winch cable

[macibell111]

does anyone know how many feet of winch cable and what size it was? on the LU4 braden winch.jack

[w30bob]

Maci,

150 ft of 7/16" cable is what should be on there.

regards,
bob

[Master Yota]

Not all cable is built the same way... Now that you know the size, I'd consider talking with a towing company to find out where they get their cable. As its a pto setup, you'll want a cable that will wrap and track well across the drum. Most cables from industrial stores are pretty stiff at that size. A tow company may have a suggestion for a more nimble cable.

If you plan to use it a lot, and money isn't a real issue, then I would suggest synthetic winch line. It ain't cheap, but its far superior to cable for ease of use, and strength.

[ZGjethro]

I am a winch newbie, so I have some questions. What really keeps the line from just stacking up on one side of the drum on anything but a straight pull? Can you have someone put some tension on the cable so it moves back and forth in an orderly fashion? Personally I would not want to be between the winch and the anchor for any price. Do you just do your pull, and then respool your cable under little or no pressure?

I bought a Tirfor TU-32 recently so I could move it from vehicle to vehicle as I use them. Anyone have any experience with these 8000lb hand winches?

[w30bob]

Maci,

Here's a few posts from Charles that I found when I searched the forum regarding winch cables. Sounds like good info.........

regards,
bob

Postby MSeriesRebuild » Tue Mar 31, 2009 6:48 pm

The cable diameter is 7/16", length 150'. This is the stock size. We always use 1/2" diameter 6X37 cable at 175'. 6X37 simply means the rope is made up of 6 small cables with 37 small wires making up each one. We also don't use anything except cable with an IWRC, independant wire rope center. Hemp center cable is available also, poor quality & not nearly as strong. It is typically a 6X19 make up, some like the hemp center saying its more flexible. The 6X37 cable with a wire rope center is just as flexible because of the smaller guage wires its made from.Charles Talbert
http://www.mseriesrebuild.com


Our supplier is Certex-Superior in Charlotte, NC. They have branches all over the country, especially in the south east serving the petroleum industry. They can supply all you will need.Charles Talbert
http://www.mseriesrebuild.comMSeriesRebuild
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Re: Winch cable
Postby MSeriesRebuild » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:29 pm

The original cable with the hemp core is a 6X19, 19 wires each in a total of 6 strands. If you use a 6X19 with an independant wire rope center (steel core) it will be so stiff you will have problems winding it on the drum and it will give you constant issues with handling each time you use it.

On the other hand, you can use a 6X37 cable with the wire rope center, it will be just as flexible as the 6X19 original and far stronger. Flexibility is determined by the size of the wires in each strand. 37 wires in a strand in place of 19 wires making up the same size strand adds a huge amount to the flexibility factor.

We use 6X37 with a wire center 1/2" diameter cable on all ours. works great, winds tight on the drum and is a good bit stronger than the 7/16" cable. The drum will hold 175' of 1/2" with room to spare

Charles Talbert
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[Master Yota]

I am a winch newbie, so I have some questions. What really keeps the line from just stacking up on one side of the drum on anything but a straight pull? Can you have someone put some tension on the cable so it moves back and forth in an orderly fashion? Personally I would not want to be between the winch and the anchor for any price. Do you just do your pull, and then respool your cable under little or no pressure?

I bought a Tirfor TU-32 recently so I could move it from vehicle to vehicle as I use them. Anyone have any experience with these 8000lb hand winches?

As the winch operator, its usually your job, or your spotters job to keep the cable from piling up on one side of the drum. It does however, happen, as virtually no pull with a winch is perfectly straight on. Its never a bad practice to stop winching and straighten out the cable if its safe to do so. Its important to wear at least a decent pair of leather work gloves when handling steel cable, as the small burs of steel will rip your hands open as your handling it. Remember to "hand-over-hand" the cable as its going back on the drum, don't let it slide through your hands, as it can either grab your hands and pull them into the winch (messy) or it can cut you badly if you get hooked on a cable bur.

You can put a little bit of side load on the cable as its spooling in to help act as a guide, but once the main load is on the cable, you won't be able to move it at all. If you could, why would need a winch in the first place?
Sometimes there is little choice but to be between the winch and anchor while pulling, at one of the cable or the other, someone has to monitor the cable as its going on the drum. However its not the safest place to be, keep all other people out of the way a fair distance, and make sure you are communicating/taking directions from only 1 person. Winching works best as a two person team, one operator, one spotter.

If you purchase new cable, or syn. rope, it must be put on the drum under tension. The easiest way to do this is to winch your truck, or someone else's up a gentle incline. An uphill street works well for this. Both cable or rope needs at least 5 wraps on the drum to start winching, this is what locks the cable onto the drum. The tiny set screw that anchors the cable to the drum (on most winches) isn't rated to hold any load. Loading the drum in this way prevents future short length pulls from cutting down into the loosely wrapped cables beneath. Its a good practice to re-spool the cable at the end of every trip that it was used on. If you discover any kinks or serious damage to the cable, it should be replaced.

I had suggested synthetic rope as an option, and it'll work great, but I'd forgot to mention you'll need to modify the bumper to include an aluminum or UHMW plastic Hawse style fair-lead/guide. The rope is by far the safest, and strongest option, but it isn't cheap, and it has a few quirks of its own that need special attention if you go that route...

[Elwood]

The Army apparently went through some changes in their thinking for the cable on the LU-4 winch. What started out as 150' of 7/16" cable, became 1/2" cable in the January 1957 SNL. In the TM 9-2320-212-20P of February 1960, the specification changed to 200' of 1/2" cable. In issue No. 127 of PS Magazine (June 1963), the length was reduced back to 150', because "the extra 50 feet was too much to wrap around the winch drum."

I don't have 200' of 1/2" cable to test on my winch, but Charles' solution of 175' sounds like a good compromise when using a more flexible cable. That extra 25' might come in handy.

[John Mc]

There is some great info on winch cable in this post. Thanks to all who contributed.

I'm curious if anyone has ever used swaged cable on their M37 winch. This is the preferred cable on logging winches used in forestry applications. It's higher strength than similar diameter cable, more crush and abrasion resistant, it has a smoother surface, so tends to pick up less debris and seems to wrap and unwrap on a drum more smoothly. I have it on the logging winch I use on my tractor and have been really impressed with it. My 10 mm (0.393" slightly over 3/8") swaged cable is rated for higher breaking strength than a regular 7/16" (.437") 6x25 steel cable. I like it MUCH better than standard cable for winching applications.

I've never tired it on an M37, but it's so much nicer to use on my logging winch than regular cable that I'm tempted to try it out if I ever need to replace the cable on my Braden winch.

[sturmtyger380]

I don't see why you can't try Swaged Wire Core Rope. I poked around on the subject:

- The advantages of a swaged wire rope are that they are more resistant to wear, have better crushing resistance, and high strength compared to a round strand wire rope of equal diameter and classification.

- However, a swaged wire rope may have less bending fatigue resistance.

- Wire rope that use strands made of smaller diameter wires are more flexible. More specifically, a 7x7 or a 7x19 construction offers the most flexibility while attaining a greater breaking strength.

[just me]

Mine is 175' of 6 x 39 IWC 7/16" DIA. RH lay. I had the local rigging company make the chain and hook ends and spool it on. It wasn't expensive. They gave me some training in cable handling and also the cleaners and greases for maintenance. It is lift rated at more than the winch is rated for.

[John Mc]

Mine is 175' of 6 x 39 IWC 7/16" DIA. RH lay. I had the local rigging company make the chain and hook ends and spool it on. It wasn't expensive. They gave me some training in cable handling and also the cleaners and greases for maintenance. It is lift rated at more than the winch is rated for.

Is there any real difference in RH vs LH lay in this application?

[just me]

It's in how it will wind on the first layer of the drum. The experts picked the wire rope based on perceived use, winch capacity, drum to cable interface and longevity.
If I recall it was around $200 for the wire rope, swage socket, lift rated chain and hook. Assembled and installed.
I've used it for some serious work and it has been perfect.
(Pulling the trucks from under a derailed passenger train, easing out stumps, aligning a derailed streetcar for rerailing and lifting a trailer out of a ravine.)

[PoW]

Wire rope also has a 'lay', right or left.

It makes a difference on which way the drum turns when pulling.

Use the wrong lay and it will eventually get all squirrelly when unrolled.

Unfortunately I don't remember what the M37 needs other than 7/16".

PoW