STW
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Installing a Warn 10-S, my first winch with synthetic line. I'm playing catch up because I haven't paid enough attention to what recovery equipment changes are needed for synthetic line. (Soft shackles are blowing my mind slightly.)
I'm starting realize that synthetic line has something to do with the way people use a thimble style shackle (or sideways hook or shackle) to keep the end of the synth line out of sight and out of the sun. I suppose dyneema fibers get UV damage from long exposure to the sun(?) like nylon does. Old school you'd have a foot or two of wire line exposed where you hang your hook on a shackle on the bumper.
Along with this, so many people seem to not use a hook anymore. Maybe not even carry one. Shackles only, and maybe there are good reasons for this, perhaps related to synthetic line(?).
Synth line may be the reason so many bumpers are designed to mount inside a bumper now, because it keeps the big spool of synthetic line out of the sun. Seems neat and tidy to mount winches this way (my old 8274 with wire line is pretty exposed). There are probably other advantages, but I'm seeing now that keeping synth line out of the sun would be a good reason.
Is this why some people seem fanatic about keeping a vinyl cover on their winch? More sun protection? With all the waterproofing good winches come with today, and with the extra protection inside a bumper, keeping a vinyl cover on it seems like overkill, but maybe it makes sense (apologies to fanatics ;-). I live in dry Utah so my winch doesn't get wet as often, but snowy days abound so if it needs to get covered then I should figure that out. My old 8274 hasn't ever had a cover and seems ok. I'd worry about rust from trapped vapor inside a waterproof cover more than I'd worry about rust from exposure to the elements of a properly waterproofed winch.
I've paid just enough attention when people are using modern recovery set-ups to notice how tough synthetic winch line seems to be. They seem not to baby it like this I might have thought necessary when synth first came out.
I'm looking forward to getting the synthetic line advantages I've noticed. Mainly the easy handling and light weight--not so much the bit of weight you save on the bumper, but carrying line to and from your Jeep during winching set-ups seems so much better than wire rope that just wants to find a way to hurt you. Carrying an armload of muddy synthetic line back to your Jeep is clearly better than wrangling unruly, snaggy, sharp steel cable in the same situation.
I'm starting realize that synthetic line has something to do with the way people use a thimble style shackle (or sideways hook or shackle) to keep the end of the synth line out of sight and out of the sun. I suppose dyneema fibers get UV damage from long exposure to the sun(?) like nylon does. Old school you'd have a foot or two of wire line exposed where you hang your hook on a shackle on the bumper.
Along with this, so many people seem to not use a hook anymore. Maybe not even carry one. Shackles only, and maybe there are good reasons for this, perhaps related to synthetic line(?).
Synth line may be the reason so many bumpers are designed to mount inside a bumper now, because it keeps the big spool of synthetic line out of the sun. Seems neat and tidy to mount winches this way (my old 8274 with wire line is pretty exposed). There are probably other advantages, but I'm seeing now that keeping synth line out of the sun would be a good reason.
Is this why some people seem fanatic about keeping a vinyl cover on their winch? More sun protection? With all the waterproofing good winches come with today, and with the extra protection inside a bumper, keeping a vinyl cover on it seems like overkill, but maybe it makes sense (apologies to fanatics ;-). I live in dry Utah so my winch doesn't get wet as often, but snowy days abound so if it needs to get covered then I should figure that out. My old 8274 hasn't ever had a cover and seems ok. I'd worry about rust from trapped vapor inside a waterproof cover more than I'd worry about rust from exposure to the elements of a properly waterproofed winch.
I've paid just enough attention when people are using modern recovery set-ups to notice how tough synthetic winch line seems to be. They seem not to baby it like this I might have thought necessary when synth first came out.
I'm looking forward to getting the synthetic line advantages I've noticed. Mainly the easy handling and light weight--not so much the bit of weight you save on the bumper, but carrying line to and from your Jeep during winching set-ups seems so much better than wire rope that just wants to find a way to hurt you. Carrying an armload of muddy synthetic line back to your Jeep is clearly better than wrangling unruly, snaggy, sharp steel cable in the same situation.
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