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Author Topic:   Power Winch wire cable maintenance/strength

JMARTIN posted 10-25-2013 05:33 PM ET (US)
I am pulling a Revenge 22, with gear, kicker and fuel up a pretty steep ramp on to a trailer with rollers. We are pulling some serious weight for the first third of the retrieval.
The last 3 feet of the hook end of the cable is rusty looking, but appears to be intact. The hook is attached with a protected loop in the wire and is crimped together. I have plenty of virgin wire on the spool so I can cut off the rusty stuff if I can do my own crimp. They must have something other than a machined crimp to hook the wire together at the logging or farm store.
The virgin wire has been flattened out on the spool. The wide sides are about twice the length as the other sides. Do I need to be concerned that it has lost strength?
John
Jefecinco posted 10-25-2013 07:28 PM ET (US)
The cables are very dangerous and can inflict serious bodily damage as well as damage to your Whaler and tow vehicle.
I would replace the cable before using it again. I would replace the cable with a nylon strap. There is no safe way to know the condition of steel cable used on a boat trailer winch. If you continue to use steel cable I would replace it annually unless it shows signs of needing replacement sooner by showing rust or developing "meat hooks".
I would also consider converting the roller trailer to a bunk trailer.
Butch
JMARTIN posted 10-25-2013 08:24 PM ET (US)
I hope a 20 year old PowerWinch can take a strap. I am not a fan of the cable either for safety reasons. The problem will be if I can get enough strap on the spool.
John
contender posted 10-27-2013 06:23 PM ET (US)
Go with a new galvanize cable, you can purchase them on line with a nice hook already attached, once you put the cable on the winch spray it down with some marine protectant. I never liked the straps, and do not use them to each his own. I would also redo my rollers, replace them with some stolz rollers and new pins...good luck
jimp posted 10-27-2013 09:57 PM ET (US)
John -
I have the same problem with my PowerWinch for my 1990 Revenge 22 - W.T. Crushed, fish-hooks, and flattened thimble by the hook. I've replaced it once.
I'll use it another season. I also rinse it with fresh water every time I use it and occasionally drench it in WD-40.
I'll have to read up on replacing it myself. There's a PowerWinch service shop in town but they are very slow and charged a lot to replace the cable.
I also carry my old manual winch in the bed of the truck.
I don't know about the strap. Call the service number on the PowerWinch website (they're in Colorado). I talked to a woman who was VERY knowledgeable about the working of the winch. Very friendly and easy to talk to. She might know about using a strap.
JimP
wezie posted 10-28-2013 08:56 AM ET (US)
It is not difficult to replace this cable. Better than buying bandaids, or apologizing to friends for cuts. Then there is the sudden thrill that comes from the cable snapping under load.
If your winch will take a strap, I would do that. Remember, straps do not rust, they rot in the sun; however the damage from failure is not as bad .
Just as stimulating, not as dangerous.
Replace them when in doubt!
tjxtreme posted 10-28-2013 10:36 AM ET (US)
You may want to consider synthetic winch rope. I'm not sure about their use on boat trailers, but these are popular on winches of heavy 4x4s, don't rust, and if they break they fall flat instead of flying back.
Not worth trying to save a few bucks when it comes to safety.
Jerry Townsend posted 10-28-2013 11:32 AM ET (US)
John - I am in favor of cable - but that may stem from my having been raised in the oil "patch" where cables are the "norm" - but put on a new galvanized cable. Stronger, will not rot, and periodically treat it to a general application of WD-40 - and it will last for years.
The "egging" you noticed on the cable drum simply says that the cable on your boat may have been a bit undersized for the load and/or the winch drum diameter was too small.
Some are concerned about the safety aspects of a cable - just don't have a part of your body in line close to and in line with the tension put on the cable. Nylon roping has the same trends - a lot of stretch and if it breaks under load, it will snap back with authority. And regarding safety, unless you are comfortable in installing a hook - replace the cable rather than redoing the hook.
Some cable is made with a vinyl covering which eliminate the wickers (some refer to these as "fishhooks") - but induces other problems and therefore, I don't use it. But if a cable starts showing a lot of wickers - replace it. ---- Jerry/Idaho
tjxtreme posted 10-28-2013 01:26 PM ET (US)
I'm not talking about nylon rope, but synthetic winch rope. I don't know the material, but it doesn't store energy...
e.g., http://www.warn.com/blog/2011/11/18/ synthetic_rope_vs_steel_rope_which_one_is_best.shtml Although I did read that keeping it dry is important, so that would be something to consider too...
JMARTIN posted 10-28-2013 03:20 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the information. I am going to replace the cable with a galvanized one.
John

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Author	Topic: Power Winch wire cable maintenance/strength
JMARTIN	posted 10-25-2013 05:33 PM ET (US) I am pulling a Revenge 22, with gear, kicker and fuel up a pretty steep ramp on to a trailer with rollers. We are pulling some serious weight for the first third of the retrieval. The last 3 feet of the hook end of the cable is rusty looking, but appears to be intact. The hook is attached with a protected loop in the wire and is crimped together. I have plenty of virgin wire on the spool so I can cut off the rusty stuff if I can do my own crimp. They must have something other than a machined crimp to hook the wire together at the logging or farm store. The virgin wire has been flattened out on the spool. The wide sides are about twice the length as the other sides. Do I need to be concerned that it has lost strength? John
Jefecinco	posted 10-25-2013 07:28 PM ET (US) The cables are very dangerous and can inflict serious bodily damage as well as damage to your Whaler and tow vehicle. I would replace the cable before using it again. I would replace the cable with a nylon strap. There is no safe way to know the condition of steel cable used on a boat trailer winch. If you continue to use steel cable I would replace it annually unless it shows signs of needing replacement sooner by showing rust or developing "meat hooks". I would also consider converting the roller trailer to a bunk trailer. Butch
JMARTIN	posted 10-25-2013 08:24 PM ET (US) I hope a 20 year old PowerWinch can take a strap. I am not a fan of the cable either for safety reasons. The problem will be if I can get enough strap on the spool. John
contender	posted 10-27-2013 06:23 PM ET (US) Go with a new galvanize cable, you can purchase them on line with a nice hook already attached, once you put the cable on the winch spray it down with some marine protectant. I never liked the straps, and do not use them to each his own. I would also redo my rollers, replace them with some stolz rollers and new pins...good luck
jimp	posted 10-27-2013 09:57 PM ET (US) John - I have the same problem with my PowerWinch for my 1990 Revenge 22 - W.T. Crushed, fish-hooks, and flattened thimble by the hook. I've replaced it once. I'll use it another season. I also rinse it with fresh water every time I use it and occasionally drench it in WD-40. I'll have to read up on replacing it myself. There's a PowerWinch service shop in town but they are very slow and charged a lot to replace the cable. I also carry my old manual winch in the bed of the truck. I don't know about the strap. Call the service number on the PowerWinch website (they're in Colorado). I talked to a woman who was VERY knowledgeable about the working of the winch. Very friendly and easy to talk to. She might know about using a strap. JimP
wezie	posted 10-28-2013 08:56 AM ET (US) It is not difficult to replace this cable. Better than buying bandaids, or apologizing to friends for cuts. Then there is the sudden thrill that comes from the cable snapping under load. If your winch will take a strap, I would do that. Remember, straps do not rust, they rot in the sun; however the damage from failure is not as bad . Just as stimulating, not as dangerous. Replace them when in doubt!
tjxtreme	posted 10-28-2013 10:36 AM ET (US) You may want to consider synthetic winch rope. I'm not sure about their use on boat trailers, but these are popular on winches of heavy 4x4s, don't rust, and if they break they fall flat instead of flying back. Not worth trying to save a few bucks when it comes to safety.
Jerry Townsend	posted 10-28-2013 11:32 AM ET (US) John - I am in favor of cable - but that may stem from my having been raised in the oil "patch" where cables are the "norm" - but put on a new galvanized cable. Stronger, will not rot, and periodically treat it to a general application of WD-40 - and it will last for years. The "egging" you noticed on the cable drum simply says that the cable on your boat may have been a bit undersized for the load and/or the winch drum diameter was too small. Some are concerned about the safety aspects of a cable - just don't have a part of your body in line close to and in line with the tension put on the cable. Nylon roping has the same trends - a lot of stretch and if it breaks under load, it will snap back with authority. And regarding safety, unless you are comfortable in installing a hook - replace the cable rather than redoing the hook. Some cable is made with a vinyl covering which eliminate the wickers (some refer to these as "fishhooks") - but induces other problems and therefore, I don't use it. But if a cable starts showing a lot of wickers - replace it. ---- Jerry/Idaho
tjxtreme	posted 10-28-2013 01:26 PM ET (US) I'm not talking about nylon rope, but synthetic winch rope. I don't know the material, but it doesn't store energy... e.g., http://www.warn.com/blog/2011/11/18/ synthetic_rope_vs_steel_rope_which_one_is_best.shtml Although I did read that keeping it dry is important, so that would be something to consider too...
JMARTIN	posted 10-28-2013 03:20 PM ET (US) Thanks for the information. I am going to replace the cable with a galvanized one. John