Switching Fish house from cables to Hydraulic

[bak2MN]

Hey guys I have a 8x18 ice castle with tandem axles with the cables and hand winches. The cables and roller system that they use is a joke. Mine is all rusty and does not work very well, and the cable on the tounge broke last weekend while camping. That was a lot of fun thank goodness I had a jack with. Any one have any good ways of switching this or useing something different for the cables? I was going to try and find something that wouldn't rust but not sure if they make a stainless type of cable. And if so might be spendy. I would like to make it elec or hydraulic of some sorts but not sure how. Anyone have any good Ideas or whats working for you?

Thanks.

[jeffreyd]

You could try to get a plastic coated cable but my suggestion would be the same thing you have now is what we use on our ladder truck cables. We wipe them down with plain old atf and then just run a clean rag over to catch the excess. after working on them for over 20 yrs have yet seen on rust and the are washed off and have water on them daily. Make sure you wear a good pair of leather gloves so you dont hang your hand up. They also make wire rope lube but it is kinda of nasty almost tar like and stinks to high heaven. A stainless cable would be way expensive especially for that application. Heck you could by a high strength strap that will hold as much as a cable too. Good luck.

[Ol_Bullhead]

use stainless steel cable it isn't to much higher per foot I use it on my grain auger seems to stand up much better check at an ag auger supplier store to buy it

I used stainless on my cable jacks for my Ice house

plastic coated will peel off and you have wasted diameter

[broken_line]

you could get an atv winch and put it in the front of the house and make a "y" with the cable udnder the house to the wheels.. or use 2 winches.

[crothmeier]

the plastic coated cable gets stiff and cracks and falls off. how do i know this you ask? experience. been there tried that it sucks.

i second the wiping down of the cable every so often. Buy heavier duty pullies and a heavier duty winch.

hydaulic would add a ton of weight and the electric winch would not solve your cable rust problem.

[sx2]

on my wheelhouse i switched the front cable for 3/16 to 1/4 it seems to be much stronger. the front cable has to pull up more weight.