Haven't had my new warn 2.5 long, but I must have not used it properly at some point. There are some frays in the cable about 3 or 4' from the end. Iguess my question is does anyone have experience with cutting a few feet off the cable and putting a new grommet on it. You can get the 3/16 grommets at any hardware store, although I'm a little concerned if there the same as whats on it originally and how the original was put on. Can a person use the new grommet, install it themself and still safely have the same pull strength load as when it was original. Seems like a waste to go and buy a whole new cable so soon, and only because of the firdt 3'. It comes with 50', so there will still be plenty left. What do you all think?

 

Frays can occure if you do not keep constant tension on the cable at all times when your pulling the cable out or winding the cable back in. The cable will trend to get binded up on the spool and frays occure.

 

so are you guys saying that in time, frays will be common, and you don't need to rush out and put on a new cable when they show up? There isn't really a safety issue when pulling, when a few frays exist? (other than making sure the hands don't slide along the cable). I still would be interested in the proper way to fix the cable. The grommet bought at the hardware store looks the same as the stock one, but also came with a small single grommet shown to be used as a "stop" on the instructions, along with the bigger 2 cable grommet. Obviously, the stock winch setup doesn't have this.

 

If you go cutting the cable apart you will need to use a cutting torch, bolt cutters or other such items only smash the cable together. I, myself have never done this, the only concern I would have would be if the cable will start to unravel it's self once you cut threw it? You could always wrap tape around the cable and cut it off just before the tape to make sure it does not unravel. I do not see why this will not work.

I have used my winch a few dozen times and have not had any frays develop yet. Just keep tension on the cable at all times and you should be alright. I have friends that have winches three years old and the cable is in good shape still.

 

I was thinking about maybe throwing a little soldering flux on the end of the cable and heating it up slightly and sucjing some solder up into the cable. This would seem to do a excellent job at holding the cable end together as well as preventing it from sliding thru my new grommet I would be putting on.

 

If you do have to cut it you culd try this, I wrap where I want to cut with electrical tape then cut with a hacksaw and to put the hook back on I used small cable clamps (3/16" I think). Remember never saddle a dead horse ( an easy way to remember to put the saddle of the cable clamp on the live end of the cable)