Synthetic Winch Line FAQ

Q:Why is synthetic so fawking awesome?
A:Safety!!  Synthetic line is extremely light weight and has very minimal stretch which means its stores very little energy when under load.  This translates into a winch line that will not violently snap and possibly injure someone, but instead falls harmlessly to the ground.

  Your hands will thanks you because synthetic winch lines do not develop burrs or sharps when the lines start to wear, unlike that dangerous spiky wire rope you have been meaning to replace.

  Light Weight!  Unspooling line is easy, and carrying 80' of rope up a steep hill is no longer a cumbersome task.

  No kinks!  Synthetic winch rope will not kink, and does not have a "memory" which means when you spool out your winch line you won't end up with a rats nest on the ground in front of your rig, instead it pulls out in a nice straight line.


Q: Can I use my old roller fairlead?
A:  Short answer is possibly. Do I recommend it? Not in most cases. One of the major issues with using your existing roller fairlead is that it likely has burrs and or worn rollers.  These burrs and worn spots can have a negative impact on you new synth winch rope, as there is a possibility of fibers being cut or torn.  This will in turn decrease the overall strength of your rope. Another issue depending on the design of your fairlead is that the rope may get caught or pushed in between the rollers on anything but a straight pull. This can also damage the rope.  Plus roller fairleads aren't very cosmetically pleasing and cause you to lose valuable approach angle.


Q:What about heat from the winch damaging my rope?
A: This can be a concern.  Most winches on the market today use a brake that is mounted inside the winch drum.  When this brake is in operation it creates heat which can damage the rope.  Fortunately if your winch brake is operating properly it will only generate heat in a power out function.  This means that using your winch to power out synthetic rope is a bad idea.  Instead use the free spool function of your winch.  You will also need to be weary of overworking your winch. Overuse can develop enough heat to damage the line.  It is recommended to let your winch cool between long pulls.

Q:Will my old drum damage my new rope?

A: It can, if the drum on your winch is worn and has marks from your old wire rope, it is recommended that you sand down any rough edges or burrs before installing your new synthetic winch line.