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5 ton wrecker bed

Csm Davis

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Breaking strength on the stock 6x19 fiber core cable is 20-22k pounds. Working load is lower figuring either a 3, 4, or 5 :1 WLL. I'm going to synthetic on mine (yes it's approved for cranes, even available direct from the manufacturer with synthetic for the past few years) with a breaking strength of 27k.
Yeah I have worked with the Engineers from Sampson and Esmet on a setup for the 5 ton wreckers and it is much stronger than the stock setup

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wcuhillbilly

Member
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Devils Tower, WY
ive been curious about the synthetic (rope) versions myself,,,, Wonder how it will stand up to the grease and the knicks in the pulleys from years of steel cable use...
I can see the synthetic being a little more problematic as far as getting caught in the gaps in the pulleys and rollers.... I have considered swapping it out on the 45K and the front winch.... but those kinda need the stiffness of the cable inorder to feed out through the level wind rollers.
 

red

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Supposed to clean up and smooth the pulleys whenever new cable is installed, it's more important with synthetic to do this than with steel. So I'll be taking my buffer wheels to polish up the pulleys and a pressure washer to clean everything up first.

The 2 downsides to synthetic cable are the initial cost and it doesn't like being dragged over rocks while under tension, which steel doesn't like either. Everything else is similar. Oil steel cable, wash synthetic. UV breakdown with synthetic, rust with steel. Benefits to synthetic are that it won't bird cage, easier to handle, no cable memory, stronger, and safer. The 1/2" synthetic cable I'm getting is stronger than the steel cable and isn't even the strongest option. The fiber core steel is rated for about 21k, my synthetic is rated for 27k, strongest synthetic I've found is rated for 34k at 1/2" diameter.

On the crane the only downside to synthetic is the cost of the cable compared to steel. Crane cable won't be dragged over rocks so that's not a concern. Will be starting with it just on the crane and if I like it, then will install it on the front winch. Have a reel of 3/4 steel cable for the rear winch waiting to go on so will be awhile before the 45k winch gets synthetic (if it holds up to the crane and front winch use).
 

Heavywrecker

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Onalaska wi
Not sure if I'm sold on the synthetic yet, put some real abuse on wire rope and always cared for it with trans fluid never had an issue, seems funky to pull hard on something with a actual rope lol


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red

Active member
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Eagle Mountain/Utah
Are you going with K-100?
http://samsonrope.com/Pages/Cranes.aspx
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I'm going with Amsteel Blue, different manufacturer but same materials. Not using their top of the line braiding, the second best because even with that it's still much stronger than the stock steel cable. There's a couple companies around here that run the synthetic cable on their cranes and that's how I found out initially that it was safe/legal.

Reasons I'm running the 2nd best strength wise is because:
1. Still much stronger than the steel cable
2. testing it on this crane
3. Cost

Garwood must have used a 3:1 safety factor figuring the stock steel cable WLL to get 20k max crane capability. 21k cable break strength, 3 part lift. With the 27k break strength on the synthetic I'm using it will be a 4:1 safety factor figuring in the 'max crane capacity' at 20k. If you used the strongest synthetic (currently) at 34k it would be a 5:1 safety factor.

Using the original 3:1 safety factor could lift 18k using a 2 part lift with the 27k synthetic. With the 34k synthetic wouldn't even need a 3 part lift on this crane at the rated capacity of 20k, a 2 part lift puts it over 20k with that line.
 

Csm Davis

Well-known member
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Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
I'm going with Amsteel Blue, different manufacturer but same materials. Not using their top of the line braiding, the second best because even with that it's still much stronger than the stock steel cable. There's a couple companies around here that run the synthetic cable on their cranes and that's how I found out initially that it was safe/legal.

Reasons I'm running the 2nd best strength wise is because:
1. Still much stronger than the steel cable
2. testing it on this crane
3. Cost

Garwood must have used a 3:1 safety factor figuring the stock steel cable WLL to get 20k max crane capability. 21k cable break strength, 3 part lift. With the 27k break strength on the synthetic I'm using it will be a 4:1 safety factor figuring in the 'max crane capacity' at 20k. If you used the strongest synthetic (currently) at 34k it would be a 5:1 safety factor.

Using the original 3:1 safety factor could lift 18k using a 2 part lift with the 27k synthetic. With the 34k synthetic wouldn't even need a 3 part lift on this crane at the rated capacity of 20k, a 2 part lift puts it over 20k with that line.
Naw same manufacture, I have spent many hours talking to this company and thy are great folks to deal with, you can't buy straight from them, but they will send you to one of their distributors. I would also stick with the Esmet cable termination just replace the inside piece and nut with the synthetic cable parts. Their termination is the highest rated termination you can get.
http://www.samsonrope.com/Pages/Product.aspx?ProductID=872
http://products.esmet.com/category/electroline-end-fittings-and-swivels

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Csm Davis

Well-known member
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Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Sweet.

Will have to replace the end, my current one is bent (double blocked at some point before I got the wrecker).

Not sure if I need this one http://products.esmet.com/viewitems...s-socket-extruded-jacket-kevlar-rope-fittings

Or this one http://products.esmet.com/viewitems...is-socket-braided-jacket-kevlar-rope-fittings

For the cost hopefully it's the braided jacket haha
Is just the nut bent? Or whole assembly? If just the nut, which is the normal damage, you can reuse the body an just order the plug and sleeve/nut. Call the guys at Esmet and they will hook you up with the correct parts and instructions for install.



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wcuhillbilly

Member
421
5
18
Location
Devils Tower, WY
Thanks Davis for the esmet link,,, I went to a Crosley Becket on my crane back when the cable broke and I couldn't find the esmet ends,,, but have been wondering where to get the esmet ends for the winches.
 

zebedee

conceptualizer at large
Steel Soldiers Supporter
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Central NY
Double tapered socket, double tapered plug, spread cable end over plug , assemble inside the socket - nut tightens the whole lot wedging it all together - like a compression fitting of sorts. Make sure that you see the cable end through the little hole before tightening.

Like Jeff said - these are the ONLY repairable terminations that are rated at 100%.

It's handy to make a couple of swedge blocks per cable size that will sit in a vise and clamp the cable holding it tight so that assembly is manageable. Esmet sell them - but they're easy to make. Two blocks of scrap steel clamped together with a couple of pieces of cereal cardboard between then drilled for cable size. Or drill one big block then hacksaw/cutoff wheel in half - the kerf equating to the cardboard spacer which gives the gap to tighten on the cable.

ESMET Swedge.png
 
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Csm Davis

Well-known member
4,164
393
83
Location
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Double tapered socket, double tapered plug, spread cable end over plug , assemble inside the socket - nut tightens the whole lot wedging it all together - like a compression fitting of sorts. Make sure that you see the cable end through the little hole before tightening.

Like Jeff said - these are the ONLY repairable terminations that are rated at 100%.

It's handy to make a couple of swedge blocks per cable size that will sit in a vise and clamp the cable holding it tight so that assembly is manageable. Esmet sell them - but they're easy to make. Two blocks of scrap steel clamped together with a couple of pieces of cereal cardboard between then drilled for cable size. Or drill one big block then hacksaw/cutoff wheel in half - the kerf equating to the cardboard spacer which gives the gap to tighten on the cable.

View attachment 676271
Should be much easier to do with the synthetic cable but please call esmet to get the proper instructions for your cable.

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