Rope SNAFU

So I had my rope in the back of a friend's truck and some power steering fluid spilled on it. Some sections of the rope we're pretty well soaked and it got the center of the coil, so the damage is spread pretty evenly over the whole rope. I am not and do not plan on using it, but was wondering if anyone had any input as to the potential effects of such an event on rope dexterity?

Tganks

Not knowing the components in the power steering fluid (mineral or synthetic oil with unknown additives) it is hard to predict what the effect will be. Smart to retired it.

You might wash it up and use around the house or find a horse packer.

There are a number of users here on MP with pull testing rigs. They typically offer to pull anything you send in and will post the results on MP for everyone to see. I think Geir is one, I can't remember the others.

PS fluid, like brake fluid, clutch fluid, and most other hydraulic fluids, is highly corrosive to skin, paint, and fabrics.

Rope dexterity, not sure;
rope strength, totally compromised. Toss it.

Jon H wrote:There are a number of users here on MP with pull testing rigs. They typically offer to pull anything you send in and will post the results on MP for everyone to see. I think Geir is one, I can't remember the others.

True, but a pull test for tensile strength isn't relevant to the rope's ultimate job. Though if it broke at, say 50 pounds, I think it MIGHT be wise to retire it. :-)

Chemically speaking, PS fluid is nothing like brake fluid. PS fluid is a mineral-based hydraulic fluid: quite highly refined with minimal additives, the main one being an oxidation inhibitor (the same one that's used in breakfast cereal packaging). PS fluid is for all practical purposes nontoxic and is not classified for transport purposes as corrosive, reactive or flammable. Brake fluid is IIRC a polyglycol fluid.

I would wash the rope in Dawn and climb on it. But I'm not you. Maybe you should replace it with a new rope; consider that your punishment for being so careless with a critical piece of life-support gear.

I don't know a whole lot about the chemical properties but PS fluid can be mineral based or synthetic. I use synthetic.

It's closely related to ATF, (which can also be mineral or synthetic) but ATF has modifiers specifically designed to reduce nylon degradation, due to all the nylon parts in that system.
Not sure if PS fluid has those same nylon friendly additives.

Brake fluid, definitely gross. Ruined the paint in my engine bay and left a corrosive stain on an exhaust tube I spilled some on. And it makes your skin feel funny after a while.

At the end of the day, in my mind, better safe than sorry.