Used my Warn Zeon10 S for the first time today. Was hooked to a JT stuck in a mud hole. First Jeep that hooked to it was sliding in the sand so I hooked up to make the pull easier. All seemed to go fine and we pulled it out. I was in the Jeep spooling the line while someone was holding tension on it. Get home several hours later, and decide to unspool the line and readjust it and the hook. I see the which line looks deformed so I start unspooling all the line. There are several melted spots off and on all the way down to the spool. Anyone have any ideas that may have caused this? I’m sure Warn will not warranty this and replacing a $500 line is not ideal. I would assume the line is now brittle and very prone to snapping in any of those melted spots. Thoughts??
Melted synthetic winch line
- Thread starter KY_Jeep
- Start date
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Pics?
WJCO
Meme King
It's likely normal and not melted. It can appear that way in spots due to the rope pressing down on other parts while it's spooled on the drum. As mentioned, post pics, but I'll bet if you 'Chinese Finger Trap' it back and forth a few times, it will correct.
I thought that too, and when I just unspooled it i noticed some of those areas and worked them back and forth but some seem to be way worse. Hopefully it does work itself out.
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
Yup. Looks normal to me.
DirtHeadDavis
Hooked
Yep looks normal. I've been told to pull the line all the way out and then respool it back in a little while after to let it "breathe" for that exact reason. Haven't done it yet and not sure if it's necessary, however I've used my winch 3 times and all relatively shortly within eachother.
Aceisback
Hooked
I did my synthetic line exactly how they said to “break them in”. Fully extended and drawn back in under load before using the first time.
In the past month I’ve had the pleasure of winching a heavy ass Mojave Gladiator three times. I noticed the same thing you saw on the second pull.
Fully extended to inspect after the third pull and noticed five areas like you show way down close to the drum.
If that’s normal then I’m relieved, especially being a brand new winch, and that it’s still safe to use it.
I’ll probably be winching tomorrow on the way up to Bald Mountain so I’ll try the ol Chinese finger trap trick.
I just figured it was from the line being pulled tight between wraps under a very heavy load.
In the past month I’ve had the pleasure of winching a heavy ass Mojave Gladiator three times. I noticed the same thing you saw on the second pull.
Fully extended to inspect after the third pull and noticed five areas like you show way down close to the drum.
If that’s normal then I’m relieved, especially being a brand new winch, and that it’s still safe to use it.
I’ll probably be winching tomorrow on the way up to Bald Mountain so I’ll try the ol Chinese finger trap trick.
I just figured it was from the line being pulled tight between wraps under a very heavy load.
HighwayTrout
Hooked
Absolute PERFECT “how to”
CalSgt
Hooked
^^^^This, and normal.
about once a year or so or after a trip where my line gets drug through mud I’ll fill a 5 gallon bucket with warm water and car wash soap. Unspool all the line into the bucket and do the “finger trap” motion working through to the end a few inches at a time. As I work the cleaned line goes into a bucket with clean water. Then finger trap one more time in clean water and let it dry before re-tensioning it on the spool.
OverlanderJK
Resident Smartass
CalSgt
Hooked
I usually just air dry, there’s no need to dab it dry with a dog.
Jsouder53
Hooked
I need to do that, it’s been a couple years since I last cleaned it.
CalSgt
Hooked
Amazing how much dirt is in the buckets when done
Jsouder53
Hooked
Doesn’t help that I used it to pull a tree out by the roots recently lol
