I need a new winch cable

[moosehunter]

I broke my winch cable hauling in a large, for my equipment, oak log. I knew it was frayed and was lucky that it just layed down when it broke. I have heard they can snap and fly some distance
Looking at Bailey's site they only offer 100' rolls. Some other sites offer 250' or 500' rolls. My Farmi 351P holds 150' of 3/8". Max single line pull is 8000lbs.
Any thoughts on a source for good quality cable at a fair price? What should I be looking for? I have seen talk here on the forum about synthetic line but looking at the breaking strenght compared to steel cable I don't think synthetic is a good choice for me.
A local wrecker supply is asking $400 for an american made cable. I don't know if that is a good deal or not.

mh

[petefrom bearswamp]

i have a farmi on my 8540 Kubota and have had to replace the cable once in 20 years due to my stupidity. I got mine from the Farmi dealer in Your area. Maybe he is no longer in business.
I think it was northeast equipment or some such name.
I will look when I go to my shop and re post.
Pete

[petefrom bearswamp]

My winch is a JL 501 takes 165 of 1/2" cable.
I got the cable from Northeast Implement 607-589-6160 It is a Spencer address.
Can't remember the price of the 1/2" but it wasn't cheap.
Pete

[moosehunter]

 Just called NE, good price but not coated like the original and it is imported. The original is galvinized. Correction in lenth = 165ft

[york]

Mike,you do want cable from NEI at spencer-this cable is the best,it has no memory-just put new on my old 456 Farmi and is very good stuff,albert 

[petefrom bearswamp]

My original from 1994 was not galvanized and I replaced it in about 2003 so  don't think the new one was imported.
I have done far more skidding since 2003 than in the first 9 years with only having to cut a small section off near the end as it was frayed to the point that it was nasty to handle.
No problems with strength of the replacement.
Pete

[moosehunter]

Thanks Bert & Pete, NEI is probubly the best bet,... and no shipping!

mh

[g_man]

Did you try Labonville. They sell in pre cut lengths or by the foot.
Galvanized cable is less breaking strength than plain steel cable.

[thecfarm]

I buy mine from Labonville. I buy the cable made for thier Norse winch,165 feet 3/8 for $150. Has a hook on the end. No idea about shipping. I called for thier regular cable by the foot. Was cheaper to go with the Norse cable.

[grassfed]

If the cable broke near the end why not just cut off the bad end? I start out with a an 80 foot cable and I don't usually replace it until it is about 50 feet or so long.

On my skidder I buy the 1/2 inch 165' 3pt winch  cable and cut it in half so I have 2 80 ft cables. I could use bigger cable but I would rather have the cable end part than have my chokers part.

You do not need galvanized cable that is mostly used for standing rigging like telephone pole stays. With running rigging like winch line you use lube.

[moosehunter]

It did break near the end but at some point in it's life it got tangled in the spool and it has a couple of bad spots throughout. I have some deep gulley's to pull logs out of and need the full length.
The bad spots did indeed happen when the winch was new to me and I was not paying attention to what I was doing :

mh

[Keke]

I had a brand new 3/8 galv wire on my fransguard v 4000 , this cable broke 2 time the same week ,6 month ago I choose to change it for a 3/8 swaged wire and he never broke again .

[thecfarm]

Keke,how have you got that set up? I have a Norse behind a 40 hp NH and the clutch wiil slip when the log gets behind something. I have pulled ALOT of big white pine with no problem. But get even a small log behind a stump,root,rock,whatever and it will slip. Must be those fransguards are really set up to pull. There is no way that I could break a new cable with mine. Which I guess it's a good thing,or I would of break the cable many times by now.  ;)

[bill m]

Good 3/8 cable should by about $1:00 per foot. I get mine from a place in Albany NY.

[GeorgeK]

We just bought a Farmi 501 from Three Rivers. Jeff has cable in stock. 608-857-3357

[Keke]

Thecfarm : i bought this winch used , i dont know if the last owner get modification on it  . I have a 60hp tractor and when is stuck and i pull the line harder if nothing break or come the tractor choke.

[thenorthman]

To the OP... look for rigging supply houses, should be plenty near the coast. Galvanized cable for skidding is a waste of effort and strength, most of it comes off  after the first few pulls anyway, and it reduces line strength by 7-10%.

The import stuff is just as strong as made in america just a Hel of allot cheaper...
They still have to meet ANSI standards, not that I like it but Bethlehem Steel has really shot themselves in the foot here.

If your worried about rusty cable either use the snot out of it or give it a spritz of WD-40 or Diesel every now and then, there is also commercial cable lube that protects and lubes, but diesel is right there for the spilling and works better

[moosehunter]

NEI had it in stock, not far from me but I work when they are open,... so very difficult to go get it. The tow truck supply company met the price and will bring it to me with no shipping charges. That's cool! Thanks for the info about USA vs import, galvinized vs non.
mh

[Dave VH]

just last week I was logging with a friend of mine at a customers property and we snapped one of his 8600lb ropes twice.  The neighbor came over and told us that we weren't suppose to hunt in those woods.  When the rope broke, it sounded just like a gunshot and the neighbor swore that we were hunting.  We jokingly told him that we were trying to, but the chainsaws kept scaring everything away.

[captain_crunch]

Hope you stayed away from the Galv Cable that Jagger wire aint fit fer the dumpster

[Furu]

How often do you guys find that you have to re-tension your wire rope? 
On my Farmi 501 I find that the pulls have uneven points in them where the tension slacks off and the rope then does not coil on as evenly as desired (up and down terrain causes this alot).  Result is that occasionally I find that I have a spot where I can start to develop a "kink" from the rope crossing itself on the spool where the previous rotation was less tight than the one that goes down over it.  I then unspool the entire run and then drag either the winch to a un-moveable object or a heavy log to me on a very flat surface where there is no variation in tension just to reset the spool.  It takes time out of the day to do so but seems the only way to avoid the uneven tension in the spool and the resulting damage to the wire rope.

[Stephen Alford]

  I think Bill M has the answer. It is on my to do list. I really like this hourglass style.

 


Have had the same problem especially in thinings with multiple chokes. In my case the hydraulic winch is on the front of the tractor and this has helped a lot in spooling the cable on straight.


 
Generally I just back up to line up and keep tension. When clearing lots I use a self releasing snatch block in the center of the lot attached to a stump.This helps control direction of fall while staying lined up as well.


 
It seems there is always something else attached to the back of the tractor.

 
Just got to add a pic of the stump. Such beauty ,such poise.  :D

 

[clww]

Keep your eye on your local CL. I bought a 1000' roll of 5/8" galvanized cable on the spool three years ago for $200. One of the best purchases I ever made I think. I haven't used it yet, but I know some day I will need it.