terminating wire cable

Lamont in NC · Jun 3, 2015

I've got a hand winch with a wire rope/cable. At the end it goes around a eyelet piece that's through the loop on the hook then the cable is secured to itself with 2 u-bolt type clamps. The very end of the wire cable is of course frayed out and sticks and cuts me when I try to grab up near the hook to use it. I think I'm going to cut it off with a cutoff wheel nice and smooth and the only thought I've had is putting shrink fit tubing for electrical wire over it and shrinking it into place but I wonder if it'd hold up. How do y'all fix the end so they don't unravel?

Paul from MI · Jun 3, 2015

Not sure how big the cable is, but we had electrical crimp connectors that would handle #2 at the plant. maybe could use one of them on the cable end.

RM-MN · Jun 3, 2015

I burn the end of the cable off with the arc welder. That fuses the wires so they can't fray.

fixerupper · Jun 3, 2015

A combination of the advice from both RM and Paul will solve your problem. Fuse the ends with a welder then crimp on a cap to make it neat.

donjr · Jun 3, 2015

Use a few laps of electrical tape on both sides of your cut BEFORE cutting it. I will hold it together while you cut it, then a torch or a crimper with an inline sleeve will secure it permanently...

RWK in WI · Jun 3, 2015

When we have a nice clean cut on the wire cable we often slip a short length of copper or aluminum tubing over the cut end and crimp it tight ( sometimes just mashing it with a hammer )

Jim in Ma. · Jun 3, 2015

I never "CUT" a cable. I melt it with a torch or welder.
That way the wires hold together.

john in la · Jun 3, 2015

Kind of surprised it as clamps; usually those types of ends have wire rope ferrules.
But a couple of ways to do it.
1)Get a wire rope end stop and put on the end of the wire. Its basically a piece of metal crimped on the end.
2)Wrap the end of the wire rope with seizing wire.
3) Or farmerize it and weld or melt with a torch the end of the wire rope.

2 clamps are adequate for wire rope up to 7/16" with proper turn back.
And remember when you put the clamps on "Never Saddle A Dead Horse"

Lamont in NC · Jun 3, 2015

Thanks folks!

I liked the cut it with a welder suggestions. I just came in from burning through it with the buzz box. I was impressed. Looks clean and, well, it looks like it's all stuck together. I can always do it again. You know there is some sort of thin rope or fiber inside the cable--the end dropped off and continued to burn like a candle.

I didn't measure the cable diameter but it's like 1/4" or 5/16". Just a hand crank winch and a just over 4' x 8' tilt bed trailer. Home built job I got at an estate sale Saturday.

Nope, didn't saddle the dead horse.

JerryS · Jun 3, 2015

I took mine to a friend with acetylene torch and he melted the ends. Otherwise, I think I'd have sealed it off with a big gob of JB Weld.

terminating wire cable

Lamont in NC

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Paul from MI

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RM-MN

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fixerupper

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donjr

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RWK in WI

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Jim in Ma.

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john in la

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Lamont in NC

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JerryS

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