Winch cable size for Koenig King LR-591 winch (Unimog 404 Diesel)

[VictorB]

I have a Koenig iron works King LR-591 PTO winch from the '60. Its build on my '65 Unimog 404 with a 80hp diesel engine. The winch cable need to be replacet. The previous owner put 36 meters of 10mm cable on it. And the winch is rated for 8000lbs.

On the internet if found this info over the winch capacity
Recommended cable size - 5/16" 6x19 Imp. Plow Steel hemp center
Drum capacity - 150' of 5/16" Cable
Pulling capacity - 8000lb

The 80hp diesel engine is stronger then the '50/'60 engines of the periode of the winch. Does this make the winch stronger? Or is there a change to overload the winch?
The weight of the Unimog wille be around 4 to 4.5 tons (loaded). I want steel cable and first i want more experience with the winch before i can make the choise for winchrope. The Unimog is quite heavy and i also gonna buy a good pulley block so i double the winch capacity when needed. The winch is mainly for self recovery of the Unimog. So it need to be reliable and safe!

So what size cable is the best and safest choice for this winch?
Is 8mm safe enough or 9mm or is 10mm much better in this situation?

Here's a video of the winch and my Unimog


Thanx for your time

[Antichrist]

Remember, a PTO winch isn't self regulating like an electric winch which will stall at around it's maximum load.
Unless it has a shear pin a PTO will keep going until something breaks.
I'd go with at least 9/16". Certainly nothing less than 1/2"
For comparison, my '53 deuce had a 10k Braden PTO winch, with a shear pin (which I sheared a couple of times), and it had, IIRC, 3/4" rope.

[762X39]

My Warn M12000 has 3/8" (just over 9mm I think) wire rope and I wouldn't run anything smaller for a 404. There is a slight difference in overall strength between fiber core (like hemp core) and wire core with the wire core being slightly stronger but I am not sure what other advantages it may have.

[VictorB]

Thanx for the reply's

I think i gonna buy 10mm cable its rated 7100kg (15700 lb). if the cable is to strong and it goes wrong then the winch brakes. (Cost so much more the a cable)

I also gonna by a good pulley block. I found this company nearby Single disk pulleys. So double up the winch when i recover my unimog. Which pulley sze is good for recovery with my 8000lbs winch?

[Antichrist]

Really, I'd check to see if the winch is protected by a shear pin. If it is, then you should be good (get some spares). If it isn't, I'd look in to modifying it so you can use one. One way would be a tubular propshaft for it with one section sized to slip inside the other and drilled for a shear pin.