Robust length measuring device for cables and wire ropes up to 15 mm in diameter. This length measuring device is suitable for cables, wire ropes, hoses, extruded parts, or continuous strips up to 15 mm in diameter. The pivot arm holds the measuring wheel, with a circumference of 250 mm, precisely against the cables and wire ropes to be measured. The shaft on which the measuring wheel is mounted runs in maintenance-free double ball bearings. The length measuring device is equipped with two adjustable tension springs that are externally mounted and can be disengaged from their anchorage. This allows the measuring head of the length measuring device for cables and wire ropes to be rotated to a stop, making it easier to thread the cable or wire rope into the machine. In their normal position, these springs hold the cable between the measuring roller and the lower pressure roller.