With steel cable mounted up...
With steel cable mounted up front and synthetic winch line out back, our beloved Teal Brute is armed for virtually any extraction scenario.
Keeping with our tradition of making improvements to enhance our Brute's ability to handle every off-pavement scenario possible, we decided to swap out the heavy steel cable that came with our rear-mounted 12,500-pound T-Max winch in favor of Superline XD synthetic winch line from Master Pull.
Our logic was pretty simple: Why have steel cable at each end of the vehicle when some recovery scenarios call for synthetic winch line? Sure, steel cable will typically outlast rope in highly abrasive environments such as lava rock or shale-but other times, such as those where a large crowd of onlookers surrounds you, or where the risk of electrical shock may be present (fallen trees or power poles), synthetic winch line is the obvious choice. Consider this, too: synthetic winch line is easy on your hands. If it gets chafed or becomes worn due to use, you won't have to worry about those little sharp burrs or kinks that make thick leather gloves a necessity when handling steel winch cable.
Synthetic winch line also saves weight. We checked the scales, and the synthetic cable weighed 81 percent less than the steel cable we removed. Pound for pound, synthetic winch line also beats steel cable in terms of strength-to-weight ratio. Master Pull informed us that the 3/8-inch steel cable we removed from our winch was rated, optimistically, at 14,400 pounds. By contrast, the 5/16-inch synthetic winch line we installed is rated at 21,000 pounds.
This is the Superline XD synthetic...
This is the Superline XD synthetic winch line we received from Master Pull. Made from durable Dyneema synthetic fiber, this rope is 35 to 45 percent stronger than a similarly sized steel cable. We like the fact that Master Pull supplies the appropriate aluminum hawse fairlead and brightly colored hook.
The Superline XD synthetic...
The Superline XD synthetic winch line is manufactured with the most advanced technology in synthetic rope manufacturing today. Its core starts out as a larger-diameter line that is heated and stretched down to its final diameter. This process makes the line smaller, and the pre-stretching also gives the rope better abrasion resistance compared to normal Dyneema winch ropes. Next, the rope is sleeved with a tightly braided cover along the whole length of the rope. This cover gives the inner Superline core excellent protection against abrasion, especially abrasion from dirt and sand. With coverless winch lines, these contaminants can get lodged between the strands of the rope, which can cause fraying-never a good thing. The Superline XD cover keeps dirt and sand out of the core and prevents this abrasion from happening. It also gives the inner core complete protection from UV rays.
Another key attribute of the...
Another key attribute of the Superline XD winch line is the termination on the drum end of the line. This large-compression terminal with a hole in the center of it ensures that the rope will remain connected to the drum should you accidently spool it out too far.
Installation was simple. We...
Installation was simple. We spooled out all the steel cable on our T-Max winch. Then, we removed the small Allen-head bolt securing the end of the cable to the drum. Next, we removed the steel hawse fairlead from the vehicle.
In with the new: Feeding the...
In with the new: Feeding the end of the Superline XD through the new aluminumhawse fairlead on the back of the Teal Brute. Note the black nylon head shielding on the first 10 feet of winch line; this helps shield the line from heat buildup in the drum-another item Master Pull says is critical to longevity of the line.
Here you can see how easy...
Here you can see how easy Superline XD is to spool onto the drum for the first time. Unlike traditional steel cable, you don't have to fight the natural "coiling" effect of steel cable-simply hold the rope with one hand and control the winch with another. No gloves necessary, and no fuss.
Once completely spooled in,...
Once completely spooled in, the handy Rock Guard protects to final layer of line from harmful effects of the sun. The Rock Guard is comprised of a three-foot-long section of durable nylon material that uses industrial-strength Velcro to wrap around the winch rope for protection. It can be taken on and off quite simply for use on highly abrasive surfaces. If used properly, the Rock Guard can extend the life of any winch rope significantly.