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Joined: Jan 2006
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Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
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Ok, I'm a greenhorn here. The wife got me a winch for my UTV for Christmas. I have it installed but haven't used it yet. In fact, I've never used any winch before. Before I get myself in trouble, I have a question.
While pulling, how do you keep the line from jamming under other layers of line?
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: May 2003
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 16,971 Likes: 1 |
Before you use it you need to spool it up under some weight, at least that's what I did with mine.
I pulled all but the last layer of rope off (I changed mine to synthetic winch rope) so that I have 6-7 winds left, hooked it to a tree, and used the winch to pull my truck to the tree from a distance. Then I simply kept it tight.
Not sure if this helps but it stayed pretty tight and I haven't had problems with it.
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,854 Likes: 4 |
If you wind it on the drum right, and do not allow any slack around the drum. The cable should follow the pattern you started. You will, have the occasional f-up. My experience with skidders and various tow trucks. Never used a small winch. When dealing with wenches, things always end all knotted up.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2014
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Spotshooter has a valid tip. It probably did help.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,329
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
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Make sure you wind evenly. I'm a relative newcomer to winches as well. I've only had one for 4 years on my pickup.
1) Always rewind your cable with a load on it. If I have someone with me, I have them walk the business end in under load and come straight at the truck. If I don't have anyone, I retract my cable using a log chain on the end to supply the tension. 2) I try to address what I'm pulling squarely. Pulling at an angle causes the cable to bunch up on one side. 3) I get back as far as I reasonably can. When I'm using the cable I have plenty of distance starting out. That tends to allow the cable the chance to rewind smoothly onto the reel. It also affords greater torque since I'm pulling off a smaller diameter reel
I put one on my old S-10 for use around the farm. It works great for retrieving deer out of the ravines, moving trees and limbs off the paths and I also use it to pull out live cedar trees.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,409 Likes: 5 |
How does rope compare to steel for jamming?
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: May 2003
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2003
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The synthetic doesn't have nearly as much memory as the steel cable so once it's one it's easy to make sure you don't get slack in the rope.
I use blue steel winch rope.
IIRC the WARN manual said to wind it under load like I described before using it.
I even put synthetic rope on my ATV winch I use to pull deer into the back of the truck - I haven't put it on the small winch yet... man that steel cable sucks compared to synthetic, a spur on a steel cable is a bad, bad thing.
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,673 Likes: 20
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 69,673 Likes: 20 |
You need at least half a mile of cable for when you azz shoot a bear...
Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla!
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Joined: May 2011
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 56,324 Likes: 9 |
Need a level wind feature on a winch.
_______________________________________________________ An 8 dollar driveway boy living in a T-111 shack
LOL
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Joined: Nov 2004
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,174 Likes: 1 |
I've never had any real problems with cable getting packed on the reel. If it goes on under tension, it should come off ok. Best advice I ever got on using a winch was to throw something like a blanket or jacket over the cable while using it. That will help slow down the cable should it break. Could save a windshield.
Harry
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Joined: Apr 2001
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2001
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man that steel cable sucks compared to synthetic, a spur on a steel cable is a bad, bad thing. I'm not sure if synthetic would hold up to high usage/commercial type situations, but for typical sportsman use, I would go for synthetic everytime... For some applications, I would even use flat web strapping before steel cables, but that would be on manual winches...
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2006
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I've never had any real problems with cable getting packed on the reel. If it goes on under tension, it should come off ok. Best advice I ever got on using a winch was to throw something like a blanket or jacket over the cable while using it. That will help slow down the cable should it break. Could save a windshield. Or serious bodily harm!
I've always been a curmudgeon - now I'm an old curmudgeon. ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Jan 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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In real-life conditions, you won't usually have to worry about it balling up unevenly. Not that it won't, it often does. But, as long as it does not outgrow it's housing limitations, you are fine. If that occurs, you just stop, freespool pull it out, the re-wind under slight tension when you can optimally re-stock the line. Repeat as necessary.
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Joined: Oct 2003
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Oct 2003
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I've had a winch on my ATV since 2008. I use Blue Steel rope. IMO it's all gain and no loss for my use. I switch it out for a synthetic plow rope for the Winter. When I put the ropes on my drum I just hold back some tension on the rope and guide it back and forth with my hand. I've never had a problem so far with this method. Synthetic rope won't naturally work back and forth on the drum on it's own so you need to work it back and forth by hand but it's not a big deal. High Brass used to bring me condemned equipment when his job involved some tower work. One item that's handy is a single pulley sheave. If I get a large deer I run the winch line through the pulley and use a rope to pull the sheave up to a limb. I use this method to load the deer on my ATV. No more hernias!
The Karma bus always has an empty seat when it comes around.- High Brass
There's battle lines being drawn Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2015
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The best input you received so far is a parachute on the cable when winching! Blanket, coat, anything that can slow down the cable if something comes loose under load. Carry a sheave block so you can double line, this saves wear on the winch motor. All cable tries to bunch when pulling sideways.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2005
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winches work well under tension wenches, not so much...
One man with courage makes a majority....
~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Campfire Kahuna
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OP
Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 69,409 Likes: 5 |
"Winch, wench, what's the difference?" Retch Sweeney
"In your case, not much." Pat McManus
“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” ― George Orwell
It's not over when you lose. It's over when you quit.
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 212
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 212 |
There have been some good replies, but safety first---ALWAYS put something over the cable to slow down the recoil if it breaks!! Lost a good friend in B.C.from a broken cable--- never knew what hit him.
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Joined: Mar 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2007
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The place you'll get a mess is when you are rigged up to something that loads one side of the fairlead. If that's the case, pull until you're a wrap or two from the point of binding the cable to the winch cross bars, then spool it out and hand stack it as clean as possible. You may have to repeat many times.
A snatch block is priceless. It can double your pull, allow you to rig around a corner, over a hill, up a tree.....etc. I can load an elk whole with a single block and some creative driving.
I would not buy something that runs on any kind of primer given the possibility of primer shortages and even regulations. In fact, why not buy a flintlock? Really. Rocks aren't going away anytime soon.
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Joined: Apr 2010
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2010
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Lots of you boys have used 'wenches' before!!
Even birds know not to land downwind!
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