HOW TO: Reapair or Splicing Sythetic Winch Line

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Flyingwen

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Anyone who has used a winch has seen a winch cable break or snap along the way at one point or time. This dangerous condition has lead to many Jeep and 4wd owners switching to synthetics for safety and weight savings. However, many people fear repairing their winchline.

Repairing synthetic winch lines is pretty easy if equipped with the right gear. Viking Offroad's Winchline Splicing Tool Kit includes everything you'll need to get you back in the game. The kit consists of a 5/16" fid, a 3/8" fid, scissors, electrical tape, stitching needle, stitching twine, splicing instructions, and a storage bag. There is two major splices that could be encountered while on the trails an end to end splice and an eye splice which are both covered in the instructions in the kit.

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End to end splices are commonly used to repair winchline that has been sheared in the middle of the winchline. To begin this splice you must first measure, for this splice you will need 7 fid lengths of additional rope to complete the splice safely.

Step 1: Both ends of the winchline should be taped, this prevents it from fraying.

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Step 2: Laying both ropes along each side of each other, measure one fid length from the taped end and mark on both lines, this will be POINT 1. If a marker is not available, the tape can be used to mark this position.

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Step 3: From POINT 1, measure 2 fids from POINT 1 and mark on both lines, this will be POINT 2.

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(NOTE: A common mistake here is to mark 1 fid length from POINT 1, it should be 2 fid lengths.)


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Step 4: From POINT 2, measure 3-1/2 fids from POINT 2 and mark on both lines this will be POINT 3.

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Step 5: To make the splice the ends need to be tapered. Begin at POINT 1 and on the side towards the taped end, mark every other left and right strand for 3 strands.

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Step 6: Cut each marked strand and remove from the line, this will cause the line to taper to a point typically leaving 6 strands remaining. During this the taped end may cause resistance to removing the cut strands and may have to be removed to pull out the cut strands.

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Step 7: Reposition the two portions of the winchline so that the cut ends are opposite of each other and both POINT 1 markings line up with each other.

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Step 8: Attach the fid to the taped end of one of the ropes.
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Step 9: Insert the fid and the rope into the other portion of the rope at POINT 2 and exit the rope at POINT 3. Continue to pull the rope out of POINT 3 until POINT 2 matches POINT 2 of the other rope.

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Step 10: Switch the fid to the other rope and insert at POINT 2 and exit at point 3. Burry both of the ropes working your way from POINT 2 to POINT 3 on each ropes. In order to completely burry, tying the tapered end and using both hands and body weight may be necessary.

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Step 11: Pulling both of the tapered ends, smooth out the crossover point.

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Step 12: Cut tails on an angle (give them a point) and give the rope a final smoothing by stroking the rope firmly, burying both of the cuts inside the rope.

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Step 13: From the crossover point (point 2) count 8 picks and begin the lock stitch, by inserting the stitching twine.

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Step 14: Stitch back and forth so that a minimum of 3 complete stitches is on both sides of POINT 2. End the stitching with an overhand knot.
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Now that you are done this splice can retain 90% to 100% of the rope strength following the above steps.

The eye splice is used to place a permanent loop at the end of the winchline most commonly used to replace the hook, or anchoring point. In this example we will be replacing the hook on the KJ with a Safety Thimble and while the line is cut installing a Daystar Hawse Winch Isolator. Much of the procedures is the same as end to end splicing procedures.

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Step 1: The end of the winchline should be taped, this prevents it from fraying.

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Step 2: Measure one fid length from the taped end and mark, this will be POINT 1.

Step 3: From POINT 1, measure 2 fids from POINT 1 and mark on both lines, this will be POINT 2. (NOTE: A common mistake here is to mark 1 fid length from POINT 1, it should be 2 fid lengths.)

Step 4: From POINT 2 mark desired length of loop, if reinstalling a thimble mark at the distance by installing the thimble, this will be POINT 3.

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Step 5: From POINT 3, measure 3-1/2 fids from POINT 3 and mark on both lines this will be POINT 4.

Step 6: To make the splice the ends need to be tapered. Begin at POINT 1 and on the side towards the taped end, mark every other left and right strand for 3 strands.

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Step 7: Cut each marked strand and remove from the line, this will cause the line to taper to a point typically leaving 6 strands remaining. During this the taped end may cause resistance to removing the cut strands and may have to be removed to pull out the cut strands.

Step 8: If installing a hook, eye, or thimble, feed rope through or leave desired eye opening and install fid at the tapered end of the line.

Step 9: Feed the fid and tapered end through POINT 3, exiting POINT 4. Use caution not to let the winchline twist during this process.

Step 10: Remove fid and begin burying rope by pulling on the tapered end with one hand while smoothing bunched line with the other until POINT 2 and POINT 3 meet.

Step 11: Cut the tapered end at an angle and begin smoothing the covering line from the eye loop towards POINT 4, using both hands and body weight burry the cut end into the rope.

Step 12: Both POINT 2 and POINT 3 should be at the same point in the eye loop, this will be where the lock-stitching begins by passing the stitching through this point. Do not tie a knot in the stitching and leave half of the stitching remain from the first insertion point.

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Step 13: Continue lock-stitching until at least 3 complete stitches have been inserted to the rope. After 3 complete stitches, the rope should be rotated 90° and the remaining half of the stitching is stitched in. with the last stitch exiting the same spot as the prior.

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Step 14: Using a square knot tie off remaining stitching and burry the knot into the braid.

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kb0nly

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Awesome!!! Great job on the writeup and the pictures really help explain the process.
 

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