Guide for selecting winch rope

Guide for selecting winch rope

  • Lines for ATV winches are available as steel cables or synthetic rope. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before making decision. Here we have a handy overview of pros and cons of each for you:


Steel cable

Steel cable is a perfect line to use in highly abrasive terrains, such as in mud, rocks and sand as it is less prone to fraying and abrading.
We recommend regularly apply a light coating of WD-40 on the line to protect the steel to disperse moisture, preventing rust.

Pros:

  • High abrasion resistance
  • Low friction
  • More affordable than synthetic rope
  • More durable than synthetic rope
  • Requires less maintenance

Cons:

  • Heavier than synthetic ropes
  • Sensitive to proper winding, steel cable is prone to kinks, making it harder to spool up on the drum properly
  • Can rust
  • Develops sharp burrs as it wears, requiring steady attention and gloved hands to operate

Synthetic rope

Synthetic rope is considerably safer than steel cable. When a steel cable snaps, it releases high stored energy and can send dangerous projectiles flying which can cause damage to people and property.  Synthetic rope still can whip around when they snap, but doesn’t store as much energy as a steel cable does, meaning it won’t become as much of a projectile if it breaks.

Pros:

  • Significantly lighter than steel cable
  • Has a higher breaking strength than a comparable steel cable
  • Rust resistant
  • Spools up on the drum much more easily
  • Safer and easier to handle
  • No whiplash when rope breaks and less risk of injury when rope wire brokes
  • Floats on the water
  • Can throw more easily and much farther
  • Doesn't suffer from filings and burrs as steel cable does
  • If a synthetic rope does break, it can be repaired in the field
  • Does not require roller fairleads

Cons:

  • Prone to UV exposure and heat
  • More prone to abrasion
  • More expensive than steel wires
  • Prone to fraying and abrading
  • Can hold water, which can add weight, or freeze in winter so that it can be difficult to unwind from the spool
  • Can snag on the corners of a roller fairlead, because of this, synthetic ropes should only be used with a Hawse fairlead
  • Require higher maintenance, It is important to spool it out and wash it from time to time, this is especially important after using the rope in sandy or muddy conditions where abrasive material can work its way in to the rope