[NA] More 'help me shop' now 1/8" wire rope

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
I need 105' of 1/8" 7x19 wire rope aka cable (plain steel or galv; not SS) to get a longer reach with my hangar airplane winch.
Everyone wants to sell me 100' or 250' or 7x7.
Who sells it off a roll? And ships it.
I have tried HD, ebay, amazon, alibaba, grainger.
3/32" will work too.
 
There are some options which may help. You could shop for a synthetic winch rope which is typically lighter and stronger than the traditional wire rope. Synthetic has many advantages but may not be as abrasion resistant as wire rope unless it is sleeved. It’s much safer to pull with as the poly synthetics don’t retain as much stored energy (SnapBack) in case of breakage. Of course if you want to stick with wire for any reason just get the 100’ that you need and make up the shortfall with a 10’ nylon tow sling. Put either a shackle on the end or a tow hook and at the wire rope end use the hook on the winch wire to hook straight into the eye. Also, on your winch don’t use too much of the wire on the drum; a winch should always have a full layer all the way across the drum plus at least one to two turns over that layer to lock that layer to the drum. (That’s how they are rated and tested and shortcuts can lead to disaster!) Also, you would want to keep chocks with you if disconnecting and reconnecting.
Goodl luck,
Gene
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Who sells it off a roll? And ships it.
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Tractor Supply or Aircraft Spruce both sell galvanized 7x19 by foot and ship. TSC is much cheaper and ships free to closest store if not in stock.
 
For winch line I bought a full spool of Amsteel Blue. Way better than wire rope. Google winch lines and you'll get lots of choices from off road and ATV sites.

I carry 150' in the plane in winter along with a Pack Mule come-along. Getting stuck on skis is inevitable.
 
Stewartb said:
For winch line I bought a full spool of Amsteel Blue. Way better than wire rope. Google winch lines and you'll get lots of choices from off road and ATV sites.
Click to expand...

hmm that is a pretty good price; and 1/8" claims 2500lbs.
I wonder how it will fare in the hi-UV environment we have here. Even inside, PVC for example, does not last long.
 
Bell206 said:
Tractor Supply or Aircraft Spruce both sell galvanized 7x19 by foot and ship. TSC is much cheaper and ships free to closest store if not in stock.
Click to expand...

Yikes both are over a buck a foot plus shipping. Thanks for offering those but I can just buy the 250 off ebay cheaper, and let the rest of it sit on a spool rotting in my hangar til I die.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
hmm that is a pretty good price; and 1/8" claims 2500lbs.
I wonder how it will fare in the hi-UV environment we have here. Even inside, PVC for example, does not last long.
Click to expand...
It's surprisingly strong. No stretch, either. I've had it on wheeler winches that sit outside year round with no problem.
 
Your info says you're in West Texas. There are Ace Hardware stores all over Texas. Here's a few locations that might be in your general area? Odessa, Fort Stockton, El Paso, and many more They pull it off the roll and sell it by the foot.
 
Art Rose said:
Your info says you're in West Texas. There are Ace Hardware stores all over Texas. Here's a few locations that might be in your general area? Odessa, Fort Stockton, El Paso, and many more They pull it off the roll and sell it by the foot.
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Thanks Art. I might get up to FtStockton 90 miles but they do have an awesome butcher there.

Kelvin said:
1/8" is not capable of 2500 lbs. If 2500 lbs is a requirement, look deeper...
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I was just surprised it was better than the 1/8" wire rope. I probably will need <200lbs of pulling force.

The final choice will have to run through a 2" pulley, hope that is not a deal-breaker with the
Amsteel.

Thanks everyone for the help.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
hmm that is a pretty good price; and 1/8" claims 2500lbs.
I wonder how it will fare in the hi-UV environment we have here. Even inside, PVC for example, does not last long.
Click to expand...

Let'sgoflying! said:
Thanks Art. I might get up to FtStockton 90 miles but they do have an awesome butcher there.

I was just surprised it was better than the 1/8" wire rope. I probably will need <200lbs of pulling force.

The final choice will have to run through a 2" pulley, hope that is not a deal-breaker with the
Amsteel.

Thanks everyone for the help.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure there are quite a few sailors using amsteel as rigging, it sits in the sun and elements all the time, subjected to much higher loads and, yes, through blocks/pulleys.

It should handle your application just fine.
 
I set up a small winch 11 or 12 years ago roughly, to pull a small popup trailer camper through my backyard gate. It was a small ATV winch from harbor freight. The cheap wire rope in short order had little wire sticking out all over that would draw blood. I ended up putting amsteel on it, bought at west marine. I was able to get a lot longer piece on the winch than the wire was. I forget the size but it worked very well. I tried to be careful of it against abrasion on rough surfaces but it worked well for a short while that I needed it..a couple years maybe.
That winch is still in my attic. I wonder if that amsteel is any good being stored up in the attic all these years...
 
I ordered some of the dog-leash "Amsteel". The smallest, 7/64" is bulkier according to the specs but Brad says he got more on his spool than wire so I here's hoping. Maybe it shrinks under tension. I will enjoy not ripping skin off anytime I have to handle the stuff. They do have a UV claim, and as stated, mariners regularly use it in direct sun. Thanks.
 
Stewartb said:
For winch line I bought a full spool of Amsteel Blue. Way better than wire rope. Google winch lines and you'll get lots of choices from off road and ATV sites.

I carry 150' in the plane in winter along with a Pack Mule come-along. Getting stuck on skis is inevitable.
Click to expand...

^that

Look into dyneema, VERY impressive stuff. They even use it in place of SS standing rigging on large sailboats, also easy to work with and it even floats, plus if a strand breaks it won’t turn into a meat hook

Thing is you NEED to splice it properly to keep that strength, a tapered möbius brummel is what you seek.

 
Followup: I bought some of that Amsteel 7/64", got enough to make a whole row of wrap on the spindle/capstan before it starts pulling anything.
When the box arrived I did not recognize what might be in it because it was so light.
When I opened it I figured, 'that is way less than the 110' I ordered, and 'that is no way 7/64", it looks like a fricken shoe-lace!'

Removing the old 1/8" steel cable and putting this in place was not too difficult if you don't count the assistant almost dropping the 20# winch on his 80yo legs, and the means of attachment for the steel cable was never going to work for the shoelace....but I figured something out.

I ran it all the way in (mind those 'coils' the loose shoelace makes as it is drawn it, not too finger-friendly).....and then out enough to start pulling the airplane out via the deadman I installed into the ramp, 30' ahead of the hangar door. There are a few things I need to refine (the shoelace rubs on the nosewheel, the electric control switch cable was in the way, the attachment to the nosegear etc..otherwise it worked ok.

The first time I started cranking, I could hear the winch under load but no motion for awhile so I instinctively protected myself through ridiculous body language until it stretched enough to start pulling the airplane. I was already wearing double goggles because I was thinking if that shoelace lets go, something is in for a good whipping and I hope it ain't me. I've seen the videos of sailors being halved by high-speed cables; no thanks.

It ran fine, so I then used it to pull the plane in.
Thanks for the info on Amsteel.
I'll let you know if it lacerates me or the plastic airplane.
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