Using the winch correctly

[redjordan]

How do you guys get it to spool back up correctly, if pulling in under load, it bunches up on one side to the point of almost getting stuck, and even with thick gloves, there is too much tension to guide it so it will spool right.

I need some sort of guide, what are you using or what do you suggest?

 

[Recovry4x4]

I usually drag something, guide the cable by hand and have another person on the clutch. Lately I've been dragging my golfcart with the brakes on but have been seen dragging deuce tires, small block engines, deuce axles on pallets and everything in between!

 

[Barrman]

Small kids on tires work good too.

 

[MDSA]

I use a piece of wood like an old maul handle. Long enough to keep my hands out of the way. I try to line up as straight with my target as possible. Then using the wood, you can sort-a, kind-a, maybe direct the cable to spoll evenly. I have had to stop pulling, disconnect, realign the Deuce and then try again.

Usually after using the winch, I get the kids to help pull the cable out and then spool it on without a load so it looks good.

 

[redjordan]

yeah, the respool after the job I get and thats easy, I just drag some deuce tires/rims.

so is it common to have to stop mid recovery to realign so it spools right? is there some sort of add on I can find so I can do the recovery in one session without constantly disconnecting and realigning to prevent it all from getting bunched up on one side?

 

[LuckyDog]

Look at the front end of a wrecker winch. Looks like a pulley that will do what your asking.

This could be a cool upgrade..... A laser to locate the incoming wire location, an automated hydralic or pneumatic cylinder to push or pull the alignment arm, and all done via a blue tooth enabled thing that you stick in your ear and just tell the winch what to do...



Sorry, I am an engineer, I think these things all day at work.

 

[mckeeranger]

I use the two simple rules of winch recovery:

1. "You stick it, you hitch it." (I think that's a universal rule) I'm not going to wade through two feet of mud just because they got stuck.

2. If I unwind my cable to pull someone out, they are going to hold the hook while I rewind it. They usually don't care since they are covered in two feet of mud anyway.

So far, everyone thinks it's fair and has had a good time with it. I even had 4 people hold onto the hook once while I drug them through the mud. It was slow, but they thought it was cool.

 

[rosco]

Hey Red
Yes its common to have to re-align, mid recovery. Often, you might have to do it numerous times.
Sometimes its easy, but other times its pure grunt work. One trick that I have used (if possible), is to hang a snatch block about 20 feet in front of the truck from a tree with a chain. Adjust the chain so its a straight pull onto the drum. The more care that you use, the longer your line will last. Don't let anybody rush you. Snarl your line, get a kink in it, slack in it, drum snarls, and its never the same. 200 feet of 1/2", 6x19 line is not real easy to pay for.

Lee in Alaska

 

[stumps]

How do you guys get it to spool back up correctly, if pulling in under load, it bunches up on one side to the point of almost getting stuck, and even with thick gloves, there is too much tension to guide it so it will spool right.

I need some sort of guide, what are you using or what do you suggest?

If I'm understanding you correctly, you have someone with their hands on the cable while you are doing a recovery?

If you are doing that, please Don't!

For more than a short pull, and you are going to have to stop and re spool the line. The cost of letting the cable bunch up at one end of your drum is your winch. Payable in very expensive winch parts.

To spool up after you are done, the neatest way is to have someone hold the hook, and provide the back tension while Troop B stands a few feet in front of the truck and wearing heavy leather gloves, feeds the cable back onto the winch.... All the while Troop A is in the truck running the clutch and PTO lever.

If you choose to drag something to provide the tension, try to find something that will drag without hopping or flipping.... a long fence post, or a tree works for me.

Solo winch work using a deuce can very often result in broken winches and injuries.

-Chuck

 

[redjordan]

There is no sort of cable guide, maybe from a different model MV that I could retrofit?

as the TM calls it, a "load winding device"

 

[Jake0147]

There is a level winding device on some of the heavier wreckers, they don't fit an M35 winch though. Besides, they're not fool proof, and "devices" make complacency. There is a sweet spot where the cable will pretty much walk back and forth as it should and stack it's self nicely. Very difficult to pull something 200 feet and not have it stray from that course though. Winching is realistically a two soldier job. Soldier B can guide the cable with an impressive load if the angle is "close" to perfect. More so from the middle of the cable. If solder B stands at the winch, then soldier B is being silly, because the operator (in the cab) can't see him if there's trouble, and B, the cable won't budge from there.
**DISCLAIMER** Common sense must prevail- Soldier B must be clever enough to watch both ends of the winch cable, not be distracted by squirrels, and this operation does not apply if you're "maxing out" any component, dragging unknown loads, using cables of questionable condition, etc. If it's not 100 percent by the book, a radius equal to the cable length should be kept by all but the cab operator, and soldier B will signal when it's time to stop and release tension, at which point the cable can be manipulated, guided, re-started in the other direction, and soldier B can clear the area before the real pulling resumes....

With teamwork, or with one soldier winching operations you'll find that practice makes good technique, and good technique takes most of the "work" out of the work or keeping the cable as it should be. There is lots of elbow grease in the learning curve, but it gets easier.

 

[KsM715]

There is a sweet spot where the cable will pretty much walk back and forth as it should and stack it's self nicely. Very difficult to pull something 200 feet and not have it stray from that course though.

That would be the "fleet angle", no more than 2 degrees off the center line of the pull. Covered in FM 20-22. But like Jake0147 said in the real world its hard to try to pull something like a stuck truck straight on all the time

 

[m16ty]

Alot of people don't like to do this but if you cut about 50' or so off the drum it's alot easier to deal with. You can carry some extra lengths of cable if you need to go over what you have on the drum. With a full spool on the drum you don't have much room for error if it starts piling up on one side.