- 330
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- greenville sc
Does anybody know what that protective stuff is that Uncle Sam uses on the winch cable, it works most excellent and I would like to get some to put on my winch cable.
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Winch cable lube
- Thread starter mark salanco
- Start date
- 2,052
- 57
- 48
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- Milford / Michigan
Im sure it is in the TM somewhere...
- 2,052
- 57
- 48
- Location
- Milford / Michigan
I think old motor oil would be decent, but it may wash off easy in the rain. I did a quick look in the TMs but didnt find it. one of my dads friends told me they used greasy covered rags and ran the winch cable through the greasy rags to lube the cable.
motomacguyver
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- Eau Claire, Wi. USA
I bet Chain Saw Bar Lube would work great.
Sephirothq
Well-known member
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- Trevorton / PA
There was a comic about what to use to lube your winch cable
Do not use old motor old. It said something about the acid in the used oil could cause problems. I would say fresh oil would be fine. I have seen half of a 55 gal drum on it's side used before to oil the cables. That will probably only pay off if you have a bunch to do. Other wise just pour it on teh top and have a drip pan under it.
Do not use old motor old. It said something about the acid in the used oil could cause problems. I would say fresh oil would be fine. I have seen half of a 55 gal drum on it's side used before to oil the cables. That will probably only pay off if you have a bunch to do. Other wise just pour it on teh top and have a drip pan under it.
- 12,195
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- 0
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- gainesville, ga.
When you lube the cable, you WANT to lube the inside, so as the core moves, it will slide, also with a FIBER core, you want it well lubed so it won't hold water, then rot and rust the cable from the inside out,( this condition could HURT or KILL you), you lube by lubing at a slight bend, without tension, in the cable, this will get the lube inside the cable, the ideal lubed fiber core cable will show slight lube on the outside of the cable, squeezed from the inside out, when under tension.
The inside is the important lubing, the out side is just a light rust preventive, oil on a rag wiped on the cable as it is wound up after the mud/dirt is wiped off is enough
The inside is the important lubing, the out side is just a light rust preventive, oil on a rag wiped on the cable as it is wound up after the mud/dirt is wiped off is enough
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cjcottrill
Active member
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- Chillicothe, Ohio
I use open gear and cable lubricant. It is available at most industrial suppliers and some auto and farm centers in aerosol cans. It soaks into the cable, leaves a good coating on the outside, and gets that wonderful grease spot on your clothes every time you brush against it.
LanceRobson
Well-known member
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- Pinnacle, Stokes County, NC
"Ditto" to cjcottrill.
Open gear/cable lube attracts far less dirt and crud than oil and is the lubricant and preservative of choice. 2 cans will preserve the cable for a year or two. The stuff will penetrate into the core of the cable on it's own so don't think you need to really wet down the cable.
Pull the cable out over a clean surface such as a dry lawn. Use a saw horse or something similar to support the cable at waist height and wire brush the crud and scale off of it as you pull it out. Then spray lube it as you wind it back on. It is a two or three person chore but it goes fast. You don't ned perfect 100% coverage since the stuff will migrate to cover small dry spots.
As always, wear gloves when handling the cable and put a drop cloth or slab of cardboard down to catch the over spray.
Lance
Open gear/cable lube attracts far less dirt and crud than oil and is the lubricant and preservative of choice. 2 cans will preserve the cable for a year or two. The stuff will penetrate into the core of the cable on it's own so don't think you need to really wet down the cable.
Pull the cable out over a clean surface such as a dry lawn. Use a saw horse or something similar to support the cable at waist height and wire brush the crud and scale off of it as you pull it out. Then spray lube it as you wind it back on. It is a two or three person chore but it goes fast. You don't ned perfect 100% coverage since the stuff will migrate to cover small dry spots.
As always, wear gloves when handling the cable and put a drop cloth or slab of cardboard down to catch the over spray.
Lance
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- Birmingham/Alabama
"Corn Head" grease from John Deere. It's a open gear grease that last a long time and is almost water proof.
DMaddox
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- 16
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- Independence, Ky
My neighbors great dane lubes mine up every morning
Hooty481
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- Russell County Kentucky
I just used new motor oil as i was respooling the cable... seemed to work fine and was pretty nasty...
bill2444
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- cheboygan/mi
Go to Napa or Carquest and get a can of chain&cable lube. Bellray or Clyco(used by the dirtbike/atv guys too) Comes in a aresol can. Goes on good and dries so it does not attract dirt or make a mess out of You. I use it on my drilling rig as it does not wash off as easily as motor/gear oil.
PropDr
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- Riverside Ca
^^^x2 That's good stuff.
motomacguyver
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Well I bought some open gear and cable lube from Mc master carr.This stuff seems to be the same as what was on the cable. And proceded to do the cable lube thing today. Man what a mess that stuff makes. We had overspray on everything from head to toe. It took a couple of hours to do it.
Did I mention it was messy, dirty, filthy, smelly, muck? That rubs off if you come within 3 feet of it.
Also found out my winch reel has about 185 feet of cable on it. This seems a little short, what do you guys think?
Did I mention it was messy, dirty, filthy, smelly, muck? That rubs off if you come within 3 feet of it.
Also found out my winch reel has about 185 feet of cable on it. This seems a little short, what do you guys think?
- 7,409
- 2,503
- 113
- Location
- Interlachen Fl.
I have seen a grease injector that attches to the cable itself and you use you airpowered grease gun. This is for the hard core and gets the grease down into the cable where it should be.
I rather not have a greasy cable but light coat of something as said and a cover for the drum would be nice. Maybe just a WD40 soaked rag when you respool the cable.
I rather not have a greasy cable but light coat of something as said and a cover for the drum would be nice. Maybe just a WD40 soaked rag when you respool the cable.
- 26,246
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- NY
- 12,195
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- gainesville, ga.
A drum cover looks good but is not the best IDEA, the reason is because the cover will hold/trap moisture, which in turn will cause rust
- 7,409
- 2,503
- 113
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- Interlachen Fl.
Yes I can see a drum cover holding moisture but I just cover the whole winch and it's open on the bottom just as a rain shed. I used the old canves end cover and it seem to be working good. Even has the flap to let mosture out right. I just kick it off when I use the truck.
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Akicita
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I considered the grease I use on my tractor but decided that stuff doesn't penetrate the coil and is also too messy on the cable. I filled an oiler can with W30 which I already had, dripped some on the cable and spread it about one foot at a time while I removed tiny pieces of rock and wood from the cable at the same time. I used empty 5 gal. buckets to keep the oiled cable from touching the paved road by my house. My oiler can is pretty small and I had to refill it twice, I think, to get the whole 200 feet of cable done.
I keep a tarp over the winch during the winter (see picture). I live in PA, and there's a lot of salt on the roads in the winter months here. The tarp keeps the salt from hitting the cable when I follow someone. This may not be necesary but it doesn't hurt.
I keep a tarp over the winch during the winter (see picture). I live in PA, and there's a lot of salt on the roads in the winter months here. The tarp keeps the salt from hitting the cable when I follow someone. This may not be necesary but it doesn't hurt.
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