Winch cable/chain

[Gerry]

Is the chain at the end of the cable something special or can it be bought locally? I am trying to keep it original.
Thanks,

[w30bob]

Hi Gerry,

Well.........that depends on how original you want your truck to be. If you want the "correct" winch chain it's something special. If something similar will work......then it's easy. A correct winch chain just sold on EPay for over $200 bucks. The detail is in the hook.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Winch-chain-WC- ... d4&vxp=mtr

regards,
bob

[Gerry]

Thanks Bob.
How was the chain attached with a clevis or a clamp?

[ZGjethro]

I just bought a used winch and it has that chain on the end of the cable. I was not sure if it was correct or not. Actually, it looked kind of wimpy compared to the chain it was clamped to.

[Gerry]

ZGjethro how was the chain attached to the cable?
Thanks,

[ZGjethro]

The chain was looped through the big chain link with the tear dropped cable end shown in Bob"s photo. Then the cable doubled back on itself for 5" with two cable clamps on it

[PoW]

Those horseshoe clamps are known as 'Crosby's'.

They are not correct, as the original used a special 4-part cable clevis that used an internal wedge device captured in a thimble that screwed together coaxially.

7/16" cable as well. Pay attention to the 'lay' of it, as it will never spool correctly if it is not right. It has been many years, but I seem to remember it was of the left lay type.

Sometimes it most expedient to get a chain assembly form a duece & 1/2, as they look almost the same, just a bit larger.

Dennis

[Gerry]

Thanks ZGjethro and Dennis

[ZGjethro]

Dennis, could you post a picture of the cable connection you are talking about? I suspected my connection was not factory correct since I don't think I have a full spool of cable.

[Gerry]

ZGjethro,
VPW has a picture of a clevis in their catalog

[ZGjethro]

Thanks. I just checked out that picture. Underneath it is the thimble and clamps which connect my cable. What type of fastening mechanism does the Clevis have which would resist 8000lbs of straight pulling force?

[PoW]

The correct device has a forged steel wedge with tapered grooves, and it is threaded into to end of the cable after the hex-head ferrule is slipped on the wire. It is then pulled into the body, and the ferrule is threaded tightly into the body.

This securely captures the strands without bending or sharp pinching them.

This type of clevis is reusable as well.

The wedge looks a bit like a recovered rifle bullet.

DDG

[ZGjethro]

Thanks PoW. If it is an easily installed part, I will put it on the truck. The thimble and clamp setup on there now looks kind of home made compared to a streamlined clevis

[w30bob]

Anybody have a pic of the correct device POW is talking about??

thanks,
bob

[isaac_alaska]

There's a good photo in vintage power wagons pdf parts catalog on their site, scroll down to winch stuff. shows what it looks like but not the inner workings.