Winch rope

[KevinABQ]

My first criteria is likelihood of being killed by my toys. My objective is to have the weakest link be the winch motor. Decent 15T WLL snatch blocks are stupidly expensive, so I do cut some corners there.

[Reloaderguy]

I agree with DamageWagon. Also, my first criteria for almost everything I buy is durability. Cable is overall more durable than rope, so that is where I lose interest in the limited benefits of rope.

I think you mean abuse. No winch rope, wire or otherwise, is rate to pull around fixed objects. Further, if you make a practice of pulling around a tree, over a berm, or across a rock, you are more likely to have a catastrophic failure with the wire rope. How do you fix a wire rope with 10 or 15 broken razor sharp strands? You can just cut out the bad spot on a synthetic rope. I've had a bunch of wire ropes and I hated them every single time I got them out. The only caveat I would make is industrial, agricultural, and government applications where the replacement frequency is just to high with synthetic ropes to bear out their value.

You're welcome to do what you want but wire rope is scary and I avoid it whenever I can.

[DamageWagon]

You pay for convenience, and it’s all a matter of perspective. I really do like that synthetic is hugely less likely to kill me, break my windshield, or otherwise make a bad day into a really really bad day. But there’s about 13 other things on the list above it due to the frequency-vs.-magnitude scale of what will make the most difference and how often it will make that difference.

[TwinStick]

Not to mention the fact that a rear winch would be more beneficial for most. If you get stuck with lockers, most people want to go back the way they came, not deeper into the stuff. I have often pondered a rear winch in the hitch set up. Portable, with a 350 amp Anderson Power Pole connector & a 6-8000 lb winch & snatchblock. But like everyone else, not that needed or high on the priority list.

[Shaved Ice]

I agree with DamageWagon. Also, my first criteria for almost everything I buy is durability. Cable is overall more durable than rope, so that is where I lose interest in the limited benefits of rope.

I think you mean abuse. No winch rope, wire or otherwise, is rate to pull around fixed objects. Further, if you make a practice of pulling around a tree, over a berm, or across a rock, you are more likely to have a catastrophic failure with the wire rope. How do you fix a wire rope with 10 or 15 broken razor sharp strands? You can just cut out the bad spot on a synthetic rope. I've had a bunch of wire ropes and I hated them every single time I got them out. The only caveat I would make is industrial, agricultural, and government applications where the replacement frequency is just to high with synthetic ropes to bear out their value.

You're welcome to do what you want but wire rope is scary and I avoid it whenever I can.

Please don't change my words to fit your narrative. I used the word I meant to use: durability (synonyms: endurance, staying power, constancy, imperishability, lastingness, permanence), not abuse ( synonyms: misconduct, misuse, wrongdoing, fault, misapplication, mishandling, mismanage). I use my equipment properly.

I also inspect it and maintain it properly. I can easily spot frays and rust in cable and correct before there is a failure. I cannot easily inspect rope for dry rot, UV damage, chemical damage, internal damage before there is a failure.

I respect your preferences and priorities. Mine are just different.