Winch Spooling question

Wheeler · 10-07-2007, 07:40 PM

Hey guys, installed the lucrum mount and warn m8000 winch this weekend. The mount is really well built and looks great...overall I'm really happy with the purchase.

Ok--here's the question.

I spooled the line under load as advised by the instruction manual. As hard as I tried to get everything lined up as it was being pulled in, some of the layers are not totally even.

Is this a problem? Is it important to get the cable perfectly lined up in each layer, everytime the winch is used?

Hopefully I didnt damage the wire already...

Any advice is appreciated...thanks!

Briman42487 · 10-07-2007, 08:30 PM

perfect would be nice, but not realistic. i havent ever seen one that has been used with a perfect spool. mine isnt perfect, but as good as i can get it.

fj4M&E · 10-07-2007, 08:33 PM

ditto,

I exercise the winch every couple of months so that I know it works and re-spooling the wire rope is a lot of work even to get it close. I have done enough research that I will switch to a synthetic line.

This website is full of information and may help.

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/winchlines/

highbeams · 10-07-2007, 08:40 PM

I find with wire rope that perfect is very hard to achieve, my advice is to only have problems near the end of the rows.
there are 2 points for the spooling in the beginning, One is to check the rig, but more important is to make sure each row is tenionised so that a row over it does not pull down into the previous row and damage the cable. You will find with use, that once a pull has been made, you usually have a lot of line left to freespool before moving on. This usually gets spooled without a load on it, so you will have to tighten that later when you get home.
Remember a pull is only as good as the spooling before it, If you try to pull over a bad spooling job, or a looe one, then you can damage the cable making it a danger for the next use.
Check out a synthetic line when you save up a bit of money, they are far more user friendly and a lot less dangerous. But they are pricey.

Hope this helped

Jim

Wheeler · 10-08-2007, 07:34 AM

Guys, thanks for the input. Seems like synthetic is definitley the way to go when I save up some cash. I suppose that with synthetic, it is less important for it to line up perfectly, right? Seems that it would be less prone to damage than the metal cable.

In the meantime, I'll do my best to monitor the cable and make sure it is spooling OK while the winch is in use.

One additional question,
Say I make some pulls out on the trails. When I get back home and re-spool, does this need to be done under tension? Or can I hand spool it back in?

Briman42487 · 10-08-2007, 03:12 PM

its best to spool it in under light tension, it also makes it a lot easier to get a decent spool. i too will be going with a synthetic line eventually.