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Winch lines, the rain, and drying them out...

JAsh1967

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I've read that you should, if the line gets wet, pull it out (not all the way!) so your line can dry before spooling it back in. I've got a synthetic line (Harbor Freight Badlands,) and it's been raining. I don't have a winch cover, and my winch sits VERY low in the bumper so it's covered from the front.

Should I pull out the first layer or two of the line and lay it out in my garage to dry, or should things be OK and the "pull it out to dry when it gets wet" recommendation is for when you've basically gone through ponds / rivers / submerged (for lack of a better term) your winch line in water?
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PuddleJumper

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trust me u aint got that type of time. it's fine. just inspect it every few months or after every trip it was used. replace it when it starts to fray.
 

Janster

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Back in the dayā€¦ Weā€™d pull ALL of it out and let it dry. Itā€™s always a good idea to Re-spool it periodically anyway.

But then againā€¦.We had a ā€˜trail rigā€™ and it wasnā€™t our daily driver.
 

charliez

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So what about every time it rains? Are you going to park it a few days till the rain stops, then another day to let it dry? Of all the years of being around winches (these kind) and all the people on YT using them daily, not a single one has said a peep about drying your winch lines. Cane people dont' do that. You must have gotten your info on TicTok or FB
 
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JAsh1967

JAsh1967

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So what about every time it rains? Are you going to park it a few days till the rain stops, then another day to let it dry? Of all the years of being around winches (these kind) and all the people on YT using them daily, not a single one has said a peep about drying your winch lines. Cane people dont' do that. You must have gotten your info on TicTok or FB
Reddit actually, but you do make a point. Cut me a little slack, though, this is:
  • My first Jeep
  • My first winch :)
So I'm still learning!
 

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TangoMac

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There is always that one person. We learn by asking questions. A cover is a good idea. Hope you go places where you need your winch, that is where the fun begins!
 
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JAsh1967

JAsh1967

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There is always that one person. We learn by asking questions. A cover is a good idea. Hope you go places where you need your winch, that is where the fun begins!
While from the descriptions, it's not someplace I'll NEED the winch, there's some ORV trails up north by where I'm going camping later this summer.

I'm thinking of "pretending" I've gotten myself "stuck" in some sand, and winching myself out.
That, or going to a much closer to home ORV park and doing the same, although they don't have as much to hook a winch line to, at least not on the trails I'm comfortable on. Point-in-fact, the only time in the two visits I've seen a winch get used, the person leading our ORV 101 group had to winch someone who'd gotten high-centered on an obstacle (that I was NOT taking my Jeep on, I knew I'd high-center or have to send it to get over (and then I'd be worried about blowing a tire or busting my suspension!))
 

Maximus Gladius

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So hereā€™s my great idea and question to boot down this forumā€¦
Isnā€™t there a chemical solution or protectant (UV or mold killer, synthetic protectant, waterproofer ā€¦yā€™all get what Iā€™m saying) that you submerge your line into then let it dry, spool it up and forget about it, then do it again every year ?? Heck, we have rust proofing stuff, leather and paint coatings, windshield RainX etc etcā€¦ what do we have for synthetic lines?
 

tysongladiator

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I'm on my second Badlands with synthetic line. I moved my older one to my trailer and bought a new one. Both have synthetic lines. I've had my older one for about eight years and it's had synthetic line for about five.

Having said that, I've not once pulled them out when they get wet to let them dry out. I may inspect them once per six or nine months. If I have time.
 

SRO

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Synthetic lines are very resistant to water. They don't like it when mud gets soaked in though. So if you have a muddy line you may want to rinse it (see manufacturer directions) to get the grit out. If it's cleanish water I wouldn't worry about it. UV and abrasion - including from worked in grit - are what kills synthetic line.
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