Topic: synthetic line question

[drunkencityworker]

Hey guys. I am thinking going synthetic with my 8274 since I wheel alot with my family and saftey is always a must. What do you guys run? Has anyone bought line from a marine type wharehouse and spliced themselves. I have some one that is uncanny with complex knots and it doesnt look all that bad.http://www.promarkoffroad.com/promark_docs/splicing_synthetic_rope.pdf

I plan on going with the alluminum fairhead will regular type snatch blocks work or do I need a special one for synthetic?

[FourbangerYJ]

I'm running Viking's line. As far as I know any snatch block will work.

[oldjeep]

Personally, I hate the stuff.  Regardless of them saying it is stronger than steel, it seems to derate almost immediately and breaks easily.  I've seen at least a dozen synthetic line breaks in the last 5-6 years and not a single steel line break (and since I usually have the biggest winch, mine gets used more)

I've never snapped a 3/8" steel cable - which is what I ran on my 8274 and my Bellview to the point of stalling them.  You have to be very gentle with the synthetic stuff on a powerfull winch and don't even think of running the 5/16 synthetic.

As for the behavior of the line, I prefer to put a jacket over a 3/8 steel line IN CASE it breaks, instead of having a synthetic line drop to the ground WHEN it breaks.

[Jeffy]

Synthetic ropes have been dying since their initial hay day back when rock crawling comp buggies were big.

I've thought about running one but I use my winch so infrequent that the rope would probably deteriorate before I got a chance to use it.  I still have the stock 5/16" cable and I can leave it on the winch without having to worry about it too much.  Although, synthetic rope could be removed off the spool and stored inside but that's a hassle.  In any case, there are some advantages but unless you take care of your rope, you can expect a short life.  Heat, UV, abrasion, etc... can accelerate that.

[Bounty Hunter]

You can use any snatch block as long as it has never been used with steel cable.