Pig tail on steel, machine-mounted winch cable

[JonnoR]

Hi all,

I've been thrashing around with my Lennartsfors iron horse and the first 50cm (12 stone) of the steel winch cable resembles a Datsun Sunny front spring.  Two questions - 1: have I overloaded the winch to have it shit itself to this degree and, 2: will spooling out and putting the winch under tension fix it?  

Ta,

Jonno

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, JonnoR said:

Hi all,

I've been thrashing around with my Lennartsfors iron horse and the first 50cm (12 stone) of the steel winch cable resembles a Datsun Sunny front spring.  Two questions - 1: have I overloaded the winch to have it shit itself to this degree and, 2: will spooling out and putting the winch under tension fix it?  

Ta,

Jonno

It seems to me you may have loosely spooled the wire onto the drum  and then winched in hard causing the loose bits to buckle under the now taut rope as it wound on. Spool it all out and attach it to a heavy but moveable load and slowly winch it in under steady tension, weaving the iron horse so that the cable lays evenly on the drum.

 

If however you mean the rope has sprouted hairy bits then you have damaged it and someone will end up getting spiked.

 

To me a pig tail is when one passes the wire through a socket and then unwinds and splays out all the individual strands prior to pouring molten metal onto the wire to fix it in the socket.

 

 

[Doug Tait]

I don't think overloading would cause this but maybe been laid back on the drum loosely, got twisted and the subsequent wraps on top squished it?

It doesn't sound like you'll be able to 'fix' it but you might improve things.

 

For me it's good practice to regularly unspool the cable fully, inspect, and spool it back on the drum under slight tension. Preferred method for me (with tractor mounted winch) would be unspool fully, attach hook to something ideally incorporating a swivel, then let the winch pull the free wheeling tractor to the anchor to keep it under tension.

Another thought is, I would always keep a wrap and a half or two wraps on the winch drum for security, if your damage is on the first 50cm it sounds like it gets fully unwound so if you spool it back in loose it's likely to twist up. Even holding it in your hand will help lay it back on neatly.

 

In your situation I'd unspool fully, respool with tension making sure it was neat, then not unspool the damaged half meter in future.

[JonnoR]

Thanks very much for the replies!  I will definitely unspool it and wind back in under tension to see if that helps.  There are two 'hairy bits' on the cable but I'm presuming that is par for the course.

 

[Doug Tait]

Pop up some photos so we can see.

[JonnoR]

3 hours ago, Doug Tait said:

Pop up some photos so we can see.

Here are some pictures.  I spooled it out and dragged back some timber and it certainly helped it.  I don't have anything with a swivel on it, but I'll sort that out and then pull on something with a bit more gravity in it 🙂

 

It's my own fault really, because non of my capstan winch tackle (choke chain etc) fits the hook on this winch cable so I've been using the cable directly as a choker on the timber - presuming that is pretty dumb thing to do?

[Mick Dempsey]

I wouldn’t worry about the hairy bits, just don’t forget your gloves!

my Avant winch is a bit untidy with a coupe of kinks. I try to wind it in straight, but it’s not always possible.

Don’t choke the cable on itself, if no chains are about use a lowering strop.

Edited Sunday at 12:03 by Mick Dempsey

[Doug Tait]

Doesn't look bad to me. The swivel just helps allow the cable to untwist better, even a length of rope between anchor and hook would help.

 

I don't think the fraying is significant, openspaceman may disagree, much more knowledgeable than I.

[JonnoR]

4 minutes ago, Mick Dempsey said:

I wouldn’t worry about the hairy bits, just don’t forget your gloves!

my Avant winch is a bit untidy with a coupe of kinks. I try to wind it in straight, but it’s not always possible.

Don’t choke the cable on itself, if no chains are about use a lowering strop.

Thanks mate - I'll get a better choke option.  With just that one full length pull it was noticeably better so fingers-crossed it'll get a little better.  Bit of a pain in the arse at the moment, because it pulls back if I let go of it!

[JonnoR]

6 minutes ago, Doug Tait said:

Doesn't look bad to me. The swivel just helps allow the cable to untwist better, even a length of rope between anchor and hook would help.

 

I don't think the fraying is significant, openspaceman may disagree, much more knowledgeable than I.

Many thanks Doug!