[se3388]

I am thinking about switching to synthetic rope and thought I would see what you guys experience has been.
I am running a Badland 5000 winch on a 2022 Teryx S LE. What size rope, 3/8 @ 50 ft, any recommendations?
I have heard to stay away from a lot of the stuff on Flea Bay.

Steve...........

 

[Hoser_eh]

Replaced the synthetic that came with my 4500 winch (after wrecking the original with my plow setup) with an Amazon 50' 1/2" synthetic (had great reviews). Wasn't expensive and haven't had any issues with it after 2 seasons.

 

[VirginiaHawk]

There are pro's and con's to each. I've never had a steel cable dry rot and fail at the most inopportune time, but I've also never had my hands sliced by a synthetic rope.

I stick with steel, but keep it in good condition. If it gets kinked or starts to fray, I replace it. Steel cable won't get cut as easy against rocks, but it also doesn't float on water.

Its really a matter of your riding conditions.

One final thought - You can get more steel cable on your spool for greater reach than you can with synthetic.

 

[se3388]

After thinking about all the input I may just stick with the steel cable as I usually only use my winch one a year or two years. We don't have a bunch of trails around here so most of my riding is around the property and maybe down one of the gravel roads to town to get refreshments or diesel for the tractor. I didn't even think about the synthetic rope deteriorating over time.

Steve.........

 

[dlb]

After thinking about all the input I may just stick with the steel cable as I usually only use my winch one a year or two years. We don't have a bunch of trails around here so most of my riding is around the property and maybe down one of the gravel roads to town to get refreshments or diesel for the tractor. I didn't even think about the synthetic rope deteriorating over time.

Steve.........

Probably a good plan. I don't replace the steel cable until it wears out or breaks. Wear gloves when handling it and you'll minimize cuts.

 

[TeryxElkaMan]

I am thinking about switching to synthetic rope and thought I would see what you guys experience has been.
I am running a Badland 5000 winch on a 2022 Teryx S LE. What size rope, 3/8 @ 50 ft, any recommendations?
I have heard to stay away from a lot of the stuff on Flea Bay.

Steve...........

I would go by weight rating. I have a Champion 4500 and it works great with a 75 ft 7000lb synthetic rope. I think the diameter of the rope is smaller than other 7k ropes which can allow a longer length to be spooled onto the winch. Change your fairlead to a Hawes so you don’t pinch your rope in the roller fairlead corners. The syn rope is far more flexible than a steel cable and will get stuck on off-center pulls.

 

[TRex Beast]

I am thinking about switching to synthetic rope and thought I would see what you guys experience has been. I am running a Badland 5000 winch on a 2022 Teryx S LE. What size rope, 3/8 @ 50 ft, any recommendations? I have heard to stay away from a lot of the stuff on Flea Bay. Steve...........

I'm running synthetic on my 5k winch and my friend just switched to synthetic on his. He and I were out at one of the local tracks breaking in the Teryx in 2020 (he still had his Rzr 900 running synthetic rope then) when we came upon a Raptor and Super Duty stuck in the mud. He and I hooked up to the rear hooks on the Raptor and pulled him out with no problem. Last summer I pulled a severely stuck Honda Pioneer 1000 out in Colorado using the same synthetic rope. I have seen no indication of wear or deterioration of the rope. Just get rope with the same weight designation as your winch if you decide to change.

 

[ToddBuh]

I'm always told that Teyrx's will go anywhere & don't get stuck. we only get winches to pull out rzr's & can am's ( I just say "you should have got a Teryx" when I drive past a stuck rzr or can am) . While a rope will need to be replaced more often, if it snaps in two , it won't snap back and damage the Teryx and or possibly injure you like a cable can. and you can prevent that by placing a heavy blanket on the steel cable. while ropes can wear out faster when angles put it on the ground you can get a sleeve and put it on that spot to prevent wear. I think where and how you drive it should make up your mind. Like others have said, they both have their pro's & cons. the best option for you is the one that meet's your needs and the environment you ride in. I plan on carrying an extra rope with me so I won't have to worry if and when it breaks. ( and it's more compact than an extra cable)
One is not "better" than the other one. what matters is where and how you use it.
P.S.
I only got my winch to rescue Liftedt4le, I'm sure he will get stuck long before i do,.if I ever do.... I'm an excellent driver, Plus my dad is a tv repairman and has an awesome set of tools so I can fix any damage to his T4, I just hope I'm there to help him.... & to LMAO

 

[huntertim214]

Personally I would never go back to a steel cable. I have been using synthetic for many years now, on my quads and now the T4 and I've never come across a situation where I thought steel cable would be worth the hassle. I use mine for utility work out on the farm, for plowing snow, and for trail recoveries. Cable is heavy, makes you bleed, has dangerous recoil, and it birdcages and gets all kinked up and is generally a pain to work with, lol. I've never noticed synthetic rope deteriorate due to age, but I do tend to replace them every 3 or 4 years or so if they have had a lot of use. But that is just because they are relatively inexpensive to buy and get a fresh one spooled on (and they are WAY easier to spool up than cable too). Can they fail in the field? Sure, but no more often than a steel cable, and if they do you tie or splice and are back in action in 5 minutes instead of calling for help with a busted cable. The only situation I can think of where a steel cable may be better suited would be for snow plowing because that can wear a synthetic rope out, but I use a 2" wide cargo strap spooled over my rope for plowing so I've never had that issue.

 

[TeryxElkaMan]

I would go by weight rating. I have a Champion 4500 and it works great with a 75 ft 7000lb synthetic rope. I think the diameter of the rope is smaller than other 7k ropes which can allow a longer length to be spooled onto the winch. Change your fairlead to a Hawes so you don’t pinch your rope in the roller fairlead corners. The syn rope is far more flexible than a steel cable and will get stuck on off-center pulls.

I recently saw on Brute Performance’s website they have a 1/4” 50’ synthetic rope rated at 8000lbs that is available. Could be a great backup to carry for emergencies and extra pull length. My FJ Cruiser has an Iron Man 12k synthetic rope that’s 8 yes old and still is soft and pliable so they can last awhile. Be sure to drape a heavy blanket of some type ( I use a 10x12 canvas drop cloth ) over the line before pulling for safety. The canvas washes easily if it gets muddy and doesn’t get heavy from the water soaking in.

 

[Andy>]

Add me to the synthetic rope fan club. I won't use it on my rear winch again though, the exhaust kinda helped make the synthetic stuff not too very good so I had to switch back to cable. I have used my winch a lot. I did break the drum on the original warn 3500 winch that mine came with then broke the cable not long after I replaced the drum. I think not spooling the cable in properly after winching probably 50 times in one day helped destroy the drum and take some life off the rope. Now that I have a wireless winch remote it's easier to spool cable in myself and know it's done right(or not).

I dont' think I'd run more than 50' of either type of winch cable unless you have a wider spool. Pulling with more wraps on the spool lowers your pulling capacity. I've got some synthetic extension cables and soft shackles if I need more length. Spooling cable in all day cuts into beer-drinking time.