help installing a synthetic rope

Need some clarification on the proper installation process for the rope. New to winches and just installed a smittybuilt XRC9.5k winch on my truck. Manual and everywhere online says to always have 8-10 wraps on the drum while in use. So to get the rope on, I held the rope taught with my hand and winched in 10 wraps then hooked it to another truck and pulled in the rest of the rope under tension. However this doesn't seem right to me, as I feel the first 10 wraps need to be done under a greater tension, but I don't want to break the winch before I even use it.

Will I damage the winch if I do the first 10 wraps under tension by hooking up to another truck?

 

Probably pull the end off the drum. No need to do the first few wraps under any more tension than you can do holding it.

 

No need to be under anything more than hand tension for the first few wraps.

Pro tip... put a very conspicuous marker on your winch line at the "don't spool out anymore" spot. I've re-spooled winches on the trail twice... once because I was trying to reach a tree that was just out of reach and once because a friend pulled the winch line for me and I didn't check it before winching.

 

okay thanks for clearing that up for me fellas. Will definitely add a marker so I'm not having to re-spool. Did you do any damage to the winch when your buddy went past the first 8-10 wraps and you started winching?

 

Your marker probably could be the sheathing on the winch line that covers the first wrap

 

Mine didn't come with any kind of marking or sheathing on the line unfortunately, but shouldn't be difficult to put one on myself

 

I have ended up cutting the sheathing off all of my winches. It can get bunched up / caught up and be a pain in the ass.

I carry a short segment of old fire hose in the event that I need to shield the winch line from an obstacle.