Plazma rope

Split pin · 05-09-2010, 08:35 PM

Gday all.
Need to replace my steel winch cable. Am thinking of replacing it with plazma rope. I have a warn 9000lb lowmount.
I regularlly have the camper in tow with the chevrol. all up weight about 5 ton. (winch has never let me down but the wire has)

I have a couple of questions.
1. How much rope can I place on my winch. ( am hoping to place more than 30 metres)
2. Do I need to modify the winch at all.
3. Do I need to change the fairlead?
4. Is the plazma rope really better in the real world than wire rope.

Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Big Rig · 05-09-2010, 08:49 PM

Hey Pete, these were all the same questions I was asking before we went to the Cape. I am also up for new "something" on the winch. I had already made up my mind to give the plasma rope a try even considering the huge cost to change over. My research indicated that the following:

The roller failrlead had to be removed and replaced with an aluminium fairlead. Apparently the rope gets caught in the original rollers and destroys your investment.

I was also told that Rope doesn't go too good on low mount winches. Something about the heat generated in the drum

The cheap rope isn't the best to run with as it isn't too reliable "tigrz, dinamica, dyneema etc"

After listening to all the above from many different people I was still prepared to give the synthetic stuff a go BUT while at the Cape I realised the conditions that I really needed my winch, you know, mud soupy sand, water AND the fact that I was continually recovering Prado and camper AND Frostys Chevrol and camper and certainly didn't have the time nor interest in washing the dirt and crap out of the fibres. I then realised you can't beat the good old wire rope, you know when you pull it out it isn't going to break, it doesn't care if its covered in mud or crap its gonna work every time for you. AND, to replace my rope will cost me $200.00 or there abouts!!

Just my 2cents worth.

frosty · 05-09-2010, 08:52 PM

Chevrol Once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pwado,,,,8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Big Rig · 05-09-2010, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frosty

Chevrol Once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pwado,,,,8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yea yea yea BUT remember we counted last night and it was 6 times. Anyway, my point was about the rope you bloody dope!

Split pin · 05-09-2010, 08:57 PM

So Big Rig
You still had the wire cable for the cape trip then??

Pure Yobbo · 05-09-2010, 08:58 PM

I also just had to make a similar choice and went with the wire. The main reason was I have a ARB which will take either a high or lowmount winch so the top of the winch is exposed. Apparently you need to dry the rope when it gets wet? Everytime we had the slightest amout of rain I would need to dry the rope. As Big Rig mentioned no good for going over rocks etc which will be most of my wheeling - in that rig anyway.

Big Rig · 05-09-2010, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Split pin

So Big Rig
You still had the wire cable for the cape trip then??

Yea Pete, I didn't end up even replacing my wire before the trip. I need to though but thinking now i need to get a bigger winch. Looks like i'm making a career out of winching Frosty so I may as well get one big enough to help us both out

Johnnie5 · 05-09-2010, 09:45 PM

3 great things about rope

lighter weight
doesnt stretch like a rubber band and try and kill someone , if it lets go it just drops to the ground
dont have the huge drama of winding it back in perfectly

cloughcarib · 05-09-2010, 10:17 PM

I've been watching a lot of winch comps on TV recently, and many times it is mentioned that the virtue of rope over wire is in the safety factor(for spectators, marshals etc.) and ability to repair( you can tie the ends together instead of having to splice). In all other areas, wire wins.
This is not personal experience(as I have none), but from watching the pro's.

Mongrel Lux · 05-09-2010, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Split pin

Gday all.
Need to replace my steel winch cable. Am thinking of replacing it with plazma rope. I have a warn 9000lb lowmount.
I regularlly have the camper in tow with the chevrol. all up weight about 5 ton. (winch has never let me down but the wire has)

I have a couple of questions.
1. How much rope can I place on my winch. ( am hoping to place more than 30 metres)
2. Do I need to modify the winch at all.
3. Do I need to change the fairlead?
4. Is the plazma rope really better in the real world than wire rope.

Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Rig

Hey Pete, these were all the same questions I was asking before we went to the Cape. I am also up for new "something" on the winch. I had already made up my mind to give the plasma rope a try even considering the huge cost to change over. My research indicated that the following:

The roller failrlead had to be removed and replaced with an aluminium fairlead. Apparently the rope gets caught in the original rollers and destroys your investment.

I was also told that Rope doesn't go too good on low mount winches. Something about the heat generated in the drum

The cheap rope isn't the best to run with as it isn't too reliable "tigrz, dinamica, dyneema etc"

I realised the conditions that I really needed my winch, you know, mud soupy sand, water AND the fact that I was continually recovering Prado and camper AND Frostys Chevrol and camper and certainly didn't have the time nor interest in washing the dirt and crap out of the fibres. I then realised you can't beat the good old wire rope, you know when you pull it out it isn't going to break, it doesn't care if its covered in mud or crap its gonna work every time for you. AND, to replace my rope will cost me $200.00 or there abouts!!
.

CAN NOT RUN PLASMA ROPE ON A LOW MOUNT WARN or any other low mount that has an internal Drum break. The Drum Break generates enough heat to melt the rope.

Yes you can fit more rope on a winch than cable, but that means alot more work as you HAVE TO wash every inch of it to get every bit of dirt out of it. To do this properly, you realy have to take it off the winch, dry it & put it back on after every use.

For safety reasons you should replace it every 2 to 3 years depending on how much you use it & thourghly you care for it. Rope is easily damaged & fraied, is very expesive & very high maintainence.

Good point of rope are it is safer when it breaks, it's lighter so easier to carry & throw. But cable is low maintainence, run it out a quick hose to get most of the mud off & respool it only takes a few minutes. Cable is very durable & lasts alot longer than rope.

If you want to be able to winch about 5 Ton on a single line pull, think bigger like 12000lb or even the new 15000lb winch. But a pully block on a 9000lb will give you a 18,000lb winch

Just get another 30m steel cable or 2. When I baught my winch 2 years ago, I also baught a spare 30m Warn cable for $110 'cause I knew that I would have to replace it eventualy one day & they would only go up in price