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.

This recovery winch cover is made of waterproof, neoprene material.

Winch covers are good for several reasons, including the following:

1. They keep your winch clean. The cleaner you can keep your winch, the less often you will need to wash and maintain it, and the better it will work over the long haul.
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2. They keep your winch dry. A cover protects your winch from rain, snow, and moisture and keeps metal parts from rusting.
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3. They protect your winch from damaging UV rays. The fibers in your rope or cable will weaken with constant exposure to the sun. A cover protects those fibers, making your rope last longer.
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4. They keep out dirt, sand, mud, and debris. These elements can work their way into the mechanical parts and affect the operation of your winch.

The best type of winch cover material is neoprene. It is fully waterproof (also used in wetsuits) and fits snugly in place.

Winch Cable (Synthetic or Wire)

1. Check for kinks, fraying, and other damage before and after each winching operation.
2. Replace the cable immediately if you see signs of damage. Do not use a damaged rope.
3. Keep the rope clean and dry.
4. Spool the cable neatly and evenly onto the drum after you are done winching.

Electrical and Hardware

1. Check the electrical connections every few months to make sure they are clean and tight.
2. Remove dirt and corrosion from the electrical connections. If you allow the corrosion to build up, it may reduce the performance of your winch or cause a short.
3. Power the cable in or out every few months, whether you need to use the winch or not. Periodically running the motor will create heat and dissipate any moisture built up in the motor. If the winch is not operated for a long period of time, this moisture will lead to internal corrosion and damage the motor.
4. If you live and ride in salty areas, coat the electrical connections with silicone to prevent corrosion.
5. Periodically check all mounting bolts for tightness.

Cleaning and Greasing

1. The gearbox and drum bearings are permanently lubricated. No internal lubrication should be required for the life of the winch.
2. If you take apart the winch for repair or cleaning, however, it will be necessary to re-lubricate the winch.

Troubleshooting Winch Creep on ATV Plows

If your ATV winch is controlled by a mechanical brake (and not a dynamic brake), there is a chance you may be experiencing back-driving when the plow is in the up position. Winches with mechanical brakes are designed to slip under excessive load to protect the winch gears. Under the weight of a heavy plow blade, the cable may slowly creep out and allow the blade to slip down a few inches.

If this happens, simply spool in the winch line to take up the slack. Using a snatch block can also reduce the load on the winch and prevent the plow from slipping.

Cable Nesting

Cable nesting is when the winch cable becomes tangled up on the drum like a bird’s nest. As you plow, the cable can slowly tighten around the drum as it works its way into the inner layers of cable.

If this happens, spool out the cable until all the messed up layers are unwound. Then spool the cable back onto the drum in tight, even rows.

How Do I Know if My Winch is Back-Driving or Nesting?

Since both back-driving and nesting cause the plow to slip, the two can easily be confused. The best way to find the cause of the problem is to observe the winch drum as the plow slips. If the drum turns, the problem is back-driving. If the drum does not turn as the winch line creeps, then the problem is cable nesting, where the winch line needs to be properly re-spooled around the drum.

Related Posts:

• Winch Troubleshooting

The wire cable on a new winch needs to be stretched before use.

Yes. New winch cable (including the pre-installed cable on a new winch) needs to be re-spooled under tension before you try to winch somebody out. If the cable is not spooled tight enough on the drum, it can get tangled or kinked in the inner layers, leaving you with a rat’s nest or a damaged cable.

“Stretching” cable is not actually stretching the rope but getting the cable tight on the drum. If you don’t “tension” the cable before using it, you can kink your new cable on the first pull.

How do I “stretch” my winch cable?

Spool the cable out until there’s only five to six wraps left on the drum. The screw that secures the cable to the drum is not designed to hold the full load of the pull by itself. Keeping a few wraps of cable on the drum helps anchor the cable in place.

Next, hook the winch up to a sturdy anchor point (a tree, your buddy’s vehicle, a telephone pole, etc.) that’s on a slight incline to your vehicle. The load should be at least 500 pounds to apply the right amount of tension.

With the vehicle engine running, spool the cable in slightly to test the anchor point and make sure it’s going to hold. Once you’re confident that the anchor point is secure, keep spooling in the cable, making sure that it winds in neat, even layers on the drum.

Once the cable is wound with the proper tension on the drum, your winch is ready to use!

A high mounted ATV winch is easier to maintain, easier to access, and easier to view during operation.

On some ATVs and trucks, you might not have the option to mount the winch in any other spot than the OEM mounting spot, but if you have the option to mount the winch higher, or if you can build a custom mount with the proper frame support, you might want to mount your winch higher rather than lower.

Advantages of a High Mounted Winch

1. Mounting the winch higher keeps it out of the mud and water. Constant exposure to mud and water is hard even on a waterproof winch. Without proper maintenance, the buildup of abrasive materials inside the winch housing and gears can lead to corrosion and can degrade the lubrication inside the winch.
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2. Mounting the winch higher keeps it cleaner, which means less maintenance on your part and a longer lifespan for the winch. A winch cover also helps keep your winch clean and dry.
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3. Mounting the winch higher gives you easy access to the winch when you need it. If you bury your ATV or truck with a low mounted winch, you’ll be forced to dig down into the mud and water to get to your winch. Not to mention, operating a submerged winch can cause major damage.
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4. Mounting the winch higher keeps it visible. If the winch is higher, it’s easier to watch out for cable stacking. Letting the cable stack up too high on one side of the drum is a major cause of winch damage. It can also result in a “bird’s nest” that won’t be easy to untangle. A low-placed or hidden winch mount can block your view of the cable as it spools, increasing the chance of a bird’s nest or damaged winch. Keep that in mind when choosing a winch mount.

Precautions for High Mounted Winches

Keep in mind that you’ll need to hook up to an anchor point that’s higher than the winch. If the anchor point is too low, the winch can bog your vehicle further down in the mud. If necessary, use a snatch block to hook up to an anchor point and then attach the winch hook to a low anchor point on your vehicle (lower than the winch). If you ride in areas with few natural anchor points, however, you may run into problems finding an anchor point higher than your winch. In this case, you might want to mount the winch lower on your vehicle.

On most ATVs or trucks, you might need to build or buy a custom mount to install the winch higher than the OEM winch location. Just make sure the mounting points are strong enough to withstand the force of a hard pull. The winch should be attached to the frame for the strongest reinforcement.

The sealed motor in the 2500 XT winch helps prevent corrosion.

The internal gears and other parts of your winch also need to be protected from corrosion. Condensation can build up inside the winch housing, resulting in corrosion of the metal parts. To prevent this, start up the winch motor and power the winch in or out on a regular basis. Running the motor builds up heat, which will dissipate moisture trapped inside the winch.

A sealed, waterproof winch motor will require less attention to maintenance than a non-sealed motor, but it still needs to be properly maintained to keep the motor working up to its full potential.

Don’t let your winch sit for months on end without using it. Even if you don’t need to use it, start up the motor every few months (for example, every time you change the oil in your vehicle), inspect the winch, and make sure everything is working properly. That way, you’ll know that your winch is in good working condition when the time comes to use it during a recovery operation.

Winch Line Stopper for Steel Cable

Some guys lube down the cable and stopper and try to force the loop through the opening. Depending on how big the loop is and how big the opening is, this method could split the stopper or damage the cable. Even if you’re able to force the loop through the stopper, it takes just as much—or more—time and effort as it does to do things the right way.

So how do you get the rubber stopper over the cable? The right way to get the stopper onto the cable is to unwind the cable (yup, all the way), remove the metal bolt or pin that attaches the cable to the drum (don’t lose the pin!), and slip the stopper onto the end of the cable that attaches to the drum. Make sure the flat side of the stopper is facing towards the fairlead. The beveled side of the stopper should be facing outward, towards the winch hook.

After you snake the stopper through the cable, reattach the end of the cable to the drum, using the metal bolt or pin, and wind the cable back onto the drum in neat, even layers.

It may seem like a lot more work to unwind the entire cable, but in the long run, doing things the right way is simpler and easier than trying to force the cable loop through the stopper. It could also save you the trouble of getting a new stopper or cable if your “shortcut” backfires.

Next time you replace your winch cable, you may want to consider synthetic rope.

Inspecting your winch line is one of the most important steps in winch maintenance and safety. It only takes a few minutes, but it could prevent some big headaches in the long run.

Do a quick inspection before and after using your winch. Check for weak spots in the cable. Watch for excessive fraying or crimping and other signs of damage that could signal the need for a new cable. Do a more thorough inspection as part of your regular winch maintenance. How often you need to inspect the cable depends on how often you use your winch.

Although electric winches are designed to last for years, your cable should generally be replaced every two to three years. If you wait until your cable breaks to replace it, you’re risking your life and the lives of those around you. Don’t take your chances with a weakening cable.

When the time comes to replace your winch cable, make sure you find a cable with the correct thickness and length. You may also want to consider switching to synthetic winch rope for added safety.