Hitch Cord - Core only or core plus cover?

[Bart_]

Apologies if this info is already here somewhere, but I've seen core load bearing only spliced hitch cords and sewn core plus cover load bearing hitch cords. By simple reasoning, the sewn ought to be significantly stronger yet the status quo seems to be core only load bearing is quite acceptable.

Isn't the published strength for bulk hitch cord for core plus cover together?

Is there any hard data showing the full and derated core only strengths? Or maybe break testing data?

Apologies again if this is an old dead horse, just point me at a thread if appropriate.

 

[moss]

Apologies if this info is already here somewhere, but I've seen core load bearing only spliced hitch cords and sewn core plus cover load bearing hitch cords. By simple reasoning, the sewn ought to be significantly stronger yet the status quo seems to be core only load bearing is quite acceptable.

Isn't the published strength for bulk hitch cord for core plus cover together?

Is there any hard data showing the full and derated core only strengths? Or maybe break testing data?

Apologies again if this is an old dead horse, just point me at a thread if appropriate.

For hitch cord the cover is there to protect the core. For sewn eye hitch cords it is “convenient” to leave the cover as is. For example you could theoretically expose the core for the eye then tuck (with difficulty) the core back under the cover and sew it down through the cover. That would be pointless and a waste of effort. The hitch cord ABS is based on the core. For stitched eye hitch cords there is probably some nominal strength increase but I don’t believe that is measured or considered in the hitch cord strength rating because it is a “consumable” wear surface.
-AJ

 

[Brocky]

I would think that the core would stretch less, being hi-tech, than the cover and break before the cover was able to help much, if at all.

 

[moss]

I would think that the core would stretch less, being hi-tech, than the cover and break before the cover was able to help much, if at all.

Interesting theory but... say for a 28” useable length of cord between two eyes the stretch difference between the cover and core will be insignificant.
-AJ

 

[Brocky]

Rounding off and guessing the stretch of the core and cover, let’s say the core only stretches 1% before breaking, and the cover, due to polyester and the shorter braid angles, at 3%. Using the 28” cord example, the core would stretch around 1/4” before breaking, the cover would have to go about 3/4” to break. The cover will only have stretched 1/3 of what it can with 2/3 of reserve left. So theoretically the cover does help some, but not in a double braid type of way, no matter what the length of the cord.