Tow Engineer
Synthetic ropes are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and different types of construction.
The Skinny on Synthetic Rope & Chain By Terry Abejuela
Field Editor Terry Abejuela has 40-plus years of light-duty towing and recovery experience. He is also a light-duty Level 1 instructor for the California Tow Truck Association.
S
teel rope and chain have been a staple of the towing and recovery industry since the beginning but like most industries the tools and equipment we utilize are constantly evolving to meet our changing needs. Synthetics may not replace steel anytime in the near future but they do provide us with another tool to perform the job more effectively, efficiently and safely. There are many different types of synthetic fibers available so take a look at the characteristics of the fiber used in the synthetic winch rope or synthetic chain before deciding which to purchase. Different fibers may have different strengths, UV resistance, abrasion resistance, heat resistance, chemical resistance and weight. Dyneema seems to be the fiber of choice for synthetic winch line ropes and synthetic chain.
20 • December 2020 | Towman.com
SYNTHETIC ROPE
Synthetic ropes have many benefits including lightweight, strong, low stretch, no memory, floats on water, nonconductive, won’t cause sparks, it is quiet, less potential for damage, is safer on hands and low recoil. If you conduct frequent water recoveries, a rope that floats is definitely a great benefit. Of course the hook on the end of the rope will sink in water. No memory means that the rope does not kink and can wind back on its’ self and not create permanent flat spots. The best benefit is that it is safer to use. Should the synthetic rope fail under load there is much less energy released when compared to steel rope. Because the rope is lightweight and soft there is less potential for injuries. There is a steel hook on the end of the rope so make sure to use a positive attachment winch line hook
