Winch Disaster! Three Donkeyss hard at Work!

[JeepMan]

Reminds me that I have a VHS tape from Vintage Video that demonstrates the proper use of all size front winches on the military trucks. Shows many points discussed here.
It would probably be an idea for a club to pick up a DVD/Tape and ad it to thier video library.

 

[m16ty]

. I had the TM in hand while operating it, but I think the "locking band" (?) failed after that last time. The drum won't stay locked in place now when I move the little handle. I have to take a look at that some time.

It's not a band. It's a pin that fits inside holes drilled into the side of the drum. You may have to turn the drum a little to get the pin to fall into one of the holes. If it still doesn't work you've probally broke the pin.

Did you have the drum lock in and try and power the winch. If you do that you'll either shear a shear pin or break the drum lock.

 

[Jakob]

. I had the TM in hand while operating it, but I think the "locking band" (?) failed after that last time. The drum won't stay locked in place now when I move the little handle. I have to take a look at that some time.

It's not a band. It's a pin that fits inside holes drilled into the side of the drum. You may have to turn the drum a little to get the pin to fall into one of the holes. If it still doesn't work you've probally broke the pin.

Did you have the drum lock in and try and power the winch. If you do that you'll either shear a shear pin or break the drum lock.

The winch was operated per the TM, I had it in hand for every step. I thought it was a band that locked the drum. I didn't rotate it so the pin could find a hole, that's what I was doig wrong. Thanks...

Ok, I'm done derailing the topic, lol.

 

[ida34]

There is a band that holds some tension on the drum but the lock is a pin as discussed. The band is on the driver's side of the winch and it is basically a band with friction material on it so the winch does not freewheel. It will slightly inhibit the drum on rolling by the weight of the cable but will not lock the drum like the lever does. The band is automatic and does not require a person to activate it. You do have to adjust the tension on the band from time to time.

 

[Floridianson]

ida 34 do believe the driver side band brake is for load like when using A frame and you lift load and suspend in the air push in clutch or shear pin brakes the load holds. Same thing but we are lowering a vehicle down a hill with winch and shear pin brakes load holds.
This brake will only hold drum when winch lever is engaged.
The drum brake on the passenger side is used to control the free spooling when you are walking out the line and winch lever is disengaged.

 

[emmado22]

In several M35A2 winches I have seen, the oil seal that surounds the shaft that the brake band has gone bad, soaking the brake material with gear oil, rendering it useless. Might want to check that if the band wont hold AFTER you have properly adjusted it as per the TM.

 

[gimpyrobb]

The brake band that goes around the input shaft(opposite side of the driveshaft) is to stop inertia, NOT to hold the load. If you were to take apart a winch and see the worm gears that spin the drum, it would be easier to understand.

 

[Floridianson]

Try TM-9-2320-209-34-2-3 page 18-69 setting the automatic load brake to hold load.
Also believe if you look on the plate on the front automatic brake cover is says not over tighten only enough to hold load.

 

[m16ty]

I've started tearing down a winch for rebuild and I've only took off the lever side (passenger side) so that's all I can speak on at the moment. In that side you have the dogs that are shifted by the lever, the drum lock pin, and the anti-freewheeling brake pad ( that won't hlod a load). I'll know more about the other side in a day or two when I get around to tearing the rest down.

Back on topic---- This thread would be funny as heck if it wasn't so dangerous.

 

[Floridianson]

I knew it was there thanks Kenny. TM-9-2320-361-20 page 13-4

 

[Jakob]

Any progress on unnesting that winch foul up?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Stretch got his free tonight.

 

[saddamsnightmare]

August 22nd, 2008.

I guess, since my M35A2 is Wo/W, my solution to your problem might have been two (2) deuce snatch blocks, one chained to a tree and the other attached to an extraction strap attached to the stuck trucks rear bumper, with the free end of the cable siezed up around an "eye" iron... and that attached to the deuce's rear pintle. Given the pulling power of a deuce in low range first gear.... there would have been more control if the Donkey in the middle stayed outta the way and just shouted commands......
I must agree with doghead et al above...... read the manual, understand the manual, and approach the first application of the knowledge learned most cautiously..... GOOD THING you guys hadn't rigged a snatch block to the winch cable..... then there'd be no Dodge to worry about......
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER, POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY, STUDY HARD AND BE EVIL!!!!!

I must say, too many of the greenhorns tend to under estimate the power of a deuce, its equipment, and the damage it can do when misused..... You guys got out with you A--es in one piece, for which I am thankfull... REMEMBER.. lesson learned.. One stuck Dodge Ram, 3 aces, and one misused duece can make a mell of a hess......... Now that I think of it, just imagine the fun you could've had with the wrecker version of the deuce in this situation....
Those of us who have not used dueces habitually need to study the manuals again, again, and again... so we don't screw up!

In any case.... I can't think of a better use for a Dodge Ram, Ford F or Chevy pickup, the deadweight on the end of the winch cable keeps it nice and straight... now you need to get a wind with a fair lead or level wind device to make it just kosher......

Good luck and happy hunting....
Sincerely,

Kyle F. McGrogan
1971 Kaiser Jeep M35A2 Wo/W "Saddam's Nightmare" Desert Storm and Vietnam veteran deuce
1968 Johnson Corp M105A2 Trailer
1967 Hercules MEP023A Gas Gen-Set APU
1963 Swiss Army Cargo Unimog, S.404.114 MB Wo/W "THE MACHINE FOR EXTRACTING DODGES!!!!!!"

 

[Jakob]

I'm generally stubborn and don't "need" directions when I'm lost, asssembling an entertainment center or trying to fix the lawn mower. However, I have books in hand when using the Deuce's equipment. I know when to have respect for the equipment I'm operating.

 

[KaiserM109]

I have always had great fear and respect for PTO winches, as opposed to electric.

I don't want to even start to tell you what happened in the 244th Engr. Bn. when we got a 290 earthmover stuck in the mountains of Eastern Colorado and a cocky buck sgt. with a M123 10 ton tractor thought he knew what he was doing. The only thing I will say is that chains are stronger than cables and flying cables make impressive cheese slicers! The bottom line was that a two-stripper was smart enough to get everyone back and when the cable made its loop around the truck cab, the worst thing that happened to the operator was soiled drawers.

I just took all the deuces w/winch off my watch list.

 

[Jakob]

Sounds like Darwin at work.

 

[Tanner]

Youse guys brought up an interesting idea for MV shows. Put on a winch operation class/demonstration!!
There's plenty of trucks around w/winches and to show how one operates a winch safely would sure draw a crowd I bet. All someone would need is a winch equipped truck and some kind of dead weight -----

Maybe there will be a 4x4 Dodge in the parking lot at the rally that could be the dead weight?

Again - good to hear that the only things hurt were a winch, a Dodge door, and the winch operator's pride... all repairable!

"Tanner"

 

[avengeusa]

i would be extremely interested in seeing a vid of the proper operation of a winch, i have lots of time on the smaller electric jobs on little trucks, but i have always been overly cautious on the pto winches, and have never had to use one yet.....

it would be nice to get real training from experienced users

 

[doghead]

i would be extremely interested in seeing a vid of the proper operation of a winch, i have lots of time on the smaller electric jobs on little trucks, but i have always been overly cautious on the pto winches, and have never had to use one yet.....

it would be nice to get real training from experienced users

Get to a SS rally near you! Hitch a ride , get to the Ga rally! Do it, do it....