What rope memory is, how it develops, and why it causes ongoing problems with pulley tracking. Tony explains the two main causes: rope forced sideways through a pulley under load (e.g. fouled on a tree branch), and slack rope laying on a hillside between hammer strokes. Both result in a permanent bend that causes the rope to continually want to displace from the pulley. Keeping ropes taut, free of fouling, and well-oiled is the key preventive measure.