1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Roller Fairleads

Discussion in 'Winches' started by Jim Eyster, May 4, 2022.

  1. May 4, 2022
    Jim Eyster

    Jim Eyster Member 2022 Sponsor

    Central Ohio
    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2017
    Messages:
    118
    I’m looking for a fairlead for my winch. I know very little about winches, but I’m assuming the fairlead opening should be about the width of the drum. The widest drum fairlead I’ve found is 12” and my drum is 14”. Assuming my assumptions are correct, does anything know of a wider fairlead for sale? I don’t want to make one from scratch, but I think I could take the one pictured below and make longer rollers top and bottom.

     
    Ol Fogie likes this.
  2. May 4, 2022
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2003
    Messages:
    8,102
  3. May 5, 2022
    boopiejones

    boopiejones I can’t drive 55

    California east bay
    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2020
    Messages:
    545
    All three of my winches have 9” drums and came with fairleads that are about 7.5” wide. So I would think a 14” drum with a 12” fairlead is just about right.

    I believe the fairlead needs to be at least slightly narrower than the drum so the cable doesn’t drag on the edge of the drum when winching.
     
    Ol Fogie, dnb71R2, Rubicloak and 2 others like this.
  4. May 5, 2022
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
    Joined:
    Aug 3, 2003
    Messages:
    9,754
    I think I like the Ramsey design better, where the rollers overlap at the corners.

    Even if you were to 'lengthen' the rollers, it wouldn't be much more work to build a fairlead from scratch. I've done it with heavy-wall tubing, with an ID nominally sized to fit over heavy bar.
     
    Jim Eyster likes this.
  5. May 5, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
    Messages:
    4,460
    Yup.
    This was version 1:
    [​IMG]

    Version 2 (for rope):
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    As noted in the above posts, the fairlead needs to be shorter than the width of the drum. If you are running rope on the winch, you want minimal clearance between the rollers at the corners. I left 0.020" on Version 2 but the jury is still out on whether or not the Delrin rollers will flex enough under load to cause contact. The shafts for Version 2 are 3/4" 4140 and I don't think those will flex much. I actually bent the bottom shaft on a Warn fairlead. Those appear to just be 5/8' cold rolled.
     
    tomasinator, Jim Eyster and Fireball like this.
  6. May 5, 2022
    Jim Eyster

    Jim Eyster Member 2022 Sponsor

    Central Ohio
    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2017
    Messages:
    118
    Yikes! That is a little pricey! The cheaper items my be imports that suffer in quality. I’ll have to dig deeper.
     
  7. May 5, 2022
    Jim Eyster

    Jim Eyster Member 2022 Sponsor

    Central Ohio
    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2017
    Messages:
    118
    I’ll need to go steel as l plan to go cable and I doubt delrin will hold up. Your 4140 shafts are 3/4”…what diameter are the rollers?
     
  8. May 5, 2022
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
    Joined:
    Jul 30, 2003
    Messages:
    8,513
    Pays for its self the first time you need it.
     
  9. May 5, 2022
    duffer

    duffer Rodent Power

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2009
    Messages:
    4,460
    1.750"
     
    Jim Eyster likes this.
  10. May 5, 2022
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2003
    Messages:
    8,102
    FYI I made new rollers for my ramsey, the old ones were a bit battle worn.

    Finished_1.JPG

    Rollers_2.JPG

    Rollers_1.JPG

    Note that the verticals are on shafts but the horizontals are held in by studs that are threaded to screw into the frame but are machined smooth on the ends for the rollers to rotate on.

    Failrleead cleanup_1.JPG
     
    Jim Eyster, Twin2 and Fireball like this.
  11. May 12, 2022
    Jim Eyster

    Jim Eyster Member 2022 Sponsor

    Central Ohio
    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2017
    Messages:
    118
    So, I picked this up from Amazon. It’s pretty junky, and way too narrow, but for $30 I thought it might be a test bed.

    I’m going to cut the frame and weld in some angle top and bottom to widen it. I’ve got some 1.5” bar stock to make the new rollers.
     
New Posts