Mudd-Ox FORT MAC 85 HP, Owner'S Manual

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Winch Operation Cont.
Recovery Steps
If your Mudd-Ox is in need of winching, follow these steps to maintain safe and successful recovery.
1. Put the Mudd-Ox in neutral, engage the parking brake, and turn off engine. Exit the Mudd-Ox and grab an adequately rated tow strap or Tree
Saver. Locate a heavy object to connect the winch. Most common are large trees, boulders, or heavy equipment.
2. After locating an object, for example a tree, wrap strap around the base of the tree.
3. Go back to the Mudd-Ox and disengage winch to free spool. Now, with heavy duty gloves, firmly grab the winch hook but do not put fingers
inside winch hook. Pull winch line and connect the hook to the strap. Never wrap the winch line around an object and connect the hook to
its own line. This may cause fraying of winch line and reduced strength.
4. Now the winch line is connected to a suitable object. Reengage the winch from free spool.
5. For additional safety, place a weighted object over the winch line such as a blanket. In the event the winch line snaps, it will prevent the line
from whipping in the air and causing serious harm.
6. Enter the Mudd-Ox and start the engine. Always keep engine running when operating winch to prevent accelerated battery drainage. Re-
move parking brake. Hold the momentary winch switch in the “IN” position. The winch should now be pulling the Mudd-Ox.
7. After the Mudd-Ox has been recovered: Set parking brake, remove weighted object, remove hook from strap, and remove strap from tree.
8. It’s time to reel in the winch line. One person must grab onto the winch hook and gently pull it away from the Mudd-Ox. This keeps tension
on the line to wind it back in tight. Another person must operate the winch switch. As the winch begins to reel the line in, the person holding
the hook must slowly “aim” the line to wrap evenly around the winch spool. Do not aim the line in one location.
9. The winch line should now be wrapped evenly around the spool and all equipment and occupants back inside the Mudd-Ox.