What can happen if the rope is to small or large for the sheave?

• A. The rope will wear faster
• B. The rope will stretch more
• C. The WLL of the rope will be reduced
• D. The rope will become brittle

Answer: (C)

When the rope diameter doesn’t match the groove size of the sheave, the rope won’t sit and bend evenly in the groove. That means uneven contact and sharper bending at the groove edges, which concentrates stress, increases wear and heat, and can damage the rope more quickly. Because the rope’s rated safe load assumes proper fit and healthy condition, any mismatch lowers the rope’s effective strength in service, so the working load limit should be reduced. The other effects you might see—faster wear, changes in stretch, or brittleness—can happen, but the essential reason the safe load drops is the suboptimal fit between rope and sheave.