GRCS Rope

brendonv

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There was a thread on Treebuzz started about what's a good static rope to use when lifting large loads with the GRCS. It pretty much didn't get too much action.

So I am going to ask here. I am thinking of getting a line for heavy lifting/pulls with the GRCS. Preferably 1/2" so more wraps on the winch. What should I get and where should I get it?

20,000MBS good?

If you don't use a dedicated rope, what do you use?
 
1/2 HTP is good.......not 20k though. Who cares with grcs...10k is plenty. You'll be shittin' bricks past those numbers:O
 
Yale's Ultrex Plus at 1/2" has an ABS of 20,000 pounds. It is a dyneema core (strong and low stretch) with a polyester cover (good UV protection and grip for the winch).

Would that work?

love
nick
 
Roger (rbtree) has a bit of experience with several types of modular lines for rigging with his GRCS. Maybe you could point him in the direction of this thread.
 
I use 1/2" Validator from Samson, 22k MBS or ABS, don't remember.

If a 10k line would do, I'd just stick with Stable Braid.
 
Pm'd ya, Brendon..... My supplier can beat anybody's price by a country mile....

And PSRopes products are very good....

That Validator is prolly great line, but its way too pricey..and is 24 strand....16 is all you need....

Forgot my old DSComp high modulus line yesterday on this job..the old 1/2 inch PSRopes double braid did the job just fine, but I was bummin' http://www.flickr.com/photos/rbtree/sets/72157606088689011/show/
 
Hmm, mine is a double braid, outside is poly, inner is the strong, weight carrying stuff.

Fairly certain it's a 12 strand, hollow braid construction. Splice was a locking brummel with a snazzy eye cover'er.
 
Hmm, mine is a double braid, outside is poly, inner is the strong, weight carrying stuff.

Fairly certain it's a 12 strand, hollow braid construction. Splice was a locking brummel with a snazzy eye cover'er.
I don't think the weight bearing core of my double braid is 12 strand hollow braid....I'd have to look...there is an exposed end on my old line.....and a bad spot where the sheath has lost most of its braids...and the core is poking through. Have resisted cutting it out as 90% of the strength is still there, and I like the length....

Validator is 24 strand sheath (I think), Dyneema core.....let's see pics of this locked brummel on a double braid, or am I missing something? Is only the core spliced?
 
You won't believe what a high mod rope will do in comparison. You take out the slack/belly, the next turn you make goes straight to lifting/flexing your rigging points instead of stretching the rope.
 
For whatever reason ;) I'm pretty sure I have pics of carl's line.

Carl- you don't have Validator, you have Validator II. The first is their hollow braid 12 strand. The second is the same rope with a 24 strand polyester cover over it. Roger- the splice was done as a locking brummel...maybe with double locks...and an exposed eye with the cover whipped over the throat, but then I covered the eye before finishing up the splice. It was covered with some cover from a BlueWater rope that pantheraba brought.

Lemme find the pics...

love
nick
 
Thanks, Nick....I kinda thought that's what Carl meant.

No wonder Val 2 is so strong...and pricey!!

Ben's company did a normal double braid splice on my new DS Composite...and added a cover piece from another line to protect the eye.

Ever try a 12 strand tuck splice?
 
A point which is not often discussed is that the high mod lines were created for static pulls/loads.
In tree work, the majority of load line rope work involves dynamic loading.

I have ruined several VERY expensive high mod static ropes to date.
 
Yale's Ultrex Plus at 1/2" has an ABS of 20,000 pounds. It is a dyneema core (strong and low stretch) with a polyester cover (good UV protection and grip for the winch).

Would that work?

I would not recommend anything with a dyneema or spectra core because of it's low melting point. If you bombed a big piece into it, the friction of the rope running around the capstan might do some damage to the core. Of course you wouldn't see this because it's inside, covered by a polyester cover with a higher melting point. You would only find out about this on the next piece when it broke.
 
I think Greg uses Stable Braid or Double Esterlon, which is what I would recommend.
 
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I think I'll just stick with my stable braid then. Pulled over some back leaning good sized red oaks this morning with a new 1/2" stable braid.
 
Safe working load of the GRCS is 2,000 lbs.

I often recall a tree that had to be pulled away from the power lines. It was a Monterey Cypress. Serious lean toward the main coastal feed, 60 kv. The company sent me a D6 on a low bed, and I had a young climber in the tree ready to set the rigging. It was a great show of equipment and manpower.

Everything looked square until the superintendent dropped the tailgate of his truck to show me a 3/8's steel cable to pull the tree. What??? I needed at least 3/4.

You may ask what this has to do with this thread... Well, the GRCS has a safe working load of 2,000 lbs. Why get a 20,000 lb rated line for it? If you start working with the line strengths then you begin working beyond the recommended ratings of he GRCS

My episode with the cypress tree was exactly the opposite. Why send out a D6 and a piece string for it to break and lose the tree. hell I could have use a come-along to reach the load rating of 3/8 cable

You have to match the power and the rigging to the job.

Oops, I'm rambling.
 
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