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Winch Rope need advice


SolihullBeast

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I'm new to the whole forum thing so please forgive me if I have placed this in the wrong section or done something else wrong! Just looking for some advice about winch rope, i have decided to change from steel wire to rope for strength reasons and so on. Which is best plasma rope? I have been told Marlow Dynaline is pretty good? I would be grateful for any advice!

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Hi Beast,

Welcome to the forum :D

I personally use Dyneema Bowrope, and have been very happy with it, from here:

http://www.dborc.co.uk/goodwinch/dyneema.htm

but supplied to me by OEC International as they are very close to me.

Has all the spec sheets attached etc. I was using 10mm on a Hydraulic Milemarker but pulling at nearly 5 tons and abusing it at challenge events I did snap it a few times- unbelieveably easy to resplice in the field! So I have stepped up to 12mm- overkill to be honest but when you are hanging off the end of it :o

I have never used any other kind but hopefully an adult will come along and be able to comment on the pros and cons of other types.

Have fun :D

Shrek

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plasma 12 every time will out last any other if looked after

Ive used dyneema bowrope, Marlow, Plasma 12 and there all carp at resisting abrasion, they cant withstand the same abuse as a wire rope :( but there is know way i would ever go back to wire :) !!

Dont by anything less that 11mm thick, its better to have thicker rope than trying to squeze those few extra feet on the drum ;)

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Im going to fight the wire corner a little here:

At KORC we marshals do a lot of recovering, it is a very harsh site and decided to pitch 9mm wire against plasma 12.

I run the wire on a 8274, the plasma was on a champion 9000lb.

The result was 3 wire replacements to 4 plasma replacements (does not include the numerous times the plasma snapped). This of course has massive differences in cost.

I know the plasma is "safer" but it requires so much care and attention, with the wire, it can be abused and if you listen and look for the clues, wire failure can be readily avoided.

Just an opinion ;)

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Hi All,

A real can of worms been opened!

Look forward to all the various points of view being aired again.

Andy Thomlinson.

RUFTRAKS UK LIMITED

EXCLUSIVE IMPORTER AND DISTRIBUTOR

OF PLASMA 12 STRAND WINCH LINE

FOR THE UK & NORTHERN EUROPE

www.ruftraks.co.uk

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Dear SollihullBeast,

I would just like to add one point to your early post as quoted below:-

"I'm new to the whole forum thing so please forgive me if I have placed this in the wrong section or done something else wrong! Just looking for some advice about winch rope, i have decided to change from steel wire to rope for strength reasons and so on. Which is best plasma rope? I have been told Marlow Dynaline is pretty good? I would be grateful for any advice! "

Plasma is a registered trade mark to Puget Sound Ropes of the USA.

I know that since I started importing it some 7 years ago that it has become a generic term for all synthetic lines, however, there are a number of synthetics out there but only one Plasma.

I is unique in it's method of manufacture and characteristics when used for our application.

I will be happy to answer any questions you may have about it, both on and off forum.

Regards,

Andy Thomlinson.

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Its a matter of choice there are so many different makes about , Some are better than others , The two that seem the most popular in the challenge scene are Bowrope and Plasma .

Personaly I use 12mm Bowrope back and front . Some may say 12mm is overkill but Ive had lot less breakages than others using anything less .

A group of us went to Ireland a while back , We had to lower over a sheer drop , A new yellow colured synthetic rope on a team members truck let go like a bullet , Luckily all were ok , Which left me nerviously lowering down with a well worn 2 year old bow rope , But it held out fine and went on to last 2 more events after .

Give Anton a ring at OEC he does some good deals on Bow ropes .

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i run dyneema bowrope front and rear - 11mm and if looked after, ie you wash it after each use, dont run it through rocks etc it will last well.

Wire will outlast it though and any other synthetic i would bet.

(and no rude comments about it not being used please gents!!!)

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I use Dyneema Bowrope, but thats because I got a deal on it when I bought the winch. I don't do competition and it works well for the limited use I give it.

I expect that for some serious applications the 12mm Plasma that Andy supplies is a superior product and he will be able to advise you on the benefits of that product.

Like everything it comes down to your requirements & budget and what you will use it for. That will direct you to the appropriate product. Then again, you could just pick it on colour ;)

Are you new to Landrovers/winching etc or just new to the forums? Wouldn't want to patronise you :D

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I Have used both David B dyneema rope and Plasma 12.

NEITHER Like to be dragged along / in / through the ground, you need to get a Zig Zag from X-Eng or something to do the same, a lump of Log will NOT be OK :lol:

You also should get a decent Hawse type Fiarlead as 'rollers' can have the plasma type ropes trapped and damage them - helps with overhang to remove rollers too :lol:

IMVHO having used both in vengence, I have chosen to always have the plasma 12 as I find it seems to last longer, resists abrasions better.

I have used it now for some years and am unlikley to use anything else - esp wire - when I broke my current plamsa on the 27th dec (bear in mind its had a couple of good years abuse and I was trying to remove a 5 ton feret armoured car dead with near 2 foot of water in it) the rope just dropped to the ground, it was respliced in around 4 minutes and back in action, (though now in the bin as it has had it.)

Treat rope like a tyre oil or filters,........... its a serviceable item

Yer pays yer money.............

Nige

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Are there any options for sleeving synthetic rope with some sort of tough transparent waterproof flexible lining (braided rubberised teflon) ? I realise this would increase the diameter but would make the rope a lot more resistant to hard use. I haven't a clue about materials out there.

Just a thought.

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I have tried the anti chaff type covers but to be honest a PITA as they get worn tatty and full of mud, the stuff can hunch up and make a mess inside the rollers / drum, better to keep your eyes on where the rope is (or better isn't) and use a ZigZag type thingy to keep it from dragging through the ground.

I do have 2 foot of bright yellow cover that I can see from inside the cab at the end of the rope, when I see this I have / know there are only 10 coils left on the drum

Nige

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Are there any options for sleeving synthetic rope with some sort of tough transparent waterproof flexible lining (braided rubberised teflon) ? I realise this would increase the diameter but would make the rope a lot more resistant to hard use. I haven't a clue about materials out there.

Just a thought.

Have a look at the masterpull XD ( http://www.masterpull.com/results.cfm?catid=1760 ) it is a rope with a sleeve. A lot of competition trucks in belgium use them ( from http://www.dgtuning.com ) and are very pleased by them. It doesn't feel like a rope but more like a wire cable because of the hard sleeve.

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having dealt with Andy at ruftraks a number of times i would heartily recommend getting rope from him- he's a bloody nice guy, gives great backup and the product does it exactly what it says on the tin.

Plasma 12 all the way, as a number of people on this forum will attest to!

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Like most people on this forum, I use Plasma 12. Been using it for three years on every competition I've done. Snapped it once, at Tong in the SR trophy but that was due to me neglecting the rope rather than over loading it (didn't clean it enough).

IMHO if you buy any other it'll only cost you more when you realise it's naff and then go and buy Plasma

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A group of us went to Ireland a while back , We had to lower over a sheer drop , A new yellow colured synthetic rope on a team members truck let go like a bullet , Luckily all were ok , Which left me nerviously lowering down with a well worn 2 year old bow rope , But it held out fine and went on to last 2 more events after .

Yes it did break and it was new before the event but I looked at it afterwards and where it broke it had melted from being doubled back over a painted part of the roll cage trying to get bushy off a tree stump earlier in the weekend. So I think it was due to abuse of the rope.

To date ive not had a breakage of the plasma that hasn't been due to damage to the rope from user error weather it be rubbing on a sharp rock or running through the ground. I did run Bow rope and had a few un explained breakages with a rope that was only a few months old which put me off. The plasma 12 does not look old as quickly as the bow rope if thats anything to go by. I have just bought another bow rope to give it a second chance but on experience up till now plasma 12 is still the rope I prefer.

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Have a look at the masterpull XD ( http://www.masterpull.com/results.cfm?catid=1760 ) it is a rope with a sleeve. A lot of competition trucks in belgium use them ( from http://www.dgtuning.com ) and are very pleased by them. It doesn't feel like a rope but more like a wire cable because of the hard sleeve.

Used to use Master pull back in 2001. Lovely rope, but has one MASSIVE problem.

When damged or snapped it can not be repaired in the field easliy and the result is that the outer sheath then bunchs and causes lots of problems :rolleyes:

Makes a fantastic pistol crack sound when snapped :lol:

Used them all. Period.

I now use and fully trust PLASMA 12.

My rig, 125ft of 11mm.

Jim :)

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I have a couple of bits of Dyneema from Bowyer and have used it for a few years now including some very very heavy single line pulls and had no problems (10mm on Milemarker) though we do not have the abrasive mud here which I think is what kills it - mine has no signs of any deterioration besides looking a bit dirty and a little fading from sunlight.

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I use Dyneema Bowrope, but thats because I got a deal on it when I bought the winch. I don't do competition and it works well for the limited use I give it.

I expect that for some serious applications the 12mm Plasma that Andy supplies is a superior product and he will be able to advise you on the benefits of that product.

Like everything it comes down to your requirements & budget and what you will use it for. That will direct you to the appropriate product. Then again, you could just pick it on colour ;)

Are you new to Landrovers/winching etc or just new to the forums? Wouldn't want to patronise you :D

New to winching and forums! and sort of new to land rovers! Cheers for the advice looks like I have to make a tough choice now

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Hope you don't mind me sticking my nose in but I use the fibre flat rope which comes from www.liftingandcrane.co.uk

Now it is probably no good for competion work but for playing I think is ideal. It is 110ft, 5.5ton and the best bit, £35!! unlike the round ropes it sits flat so is less likely to bunch. However you do have to buy a special snatch block, another £35, but that is still £100 less than plasma, but no it isn't as good as plasma but very well priced and I have had mine for a year now and providing you look after it I think it will last a lot longer as mine isn't even fraying one bit. And the last drawback that I can see is you need to be careful how you possition the snatch block when in use otherwise it will not flow through very well and can damage the rope, but get it right and it works very well considering the price.

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