5
WINCHING TECHNIQUES A-Z
a. Take time to asses your situation and plan your pull.
b. Put on gloves to protect your hands.
c. Disengage the clutch to allow free-spooling and to save energy.
d. Attach the hand saver hook to the clevis hook.
e. Pull out the wire rope to your desired anchor point using the hand saver hook.
f. Secure the clevis hook to the anchor point: Sling, chain or snatch block. Do not
attach the hook back onto the wire rope.
g. Engage the clutch.
h. Connect the remote control to the winch.
i. Start your engine to ensure power is being replenished to the battery.
j. Power in the wire rope guiding the wire under tension to draw up the slack in the
wire. Once the wire is under tension stand well clear. Never step over the wire rope.
k. Double-check your anchors and make sure all connections are secure.
l. Inspect the wire rope. Make sure there are at least 5 wraps of wire rope around the
winch drum.
m. Drape a blanket or jacket over the wire rope approximately 5 to 6 feet from the
hook. Open the hood for added protection.
n. Clear the area. Make sure all spectators are back and that no one is directly in
front or behind the vehicle or anchor point.
o. Begin winching. Be sure that the wire rope is winding evenly and tightly around the
drum. The vehicle that is being winched can be slowly driven to add assistance to the
winching process. Avoid shock loads; keep the wire rope under tension.
p. The vehicle to be winched should be placed in neutral and the emergency brake
released. Only release the brake pedal when under full tension. Avoid shock loads to
the winch. This can damage the winch, rope and vehicle.
q. The winch is meant for intermittent use. Under full load with a single line rig do not
power in for more than a minute without letting the motor cool down for a few minutes
and then resume the winching operation.
r. The winching operation is complete once the vehicle is on stable ground and is able
to drive under its own power.
s. Secure the vehicle. Be sure to set the brakes and place the vehicle in park.
t. Release the tension on the wire rope. The winch is not meant to hold the vehicle for
long periods of time.
u. Disconnect the wire rope from the anchor.
