与滑轮或滑轮直径相关的电缆直径
电缆的使用寿命 钢丝绳 如果(1) 在尽可能大的滑轮或滑轮直径上运行，以及(2) 在滑轮或滑轮槽中有适当的支撑，则可以延长钢丝绳的使用寿命。单股钢丝的工作寿命会随着滑轮或滑轮直径的减小而大大缩短。下图显示了各种规格和结构的电缆所能承受的最小胎面直径。
滑轮或滑轮的最小胎面直径
电缆直径与滑轮直径之比
| 理想的最低标准 | 最低临界值 | |||||||
| 42:1 | 24:1 | 12:1 | 28:1 | 18:1 | 10:1 | |||
| 电缆直径（英寸 | 6×7 或 7×7 | 6×19 或 7×19 | 6×31 7×31 6×37 | 6×7 或 7×7 | 6×19 或 7×19 | 6×31 7×31 6×37 | ||
| 1/16 | 2-5/8 | —- | —- | 1-3/4 | —- | —- | ||
| 3/32 | 3-15/16 | 2-1/4 | —- | 2-5/8 | 1-11/16 | —- | ||
| 1/8 | 5-1/4 | 3 | —- | 3-1/2 | 2-1/4 | —- | ||
| 5/32 | 6-9/16 | 3-3/4 | —- | 4-3/8 | 2-7/8 | —- | ||
| 3/16 | 7-7/8 | 4-1/2 | —- | 5-1/4 | 3-3/8 | —- | ||
| 7/32 | 9-13/16 | 5-1/4 | —- | 6-1/8 | 4 | —- | ||
| 1/4 | 10-1/2 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 4-1/2 | 2-1/2 | ||
| 5/16 | 13-1/8 | 7-1/2 | 3-3/4 | 8-3/4 | 5-5/8 | 3-1/8 | ||
| 3/8 | 15-3/4 | 9 | 4-1/2 | 10-1/2 | 6-3/4 | 3-3/4 | ||
| 7/16 | 18-3/8 | 10-1/2 | 5-1/4 | 12-1/4 | 7-7/8 | 4-3/8 | ||
| 1/2 | 21 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 5 | ||