I’ve got my off-road training class with Bill Burke (coming up fast!) at the end of this month. I’ve wanted to replace the steel winch line with a synthetic line for awhile now. This class finally gave me the excuse I needed!
I spent some time on Bill Burke’s web site (4-Wheeling America) and found he prefers Amsteel Blue winch line. With the amount of off-road experience he has, I figured I can't go wrong with his recommendation. Long story short, I ended up buying 125’ x 3/8” Amsteel Blue with a thimble already attached from Winchline.com. The previous steel line was 5/16” by 125’. The new synthetic line weighs in around 4 lbs vs. the near 35 - 40 lbs for the steel line. It is approximately 45% stronger than the steel winch line I had on before. Another benefit and probably the most important one is safety. If this line happens to break it just falls to the ground, no harm, no foul. We all know (hopefully not first hand) how dangerous a steel line can be if it breaks. I still need to pretension the line before it is truly operational. I may just ask Bill Burke to show me how to properly prepare the line before first use. It could be a good class demo.
I may just take the steel line down to the recyclers and see if it’s worth anything. Unless someone wants to buy it from me for cheap! I’ll probably throw the rubber thingy (For The 6000 to 9500 Lb. Winch) in the classifieds.
Anyway, I’m glad I bought the line for the safety aspect as well as for the weight loss. My Tundra is rather on the portly side (with rock sliders, 35’s, traction bar, air tank, etc) so a little weight loss doesn’t hurt anything.
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My daily driver - 2008 Vios 'S' sedan. Tinted windows in the rear, TRD anti-sway bar for the rear, 17" rims - Samurai SC02 Hyper Black. TRD lowering springs. Megan Racing header.
My favorite ride - a 2001 SR5 4x4. With - RCD 6" lift, JBA Titanium coated headers, JBA y-pipe, Unichip PnP, ARB rd-129 air locker (rear), Camburg UCA's, custom front Sway-A-Way coilovers, custom Sway-A-Way's with remote reservoirs and billet mounts for the hind-quarters, PolyPerformance limit straps with adjustable clevis's, Stubbs Welding rock sliders and custom front skid plate, 315/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/T's, on all 4 corners wrapped around 16x8 MB Motoring Blitz rims, cryo'd 4.88's set up by Inchworm Gear, Trenz billet grill upper, T-Rex billet grill lower, on board VI-AIR aircompressor and 3 gallon air tank, AutoMeter A-pillar pod with trans temp gauge (sending unit in the tranny pan), Long Tru-Cool LPD tranny cooler, 10" Flex-a-Lite tranny cooler fan w/thermostat, TRD billet oil filler cap, TRD air filter, TRD dual exhaust, and TRD add-a-leaf rear springs. Superlift TruSpeed Speedo Recalibrator. Warn Trans4mer system with a 9.5ti winch running Amsteel Blue winch line. Budbuilt traction bar. Staun tyre deflators. Spitz Lift portable crane. Marlin Crawler 1.5" wheel spacers. Our home away from home, 2004 Outback 26RS travel trailer with 15" MB Motoring Blitz rims to match the Tundra.
Regarding the fairlead, here's a quote from Winchline.com "The Viking Aluminum Hawse Fairleads are designed to be used with synthetic winchlines only. These fairleads are necessary to replace cast steel hawse fairleads and optional replacement of the factory steel roller fairlead." These guys also sell replacement rollers from a material called Delrin. That's why these rollers are almost black in color in this picture:
So, providing my original rollers don't have burrs, etc., (I checked!) they are perfectly acceptable to use. Perhaps one day I'll replace the rollers with a Hawse style fairlead.
__________________
My daily driver - 2008 Vios 'S' sedan. Tinted windows in the rear, TRD anti-sway bar for the rear, 17" rims - Samurai SC02 Hyper Black. TRD lowering springs. Megan Racing header.
My favorite ride - a 2001 SR5 4x4. With - RCD 6" lift, JBA Titanium coated headers, JBA y-pipe, Unichip PnP, ARB rd-129 air locker (rear), Camburg UCA's, custom front Sway-A-Way coilovers, custom Sway-A-Way's with remote reservoirs and billet mounts for the hind-quarters, PolyPerformance limit straps with adjustable clevis's, Stubbs Welding rock sliders and custom front skid plate, 315/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/T's, on all 4 corners wrapped around 16x8 MB Motoring Blitz rims, cryo'd 4.88's set up by Inchworm Gear, Trenz billet grill upper, T-Rex billet grill lower, on board VI-AIR aircompressor and 3 gallon air tank, AutoMeter A-pillar pod with trans temp gauge (sending unit in the tranny pan), Long Tru-Cool LPD tranny cooler, 10" Flex-a-Lite tranny cooler fan w/thermostat, TRD billet oil filler cap, TRD air filter, TRD dual exhaust, and TRD add-a-leaf rear springs. Superlift TruSpeed Speedo Recalibrator. Warn Trans4mer system with a 9.5ti winch running Amsteel Blue winch line. Budbuilt traction bar. Staun tyre deflators. Spitz Lift portable crane. Marlin Crawler 1.5" wheel spacers. Our home away from home, 2004 Outback 26RS travel trailer with 15" MB Motoring Blitz rims to match the Tundra.
Master-Pull's Superline XD is waaaay better. If you're in the rocks especially and mud. Its Safer too. As its not going to get dirt, grime and other debris caught in the main lines' fibers thus breaking them down and staining them. And later possibly severing/cutting the fibers over time when winching under load/tension. I've had mine in the mud and constantly exposed in the rain and elements for 2 yrs now and it looks like new.
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03' Access Cab Toyota Tundra V-8 4.7L, 4x4
305/70/16 BFG Muds on 4" B/S Wheelers' Offroad Steel Rims
Donahoe Racing Coilovers (cranked 2.5")
Total Chaos Upper Control Arms and Rack Bushings.
ORS upper mount shock hoop kit / FOX Racing 2.0" Reservoir 11" travel shocks w/ Deaver G57 10 pack rear springs
ARB Sahara Bumper with Fog Light Kit and KC SlimLites in Front
My daily driver - 2008 Vios 'S' sedan. Tinted windows in the rear, TRD anti-sway bar for the rear, 17" rims - Samurai SC02 Hyper Black. TRD lowering springs. Megan Racing header.
My favorite ride - a 2001 SR5 4x4. With - RCD 6" lift, JBA Titanium coated headers, JBA y-pipe, Unichip PnP, ARB rd-129 air locker (rear), Camburg UCA's, custom front Sway-A-Way coilovers, custom Sway-A-Way's with remote reservoirs and billet mounts for the hind-quarters, PolyPerformance limit straps with adjustable clevis's, Stubbs Welding rock sliders and custom front skid plate, 315/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/T's, on all 4 corners wrapped around 16x8 MB Motoring Blitz rims, cryo'd 4.88's set up by Inchworm Gear, Trenz billet grill upper, T-Rex billet grill lower, on board VI-AIR aircompressor and 3 gallon air tank, AutoMeter A-pillar pod with trans temp gauge (sending unit in the tranny pan), Long Tru-Cool LPD tranny cooler, 10" Flex-a-Lite tranny cooler fan w/thermostat, TRD billet oil filler cap, TRD air filter, TRD dual exhaust, and TRD add-a-leaf rear springs. Superlift TruSpeed Speedo Recalibrator. Warn Trans4mer system with a 9.5ti winch running Amsteel Blue winch line. Budbuilt traction bar. Staun tyre deflators. Spitz Lift portable crane. Marlin Crawler 1.5" wheel spacers. Our home away from home, 2004 Outback 26RS travel trailer with 15" MB Motoring Blitz rims to match the Tundra.
Regarding the fairlead, here's a quote from Winchline.com "The Viking Aluminum Hawse Fairleads are designed to be used with synthetic winchlines only. These fairleads are necessary to replace cast steel hawse fairleads and optional replacement of the factory steel roller fairlead." These guys also sell replacement rollers from a material called Delrin. That's why these rollers are almost black in color in this picture:
So, providing my original rollers don't have burrs, etc., (I checked!) they are perfectly acceptable to use. Perhaps one day I'll replace the rollers with a Hawse style fairlead.
SWEET! That keeps the cost down since you don't have to switch out right away!!!
Exactly! I already spent a ton of money on the winch line, new Iridium spark plugs, new radio with built in Blue tooth, some additional recovery gear, hand-held CB with external, magnetic mount antenna, serviced and replaced various fluids and finished all that off with an alignment! Then there's the cost of the hotels, food and gas along the way and the class itself! So I'll replace the fairlead another day.
I had to draw the 'spending' line somewhere!
__________________
My daily driver - 2008 Vios 'S' sedan. Tinted windows in the rear, TRD anti-sway bar for the rear, 17" rims - Samurai SC02 Hyper Black. TRD lowering springs. Megan Racing header.
My favorite ride - a 2001 SR5 4x4. With - RCD 6" lift, JBA Titanium coated headers, JBA y-pipe, Unichip PnP, ARB rd-129 air locker (rear), Camburg UCA's, custom front Sway-A-Way coilovers, custom Sway-A-Way's with remote reservoirs and billet mounts for the hind-quarters, PolyPerformance limit straps with adjustable clevis's, Stubbs Welding rock sliders and custom front skid plate, 315/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/T's, on all 4 corners wrapped around 16x8 MB Motoring Blitz rims, cryo'd 4.88's set up by Inchworm Gear, Trenz billet grill upper, T-Rex billet grill lower, on board VI-AIR aircompressor and 3 gallon air tank, AutoMeter A-pillar pod with trans temp gauge (sending unit in the tranny pan), Long Tru-Cool LPD tranny cooler, 10" Flex-a-Lite tranny cooler fan w/thermostat, TRD billet oil filler cap, TRD air filter, TRD dual exhaust, and TRD add-a-leaf rear springs. Superlift TruSpeed Speedo Recalibrator. Warn Trans4mer system with a 9.5ti winch running Amsteel Blue winch line. Budbuilt traction bar. Staun tyre deflators. Spitz Lift portable crane. Marlin Crawler 1.5" wheel spacers. Our home away from home, 2004 Outback 26RS travel trailer with 15" MB Motoring Blitz rims to match the Tundra.
Exactly! I already spent a ton of money on the winch line, new Iridium spark plugs, new radio with built in Blue tooth, some additional recovery gear, hand-held CB with external, magnetic mount antenna, serviced and replaced various fluids and finished all that off with an alignment! Then there's the cost of the hotels, food and gas along the way and the class itself! So I'll replace the fairlead another day.
I hear ya Herb! I have been in that boat many a time myself!
Yeah, you've darn near sunk that boat a time or two...
Hopefully I'll get to try out all my new gear by this time next weekend.
__________________
My daily driver - 2008 Vios 'S' sedan. Tinted windows in the rear, TRD anti-sway bar for the rear, 17" rims - Samurai SC02 Hyper Black. TRD lowering springs. Megan Racing header.
My favorite ride - a 2001 SR5 4x4. With - RCD 6" lift, JBA Titanium coated headers, JBA y-pipe, Unichip PnP, ARB rd-129 air locker (rear), Camburg UCA's, custom front Sway-A-Way coilovers, custom Sway-A-Way's with remote reservoirs and billet mounts for the hind-quarters, PolyPerformance limit straps with adjustable clevis's, Stubbs Welding rock sliders and custom front skid plate, 315/75/16 Toyo Open Country M/T's, on all 4 corners wrapped around 16x8 MB Motoring Blitz rims, cryo'd 4.88's set up by Inchworm Gear, Trenz billet grill upper, T-Rex billet grill lower, on board VI-AIR aircompressor and 3 gallon air tank, AutoMeter A-pillar pod with trans temp gauge (sending unit in the tranny pan), Long Tru-Cool LPD tranny cooler, 10" Flex-a-Lite tranny cooler fan w/thermostat, TRD billet oil filler cap, TRD air filter, TRD dual exhaust, and TRD add-a-leaf rear springs. Superlift TruSpeed Speedo Recalibrator. Warn Trans4mer system with a 9.5ti winch running Amsteel Blue winch line. Budbuilt traction bar. Staun tyre deflators. Spitz Lift portable crane. Marlin Crawler 1.5" wheel spacers. Our home away from home, 2004 Outback 26RS travel trailer with 15" MB Motoring Blitz rims to match the Tundra.
Amsteel Blue winch line.
Re: Amsteel Blue winch line.
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