I am coming up on 3 years of running synth line.. Just wondering when I should replace it.. The sun here in SC is pretty harsh and the first 5 to 10 feet are faded.. Other then that, it looks really good..

cut off the faded and be good to go.

Synthetic line dies from:
sunlight !! most have a UV coating (that color they are is usualy the coating as naturally they are a tanish color) but that is the most common killer.

Next is abrasion. and I do not mean "drug across a rock" abrasion, I mean DIRTY. Dirt/mud gets in the fibers and when under load abrades and cuts the individual fibers. Then you have the "drug across a rock" abrasion.

Solution for both = tubular nylon used as a chaff guard.

Get some 1" tubular nylon in a couple 3' lengths from a rope place/climbing store/mil surpluss and slide it over the line. keep this on the first 10' or so of the line or whatever the last wrap length is. So when you spool it in the "last wrap" is now covered in tubular nylon and protected from sunlight. Also you have a couple moveable chaff guards that you can side down the line to wherever the line is going to hit a rock/tree/small woodland critter/whatever.

Plus you can get tubular nylon in any color to match your JK

I also keep 1' squares of carpet remnants (free from carpet stores) under the drivers seat to act as "hardcore" chaff guards when I know I am dragging the line over something rough. They also work nice to sit on instead of the mud when doing trail repairs

Now as for dirt: I will pull the line all the way out into a bucket of warm soapy water, wash well, rince well, lay it out in the driveway to dry and then respool it. Or for when its real bad or I am lazy I will pull the complete line, stuff in a mesh bag and run through the washing machine.

I replace line when it is severly damaged, brittle or fuzzy to the point it does not spool right.

see how my winch line is "red"? That red is 1 inch tubular nylon over the line. Its 3 individual 3' sections. Just take care when spooling the sections with the chaff guards as it will catch on the fairlead. I just carefully hand feed the last few sections to make sure the entire last wrap is covered.

Doc, where'd you source the tubular nylon at?

I got the red stuff at at outdoor store. Any place that sells rock climbing gear will have it for sale by the foot.

or get it online in any color
http://www.strapworks.com/Tubular_Nylon_s/62.htm

Cool, thanks Doc! I was wondering the same thing about how often to replace it once I get my setup. The tubing is a great idea.

here is a picture of the 1 inch tubing i just installed

I would suggest getting a winch cover.

This is the line on my TJ after just a few years and the TJ was ALWAYS garaged.

I bought a cover to try to make it last a little longer. Should have added it sooner.

I plan on making a cover for the winch on the JK now to keep the line out of the sun.




Should be pretty easy on this set up to cover the whole winch. As you can see in the picture the nylon sheath does not cover ALL the rope exposed to the sun.

Yeah.. The cover idea is what I should have done also.. Oh well.. When it warms up around here, I am going to take the line out and do a complete inspection.. I am also going to take the winch off and bumper.. I need to wire wheel the bumper and then do a bed liner coat on the bumper.. 1st Gen LOD powder coating sucked..