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winch and shear pins, ugh!!!

Wildchild467

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I wouldn't use steel - it is asking for trouble. Sometimes it's difficult to tell how much strain there is even when being careful. I have also heard of some of the aluminum shear pins being made of the incorrect alloy, which is softer. Perhaps this is why some aluminum pins are shearing. I've used my winch many times , winching my Deuce, other trucks, tractors and trees and I have never sheared a pin. Although I do have a 10-ton snatch block, i normally don't use it because I'm lazy and it's heavy. My pin is definitely aluminum and is the original pin installed when I picked the truck up from GL.

Good Point. Im the same way with my winch. i need to get some aluminum pins. seems like any grade of alminum will be better than a grade 2 bolt. I should buy another 10 ton snatch block anyway though.... just because.
 

whyme

New member
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angola ny
unfortunately i ran into the problem of self recovery, backing up was not an option or else the winch would not have been needed. i might take a layer off the drum and cut the cable shorter to help in the future.
 

Kalashnikov

Member
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Location
NH
Its not the shear pin that is the problem, that can be easily upgraded. Do it at %150 and see what happens, or i can put a pick on here so you dont have to spend $500 plus to find out for yourself. The brass gear is the week point and WILL blow the housing apart.
I already did that. Broke a handfull of grade 8 bolts. I know it wasn't smart but I figured if it breaks then it is time to upgrade anyways.

Getting enough cable off the drum is paramount. Snatch blocks help do this as well as ease the strain on the winch. Nobody has mentioned a light foot though. You don't need to up the idle at all. My winch will do whatever I ask of it at 800 RPM. I work the clutch pedal very slow and consistently. 1500 RPM or banging that clutch pedal around does considerably assist in breaking shear pins. I'm very much a stickler on using only GI pins, none of the dealer stuff on the market. I'd like to think I have a lifetime supply but I better not curse myself.
When I winched myself out with a snatch block it took about 1500 rpms to keep the truck from stalling.

We test winches for hire, and per Ron's post yes they are all rated for capacity on the first lay. The only exceptions are marine mooring winches and tuggers. They just have a maximum line pull rating. THe mechanics of the deuce winch are underrated, but the limiting factor is the rope. Winch SF guidelines are for a 2:1 and the 1/2" rope meets that.
Electric winches such as Warn, Mile Marker, and others are winches for show. Most (not all) will not make rated pull, most will failel, and all will overheat or loose gearing long before you make a pull of any length. (Read like 25 feet or so.) The best you can depend on from one of these show winches is 1/2 the rating and that is being generous.

Like Recovery posted, the correct shear pins are tough, at roughly 800RPM the winch should stall the engine before it shears. But screw with the clutch or bump the throttle and snap.
Electric winches are certainly not just for show. I've relied on them quite a few times. I had to have my F150 winched through quite a few large, slippery, rocky, hills. The truck was not running. It was dead weight. The winch took it while winch the jeep it was mounted to as well.

More than a few times I've had to be winched and they pull buried axles out single line. one was an 8k pound off brand, 12k Warn, and another off brand 12klb to name a couple times.

If you need a snatch block, let me know, I got a friend who works at a wire and rope company(up to 6in thick wire rope) and he said he could get a good deal on some snatch blocks. let me know.
I'd be interested in a few...
 

sigo

Lieutenant Colonel
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...unicorns?
Yup, but only with a 13.6mph tail-wind. :p

Between the vehicle TM, and FM 4-30.31 or it's predecessor, most of the old myths can easily be confirmed or dispelled.

I love hearing some of the old mil equipment myths... BDUs were fire-proof, Flak vests would stop a bayonet, etc.
 
interesting ... 2024 t 3 aluminum has approx the same shear strength as a grade 1 0r 2 mild steel bolt (5/16 bolts )41000 aluminum 42000 mild steel . is that the shear pin alloy number? there are 8 different alloy typa for 20 24 that i could find
 
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Recovry4x4

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I already did that. Broke a handfull of grade 8 bolts. I know it wasn't smart but I figured if it breaks then it is time to upgrade anyways.



When I winched myself out with a snatch block it took about 1500 rpms to keep the truck from stalling.



Electric winches are certainly not just for show. I've relied on them quite a few times. I had to have my F150 winched through quite a few large, slippery, rocky, hills. The truck was not running. It was dead weight. The winch took it while winch the jeep it was mounted to as well.

More than a few times I've had to be winched and they pull buried axles out single line. one was an 8k pound off brand, 12k Warn, and another off brand 12klb to name a couple times.



I'd be interested in a few...
The quote I highlighted in red tells me all I need to know. Your winch has some issues brewing. I've recovered most things folks with deuces have and quite a few things folk have not. I've broke my share of shearpins as well but I've never even come close to stalling a truck running at 800 RPM. If your winch required 1500 RPM, there is certainly an issue.
 

stumps

Active member
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One advantage that electric winches have over direct drive PTO driven winches is they smoothly slow down when they are overloaded. A slow, but smooth pull can work when a unyielding steady tug won't. The slow pull gives the mud a chance to ooze out of the way at its own pace. The hard steady tug will just act like it ran up against a brick wall.

-Chuck
 

Kalashnikov

Member
372
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Location
NH
where are you getting your "grade 8" bolts from?
Yup, cheap chinese from HD.

The quote I highlighted in red tells me all I need to know. Your winch has some issues brewing. I've recovered most things folks with deuces have and quite a few things folk have not. I've broke my share of shearpins as well but I've never even come close to stalling a truck running at 800 RPM. If your winch required 1500 RPM, there is certainly an issue.
I guess I better dig into it and check out the guts. :cry: Could also be why it didn't rip off, athlought I dont know why the bolts would've broken. They are chinese but it's still a grade 8 bolt.



From what it sounds like, a grade 2 bolt is the better replacement if you're in a jam and are without aluminum shear pins.
 

SEAFIRE

Member
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Location
Seadrift Texas
We use our W/W to pull out other brush / grass fire trucks, mostly 1 tons and other deuces. ( or ourselves :) )

We pulled out a 5-ton once that was buried to the axles, that took two deuces.

Mostly we lock the winch and use the truck to do the pulling. After we broke our original shear pin we started using brass bolts, too soft, now we are using a "soft" stainless bolt that our mechanic got us.
 
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cranetruck

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Getting enough cable off the drum is paramount. Snatch blocks help do this as well as ease the strain on the winch. Nobody has mentioned a light foot though. You don't need to up the idle at all. My winch will do whatever I ask of it at 800 RPM. I work the clutch pedal very slow and consistently. 1500 RPM or banging that clutch pedal around does considerably assist in breaking shear pins. I'm very much a stickler on using only GI pins, none of the dealer stuff on the market. I'd like to think I have a lifetime supply but I better not curse myself.
Agree 100%.
Use the snatch block(s) whenever possible and take your time. The hook/chain portion supplied with the 5-tonner winch is the same as the one for the deuce winch and is a reminder to use the snatch block.
 
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