cable lube

John_Haylow · July 15, 2012, 08:00:35 PM

Just wondering what you guys use to lube your tractor skidding winch cables, if any?
John

snowstorm · July 15, 2012, 08:12:22 PM

bar oil

higgins16 · July 15, 2012, 08:29:44 PM

I have never oiled my cable, does that help it last longer?

bill m · July 15, 2012, 08:48:03 PM

Yes, lubing a cable will make it last longer. With no lube on the cable there is a lot of friction between the wires that make up the strands that make up the cable. This friction causes heat that will degrade a cable. I don't know many guys that lube their skidder cable. I lube the cable on my tractor winch with Chain Gang available from AW Direct.

Autocar · July 15, 2012, 08:49:30 PM

I don't use my winch that much but I have a truck mud flap bolted to the top of the winch. Cable looks as good as the day it was put on there, the weather can't get to it.

thecfarm · July 15, 2012, 09:53:04 PM

John,what have you got for a winch and tractor/hp? I don't put anything on mine.I've had my winch since '93 and think I have only put 3-4 cables on it so far. It use to get worked pretty hard,now it lives a life off ease just winching in mostly firewood.I keep my tractor under cover,but my cable don't look as good as the day I put it on. But it winches in the logs and trees just the way it should. I don't see why it would hurt to put something on it. Just don't put a lot at one time. I have no idea where your clutch is on your winch. You don't want any oil on that.

barbender · July 15, 2012, 11:01:46 PM

In the sand country here, I would think an oiled cable would just pick up grit and defeat the purpose, but I could definitely be wrong ;)

KyLogger · July 15, 2012, 11:52:44 PM

+1 for bar oil

lumberjack48 · July 16, 2012, 12:54:48 PM

26 yrs running cable never used nothing, the only break down was the first 1 foot where the chokers hang. We had to cut that off about once a week, used a choker bell on the end with a figure 8 knot. The cable lasted until it got to short for practical hooking, about 40 feet long. I always caught myself running it to short, it sneaks up on you.

This is not swedged cable, i could see where you might need oil on it. I tried it one time, way to stiff and wants to coil up, the wife said get it off the winch, i agreed.

I could buy 75 feet of 9/16 for $40., it lasted about 6 months before it got to short.

a old timberjack · July 16, 2012, 01:28:26 PM

i run swedged cable. i put a splash of bar oil or diesel fuel on my cable when it is spooled up every now and then. a old timer who worked in the woods all his life showed me that, does it make a difference, ??? ? not sure, but it seems to, makes sence tho.

Rooster · July 16, 2012, 01:53:35 PM

Bluecreeper penetrating oil from Logrite (Forum Sponsor), lubricates and inhibits rust.

bluecreeper.com

It can be purchased in many different sizes and bottles... including a 16 oz spray bottle...Just spray it on the cable as it gets pulled onto the winch.

Here's to your cable's health! 8)

Rooster

John_Haylow · July 16, 2012, 05:47:23 PM

Quote from: thecfarm on July 15, 2012, 09:53:04 PM
John,what have you got for a winch and tractor/hp? I don't put anything on mine.I've had my winch since '93 and think I have only put 3-4 cables on it so far. It use to get worked pretty hard,now it lives a life off ease just winching in mostly firewood.I keep my tractor under cover,but my cable don't look as good as the day I put it on. But it winches in the logs and trees just the way it should. I don't see why it would hurt to put something on it. Just don't put a lot at one time. I have no idea where your clutch is on your winch. You don't want any oil on that.

It's a Fransgard V4ooo on a 40hp Kubota.

woodtick#2 · July 16, 2012, 07:04:10 PM

Usually when i fueled the machine up every other day I pumped a little diesel on her, seemed to work alright.

HiTech · July 18, 2012, 10:41:13 PM

I agree a little diesel fuel on it when you fuel up does the job. I have seen cables so dry that you can actually see sparks fly when they are pulling hard against the rollers. What's nice about diesel fuel, it covers good. Anyone who has ever spilled any knows what I mean. One drop will cover a football field. lol

Al_Smith · July 19, 2012, 10:00:35 AM

Heavy cable running under load over a winch spool has a tendency to try and twist the cable especially on the load end .Constant use like that eventually causes failure and you end up cutting a couple feet off the end every so often because it knots up .

Simple solution ,use a chain swivel or a swivel hook with a choker on the load not just hooked with the winch line .

Regular crane cable or winch line has a rope like center which acts like a wick to lubricate the wire rope .Most times small wire rope used on small winchs like on a pick up truck is not really winch line .

Although most people seldom do it it's not a bad idea to dereel the line and wind it back up opposite than what it was .Keeps the wire rope in a sort of balance for want of a better term .

HiTech · July 19, 2012, 09:09:56 PM

That stuff with the rope like center wouldn't last 5 minutes in the woods. The first hard pull and it comes apart. Regular winch cable is 6x26 and all metal. Very strong. 3/4" is in the 70,000 lb. plus category. The stuff with the rope center would be lucky to hit 20,000 lb. All slider, hammerlock, and juice harp (keyhole) combo's have the ability to swivel.

Cypressstump · July 20, 2012, 10:18:03 AM

Al,

we used to unroll the winch cables off the cranes and spool them the opposite direction if they passed inspections. On some of the larger cranes the bottom lays of cable would tend to 'Square' if not rotated out.
On the lube, we'd use some diesel oil drained from equipment crankcases during oil changes.

BTW – I have a 7.3 power stoke with extra capacity oil pan. I change my own oil, and it's a 4+ gallon oil change, therefore I have on hand 5-6 five gallon sealed buckets of 'quality' used earl for anyone wanting to trapse down here and fetch it up,,, I would be tickled, so in yer spare time, come git it ! ! ! ! ;D ;D ;D

Al_Smith · July 20, 2012, 04:31:42 PM

Yeah they can get pretty funky after a while .They get so smashed out you can't hardly unreel them .

I'm talking old wreckers and farmer stuff not certified crane usage .Those they change out to new in a timely matter --usually .

The roughest bunch in general I ever saw to wreck cables and rigging is by far pipeliners .My heavens they could destroy an anvil with a feather I do believe given enough time .

The oddest thing I ever saw was a heavy tail end winch on a D7 Cat . They just hung a big slip hook on it and used another dozer to cinch up a simple over hand knot in the wire rope .Burned the excess off with a torch and went about their business .I guess they never heard of Crosby clamps .