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STEEL WINCH CABLE - to grease or not to grease?

General Tech Talk

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STEEL WINCH CABLE - to grease or not to grease?

Post by MUD EMPIRE »

I've got a steel winch cable (I'd like to have plasma)
Is it a good idea to lubricate the cable? Or for a 4X4
aplication is it better to leave it dry?
If it should be lubed, what sort of grease?
(spelling fixed, thanks...)
Last edited by MUD EMPIRE on Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: STEEL WINCH CABLE - to greese or not to greese?

Post by jimbo jones »

MUD EMPIRE wrote:I've got a steel winch cable (I'd like to have plasma)
Is it a good idea to lubricate the cable? Or for a 4X4
aplication is it better to leave it dry?
If it should be lubed, what sort of greese?
no if you oil it all the dirt & dust will stick to it
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Post by NickR »

The manual that came with my winch suggested lubrication with a light oil periodically on the winch cable
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Post by MissDrew »

I still run the origanal steel cable my winch came with when I bought it new about 8 years ago and I have never done a thing to it other then hose it.
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Post by V8Patrol »

Diesel works a treat ;)
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Post by Beastmavster »

Whats a greese? Is it a flock of greek geese?
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Post by jimbo jones »

Beastmavster wrote:Whats a greese? Is it a flock of greek geese?

come on mate not every one's great at spelling like you
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Post by BundyRumandCoke »

It should not be necessary, as winch cables usually are manufactured by winding the steel strands around a fibre core, which is pre lubricated. A wipe down along its full length with a clean rag (watch carefully for the bitey broken strands) should be enough, although I do have a spray can downstairs of "Rocol wire rope spray- wire rope lubricant" which I have never bother to use.
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Post by mavzilla »

cheap silicone spray makers the cable more plyable and works a treat
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Post by suzuki boy »

The only reason you lubricate it is so that the water only gets the first spool and not all the way into the middle and appaerantly it stops the fraying and makes it alot eaiser to spool in.
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Post by mudmacaca »

they grease the crapper out of them on boats but they seea lot more sea
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Post by plowy »

also on cranes too
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Post by 80UTE »

Proper steel winch cable is galvanized for corrosion resistance , on a 4B winch lubing is not required and think of the mess when handling the cable. Keep it dry much nicer to work with.

Wally
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Post by Mrs Ludacris »

There is a product out on the market made by CRC called Wire Rope and Cable Lubricant.

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Post by MUD EMPIRE »

Thanx foor aal t inpput. I'll try harder with the spelling next time.
It's a hung jury on this one. Think I'll just get plasma rope and
be done with it!!! I like the idea of purpose made cable lube tho.
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Post by bazzle »

BundyRumandCoke wrote:It should not be necessary, as winch cables usually are manufactured by winding the steel strands around a fibre core, which is pre lubricated. A wipe down along its full length with a clean rag (watch carefully for the bitey broken strands) should be enough, although I do have a spray can downstairs of "Rocol wire rope spray- wire rope lubricant" which I have never bother to use.
Not proper stuff only old school pto and cranes.
Modern winch cable has a steel wire core.

Wipe with an oily rag etc. This does 2 things
1. Helps stop electrolysis of the zinz coating
2. Aids in the layering and reduction of damage when winding under load.

Bazzle
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