MAJKF

I am new to owning a winch. Havent used the winch yet but unspooled for recommended maintenance and noticed that some of the line seems crushed or flattened out.

I pulled it all the way out and respooled under tension again but am just wondering it that is an issue. Does that create weak spots? When i had originally spooled it I had a really clean even spool.

jadmt

that's normal. Synthetic line is very flexible. I have made several hard pulls and mine always looks flat at the drum. I have warn spydura and it has a protective coating at the beginning of the line that is supposed to protect from the heat that the drum produces and it gets pretty ugly when I unspool it to wash it.

MAJKF

Good to know. Thanks.

Mark Doiron

Yep, what jadmt wrote. I want to add that my experience is that respooling it like from the factory is pretty impossible. If you don't have quite a lot of tension on it, the next time you do a really hard pull you'll end up pulling the line between other lines on the spool. Then the next time you go to pull it out, you'll not be able to unspool it unless you hook up to something and pull hard on it to free it from where it's stuck. Therefore, the best way to spool it up after use is in wide back and forth spacing so the line crosses at a pretty good angle over lower wraps. That will prevent it from being trapped between lower wraps. And let me emphasize something that jadmt touched on: Unspool and wash the line every now and then. There are YouTube videos on the best way to do that.

And, because video is fun (4:00 if not sent there automatically--be patient, it's early to set the context) ...

https://youtu.be/jkimjm8B8Gc?t=240 8:15 if not forwarded ...

https://youtu.be/yFjr3hSzEu4?t=497

MAJKF

🖒thanks

jadmt

I'm lucky as I have a church parking lot that has a slight down slope that I use. Warn recommends about 500lbs of tension and I figure in neutral I get ~500lbs or so of tension. use my wife's car as an anchor. Even so as mark said you still can get the line pinched between each other making it a pain to pull out. I am always surprised how much grit the rope collects. I am also amazed at how tough the rope is. I swear its going to break and it just keeps pulling.

MAJKF

I use a parking lot at work. I will try the criss cross method maybe. I have seen the youtube videos where the australians do that.

Am very glad i got a winch cover to keep the grit down.

Mark Doiron

One of the disadvantages of synthetic line that you don't hear much about is that once wet it stays wet, causing rust on the drum. Keeping it covered up might not be a good idea if it is indeed wet.

jtphoto JK

Once cable gets wet it rusts as well unless you grease the cable. Up north here it is best to keep all winches covered whether syn or cable or the road salt will kill them.

MAJKF

I am down in the south where we are having a huge drought. Things getting wet really hasnt been a problem but i will take care about that.