Winch covers?

[MBDIAGMAN]

The only down side to the thimble that I can see is that it takes a few extra seconds to connect it with a soft shackle. The safety of synthetic rope, soft shackles and all the other lower mass recovery items makes it well worth the extra few seconds and the hassle of keeping things out of the sunlight. If you’ve never had a close call with a steel cable and d link coming loose, then you might not see the need for all this stuff.

Just my opinion and I fully respect the right to have their own opinion that opposes mine.

 

[MBDIAGMAN]

So then what is “ideal?”

 

[srimes]

The only down side to the thimble that I can see is that it takes a few extra seconds to connect it with a soft shackle. The safety of synthetic rope, soft shackles and all the other lower mass recovery items makes it well worth the extra few seconds and the hassle of keeping things out of the sunlight. If you’ve never had a close call with a steel cable and d link coming loose, then you might not see the need for all this stuff.

Just my opinion and I fully respect the right to have their own opinion that opposes mine.

I don't worry at all about soft shackles in sunlight. There's just so much extra beef there that UV isn't a concern for me. I do keep the rope covered.

I don't use a thimble, either. But that isn't a common enough practice for me to recommend it to others.

 

[taylormade73]

V1 with some 15lb Velcro to secure the corners. Still need to solve for the thimble

View attachment 634287

Looks like a black licorice fruit roll up.

 

[MBDIAGMAN]

I keep the soft shackles and all the lightweight stuff in a bag that keeps it out of the sunlight, but I believe you’re correct. A proper soft shackle has plenty of extra beef.

The thimble I use on my truck actually uses an eye spliced into the rope, keeping the rope behind the thimble out of the light. The Jeep has the large loop around the outside, but it is covered well by the winch cover and almost always kept inside out of the light.

Either of these thimbles are quickly and easily connected to a soft shackle for use with a tree protector, snatch ring or whatever. I’m very happy to be away from a hook, even a lightweight hook. The spring keepers get messed up and I don’t think a hook of any kind is always healthy for a soft shackle.

I really like having the lowered risk that comes with all the low mass recovery equipment.

These are my opinions and I respect and welcome the opinions of others.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

The importance of keeping the rope out of the sun seems to come and go around here. I ran a kydex cover for years until one day I guess I didn't get it on right and it flew off on I-25. My jeep is always garaged unless I'm driving it so it's probably not critical for me. Maybe for one that lives outside.

 

[MBDIAGMAN]

Yeah, I think if it’s stored inside out of the light most of the time except when not in use, the rope wil stay live much longer. I’ve had synthetic climbing and rigging ropes used for a long time and you can easily tell when they’re getting brittle and long in the tooth. I never realized that UV light is what degrades them until I started reading about synthetic winch ropes.

 

[L J]

So then what is “ideal?”

 

[MBDIAGMAN]

Get a thimble that encloses the rope so that it's not exposed to UV

View attachment 634296

Winch Thimble

This is the type that I have on my truck. The winch is an under bumper hidden mount, so it stays pretty dark. Like my Jeep, it spends most of its time in the hangar out of the light. It is rarely used for anything except my volunteer disaster relief work after hurricanes, tornados and floods, so it is out of the sunlight most of the time.

 

[LONGJP2]

So then what is “ideal?”

View attachment 634853

This allows the rope to stay secured to whatever it's connected to, even if the thimble fails.