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Wire Winch Line Maintenance
There are numerous discussions concerning the ease of use and the benefits of today's synthetic ropes for Winches.
It can be easy to overlook the basic care that wire cables need to ensure the safe and continued use of them from season to season.
I personally come across these points fairly often with Customers that for whatever reason have not read my pointers and instructions for the use and care required for all parts of your Winch. In fact i have started packing DVDs in with each Winch hoping that people will watch a Video even if they will not read the instructions.
Below is a basic how -to on winch line care . This section does not cover Damage only the preventative maintenance that is required .
The life of the cable is directly related to the use and care it receives.Following its first and subsequent uses the cable must be wound on the drum with a load of at least 500lbs or the OUTER wraps will DRAW into the INNER WRAPS and severely damage the cable during Winching
WIRE ROPE MAINTENANCE
The lubrication ropes receive during manufacture is adequate only for initial storage and the early stages of the rope’s service life. A winch's wire rope should be maintained in a well-lubricated condition. It is important that lubricant be applied as part of the maintenance program. A good all purpose lubricant for this application would be a Chain Saw oil. The lubricant applied should be of the type that does not hinder visual inspection. The surface of some ropes may become covered with dirt, rock dust or other material during their operation. This can prevent field-applied lubricants from properly penetrating into the rope, so it's a good practice to clean these ropes before you lubricate them.
The lubricant you apply should be light-bodied enough to penetrate to the rope's core. You can normally apply lubricant by using one of three methods: drip it on rope, spray it on or brush it on. In all cases, you should apply it at a place where the rope is bending, such as around a sheave ( Pulley Block ). We recommend you apply it at the top of the bend because that's where the rope's strands are spread by bending and are more easily penetrated.
In addition, pressure lubricators are available commercially. Your rope's service life will be directly proportional to the effectiveness of the method you use and the amount of lubricant that reaches the rope's working parts. A proper lubricant must reduce friction, protect against corrosion and adhere to every wire. It should also be pliable, and not crack or separate when cold, yet not drip when warm. Never apply heavy grease to the rope because it can trap excessive grit, which can damage the rope. Nor should you apply used "engine oil" because it contains materials that can damage the rope .
At this time it is also a good practice to oil down any hardware Fairleads / Chrome on your Winch to give it a coating to keep corrosion from pitting / rusting these areas. At the same time you can check the motor terminals to make sure they have Vaseline /Lithium grease etc as the Rubber boots over the terminals are notorious for trapping mud moisture in them.
Cheers.
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