of the weight which can cause issues.
Synthetic is saf-ER. You can still knock an eye out if it fails, and if it’s the rigging that fails, the metal shackles can fly and hit you. Always stand clear.
Theres alot of dangerous misinformation and unsafe practices in this video...
EvilMouse068 specifics or your comment is useless.
Anony Mouse for example him saying that you don’t need a damper with synthetic line. Or the bag he used as a damper, a bag works but a winch blanket a better and should be the exemplar used by him.
@@triddle5593 mate, ask any experienced off roader from Australia and I guarantee that they'd say you should NEVER winch without a winch dampener regardless of steel or synthetic. Also a BIG NO NO... either he has to be in the car or the length of the line x2 away from an active recovery... VERY dangerous practices been shown. If I do a double line-pull I'll use 3 dampeners,
agree, attaching the dampener with shackles defeats the purpose and violates the main rule to remove as much metal from a recovery, standing next to winch while operating also not recommended. Steel cable should still be cleaned and maintained big kinks for example do damage to cable while not to rope.
Steel cable it is a good practice to flip your hood up to protect your windshield if it snaps too.
SDALLAS6969 and it won't hit you in the face if ur in it
I don't normally prescribed to the hood up recovery. I like to watch the recovery and I like to do so without having to stick my head out the window. If you use correct line dampeners you will be good to go. Hood up can create more issues.
Anytime I'm pulling/jerking something with a chain I flip my toolbox lid up in case for a snap back
That is safer how? I have seen steel sheet get cut by a broken steel line like it was nothing.
Everyone arguing, it's like wearing a mask, it may not stop it, but it definitely doesnt hurt
Im an old retired logger, an 8000 lb winch is plenty for any jeep. A winch needs 450 amps to run properly and best to use 800 - 100 amp battery. Add a second battery and set it up with a charging isolator and then run a solenoid from positive to positive for emergency boosting and extra battery power when winching, use a automatic release push button switch to engage solenoid. Very important is to know that the first wrap or layer of cable - rope on your winch is rated pull of the winch the second wrap or layer is like shifting into second and you will lose 1500 - 2000 pounds or pulling power in winch, so the 9500 lb winch shown with a full drum could only pull {4 wraps x 1500 = 6000 } 3500 pounds. I only run three wraps on my winches top wrap and second to reach tree or other truck, bottom or first wrap to pull full power! winch only first anad second wrap then let winch cool down, backup or pully to maintain full power. To reach long distances carry extra cables with 2ft chains and hooks on each end, when you shorten { cut your winch cable } put 2ft chain on each end, only pull first and second wrap then let winch cool then while winch is cooling shorten or remove extra cable lengths.
Good advice. I have 100 feet of 1/2 inch synthetic rope on my Warn 9.5ti on my 88YJ. I also carry 3 snatch blocks to increase the pull if needed. That way I don't have to run on the last couple wraps on the drum. I want to add a duel battery setup like you described :)
Keep it up videos like this are what consumers want.
I wish someone would do a video of a cable and a rope snapping to show what would happen in each scenario. I have heard that synthetic just falls to the ground many times but I’ve also heard that they do snap back, just not as bad. I would like to know which it is.
ronny dahl did one on steel lines, 3 years ago, titled: mass damage snapping winch cables, a good job on illustrating what can happen. do it right ✅ shouldn't be big problems.
i do not know any name or links. but a guy/groop down in the down under land did such a video. the tests were to the fail point on all the winch lines. they used a large bulldozer to do the pulling. can you say carnage.
Steel cable + safe handling practices > synthetic. Lower maintenance, longer lasting and more affordable. Synthetic manufacturers should cut their prices if they're going to sell an inferior product.
You are full of shit, synthetic rope is not an inferior product.
It is inferior to the OP in regard to line durability and cost, two huge points. Synthetics don't have much advantage over steel other then weight, certainly more cons then pros IMO.
How many wreckers, hoists, and cranes do you see running synthetic cable?
Jason Moyle It's funny how I backed up my claim with facts and you just spewed ad hominem...yet _I'm_ the one who is supposedly full of shit...
You got what you got
Charles Eye agreed
One thing no one seems to EVER make is the fact that steel line will un spool itself when you pull the line out in free spool or even under power unwind if there is no a moderate amount of tension on the line. The problem them comes when one winches back in the spool does not automaticly take up the slack so as you winch the line slips between the layers and makes it almost impossible to unspool the line next time you need. I've seen people tie to a tree or vehicle and reverse until the line becomes free, sometime it just will not come off. Taking the time to completely unspool till all the wraps are tight before you begin to winch is really nessisary, However dynema line does not store this extra tension so when frees spooling off the drum it will stay tight to the drum, eliminating the complete unspooling and re spooling of the line.
you ever notice how these "EXTREME" channels only show themselves driving on terrain that the family van could easily traverse? Seriously, went off roading in the family van, most sketchy shit ever but hella fun.
I feel like it would've been a better idea to run the cable through the handles of the bag so you don't have to use the shackle.
was thinking same, i assume he may need some gear in it,so adds it last...or the extra weight drops the line faster? idk
i clicked like, but some times it is not possible to do that. just do to the set-up, or adjusting your pull points. line , pulleys. dead man, etc.
One thing that is always overlooked is that the winch rated capacity is only one wrap around the drum. The 2,3 & 4th wrap reduce its capacity. So shortening the line and using the rest as a jumper is more efficient!
My 10 year old harbor freight winch came with a wireless remote. I use it to pull my 1979 Bronco project into the garage.
Your videos are very informative! Thanks so much for educating people. I myself am looking into getting a winch on my TJ so I am learning here.
This is not correct information. Synthetic ropes snap and fly back just like steel cables do!,!
I love this series of videos while off-roading, super informative and practical!
Just ask any water skier what happens when the synthetic rope snaps. I've had almost all 75ft of ski rope end up back in the boat when my handle snapped off.
Anything under tension is holding kinetic energy of some sort. If it hits the ground, then you really didn't have much tension on it yet when it broke.
He is in the wrong places when winching there. You shouldn’t stand so close to the cable anywhere along it’s length. Even with a dampener. Ridiculous.
As Ryan stated there are pros and cons to both types of recovery system line. You make the decision for yourself. To say synthetic rope is inferior is an incorrect statement, it has excellent pulling power and he went over the disadvantages as far as maintenance, where you can be more lazy with your cable. I run steel cable and have considered synthetic rope a few times. The consumer can now make the informed decision. Start acting like a bunch of men instead of some cackling hens. And the reason wreckers with their recovery equipment rarely use synthetic rope is they do not want to deal with maintenance and cleaning they want to move on spray a little lube and be done with their cable. When you have a Jeep or another off-road vehicle you won't be using recovery equipment as often so maintenance won't be as high as it would be in the wrecker recovery game. Stay safe on the trails gentlemen.
Same here, I like synthetic for self recovery and lighter duty heavy pulling utility purposes as needed, but for its better durability prefer to go with steel for heavier duty use.
I have seen one of these synthetic lines snap under serious load. Couldn't quite reach both ends standing between them. However, if you are attached to something like a tow hook on a chevy truck, and the hook breaks free from the frame, the hook will indeed fly a hundred feet or more, dragging the rope with it. Also saw that. As for remote batteries, i have replaced one battery in 2 years with daily use of the winch. I have 2 remotes in addition to the corded unit that has never been used beyond testing it when the winch was installed.
1:33 This is where the marketing + lack of scientific knowledge = danger
the last two trucks I had I had winches on them and never used them even once. so this last truck I never put a winch on it and have needed one at least 3 times. I love the ideal of having one just not sure it will be worth the money now that I no longer go mudding.
I have steel cable on my 2010 sahara unlimited. Proper care is waaaaaay easier with the steel. Synthetic would require a washing and drying everytime you get it dirty. That would be a major pain in the... to maintain my steel i pull it all the way out, wash it down with a brush, rinse and let dry in the sun. Then pull it back in under tension by draggin another car up the street. Tightly wind onto the drum while spraying every inch with wd40 as it goes in.
Very good explanation! Im new to winches so i just bought 13000 lb with syn rope just for my safty!
one thing so few people cover is using a snatch block to double your pulling power so you can you can use your 8k winch to pull 16k of weight and not buy a new one. assuming you have a long enough cable.
Whoa, only a single weight point and while under load with a metal cable, Ryan adjusts the weight bag while in line with the cable. Safe practices haha
agree
Probably could have made it up this hill?? Lol more like probably could have made it up in 2wd or in a crossover SUV. Jesus I've seen driveways worse than that.
seem like he struggled more pulling out that synthetic line then he did the steel line lol steal line is stronger and last longer
Just because he has harder time pulling it does not mean the rope was difficult, the larger the winch the harder it is to pull the line no matter if steel or rope, remember the synthetic is spooled on a 12k winch as opposed to the steel on a 9.5k winch. Try unspooling a 50k or 100k winch by yourself be it hydraulic or electric which is more difficult but not impossible unless the winch is 'seized'.
Dayday Isa Shmurrda he is a jeep guy after all...
That only speaks to how difficult it is to unspool from that specific winch and has nothing to do with the line.
the first thing you realize about off roading in a jeep is it that it's painfully slow, you go about 4 mph so avoid the temptation to just jump out and walk at 5 to 7 mph you will need at least twice the normal amount of alcohol and more important is the fact jeep people seem to like a good trail break down where they get to test their self sufficiency and proceed to work on the broken down rig for hours but not before an hours long confluence of ideas as to what the best method of trail side repair would be best
That's freaking funny. I hate most of these elitest comments guys give on winching, but your comment is relevant. At least an hour and 15 minimum comments on how to fix a situation is an offroading must. Then, their all hoping you can't fix it so someone else's rig looks boss hauling some poor guys broken dreams in off the trail. Classic
stickloaf in reality, most "jeep people" are hipster assholes who've never changed a tire and who's rigs never even see grass, let alone s trail. I'd rather take the extra 10 min to load the SXS on the trailer and unload at the trailhead. That way, the wife & I can still get around the cry assing hipsters and their busted fiat.
How bad do the steel lines rust when exposed to winter salt and does the synthetic get stiff in the cold?
Most steel lines are made from galvanized steel, and don't rust, however some may not be; you'll have to check with your manufacturer.
Synthetic line doesn't get stiff in the cold, however if it was wet when it froze, the ice can make it feel that way until you wiggle it a bit or put some tension on the line. One cool thing about most synthetic lines (ones that are made from Dyneema fiber, such as Amsteel Blue) is that they actually get stronger as they get colder.
Galvanizing is a sacrificial coating that wears off, then it rusts. The dark grey color is the zinc oxidizing before the base metal being protected. It takes a long time to rust through but there will be surface rust forming here and there. I have a 9500lb superwinch on a 2" receiver plate so I can keep is in my Jeep until I need it or switch it between Jeep's...cause you can't just have 1, right? Lol
pony up for stainless steel cable and take care of it, will never rust.
My synthetic line did not handle any diffrent when I used it and it was -15 F° out verses when I used it in the summer and it was 80 F° now my winch diffrent story at -15 F° it did not want to free spool
I spray mine down occasionally with wd40. Not a speck of rust ever. Every mudder trucker has an opinion 😉
I can tell you 100% from owning a tow company and working as a former merchant marine and navy Submariner, use steel cable. Synthetic does not last. Plus you can't get it dirty.
Steel cable has proven to be the best i own both and i will always buy steel cable
I was really set on getting synthetic after a friend got it on his rig and i used it for the weekend.
But then i found out that the synthetic has a shelf life and is compromised by sunlight and dirt, and that is a deal breaker for me.
I have several winches on multiple vehicles and trailer, and it's steel for me.
I want durability and years of use.
Synthetic is fine so long as you keep it out of the sunlight when not using and cover the winch as well anyway to also protect it from the sun and other elements to last longer along with proper maintenance care as recommended by manufacturer
steel is the best/only way for proper safety in winching. it survives most everything dumped on it, hook points not done right fail more times. ripping loose. crunching/twisting frames, etc.
i wish they would have shown installing the line into the winch. i assume the steel is heavier? and how to make the lines last longer if you can put oil on steel or grease on synthetic?
Steel lines will be heavier in comparison to synthetic lines. The main thing you have to worry about when preserving synthetic lines is keeping them clean and keeping them away from UV light which can break them down and make them brittle over long periods of time. I highly recommend getting a winch cover if you plan on using synthetic lines. -Zach
No info on properly re-spooling the cable properly after use? Does synthetic line still have to deal with that?
I've also heard that sand/mud can get between the strands of the synthetic and slowly cut it from the inside. Do you have to wash it out if you've been winching through mud/muck?
Yes to both.
Thanks for the response. Keep up the good work.
Protip for keeping synthetic lines from rotting in the sun: spray the line with 303 aerospace protectant every six months or so. You don't even have to unwind it. Just spray the spool with 10-12 squirts and let it just dry.
Richard R you do realize that 303 gets washed out of the rope in the rain at highway speeds or when you wash your rig, right ?
ROTAXD that’s probably why he said to re-apply. I use it on tires and various rubber parts on my boat. It holds up quite well to water.
@Ben A Definitely a good idea. The 303 does keep synthetic material pliable though, so also not a waste to apply it.
@@ROTAXD Its almost like you can... re-apply it
I have not used synthetic rope but I worry about it's durability if it rubs on the ground or against a rock while recovering your vehicle. Do you know how well they handle a unfortunately event like that?
I know this is old but I just did a recovery this week and mine was rubbing all kinds of rocks. It’s 4-5 year old and still holding strong🤷🏼♂️
Synthetic line is better? I guess why severe duty applications where you rely on that line like towing, cranes, ect don't use it?
One thing to mention as well is that with synthetic line a roller fairlead isn't super necessary.
roller fairleads reduce friction which reduces heat on synthetic line. as long as you have a good fairlead, the line won't get caught in it.
I run a steel hawse style fair lead with my cable. The rollers get rusty or seized and won't even spin under severe side load. The hawse is harsh on the steel cable but much safer for side pulls.
It depends. If you are doing hard angled pulls all the time that will damage the rope and you should rethink a roller. The old you can't and shouldn't ever run a roller with rope just isn't true. As long as the rollers are spaced so there are no gaps the rope can get in and the rollers are clean and not burred up they will work with rope just fine.
Just don't buy into the daystar urethane rollers BS. I've seen way too many ropes cut those things like a cheese cutter first time they were used. Then unless you want to carry a ton of spares you are stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no fair lead.
Picked up a 9,500 lbs winch for my '80 Powerwagon. Probably should of went with a 12,000, because I also picked up a set of Dana 60 axles, and a NP 205 transfer case. Just adding more weight to an already heavy truck. Any input about lubricating the winch line with penetrating oil. Live in central Alberta Canada. Lots of -30C to +30C, road salt, mud and dust.
many people fail to realize the max rating is only good for the very first layer on the drum, the subsequent reduces the winches power by at least 10% for each additional layer, four layers equated to half the capacity of pulling strength. If anything 12k should be the minimum for greater inclines beyond 15% angle. Synthetic has proven to be stronger and more durable in such temps as you note.
Just wanted to say that wireless remote controls are not a recent addition to self recovery winches. The first ones were introduced over 25 years ago.
True but thing improve over time, to say wireless is not for synthetic is untrue, it just happens the winch the rope was being used on did not have wireless option in general.
You’re correct in saying that synthetic line is not as dangerous as cable but..... I strongly disagree in saying that it’s harmless and it will just fall to the ground. it still stretches and holds energy and recoils hard when it breaks. I’ve personally seen synthetic line break and go through windshields, especially when there’s a shackle hooked to the other end of it. Speaking of shackles why would you use a shackle to hook your cable to your tree strap? just use the hook on the cable or a soft shackle. you’re adding another piece of steel that doesn’t need to be there. Same story with the shackle holding the recovery bag on your line, ditch that shit and get some winch blankets.
shouldnt you be using a D ring/shackle on the tree saver?
Should have talked about duty cycles. You can't keep the power on indefinitely without over heating a winch. Also should have talked about spool size. A winches pulling capacity decreases when the amount of line you have out decreases due to reduced leverage.
Nice video otherwise! I really enjoy watching the Extreme Terrain content.
Is it wrong that I went cheap on my current winch?
I bought the 9000-LB BADLAND winch from Harbor Freight for $249.
JeepCollector91, it would be interesting to find out the results of that winch. A cheapo winch came on my Jeep ( a Champion). I was immediately skeptical of it. But after a few trips comparing how it vs a friend of mine's Smittybilt (at a higher pound) performed, I was pleasantly surprised. The Smittybilt definitely sounded like it was struggling compared to the champion that just powered through pulls.
I have a 12000 lbs badland winch on mine, also from harbor freight. it's never let me down when I needed it
I used to run an old Warn 8274 winch and loved that thing but sold it with my '59 Willys. The only other winch I had ever used was a Mile Marker hydraulic winch that was run off the power steering pump. It too was a great winch but was useless if the engine wasn't running. I figured for the price of the Badland winch it was worth giving it a try. I don't go wheeling down logging trails all that much anymore so I haven't had a chance to try out the Badland winch other than just messing around with it in the yard...
Wrong no, you operate within your means. A tow/recovery bill out of the woods is expensive though... Also money typically buys you speed and less power draw. It is nice to have a fast winch that you can drive slow and winch with, and its nice drawing the least amount of amps possible.
A winch is better than no winch so there is nothing wrong with owning a brand X over a brand Y or Z as long as it's properly maintained. BL are a bit slower compared to warns but I wheel not race. Pay attention to the duty cycle and don't try to burn it up running it non stop.
I've owned a few badland winches. My suggestion is to take it apart and clean the chinese crap grease and metal shavings out of it as soon as you get it. Inspect it to make sure all the gears look good. If there is any question take it back and swap it out before it even gets installed. If it looks good then get some good quality marine waterproof grease, load it up, and put it back together. I always inspect mine after every hard wheeling and clean it out at least once a year no matter what brand it is. Take care of your tools and they will take care of you.
You failed to mention that synthetic line is worthless once it gets a simple snag in it (like when it brushes by a pricker bush when simply driving through underbrush) and that UV light will start breaking down synthetic winch line within a few hours. Oh, and if you get it wet it also grows mold and rots. No thanks, I'll stick to my steel cable.
so when your using the winch will the Jeep be in nuetral? i like the synthetic winch
Yes, you should put the Jeep in neutral if at all possible - trying to drive forward while winching will cause your Jeep to slip about sideways or bounce forward and slide back, and could shock load the line.
Wheel mounted winches, if you know what I am referring to, are the only self recovery winch you are required to be in gear for it to work.
Ryan,I do have a question. For your first rigging I noticed you used the shackle or what some Call d-ring. At the second rigging I notice you just put the hook through the tree saver strap. Which method is proper? I've been told whenever you can use less Steel in a rigging it is best to do so. Looking forward to your comments.
Hey James, You can absolutely use both methods when out on the trail, although I would recommend using as little rigging as possible. That way if you were to snap a line, you have one less piece of rigging that could potentially come back and cause damage to yourself or the Jeep. -Jake
Every time someone call those shackles a d-ring I cringe deep inside, seeing as d-ring is the term from a tie down which is not ever to be used as a recovery device.
Always use more rigging. This guy clearly knows nothing as shown in the video lol. When hooked back to the bumper shackle it doubles the pulling power of the winch. (As long as its ran threw a block. Less cable/rope unwound means less power from the winch. Yea it will pull 9k but only with 1 roll on the spool. Sorry been doing recovery most my life, and I'm an avid off reader and this moron really needs to educate himself
Highly suggest using a soft shackle instead of a heavy steel shackle to attach your bag to the rope.
wonder if the added weight will drop the line faster tho...?
having more weight is better to a point then just over kill, a steel shackle here is a better choice, but adding a 50 pound rock is just a back breaker.
with that drum full his winch only has a 3500 - 4000 pound winching capacity, good way to burn up a winch
Yes, should use a snatch block or 2 if the winch is struggling.
When you're winching, does you just keep the Jeep's transmission in Drive? If so, does the driver apply any gas? I originally thought you winched in neutral but that seems like a terrible idea on a hill.
Typically you'll be in neutral. You'll stall the engine or kill the clutch if you try to winch in gear (unless you just happen to have a very slow crawl ratio that moves the jeep at the same speed as the winch). In an automatic, it's still going to be a good idea to be in neutral. If the cable snaps, the person in the jeep should easily be able to apply the breaks in time.
Wheel mounted winches (if you know what I am referring to), those require being in gear unlike this common type of winch.
wireless remotes are subject to random rf interference. your winch could do random movements you do not want it to do.
as per fed law, everything electronic, (including that very old pre electronic is here), even your toaster, causes rf. and MUST accept interference from everything else.
a dash mount control (with a off switch), and a 15 foot wire lead for a hand controller is best.
synthetic line, winch cover is a good idea
winch cover is a good idea for either, its just a good idea in general in the event it gets buried in clay, mud or sand
warn evo 10-s steel , rough country 12k lb synthetic , or smittybilt 10k synthetic , ??? i need more reviews on rough country 12k lb synthetic how good is it really ? warn has the best warranty but rough country is great price
Isn't really related but I'm looking for a heavy duty winch to put on my truck but warn has 15,000 pound winch and Smittybilt and super winch have 17,500 pound winches for almost half the price which would be better?
I don't think ive ever seen a tow truck use a synthetic line on their winch. They constantly use their winch all the time. Just sayin.
Synthetic is amazing stuff but I would worry about UV damage, abrasives in the rope, and abrasions from use. Sand, mud, thorns, rocks, etc are too common to avoid even for pavement pounders. I guess I think there’s more of a safety threat in the 2-5 ton of vehicle that is in a precarious situation when a cable does give out rather than the cable itself. Use your head and whatever your feel safe with. If you can’t get situated to feel safe then don’t get involved.
I run the same bumper as the jeeps in this video and am looking to mount a light bar just like the one on the orange jeep on the tube. Can you tell me the length of the bar and how you mounted it.
Steel is strong, durable, easy to maintain, and less expensive. Use proper winching technique and it's a no brainer.
This is a great video well done guys
Just curious, what size tires are on those Jeeps?
Why not automatically go for the winch with a larger pulling capacity, regardless of the weight of the vehicle? Besides budget
I see a lot of synthetic lines here in AZ, but I also see a lot of synthetic lines snapping in use simply because one year of AZ dust is more than enough to cause microcuts in your line that severely weaken it.
Also, in the sharp rocks we have out here, you are going to cut that synthetic line in no time under normal winching operations.
Plus the AZ sun is murder on those synthetic lines, yes even the more expensive "uv resistant" lines don't stand a chance.
Unless you take the time to hand wash your line 3 or 4 times a year, (and still replace it every 2 or 3 years anyway) or are willing to pay $350 for a new winch line every year, you are MUCH better off with steel cable in the southwest.
See, there's useful information on the winch line. (And as someone who does RC crawling a hell of a lot more than real crawling, my little winch DOES use synthetic line, and that DOES wear out pretty quickly. I've gone through 2 lines since June. Here in AZ.)
rock crawlers should def go steel
I just use my 93 chevy single cab short bead with a standard transmission for off roading works for me lol
With open diffs?
If the steel and the synthetic are the same diameter, the synthetic is about 1/3 stronger. Your "tree saver" needs to be at least 3" wide.
In some cases its 50% stronger and balk at the term tree saver but yes 3 is better, but 4 is best especially longer for large diameter trees, though its best to have all three widths so if you need to reposition you can use one and a static line to hold said vehicle from sliding back down in wet slippery situations or the brakes are malfunctioning.
Using a steel d ring on your bag just adds to things that can fly through the air and injure or kill you, if the line brakes, just run the line though the handles
How do you get your led canted to the side like that
What brand front fenders are on the Jeep on the left?
I️ know this is off topic but what size tires ars on that 2 door. I️ have a 2 door same color as that one and I have 35s but those tires look a lot bigger.
Hooking straight to the eyes of the tree strap is bad and unsafe practice. The safer setup is to collect the eyes of the tree saver strap in the bow an anchor shackle, and then hook to the pin. This keeps an even load on the eyes of the strap, and prevents one from crushing the other against the hook.
Additionally, you should still put a line weight on a synthetic line, as although synthetic stores less potential energy than steel, it can still give you a pretty good welt if it snaps next to you.
While I agree that a proper shackle mount such as a Factor55 unit is better than a sling hook, in this case they were demonstrating poor practice by overloading the basket of the hook. A shackle would improve safety here, not reduce it.
I threw my hook away when I mounted my new 9500lb COMEUP synthetic. I baught one of their rubber line stoppers and use a shackle direct to the winch rope in place of the hook, most all the time, the hook goes into a shackle anyway!
What is the front bumper that is on both jeeps?
That's the Barricade Extreme HD Front Bumper! -Jake
www.extremeterrain.com/barricade-extreme-hd-bumper-jk-j103684.html&t5_var3=yellow
You had me at Jeep Winches lol.
what type of tires are on both jeeps?
Cyrus Mortazavi Pro Comp X Terrain's on the left and Mickey Thompson MTZ's on the right
Thank you
Does anyone know what side rails are on that orange JKU?
On the orange Jeep the passenger fog light is off center btw
what front bumper is that?
Looks like the Barricade Extreme HD front bumper.
www.extremeterrain.com/barricade-extreme-hd-bumper-jk-j103684.html
thanks
7:07 big three
I would very seriously suggest placing no faith in a weighted bag, flag or ? in case of a cable or rope snapping. The stress is axial, along the cable, and the energy is adequate to move a vehicle. That weighted bag _might_ help, but the cable recoil might just as easily snap right through the bag's handles or what ever the weight is suspended from. Worse, the weight might very well become a projectile attached to one part of broken line. And, since physics are physics, a fiber cable snapping should have essentially the same stored energy as a snapping cable. The only really safe place is well off to the side. In fact, if you're in the vehicle being towed, if possible, have the hood up.
Great video!
saw a video of a guy wheelin, not sure what type of rope/chain he was using, but shit snapped, broke his windshield and tore his face up. either way...i think you can be screwed.
What are the specs on the two door?
Go Warn and dont forget about alternator output and 2 batteries is also ideal
I remember the synthetic line used to cost hundreds less than steel!
Kind of cracks me up when people start talking about the cost difference in the tens to hundreds of dollars on rigs and systems that are in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars. I get not wasting money when you don’t need to but an extra $100 in a system that cost $1000+ to save your $50k-$100k+ vehicle just doesn’t seem like a consideration to me. All the other pros and cons make sense but cost difference just doesn’t seem like it should be on the list. It’s an irrelevant rounding error.
I would have liked if you explained and reviewed the synthetic line vs steel cable and didn't ramble on about other shit, I could care less about your winch systems and your jeeps, I need facts on the synthetic line to make a judgment on whether or not it is better than cable, mainly considering safety and ease of use.
I’ve seen synthetic rope cut a bloke when it snapped under load , he required stitches to a deep cut and the rope had a dampener on it . synthetic rope is as dangerous as wire
Weird, I never got cut by a synthetic rope myself so far, only bruised and stung.