Pros and con between wire rope and synthetic rope

[rhager]

I have been looking at winches and was wondering what people's thoughts are between wire and synthetic ropes? which is best and why?

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[Lost1wing]

I have and use both. I like synthetic just for the ease of using it and it's light weight. Things to consider with synthetic ropes would be dirt, moisture and UV. Keep them clean dry and covered and they should last for years.

A Steel rope does care about dirt, moisture or UV. Issues with steel rope would be broken strands and weight. I have a steel rope winch that is outside, in the weather. It's only issue is spooling it back up. It has seen some abuse and has a few bends in it.

I've had a synthetic rope bury itself in the spool once. I had to anchor the end and back up with a little power to free it up. I don't think I started with it spooled up properly.

If I had to pick one over the other, I would go with the synthetic.

 

[Deleted member 57233]

Where you live might have something to do with your decision. The UV index here is 10-12 in the summer, it destroys everything. Steel cable doesn't care, but even the cover you'll have to use with synthetic will disintegrate in a year or two.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If UV light can't reach it, it's safe. Some climbing experts say to evaluate the protection your rope has, use a flashlight test. If light gets through to the rope it's not protected.
UV is light, and has to reach something to have an impact on it.
For bags or fabric covers, WEAVE matters, TPI, threads per inch. Tighter weaves block better.
Better yet - something like this prevents any UV damage. If the light rays can't get to it, it can't damage it.

UV is light, not magic. It travels in a straight line (ok well a prism can bend it, but in air and so on, straight line)

But strong electromagnetic fields also matter, and can mess with rope and tires.

I'm not a fan of steel rope - I've had it on two winches in the past and once it gets some rust started, or a busted strand, it becomes rather dangerous. It's harder on the hands, and requires a roller fairlead. Synthetic requires the hawse fairlead. (the term coming from the parts of a ship through which ropes pass through or over, if I'm not mistaken)

 

[rhager]

Thanks for the replies. I have worked with wire rope (33 years in construction) and I know that broken wire strands are rough on the hands. I also was concerned about the wire rusting. By the comments I believe my best option would be synthetic.

 

[RudeJeepin]

With good wire, rust isn't an issue. The Warn XD9000 on my son's Jeep has been in service for 30 plus years. It still has the original steel cable and has been used more times than I can remember. His Jeep is the 3rd rig it's been on. It's also been outside most of it's service life, never covered, never failed when pressed into service. This winch as well as my dad's, that is just as old have always been used with Hawse fairlead. Warn as well as other major winch manufacturers sell cast iron hawse fairleads designed for steel cable.
My current 10k Warn winch is cable and runs through a hawse fairlead. No issues.

Yes steel cable can recoil if broken. But so will synthetic, I've seen it. Sure the steel stores more kinetic energy, but there is no way I want to be hit by a synthetic line if it snaps under pressure.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes steel cable can recoil if broken. But so will synthetic, I've seen it. Sure the steel stores more kinetic energy, but there is no way I want to be hit by a synthetic line if it snaps under pressure.

That's good to keep in mind with any winch, any rope (steel or synthetic) and so on. And it's a good reason to use soft shackles, stay out of the line of any whiplash no matter the material.

IMO, with my experiences getting tractors unstuck, loaded onto trailers, with both types of rope on winches, I don't personally believe the choice should be made on which is safer in event something goes terribly wrong.

 

[bd100]

I use a More Power Puller, big hand winch. An almost 30-year old one with a steel cable. Still good, but it only gets out every now and then. Weight would be a concern if I had a full spool on the front of a truck, but for the hand winch the weight difference wouldn't be much. Steel may be better for general rough use, such as if scraping across some ground during a pull, for example.

 

[Lost1wing]

Thanks for the replies. I have worked with wire rope (33 years in construction) and I know that broken wire strands are rough on the hands. I also was concerned about the wire rusting. By the comments I believe my best option would be synthetic.

Keep it clean. Keep it dry. Keep it covered. You can get it wet, just be sure to let it dry out before spooling it up.

 

[whiteglad]

For me, weight was a big reason to go to synthetic. Gladiator front ends don't like a lot of added weight, and choosing a relatively light winch bumper and winch setup are important.

 

[Kfcanyonranch]

What everyone else said plus: synthetic line doesn’t like to be drug in the dirt and having a hook looped into it. If you plan on wrapping a synthetic line around a log or down tree and dragging it out of a trail you will abrade the fabric=bad. Steel line is better in this example. If you plan a clear line winch out using appropriate shackles etc then synthetic is great and easy to work with. Always a tough choice, I’ve had both, just know that synthetic line takes a little more care and precaution but is really nice to work with. Both need gloves: steel for any pokers and synthetic as it’ll leave a silver residue. Hope that helps. Utility use:steel. Clear line winching with shackles:synthetic.

 

[rhager]

For me, weight was a big reason to go to synthetic. Gladiator front ends don't like a lot of added weight, and choosing a relatively light winch bumper and winch setup are important.

I changed my bumper to a heavier one but I have not added the winch yet. It seems to me the handling got better with less walking from side to side. So, I don't know if a winch may be to much or not I guess I will have experiment with that.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

What everyone else said plus: synthetic line doesn’t like to be drug in the dirt

Dirt = abrasive, which can work into the fibers and cut it as it's used and flexed. Clean rope is a happier rope.

Looks like what the others have said - use matters, type of use matters, environment matters and then there's personal preference once the other factors are figured in.

that is just as old have always been used with Hawse fairlead. Warn as well as other major winch manufacturers sell cast iron hawse fairleads designed for steel cable.

That's the better way to put it. Get the right fairlead for the rope regardless of the type.

But you have to look specifically for that, just buying a hawse fairlead will likely get you the aluminum type, which won't do well. But then you are adding a lot of weight, so it's another factor in a total build.
choose based on use, long term plans, and do you need to watch the weight for any reason, or not?
I needed to be aware because of all of the other "Stuff" being added and there will be a whole lot of weight out there at times, my payload numbers suck on a JTMX and for my use - it just made sense to go the direction I did.
For others, it may not.

 

[RudeJeepin]

But you have to look specifically for that, just buying a hawse fairlead will likely get you the aluminum type, which won't do well. But then you are adding a lot of weight, so it's another factor in a total build.
choose based on use, long term plans, and do you need to watch the weight for any reason, or not?
I needed to be aware because of all of the other "Stuff" being added and there will be a whole lot of weight out there at times, my payload numbers suck on a JTMX and for my use - it just made sense to go the direction I did.
For others, it may not.

If you goto Warn's website the right hawse fairlead is pretty easy to find.
https://www.warn.com/winch-hawse-fairlead-black-4000-73850

My Warn iron hawse actually weighs less than the Warn roller fairlead. Not to mention it doesn't stick out near as far.

But yes, synthetic rope is lighter. Not sure how much.


Just an FYI, Amazon currently has the Warn VR EVO 10 on sale for $549 with free shipping. This is what I have on my JTRD and have used it several times.
The VR EVO 10s is $869. That's a pretty big difference.

I'm not so sure the weight difference is a big deal if you gonna lift it. Most lift springs are supposedly designed around a steel front bumper and a winch. Now if you want to stay stock that might be a consideration. I added a 1/2 inch spacer to the front to compensate for the aftermarket bumper and winch. My Gladiator came with the plastic front bumper originally.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just an FYI, Amazon currently has the Warn VR EVO 10 on sale for $549 with free shipping.

That's a really good price! If I didn't have a winch, it would be tempting.

My Warn iron hawse actually weighs less than the Warn roller fairlead. Not to mention it doesn't stick out near as far.

Roller fairleads are HEAVY. and I don't care for how far they stick out. I'd probably go your route if I needed to start over and chose steel rope.

I have no plans for a lift at all - don't know what the plans of the OP are, but he needs to consider all of that as far as springs and such. some, like Synergy, are based on steel bumper and winch, and are dual rate. I had them on my 2022 with the snow plow, they dropped less, and handled the extra weight way out there like a dream.
I started out with plastic bumper, added steel bumper, winch, winch plate, snow plow and all of the electric and relays and wiring harnesses that go with it, power steps, so I really added on the weight to that poor thing.

Don't have to convince me - I pretty much agree, just chose different directions for myself, my uses and needs.

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