M38/M38A1 Winch Part

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 10:33 am

Does anyone have, or know where I can get the correct winch cable connector, that connects the winch cable, (wire rope), to the chain and hook. Not sure of the correct terminology.

Post by **wesk** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:43 am

Look over my photo albums, particularly the Winch sub-album.

Original factory assy.

Original Pear shaped link.

The original factory cable assembly had the cable end finished with a thimble and nicopress which already surrounded the end link of the chain which already had the Pear link and hook permanently attached. Repairs necessitate using repair links.

Repair link for field repairs.

Here is a field hook replacement using a repair link in place of the original Pear shaped link.

This is the nicopress system for terminating cable assemblies.

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:00 pm

Thanks Wes. I have looked at the pictures but I never really saw a name for the fitting, unless it was called the "thimble". The part I'm looking for is the round piece that ends the wire rope. In the pictures above it would be your last picture with the crimp tool. I believe the original piece that accomplished what the nicopress system did, you could unscrew the 2 halves, insert the cable then screw them back together.

WESTCOMVIC · Post by **WESTCOMVIC** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 6:47 pm

I believe the name you are looking for is "Swedge". I work with swingstage cables and hooks are swedged on to the looped cable. You can also swedge a cable end at a termination.

Post by **wesk** » Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:28 pm

Swedged cables are not used on this winch. The nicopress and thimble are used on factory assembled cables (wire ropes). Adequate strength swedged fittings require a hydraulic swedging tool.

The left 8 cables have swedged ends. The 3 right cables have the crimped (Nicopress) formed loops.

There have been many ways to end a cable (wire rope) assembly over the years. In the 20's thru the 40's it was a common practice to weave (braid) the cable strands back into themselves forming the loop without any other devices.

When expensive tooling was not available folks would usually use this crude method for looping cable ends:

Back to Bill's last question the Nicopress system uses these parts:

The Crimp or Ferrule which we refer to as the Nicopress.

The thimble which strengthens the wire rope loop and reduces wear on the cable strands inside the loop.

WESTCOMVIC · Post by **WESTCOMVIC** » Thu Jul 16, 2015 7:21 pm

Thanks Wes...I stand corrected ,I deserve a "swedgie!

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 5:55 pm

OK after much effort I have loaded the picture of the winch with the part that I need identified. Any ideas where I might find this?

Post by **wesk** » Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:32 pm

That is a terrible photo to discern exactly what is pictured from! That could be anything from a nicopress to a tapered cable wedge. If that is in fact a mechanical cable swaging device then it is illustrated as what would be provided for a field repair or replacement of chain/cable assembly.

That winch chain/cable assembly as provided from the factory on a factory installed winch would have had a nicopress type swage used to lock wire rope around the thimble. Since the nicopress swage requires the special crimping tool most field repair parts were sent utilizing wire rope swaging parts that could be managed with normally available hand tools.

At any rate if you want a correct factory look use the factory assembly system.

If you want the field repaired look then use the mechanical threaded swaging devices.

bbloom · Post by **bbloom** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:52 am

Thanks for the reply Wes. The picture as I'm sure you know, came straight from the parts manual, so I was assuming that is the way the cable came with the winch. Bad as the picture is you can clearly see that, that is no nicopress fitiing. It appears more like the fitting you have pictured for "Safe Line Clamps". Thanks again for your input.

Post by **wesk** » Tue Jul 28, 2015 7:02 am

As I have already said the illustration is of the parts that would be sent to you for a field repair. Also that illustration from ORD 9 SNL-G-740 is for the 3500 model 50 winch cable assembly. The 50R 5000 Lb winch was a field installed unit.

Having seen first hand what a slapping around broke cable can do to people in winching situations I would not fool with the mechanical assembly swages (Threaded wrench type). I would use a double set of nicopresses.

lowenuf · Post by **lowenuf** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:44 pm

Hi Wes...... I am curious where the info comes from relating to the 50R being a 5000# winch? My tag is clearly stamped 8000#. Thanks, Mike

And the part he is looking for is called a thimble.....

Post by **wesk** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:38 pm

It had a lot to do with all these 50R data plates:

Now that you spiked our interest Mike how about posting a photo of this special 50R tag you have!!!

Bill is looking for the swage not the thimble.

This is what he circled

This is the thimble.

lowenuf · Post by **lowenuf** » Sat Aug 01, 2015 4:34 pm

Post by **wesk** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 10:56 am

Certainly looks like the plate was restamped in the capacity block only!

lowenuf · Post by **lowenuf** » Sun Aug 02, 2015 2:45 pm

wesk wrote:Certainly looks like the plate was restamped in the capacity block only!

Well, it hasn't been restamped, and Keith Buckley can attest to this also

Maybe this photo will be better for viewing