10/17/2026
Ever wondered how to get the hook onto a wire rope winch line?
- Open thimble, insert hook and reclose thimble. Make sure to tighten the thimble and get it aligned properly.
- Splice the appropriate wire rope around the hook eye, properly sized for the thimble.
- Pop the thimble into the splice and synch up the swage sleeve as tight as you can. For larger cable, use a hammer or similar tool to knock it all the way onto the splice.
- Swage the sleeve. (Note: This is not intended for lifting, and make sure to never lift with a splice that has not been professionally installed, tested, and certified!)
We splice thimble eyes into our standard winch line hook end for the added durability the insert provides. Especially with a smaller wire rope like this 3/8" bright 6x19, you'll get a lot of extra life and security from a thimble eye versus an open eye.
The hook we show here is our standard eye hook, the most cost-effective winch line hook option we sell. For the 3/8" wire rope, a 2-ton hook is provided by default. We'll send the most appropriate hook for whichever size you select — from 1-1/2-ton at 5/16," to 11-ton at 3/4." You can browse all winch line option on our site, https://lifting.com/winch-lines.html.
