Winch line extension

[gbirk]

I was out at the Jolly Jeepers Rally this weekend and ended up pulling cable to get past some 35" ruts with my 32" tires. I still have the steel cable that my Warn Zeon winch came with, and I think this is the last time I want to pull steel cable up a hill I can barely walk up empty handed, not to mention the safety benefits.

I am looking at the BMB Winch line (https://blackmagicbrakes.com/ols/pr...line-in-38-diameter-with-safety-thimble-8f94c) that @mrblaine sells, but I see it is only 85' long. This weekend, to get to a tree of the proper size, I was right at only 5 wraps left on the drum with a 100' cable, so that 85' length concerns me a little bit, and BMB does not seem to sell a longer version or a short extension of 20 or 30 feet.

So with that all said (and not being any sort of expert on this), does anyone have a recommended winch line extension? or is there another, better solution I am missing?

 

[mrblaine]

I was out at the Jolly Jeepers Rally this weekend and ended up pulling cable to get past some 35" ruts with my 32" tires. I still have the steel cable that my Warn Zeon winch came with, and I think this is the last time I want to pull steel cable up a hill I can barely walk up empty handed, not to mention the safety benefits.

I am looking at the BMB Winch line (https://blackmagicbrakes.com/ols/pr...line-in-38-diameter-with-safety-thimble-8f94c) that @mrblaine sells, but I see it is only 85' long. This weekend, to get to a tree of the proper size, I was right at only 5 wraps left on the drum with a 100' cable, so that 85' length concerns me a little bit, and BMB does not seem to sell a longer version or a short extension of 20 or 30 feet.

So with that all said (and not being any sort of expert on this), does anyone have a recommended winch line extension? or is there another, better solution I am missing?

What is the diameter of your steel cable?

 

[gbirk]

What is the diameter of your steel cable?

I believe it is 3/8, and it looks like I am an idiot because Warn lists it as 80' on their website. I thought I saw 100' listed somewhere, but it looks like your 80' is the answer.

Now that I have established how stupid I am, do you have an extension? It would still like to add a 20 or 30 foot of extra line to my kit. I was a little uncomfortable with how little cable was left on the drum this weekend.

 

[mrblaine]

I believe it is 3/8, and it looks like I am an idiot because Warn lists it as 80' on their website. I thought I saw 100' listed somewhere, but it looks like your 80' is the answer.

Now that I have established how stupid I am, do you have an extension? It would still like to add a 20 or 30 foot of extra line to my kit. I was a little uncomfortable with how little cable was left on the drum this weekend.

If I can splice on the thimbles and drum loops, I can also put eyes in a line to make an extension. I've just never found an eye solution that I consider to be superior so that part is up to you.

 

[Apparition]

I believe it is 3/8, and it looks like I am an idiot because Warn lists it as 80' on their website. I thought I saw 100' listed somewhere, but it looks like your 80' is the answer.

Now that I have established how stupid I am, do you have an extension? It would still like to add a 20 or 30 foot of extra line to my kit. I was a little uncomfortable with how little cable was left on the drum this weekend.

The Zeon's with synthetic line ship with 100' of line on them

 

[gbirk]

I was thinking of just eyes and an extra soft shackle to connect the cables just so I am not adding mass in the middle of a rope, but maybe I am missing an obvious solution? Do you carry an extension of some kind or how would you handle a situation where you needed a little extra rope to get to an anchor point?

 

[gbirk]

The Zeon's with synthetic line ship with 100' of line on them

OK, that makes sense and is probably what I saw. Thanks. I feel less dumb now.

 

[jjvw]

I was thinking of just eyes and an extra soft shackle to connect the cables just so I am not adding mass in the middle of a rope, but maybe I am missing an obvious solution? Do you carry an extension of some kind or how would you handle a situation where you needed a little extra rope to get to an anchor point?

Use a soft shackle to attach whatever strap or rope you have available to the winch line. All the good practices apply. Minimize the connections and use lightweight rigging that is sufficiently strong enough.

At the end of the day, you do what you have to do. If all I have is a big chain to add to the winch rope to get myself out, I am using the the chain.

 

[Apparition]

OK, that makes sense and is probably what I saw. Thanks. I feel less dumb now.

I knew my Zeon had 100' and I thought you were correct until I Googlefu'd it. Thought maybe it was only the Platinums but it looks like it's the synthetics that differentiate the length.

 

[gbirk]

I am in Oregon, so finding a tree is usually not a big deal. In this particular spot all the tress looked a little small except for the one I used and it was cutting it tight. I made it work, but I was getting a bit nervous and the cable was not easy to work with when I got it down to the last few wraps. it wanted to unspool itself if I did not keep pretty good tension on it. Keeping it tight on the drum and literally crawling up the hill to the tree was lets say, exciting.. The only other rope I had was a kinetic line and that would not have been ideal.

 

[jjvw]

... The only other rope I had was a kinetic line and that would not have been ideal.

If that is all I had, I would use it. And I have.

 

[mrblaine]

The Zeon's with synthetic line ship with 100' of line on them

They do and they are about 15-20 feet over full. We always cut about 15 feet off anytime we mess with one.

 

[gbirk]

If I can splice on the thimbles and drum loops, I can also put eyes in a line to make an extension. I've just never found an eye solution that I consider to be superior so that part is up to you.

When you say "superior" is that a safety concern or something else?

 

[mrblaine]

When you say "superior" is that a safety concern or something else?

Not safety. Packing it away, soft eyes with abrasion guard are the most convenient. Second would be tube thimbles. I'm not a fan of adding connections unless necessary, so 2 eyes and then a shackle, soft shackle, granny knot or some other connector annoys me but has to be done.

 

[gbirk]

So would you do a 30' extension with eyes for me? Can you just add it to an order?

 

[bucky]

I carry a 2”x30’ tow strap and recently got a 1”x30’ kinetic rope. I also have 4 of Blain’s soft shackles plus 2 hard shackles in my kit. I believe that I have more use options with the tow strap over carrying extra synthetic rope. I don’t know the length of my winches rope. I also have a sand anchor that I only bring when I’m in the sand dunes.
Space and weight make carrying everything I “Might” need with me a consideration. My basic tool setup is 100+ lbs alone.

 

[gbirk]

I carry a 2”x30’ tow strap and recently got a 1”x30’ kinetic rope. I also have 4 of Blain’s soft shackles plus 2 hard shackles in my kit. I believe that I have more use options with the tow strap over carrying extra synthetic rope. I don’t know the length of my winches rope. I also have a sand anchor that I only bring when I’m in the sand dunes.
Space and weight make carrying everything I “Might” need with me a consideration. My basic tool setup is 100+ lbs alone.

Truth right there. Packing all the gear needed for two people into a TJ is challenging to say the least. and re-packing it back into the TJ at the end of the weekend to get home is almost impossible!

 

[jjvw]

Truth right there. Packing all the gear needed for two people into a TJ is challenging to say the least. and re-packing it back into the TJ at the end of the weekend to get home is almost impossible!

View attachment 631984

How many days are you out in the woods with all that stuff?

 

[gbirk]

How many days are you out in the woods with all that stuff?

2 nights. The rear seat is still in there folded up too, so removing that would have helped for sure. I just got too lazy to remove it.

 

[mrblaine]

How many days are you out in the woods with all that stuff?

His post says a weekend.