is there a big difference between roller or haus fairleads

 

I believe generally the Hause is used for synth line and the roller for cable. That's not a hard and fast rule, but I think for the most part that's right. Someone feel free to slam....I mean correct me.

 

I think that you are right

 

Rollers are better for steel cable. Hawse fairlead is for synthetic line. You do not want to use a Roller with synthetic line.

 

100% correct. I've seen people use a hawse fairlead for steel cable, and a roller fairlead for synthetic...but those are the exceptions.

There is also a roller fairlead made that has Delrin rollers, made specially for synthetic.

The most important thing to remember is that once you've used a fairlead for steel cable, you do NOT want to use that same fairlead on your nice new synthetic line. All of the little nicks and scratches that result from steel cable use will shred your nice $300 synthetic line.

 

If the roller is clean and smooth, why not? I've heard of supposedly getting caught in a corner, but looking at a couple decent roller fairleads I'm not seeing how that's physically possible?

Certainly never put syntheitc line on a roller fairlead that's tore up with wire rope.

What I wonder with the hawse fairleads is the curve radius seems so tight. Seems like it'd put a lot more stress on the outside fibers rather than distributing the stress through the rope.

I also wonder about friction against a hawse fairlead; I know they're smooth but you're talking about a lot of force if you're pulling at a decent angle?

 

I always thought it had more to do with materials.

With steel cable you can use a steel fairlead becuase the cable is harder than the fairlead and thus the fairlead takes all wear.

With synthetic you have to use aluminum or plastic fairlead so that again the fairlead takes all wear.

You don't want a steel fairlead with synthetic cable (or fairlead that has entrained steel cable in it) becuase then the cable starts to wear and then breaks on you.

Daystar, available at northridge4x4, makes a plastic roller fairlead roller (just the rollers) for use on synthetic cable.

 

Not all hawse fairleads are created equal.

Some of them are thicker than others, meaning a different radius curve. You are 100% correct on a tight radius curve creating stress on "outside" fibers in a rope.


Small Radius:



Large Radius:



It's not something that I would lose sleep over...but if you're putting nice new synthetic line on your winch, it might not be a bad idea to spend a couple dollars extra on a thicker fairlead.

 

There's a significant weight savings by using an aluminum Hawse compared to the steel rollers.

 

For whatever it's worth, the Warn steel roller fairlead that came with my M8000 weighs 10.7lb.