Winch rope must be underwound on the drum.

Winch rope failure is most often caused by operator error. There’s a lot to know about how to safely operate a winch and take care of your winch rope. One small oversight can lead to winch failure or rope failure.

Causes of Winch Rope Failure

One of the most common causes of rope failure is friction. Overloading the rope is possible but less likely. You can usually tell the reason for the rope breaking by examining the cut ends. If most of the rope fibers are cleanly cut, the culprit is friction—for example, rubbing on a sharp rock or the edge of the winch plate. If the rope fibers are stretched out in long, thinning frays, the culprit is overloading. Sometimes you’ll see a combination of both, in which case a majority of the strands are cut by friction and the rest are frayed by the resulting overload.

Winch Rope Spooling

To prevent damage to your winch rope, make sure the rope is spooled onto the drum in the underwound direction. When the rope comes off the winch drum, it should be coming from underneath the drum, not on top of it. If the rope comes over the top of the winch drum, it will go through the fairlead at an angle, which leads to friction and possibly cutting. If the rope comes out from underneath the drum, it will go through the fairlead straight on, which eliminates friction and cutting.

Angle Pulls

Sharp angle pulls are another possible hazard for your winch rope. Straight pulls prevent the rope from rubbing on the sharp edges of a winch plate or bumper, but if an angle pull is your only way out, make sure the rope is not rubbing against anything. Same thing with sharp rocks. Don’t let the rope fray on a rock or other sharp object while you are winching. Use a rope sleeve to protect the rope.

Clean and inspect your winch rope regularly.

Caring for your winch rope is important for your safety. It should be a regular part of your winch maintenance. Make it a habit to inspect the winch rope before each and every pull.

Inspection

Inspect your winch rope regularly for frays, cuts, severe abrasion, and melted strands. You should inspect the rope before and after each use. Do a more thorough inspection every few months or more frequently, depending on how much use your rope gets.

Cleaning

Wash your winch rope regularly and always after riding through mud or saltwater. Unwind the rope and rinse it off with a garden hose to remove mud, salt, grit, and debris. Never use solvents, bleach, or harsh detergents to clean your rope. They can weaken the fibers and compromise the strength of the rope. Let the rope air dry before storing or respooling.

Storage

To store the rope off of the spool, coil the rope loosely and store it in a dark, dry place. Always inspect the rope after storage and before installing the rope on your winch.

Damage

Depending on where the damage is located, you may be able to continue using the rope by cutting off the damaged length and splicing a new eye into the rope. This process is easier for synthetic ropes than wire. See the instructions for splicing synthetic rope for more information.

If the rope is beyond repair, replace it with a new rope. Never use a rope that is damaged.

Replacement

Replace your winch rope with a rope approved by the manufacturer for your specific winch. The rope should be the same diameter and length to fit properly on the spool. Rope that is longer or larger in diameter than the factory-supplied rope may be too big to fit inside the winch housing and can damage the rope or winch. If you switch out wire rope for synthetic, use a new aluminum fairlead to prevent abrasion against the roughed-up roller fairlead.

If your synthetic rope shows signs of damage, replace it immediately.

A brand new synthetic winch rope will naturally “fuzz up” when you first use it. This fuzzy texture is considered a sign of normal wear. Instead of being something you should worry about, this roughing up is actually a good thing, because it protects the fibers underneath. The rope should quickly fuzz up and stabilize, without excessive roughing. If the surface of the rope continues to roughen up instead of stabilize, look for the source of excessive abrasion.

As you inspect the rope, take a close look at both the inner and outer layers of fiber. Signs of weakness, excessive abrasion, broken fibers, or other wear in either layer should alert you to obvious damage. Separate the strands to inspect the inner layers of the rope. If the fiber inside is powdery, the rope is significantly weakened and needs to be replaced.

When should you replace a synthetic winch rope?

Look for these signs of obvious damage:

• Significant abrasion anywhere along the length of the rope
• Two or more strands are cut
• Permanent flat areas or bumps (Flex the rope to eliminate these. If the flat area or bump is not eliminated by flexing, the rope is weak or damaged.)
• Large section of melted fibers (Look for a shiny appearance or stiff rope.)

Other changes in appearance, such as discoloration from chemical exposure (i.e. motor oil or fluids), may also be signs of weakness or damage. In short, if the appearance of the rope leaves you doubtful of its condition, ask for the opinion of a qualified technician or simply replace the rope. Better safe than sorry.