Familiarize yourself with winch by making test runs before the first pull. Plan your test in advance.
You hear your winch as well as see it operate; learn to recognize the sounds of a light steady pull,
a heavy pull, and sounds caused by load jerking or shifting. Gain confidence in operating your
winch and its use will become second nature with you.
The uneven spooling of cable while pulling a load is not a problem unless there is a cable pileup on
one end of the drum. If this happens, reverse the winch to relieve the load and move your anchor
point closer to the center of the vehicle. After the job is done you can unspool and rewind to neatly
lay the cable.
Do not disengage clutch under load.
Clutch must be fully engaged before operating under load.
Manual Clutch Operation
To disengage the clutch:
1. Run the winch in the “cable out” direction until the load is off the cable.
2. Pull the handle out and rotate 90°.
3. With the handle in the “DISENGAGED” position the cable can now be free-spooled from the
drum.
To engage the clutch:
1. Pull the handle out and rotate 90° and release the handle.
2. Run the winch in reverse until the clutch handle snaps fully into the “ENGAGED” position and
the drum begins to rotate.
3. Do not attempt to pull a load unless the handle is fully at the “ENGAGED” position.
4. Do not force the handle or hammer the handle to engage.
Air Clutch Operation
To disengage the clutch:
1. Run the winch in the reverse (reel out) direction until the load is off the cable.
2. Apply air pressure to the 0.125-27 NPT port. 80 PSI (min.) 150 PSI (max.). Pressure must not
exceed 150 PSI.
To engage the clutch:
1. Remove air pressure from the cylinder (a return spring engages the plunger).
2. Run the winch in reverse until the clutch engages and the drum begins to rotate. Do not
attempt to pull a load with the clutch not engaged.
WARNING
Hydraulic Winch Operation 6
Omega 8
7
