Need cable for Farmi winch

Dave Shepard · September 01, 2007, 07:59:02 PM

I need to replace the line on my Farmi winch. It is fraying and has some terrible coils in it. I could use some help deciding what type to get. I know that there are different types of cable, like how many strands there are per part of the line, and load ratings. I don't want to go cheap, and I would like a cable that doesn't come off the winch and try and wind itself up into a coil. Any help would be appreciated. I am using 3/8".

Dave

thecfarm · September 01, 2007, 08:32:21 PM

When I need cable I just go to Labonville or to some sawshops.I have had good luck with both places.Seems like the one from Canada is always cheaper.Tell them what it is going on and they will know,or should know.I know there are a bunch of differant kinds out there,but it's not like it's on back of a skidder.I really doubt that I could bust my cable with the 40hp tractor and the Norse winch that I have.I use 3/8 too.I suppose you know to hook the cable to a tree and winch youself to the tree.I do this every so often to my cable when it starts to bother coming out or going in.

Dave Shepard · September 01, 2007, 10:11:08 PM

Yes, I run the cable out and winch myself back in. I broke the cable today, snapped like a twig. I cut off about ten feet and put the hook back on, and then proceded to tear the DanG winch OFF of the tractor, had a RO log that the calculator said weighed 3500#. I shoulda bucked it to length and carred it out on the forks. I am going to build a hydraulic or pto winch that mounts to the backhoe mounts. It will have a full butt plate and hydraulic out riggers for stabilizing. I had no shortage of power of traction, just can't steer with the front end in the air.

Dave

Reddog · September 01, 2007, 10:37:38 PM

I have used 6x26 wc and been happy with that. It is a good compremise for flex and strengh. I bought my 9/16 at Bailey's.

Ed_K · September 03, 2007, 07:36:24 PM

I'm running 3/4 swedged cable on the skidder and 1/2 swedged on the Tajfun winch. I like the swedged cable as it doesn't lock into the coils on the drum making it easier to pull out. Got the 3/4 from Bailey's too.

Dave Shepard · September 03, 2007, 09:22:21 PM

Thanks Ed, I, too, have trouble with pulling the cable out when it jams in the coils. I try to keep the cable under load so it winds onto the drum neatly. The worst scenario is pulling up on the load enough to release the dog, if you just drop the load, the whole drum full of cable erupts into a big ole mess. Is the swedged cable "slinky"? I like the cable to be flexible and not have a bad memory.

Dave

Ed_K · September 05, 2007, 08:28:10 PM

I've haven't had a problem with coiling yet. If I need to pull a lot of cable to reach a hitch I will stand at the machine and pull it out,if it gets down to the last layer it'll loosen on the drum some. But it tightens back once I'm reeling in.

rebocardo · September 06, 2007, 07:04:21 PM

Well, swagged cable will prevent some of the bird nesting, but, does a Farmi winch (I never owned one) have a plate to apply pressure to the out feeding cable or the cable on the drum? That is what prevents the coiling because the cable can't slide back towards the winch while free spooling because it is under pressure being clamped.

Lately I have been buying my small winch cable from Bailey's and it has worked great. I have only broken one line so far and it was my fault when I was feeding a cable through a block and a clamp got stuck in the sheave while pulling.

> Is the swedged cable "slinky"?

It is less likely to be since swagged cable has already been compressed instead of being compressed while it was running around a block, tree, or winch drum.