Synthetic or metal: which rope for a winch to choose

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• metal cable
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• How to care for a steel rope
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• a rope for a winch
  

  Metal cable

  metal cable is a traditional choice of many SUV owners through it:

  • unpretentiousness;
  • lower price;
  • High abrasion resistance. 

  

  The latter quality is especially important in situations where the cable is rubbed on sharp surfaces such as stones during towing. Of course, everything has a limit. But it is difficult to argue about strength with steel.

  fear of corrosion

  Achilles heel of metal ropes - corrosion. If you do not monitor the product, the rust will slowly destroy it. This is the main reason why they are ultimately torn.

  

  In addition, as wearing on the cable appear sharp burrs, which are easy to cut. Therefore, to work with him in the car must be protective gloves.

  Large weight

  As you know, steel is a fairly heavy material. Therefore, the winch with such a rope will inevitably weigh more than synthetics analogue.

  also because of the large mass and density, the metal cable poses a great danger in the event of a break. Therefore, it is forbidden to stand next to it while towing.

  Experienced drivers cling to a stretched rope any load, such as a bag so that it does not fly far. But it does not always work.

  How to care for steel rope

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  it does not get wet or afraid of ultraviolet. All you need to do is lubricate it or WD-40 so that it does not rust. And in the case of damage to buy steel rope for the winch is noticeably cheaper than an analogue of synthetics.

  synthetic rope

  Automobile winches with synthetic cables began to gain popularity in 1990s. Before that, they were mainly used on boats. But their qualities were also useful on offroud.

  light and durable

  Oddly enough, but other things being equal, a high -quality synthetic cable can be stronger than a metal 15 times. In this case, such a cable is much lighter than steel analogues and does not sink in water. 

  it has much lower energy when towing. Therefore, it is not so far when it is torn, and is less dangerous for both people and cars.

  

  However, when using a winch with a synthetic cable, you still need to follow the safety.

  convenience of use

  Unlike a steel rope, synthetics do not damage the hands.In addition, it does not heat up in the sun and does not become cold in the cold like metal. Therefore, gloves are not required.

  Synthetic fiber cable is also very elastic, so it does not twist, does not slip and easily fix in one place. At the same time, it has higher rupture strength than a metal rope.

  How to care for a synthetic rope

  Synthetic rope for winch is easy to use, but it is difficult to maintain in good condition. The life expectancy of such a product is influenced by the following factors:

  • ultraviolet. with prolonged exposure, sunlight destroys the composition of the cable, reducing its quality;
  • water. synthetic cables absorb water, which makes it noticeably heavier. And during frost, the wet cable can be completely glared;
  • friction. The synthetic cable is more damaged by friction on sharp surfaces than steel.

  

  a synthetic fiber rope has a shorter life than steel variants. And it costs more. But it is easier to repair it.

  synthetic or metal cable: pros and cons of

  metal rope

  Benefits	disadvantages
  can be extended through rough, rocky surfaces	heavy and more dangerous when breakdown
  imperceptible to sunlight	not recovered if rusty
  cheaper synthetic	injures hands

  synthetic cable

  Benefits	disadvantages
  Little and easy to work	is destroyed by sunlight
  >Stronger than metal to gap	absorbs water
  less dangerous	faster erased

  Summing up, you can say with certainty that there is no perfect solution. It all depends on how you use the winch and what budget you have at your disposal.

  ? And if you need help in its installation, ours

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