Master-Pull Winch Line Update ...

UPDATED May 2002 Oh, this is just too sweet! This is almost better then ... ok, well, maybe not THAT good, but its pretty darn good! Finally got the chance to use the new winch line. Two things stood out immediately. The first thing: it weights NOTHING. Important when you're pulling 100' of line up a hill covered in snow and ice. Nothing worse then trying to pull a steel cable up a 30 degree incline covered in a foot and a half of snow and ice in below freezing weather! The line stayed supple, refused to tangle and true to their advertising didn't fray when dragged across the sharp crushed granite frequently found in the mining country of the Rockies.

The second thing that stood out is my line is maybe just a tad too long for my XD9000 winch. This is not a fault of the line or the winch line maker or even the winch. As previously mentioned elsewhere, re-spooling the XD9000 when installed inside the ARB bull bar is kind of a pain. No, let me rephrase that. Its REALLY a pain! Its a time consuming and not particularly safe task to re-spool the cable exactly right so it fits completely on the spool. You don't have to be quite as precise with the steel cable so its slightly easier to spool. But the Master-Pull line is a little thicker so it requires that you spool the line back on the winch exactly right. That task is made almost impossible by the lack of access to the winch. Its obvious that ARB had no intentions of the Montero Sport Bull Bar being a practical, serviceable unit. If you're using the winch frequently then its safer and quicker to just loop the line around the bumper and tie it off. With an externally mounted winch or a differently designed bumper re-spooling would not be a problem.

My only real "complaint" is the hook. Wonderful design - saftey-wise. But, better have a can of WD-40 handy if the line's been on over the winter. Its awkward if you're trying to handle it one handed. Its extremely awkward if it starts getting rusty and you're trying to take it off one handed. You've been warned -- keep it oiled. But, as I said before, from a safety standpoint its wonderful. It can't fall off. Once the hook is clipped to a clevis its going to STAY clipped no matter how much bouncing and jolting the line gets. But, I really wish the hook was easier to manipulate with one hand and stood up to corrosion better. I don't think anyone took into account that you might be needing two hands to keep yourself from sliding downhill under the dang truck!

Annoying hook or no, this is a great product! Extremely light weight - MUCH lighter then the steel cable - durable, light weight, easy to handle, light weight (did I mention this one??) and easy to handle!:-) Light weight is important on the Sports, too, since the ARB and XD9000 with steel cable will soon turn your stock torsion bars into toast!