New winch, bedding in cable?

[hogesTS]

I just bought a new winch for my trailer as my old one had packed it in. Putting it on the hitch post was no dramas, but the cable is really loose on the drum, so when I tightened it up after attaching the boat again the cable dug down under the loose loops.

So what I'm wondering is how do i bed in the new cable so it doesn't get all caught up underneath itself? Should I let all the cable out when I retrieve the boat next and wind the whole lot in under tension?

Cheers

[TimiBoy]

Use the boat to pull the cable off, next time you launch. Then wind it back on under load.

This may be an issue if you can't drive on/drive off, in which case hitch it (the trailer) to your car, and use another car to pull it off (may need some sort of extension, (maybe a snatch strap?) then wind back under load.

I had the same problem, pulled it off the winch with the boat, then made my deckie wind the boat onto the trailer. He never lets me hear the end of it, the poor old Pom. The boat weaighs near 2.5 ton...

[sheridan]

hogesTS
What i did with mine i loosened it off fed the cable and hook back through the front of the winch then extended the cable right out then connected the cable to tow bar on the car connected a battery to the winch then winched boat and trailer to car which kept tension on the cable its easy if your trailer has a jockey wheel and if on cement put your trailer brake on slightly

Geoff

[hogesTS]

Thanks guys, I will have a go at launching it and retrieving under load on the weekend. Hopefully there is enough room between breakwalls at the ramp to get all the cable out, might have to try at high tide :S

[Chimo]

Hi Hoges

Also oil the cable with lanotec or fish oil or similar BEFORE you get salt water on it if you want it to last.

You do need to wind it on under pressure. I found the pulling it all out and with weight like steel or concret or a spare tire with a body standing on it is a good weight to keep the cable tight while you wind it on the winch drum.

Not sure if you have a power winch or not but the spring loading clip that surrounds the wire should help to keep it in place if you make sure its fed evenly back and forth across the drum as you wind it on.

Cheers
Chimo.

[jeffrey_h]

They are always like that, and will, with age, stay flat but at first will always throw out loose coils. You can wind it on tight by what-ever method but the second you let slack it will open up.

Make sure that you don't have excess wire there that you will never use because every layer creates more chances for binding.

On my new tinnie I'm going to change the wire for winch rope that will lay flat, it's only 3.3 mt and very light.

Jeffrey