[Racinjason477]

Recently installed a badlands 3500lbs winch on my sportsman along with a moose plow, well after plowing snow the last couple of days I noticed this morning that the bottom roller on the roller fairlead has been completely destroyed and can't figure out why? also the pushing that the bolt goes through on the roller broke in half... also every time when I lift the plow up the cable rolls up in the middle of the rollers but when I let the cable out the cable wants to move to the far right side of the roller it won't stay in the center of the rollers. Anybody have any idea why it destroyed the bottom roller? and why the cable will only go to the right when letting cable out? The rollers that came with the badlands winch are not solid steel kinda thing steel could that a problem?

Thanks for any help.

 

[MustBeNice]

I think I'd replace the roller fare lead with a little better one and see if the issue continues. Plowing can be hard on cable, a strap is a better alternative. As cable will bite and bind on itself. If it does this the cable will kink, strands will break (causing stickers for the hands) and basically be ruined. The ourward rotation of the winch will cause the cable to push to the left and inward rotation will want to make it clime to the right (center). So nothing too out of the ordinary there.

Good Luck!

 

[FredBear]

because the roller fair leads are junk! Most of them are just hollow tubes with plastic bushings in the ends. The plastic bushings crush under any kind of load and then the roller jams up. I want to find one that has solid rollers with just a hole drilled through them for the bolt.

 

[Racinjason477]

What do you mean by using a strap instead? The wheeler and plowing is all new to me so don't know all the little tricks. Thanks.

 

[FredBear]

They have a synthetic rope you can use and you would use what's called a hause fair lead. Much better set up if you can afford it

Sent from my Triumph using Tapatalk 2

 

[MustBeNice]

Many options....

1) Leave the steel braided cable ("Free", as it's already installed.... but issues may insue)
2) Synthetic rope and hause fairlead ($50-75+)
3) Strap ($20-25 - See Below)

For the strap (Homemade version).... you'll have to unspool the steel braided cable and remove (wrap on a power /extention cord reel works nice). Head over to your nearest China-Mart (WallMart or the likes) or boating supply store and pick up a boat winch strap w/ hook (with the strongest rating you can find, within reason #1500-3000'ish), along with a short length of 3/16-1/4" nylon rope. Tie the rope to the "looped" end of the boat winch strap and install it all back onto your winch...... hook up and plow. You now have a plow strap, that won't bite or bind on itself and should roll up flat every time!!

Good Luck!

 

[20004x4]

If you go online to a winch site, they will suggest for plowing you should only have one full coil plus the length of cable from the spool to the plow on your winch spool. This is the amount that will give you the most winch power to lift. The larger dia. of coils on the spool reduces the actual winch power substantially. I agree the strap is very good and safe as the wire cable is like a razor when it shreds!