Next purchase for me is going to be some new snythetic winch cable. My steel cable is a twisted mangle of a mess. I don't winch often (last time was a few weeks ago yanking up the remains of a steam donkey, but that's another story. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />) but I do find myself winching on snowy and muddy trails and tis is the season....

Any suggestions on which brand/type is the best bang for the buck? I currently have a Warn XD8000i with about 125 feet of 5/16th cable that I added a few years ago.

So far, I've looked at Rockstomper's & FROR's Amsteel blue and the Master Pull stuff from All Pro, 4Wheelparts. There's definately a difference in price. I've also seen the X-line stuff, but I don't if I need the heat restistence for the extra price. Anything else I should be aware of?

I'm considering getting 100' of 5/16 Master Pull and then getting a 50' Amsteel extension.

There's also that stuff that Warn sells that must be made of pure gold for it's $600-700 asking price, but that's WAY out of my price range.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Brian I have the Rockstomper, mainly because of the price. It is OK, gets the job done. He just crimps a terminal on the end that attaches to the drum, so make sure you have at least half a dozen wraps still on the drum when you are using it (in other words, getting the extension is a great idea). Scott at Rockstomper just buys the Amsteel in bulk and then adds the ends himself, so the quality is not the same as Masterpull or X-Line. The product itself is similar enough though.

I went with Rockstomper's Amsteel rope on my Warn 9000. I did 90' on the drum and a 50' extension rope. I did fashion a cover for the drum to keep sunlight/UV off the rope.

The Warn rope is supposed to have a high temperature resistant rope for the first wrap or two on the drum then a regular UHMW rope on the rest. Supposed to handle the heat of the drum brake better.

Does anyone know what kind of line comes on the Warn 9.0Rc winch? It's only 50 feet so maybe it's their high dollar stuff, if you look at the price of the winch thats not out of the question. Is the Warn $$$ line even better than Masterpull though?

Money aside, that Warn 9Rc would make a sweet rear winch! I was contemplating a Warn SDP 6000 someday for my rear hitch. I had an old Warn M5000hanging off my rear hitch that actually did save my bacon to help me reverse out of a snowy trail. But it was so slow and weak, I got rid of it a long time ago. Not sure that I'd need another rear winch, with my current set up and what I normally due, but that 9Rc sure does look prudy. Price is well north of $1000, though, compared to around $600 for the 6000SDP which is complete and ready to fit into a hitch.

I don't understand why Warn doesn't market the 9Rc as a portable winch like the 6000SDP and design a built in handle and hitch mount. Seems like they'd sell a heck of a lot more than to the few buggy rock crawlers out there that it seems to be designed for.

I ended up going with a Masterpull Superline 100x5/16th, with 16,500lbs breaking strength. Was a little over $200 and came with everything I needed, including hook, heat shield and protector. Compared to 13,700 on the Amsteel blue stuff. I'll probably eventually get an Amsteel blue extension.

Wrapped up the old cable (that was fun, reminded me why I hate steel cable) and now have that on the roof rack as a spare.

Brian, Brian... You're supposed to TOSS the old heavy winch cable! That way the new stuff makes your truck LIGHTER! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

No wonder you want to build up your motor and have sway issues <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/drunk.gif" alt="" />...

I used Rockstomper as well. It is beginning to get a little sun damaged, and a bit frayed, which even the expensive cables will do, so I feel much better about the price of replacement.

I'm running Rockstomper and happy with it too. 5/16" x 80' w/ 50' extension.

The BIG thing to remember w/ this stuff is to SPOOL IT IN UNDER LOAD. If you don't, you very likely will spin it on the drum which makes it useless when you need it. It will also slide in between the wraps when you do put a load on it (if spooled loose) and be hard to pull out by hand, but that is minor compared to becoming useless.

I just wind in a couple wraps and then connect to a tree in my yard and winch the rest in slightly uphill. Connecting to a vehicle or pole and pulling in w/ slight e-brake drag can work too. The last 10-20' doesn't matter though because you'll likely be pulling that much off to winch anyway. Its the first couple of layers that are most important.

I have the Amsteel blue stuff also and I do like, do not know where it came from because I won it at Sierra Trek a couple of years ago. I had the first Master Pull stuff that All-Pro offered a number of years ago. But Erik B broke it when I was winching out of 4-Dice a couple of years ago in one-wheel drive!!!!!!! It was not my fault, it was Eriks, he made me go wheeling that day!!!!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah, don't use your winch as a yank strap, especially one with well-used/abused winch rope! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />

Ya, I know. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> But it's still a lot lighter than the 6000-7000lb Expedition Land Cruisers I hear about.

Actually the sway issues have all but gone away for me after I lowered the SAS and went back to 33s. Power is acceptable, but just barely.

I guess I'll have to think twice about that roof top tent I've been dreaming about..... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Here's a little write up and photos my recovery gear and new synthetic rope. Nothing fancy, just felt like taking pics and putting them up on the site.

http://www.brian894x4.com/Recoverygear.html