Cat D3 Winch Cable

[Horselog]

I just recently bought a nice little D3 with a Rome winch on the back.  The winch hadn't been used in a while and had a broken off piece of cable on it, and I'm wondering if anyone knows what size and/or length of cable might be appropriate for it.  I'm using it for some winching up hillsides as well as some skidding, so I need an actual logging line, not just a recovery cable.  Could I just go to the logging supply and get a skidder winch line? 
I've looked at the Amsteel Blue, and know people that love it, but it's hard to spend that much extra on a line that I won't be using a huge amount.  It does sound like a superior material though.  Any thoughts?

[thenorthman]

Probably 5/8-3/4 will do ya good, approximately 100', not knowing what you have for a winch should get ya started though.  You might get away with running 1/2" line but it wont last real long

If you plan on any logging with it go ahead and get 2-3 sliders on it for hanging chokers.

There is a wonderful equation in the machinery handbook to tell you how much line for the size spool and size of cable you plan to run... but that book is at werk, could probably search it and find it.  There is also a groovy little chart showing working loads for different sized cable.

This is purely my opinion... I don't feel that the synthetic ropes do well in a skidding situation.  The ads say all sorts of things like abrasion resistance and superior breaking strength, but they don't mention abrasion vs cable, rocks, dirt, logs, pully blocks or fair leads.  And they don't mention the working strength, or shock load... or binding... or the fact that it gets uv damage...  Cable is fairly inexpensive, works well for the job, its just heavy and some folks don't like heavy.  Also the big claim to fame with these synthetics is "no recoil"... (don't believe salesmen ever...)

[BargeMonkey]

 Ive spliced probably 25+ miles of 8 + 12 strand amsteel, polydac, spectra. We have a large piece of it I brought home off the boat, "the rubber band" we use for tree jobs near house. Rated at 60 tons. Anytime that stuff comes in contact with sharp or rough edges, or heat it will part so quickly you will wanna cry. I know the big stuff on our barge was 25+ a foot. Buy a piece of 5/8 swedged down to 9/16 cable, 75 or 100 ft with 3 sliders and you will be all set. A dozer is hard on cable. We run our skidder cables down to about 40-50ft then replace them and run that one on the dozer for a while. You want lighter cable on a dozer, 3/4 is over kill.

[coxy]

Ive spliced probably 25+ miles of 8 + 12 strand amsteel, polydac, spectra. We have a large piece of it I brought home off the boat, "the rubber band" we use for tree jobs near house. Rated at 60 tons. Anytime that stuff comes in contact with sharp or rough edges, or heat it will part so quickly you will wanna cry. I know the big stuff on our barge was 25+ a foot. Buy a piece of 5/8 swedged down to 9/16 cable, 75 or 100 ft with 3 sliders and you will be all set. A dozer is hard on cable. We run our skidder cables down to about 40-50ft then replace them and run that one on the dozer for a while. You want lighter cable on a dozer, 3/4 is over kill.

I agree I run 9/16 on every thing yes it will brake if you  rip and rare but so will 5/8 or 3/4  ;D

[redneck]

I ran a D 3  this winter in nothern alberta, it had a 3/4 in line we used it for towing trucks and stuff.
I would not want one that heavy for logging a little on the heavy side. My Skidder is maybe 9/16 that would be lots and a little lighter.  100 feet of 9/16 would work maybe more if room

[thenorthman]

Ok bear with me...  :D  If I type this is correctly this formula really should be in the tools link thingy...

So you first need to know a few things...

A: depth of line on drum to find,  A= (H-D-2Y)/2
B: width of drum between flanges
D: Drum barrel diameter (the bit the cable wraps around)
H: Diameter of flanges
K: factor from table to follow
Y: Depth of drum not filled (you don't want a full drum unless you like picking cable out of bearings and         stuff)
L: Length of cable.

K factors for dia of cable, followed by breaking strength of standard rope in tons

1/2=.925    9.35
9/16=.741  11.8
5/8=.607   14.5
11/16= .506  (not in the book?)
3/4= .428   20.7

Now the formula:

L=(A+D) x A x B x K


Remember to allow for a bit of space on the drum for uneven wrapping etc, unless you think you can wrap it perfectly everytime all the time?  Also the machinery handbook lists specs on about 300 different cables, from 1/8 to 3", and various make ups and weave patters, I think I grabbed the 7x19 standard hoisting specs but I didn't write that down, There are by all means many variable with wire rope, please consult your local dealer about tonnage capacity and make up, this is purely meant to help with filling up yer spool...

[thenorthman]

for example  a drum 8" wide with a barrel of 6" leaving 1" of free space, and flange diameter of 12" using 9/16 rope

First to find A 12-6-2x1 / 2 = 2"

now (2+6)x2x8x.741= 94.848 feet

Hope this helps I and I didn't confuse everyone... :P

[Horselog]

Thanks for all the input!  I think I'll go with 9/16, and I'll run this formula to see how much.

[thenorthman]

You'll have room to round up or down to the nearest full 10 feet, the more turns you put on a winch the more line per turn you can stick on there, besides if you wander into a rigging supply place and ask for 94.848 feet there going to look at you kinda funny... ;)

[ST Ranch]

Agree with bargemonkey - 75-100 ft of 5/8 swedged [to 9/16] is plenty for a D3 if the spool will hold that much. I run 10 sliders on my Komatsu D37E [D4 size], but I am skidding softwood conifers and 10 logs per drag is common.
Tom 

[Birchwood Logging]

I've been looking at some of the amsteel blue rope I have read some good reviews about it in logging application I'm thinking about trying it any body use it to skid with I was thinking about 100 feet of 3\4

[BargeMonkey]

 Unless its kept clean, away from any sharp or rough edges and kept off the ground your only wasting money. Alot of the better boat companys use it now for the winches and push gear, tons of chafing gear and big money.