Should I replace this winch line? ….hawse cause this?

Had to use the winch the other day to drag a tundra off some rocks. It’s a warn evo10k with synthetic line.

When I was respooiling it I can feel that parts got deformed and almost feel melted.
I used a vacuum and opened up the weaves along it to get any sand out.

I know it’s hard to tell from pictures but wondering how bad this is?


Also, what caused it to happen…..could the warn hawse be the problem? ……upgrade the hawse?

 

A little duct tape and you’ll probably be good (that shit fixes everything)

 

How often do you wash the line? Mine gets pretty crusty and a quick wash does restore some flexibility.

 

It’s been on the truck for over a year but I’ve never used it until last Saturday.

The deformed parts of the line almost feel like it was melted but I went through what I had spooled out what I spooled out and was able to open the braids.


Not sure why it happened, is the warn hawed shitty ?

 

I haven't had any issues with the fairlead on my warn m8000. As long as you're not using a roller with synthetic it should be fine. Was the pull at an angle that caused the winch line to drag on the fairlead or did the winch line run in the dirt or across rocks/logs when you were using it?

 

It was pretty straight, maybe a little higher for the harder part of the pull.

it only hit the sand at the end when he was able to get traction, which is why I vacuumed that section.

I was just surprised to see that much deformation, tundra was high centered on a rock and bashed a hole in his gas tank.

 

Is it still flexible? Looks like heat damage but can't tell from the pic.

How did you initially wrap the line on the spool? if it wasn't under tension possibly it pulled through some wraps and thats why it looks distorted.

 

Yeah pix don't really show it well but it does feel like it might be heat damaged, but oddly it is still flexible.....I was able to open the weave to vacuum it out.


Before I used the winch I toed off to a transmission tower leg, unspooled to the first layer and respooled it under tension (holding the brake while spooling in).
It was a new tundra high centered on some rocks, maybe it was a bit too much.

Is the Warn hawse ok or are there better ones with a more rolled edge?

 

That last pic, of the spooled line on the drum... that stuff looks toasted. Like it got *very* hot. Were you winching out under load? The drum brake may have gotten that line hot enough to start to melt. It likely has lost quite a bit of its strength... I was going to ask if you had ever respooled the line under tension, but you said you had done that. But it may not have been done recently? Definitely should not have been able to peel that deep into the layers on the drum.

 

Yes it was under load…..isn’t that the point of a winch? It was a high centered tundra on some rocks.



I did the whole pretension thing months before using the winch, I used the truck as the weight and even lightly hitting the brakes.

I’ll pull it all off and examine it and respool it if it’s not reached.
It’s tough to find a place to do that.

 

@Toy_Runner, I’m not sure exactly what you meant by “winching under load” …..isn’t all winching under some kind of load, except maybe flat ground?

Just trying to figure out what went wrong to avoid next time!
Understand that more line out is better but that wasn’t an option

It definitely looks like the line was not tensioned….but I did and even pulling it up a slight incline.


If it comes down to replacing it am I better off getting:

1-warn replacement
2-yankum (or other similar brand)
3-harbor freight
4-Dyneema from rigging shop

 

I said "winching out under load." More common if you ever have to winch down an embankment or lower another vehicle down. Most winches have a friction brake inside the cable drum. This heats up if you have a significant load on the line and are using the motor to control the winch spooling out.

The brakes can also become corroded over time and fail to release, meaning they're stuck clamping to the inside of the drum whether you're winching in or out, loaded or not. This can increase wear, definitely increases the load on the motor (and thus your battery and alternator) and can be heat cycling your line every time you're using the winch whether you realize it or not. Check to make sure you can free spool the line off the drum with the clutch disengaged. If it's difficult to do so (you shpuld basically be able to pull with a firm pull, not a super hard pull) your brake is probably stuck on, and you need to fix that. Good time for maintenance!

Synthetic lines are made from ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and it starts to convert back into ordinary (and much much weaker) polyethylene at like 150* F. Having the brake in the drum didn't matter with steel cable. By the time the drum was hot enough to weaken steel cable, the truck has been burning for quite some time. Some newer winches, designed for synthetic line, use an external brake mechanism which is why some of the "same" models from warn/others that have a factory equipped synthetic line are much more expensive. Not all, though.

You said the winch was a warn evo10k with a synthetic line. I'm not super familiar with every warn model, but is it a 10K or 10S? Did it originally have a steel cable when you bought it (I'm assuming you bought it new)?

I think this probably comes down to the line "relaxing" (stretching slightly) over time since it was last respooled, and then the friction of the line pulling down through the wraps left on the drum heating itself up enough to change the appearance and texture (which indicates it got hot enough to also be significantly weaker than its original rating).

As far as replacements go, look to see if your winch has the brake inside the drum or if its a model with an external cone brake assembly. If it has a brake inside the drum, look for either a line that comes with, or look for an aftermarket Kevlar insulating sleeve for the first layer of rope on the drum. Should be like 12-15' long.

As far as differences in source... a lot of the cheap dyneema from china (e.g. harbor freight) is certainly "Gud Enuf" for infrequent use. Dyneema comes in different "weights," SK75 is most common in rigging, but SK90/95 (i forget off the top of my head) is slightly stronger at the same diameter. You'll pay a premium for an sk90 based dyneema line, but it is stronger. And then it comes down to do you want to make your own end loops (not super hard, just fiddly, might need to buy dyneema scissors and a fid, your old line is perfect for cutting up and practicing, and maybe using to make your own soft shackles if doubled up), or buy a pre-made line, what accessories are offered (like the aforementioned drum heat wrap, if they include a drum wrap and a rock protector at the "hook" end, etc).

 

@Toy_Runner , thanks for all of that info!!


It’s a warn vr evo 10s with synthetic line, I got it new with the bumper may 2023. I tensioned the line within the past year (first and only time) and knew not to use it until I did that.
The hook is clipped to the tie down loop on the frame with some tension.


It spooled out fine with the clutch disengaged and it was only reeled in under load….all I can think is it must have loosened up on the drum over time.

I hear you on cheaping “gudnuff” which was the HF option. Ideally I’d rather upgrade but the bubba rope is a lot more expensive than the warn but it has a protective coating on the first 10 or 20 ft, indicator bands every 10ft, but a weird connection to the drum.
For the rigging shop (good quality only) yeah I’d have to make my own ends.
The warn would be the easiest option.

Finding a place to tension it is the tough part also doing it solo.


https://www.bubbarope.com/product/80-foot-synthetic-winch-line/

 

If you do have to replace your winch line I've replaced the synthetic line on my warn evo 10s and 12s with the Harbor Freight line and never had a problem.

 

Thanks @Ps79taco, good to know some real world feedback.

Besides the price of the bubba rope what’s making me consider more budget options is the fact that this happened and it would suck to ruin another line.

I thought I had good tension on it when I respooled it…..out in the desert hitched to a transmission tower foundation with the truck on a constant slight uphill.

 

My warn line looked like yours almost melted for a while before I replaced with the Harbor Freight line. I would use a winch line damper on heavier pulls just for safety.

 

If I had used mine a few times or a lot then it wouldn’t sting so much.

That’s from just one use….the only time I used the winch before was to respool it pulling the truck with me braking a bit.

I guess I should have put more load on the line when respooling and also it might’ve been a lot of load to pull….new tundra high centered on rocks.

Point taken on the damper, the synth isn’t supposed to fly like cable but better safe than sorry!

 

I have a synthetic winch rope on another rig.
I've had the same thing happen where the rope gets deformed under pressure. So far I have not seen any ill effects come from it, but I will say you do need to use a fairly good bit of tension when respooling synthetic ropes just because they can compress down easier than steel cable does.
A section of my driveway has about a 15-inch rise per 10-foot grade, so I just winch the vehicle up that part of the drive while guiding the rope (also steering the vehicle as needed) so that it winds evenly on the drum. After doing this, any subsequent pull with the winch results in maybe 10% of the indentation of the rope wrapped on the drum as you showed in your pic.

The bigger thing with synthetic ropes is to protect them from the sun (UV degradation). Always keep it well covered when not in use. I know on a Taco the winch usually is more or less concealed behind the bumper, but any openings (like for the clutch release handle, etc.) that the sun can shine through should be covered as well. Same goes for the exposed part of the rope around the thimble at the hook (I wrapped around the thimble with electrical tape to protect it).

 

@4x4junkie did you do all of that solo and I’d assume from behind the wheel?

And your driveway is long enough to unwind the full line?


I think I’ll need to unwind all of mine and start over next time I go out to the desert to ride. Don’t want to do this in a public parking lot.

 

I just replaced my Synthetic Winch Rope back in March. Mine was starting to look rough due to the New Mexico sun and some spots were flat. I went with X-BULL 3/8" 32000LB 85 Feet. It definitely is a nicer rope then what was on the winch in the first place.