Winch Away

 Before winching have everyone stand well clear. The slingshot effect caused by a cable break under load can cause serious injury.

Wear gloves when handling winch cable and use a cable guide when feeding in loose cable.

The winch cable should be cared for and wound neatly on the drum under tension.

Always have five turns of cable wound around the drum before winching. Less than five turns could mean the cable clamp on the drum coming undone.

Be aware of the condition of the winch cable. Damage, as illustrated on the left, severely reduces the breaking strain of the cable. Damaged cable is also the best reason for wearing leather gloves.

Never stand in the ‘V’ of a winching layout under tension.

If you are not in control of the recovery operation, avoid stepping over a strap or cable after it has been attached, even when it appears to be lying harmlessly on the ground.
Never hook a winch cable around an object and then back on itself. This is a common cause of cable breakages among the inexperienced. Anchor straps are used to prevent this.
When a winch gets hot, let it rest.

Ensure that the winch cable does not bunch on one side.

Look after the winch cable and pack it tightly on the drum when finished.

NEVER have one person hold the switch and another feed in cable. This is the single most common cause of injury during vehicle recoveries.

Winch Maintenance

Have you ever heard of doing maintenance on your winch?
Here are some tips to make sure your winch works every time you really need it.

Check your battery terminals for corrosion, make sure they are clean and tight.

Winch Motor Connections – Make sure the winch motor cable connections are clean and tight but don’t let the motor terminals turn when tightening.

Remote Control – Check your remote cable for kinks or damage. Also, look at the plug and socket, and check for damaged terminals or corrosion. Clean or replace parts as required.

Winch Cable (Wire rope or Synthetic Rope) – Look for kinks, frays, broken strands or any other damage that could affect the ropes strength. Replace as required.

Stretch the Rope – Any time is a good time to stretch the rope onto the drum. Stretching the rope requires you to spool the rope onto the drum under tension, evenly.

Lastly: Every few months it’s a good idea to run your winch for a couple minutes, this lubricates the gear train, and again, warms the motor to dry out any moisture that may have built up over time from condensation.