Wire Rope Sleeves & Steel Cable Compression Sleeves

Wire rope sleeves form loop ends, or eyes, on wire rope, aircraft cable, and fiber rope assemblies. They’re often installed with a thimble to reinforce the loop and are commonly used in rigging, lifting, industrial, architectural, and custom cable assemblies that need a secure attachment point.

A sleeve is swaged or compressed onto the cable to hold the loop in place, while a thimble sits inside the loop to protect the wire rope from abrasion, crushing, or sharp bending. Sleeves and thimbles are frequently used together to create a stronger, more durable loop end.

The right sleeve material depends on the cable type, environment, load requirements, and intended use. Stainless steel sleeves offer strong corrosion resistance, aluminum sleeves suit compatible wire rope constructions, and copper or zinc-plated copper sleeves are common for aircraft cable and general-purpose assemblies.

Many sleeves are designed to hold the nominal breaking strength of compatible wire rope when properly selected and installed. Performance depends on the sleeve type, cable construction, cable diameter, material compatibility, swaging method, and application. For critical or load-sensitive applications, testing or proof-loading may be recommended.

When requesting a quote, provide the cable diameter, wire rope or aircraft cable construction, sleeve material, sleeve style, required loop size, whether a thimble is needed, load requirements, and application environment. If available, include drawings, specifications, photos, or part numbers so Lexco can recommend the correct sleeve or custom wire rope assembly.