I am looking into buying an amsteel winch rope for a gift. The ATV that it will be used on is a Polaris with a winch we got off of e-bay that is rated for 1,000 lbs. The main reason we use the winch is to winch out of mud puddles, pull trees off the trail and to tie down to the trailer.
From reading online it looks like the average for an ATV winch is 50 feet? Wondering what would you suggest the 3/16 or 1/4? Also a few places have mentioned changing the fairlead from a roller fairlead to a hawse aluminum fairlead. I still have yet to read why this is… any answers out there?

 

Yes, 50' is the normal length. Allot of winches don't have room on the spool for more than that. 3/16 is also the normal for an ATV, that diameter of Amsteel (brand name) is rated at 5400 lbs strength, well beyond the capabilities of the winch. The aluminum fairlead is recommended due to the possibility of rollers snagging on the rope fibers causing premature wear and eventual breakage (especially if the rollers were used with steel cable) also you said you use it occasionally to pull trees off the trail...make sure the rope you buy comes with an Abrasion guard. This will protect the rope from the tree bark. Welcome to the forums!!!

 

i agree with hawk. 3/16 x 50ft. i however didnt get the alum fairlead. i got the plastic roller type for the syntetic rope. something just dont seem right have rope rub on a solid fairled. i got a 9' piece for plowing. and i personaly dont think the rope would last on a alum fairlead. also synthetic rope is not like steel. rope maybe stronger but steel is more durable when it come to some things.

 

3/16"

 

Some tree savers and/or a choke chain isn't a bad idea, either. Though synthetic doesn't kink like steel, I still like to avoid hooking to the cable.

Rocky mtn has a Tusk brand winch accessory kit that has that kind of stuff in it. (Tree savers, ****** block...)

 

50'x3/16"
def get a winch kit with tree savers etc...
tree bark can really eat up a synthetic line.