Propickup Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/150744
overheating under hard, extended pulls and take a toll on the vehicle's battery system if the winch operator doesn't pay close attention to what's going on. As the winch heats up and battery flow is reduced, so goes pulling power. COMPONENT STRENGTH Sometimes we need more pulling power than the winch can provide – or we want to get the winching job done faster. Either scenario requires maximizing the winch's capabilities. A winch only delivers the maximum-rated pulling power when the cable is on the innermost layer. Pulling from subsequent layers reduces that power roughly 20 percent per layer. Still not enough pulling power? Use a snatch block (or blocks) in the winching setup. Running the cable/ rope through a snatch block connected to the item being winched – or to the anchor point – and back to the vehicle with the winch doubles the effective pulling power of the winch. Double it back and pull triples. Using this simple setup speeds up the recovery process while reducing the electrical load on both winch and batteries. Engineer, Scott Peterson. "If the solenoid is the weak point in the winch's design, you won't be winching out of anything." Solenoids take the brunt of abuse during winching, so the better the design the less chance of failure. (Superwinch backs their sealed solenoids with a three-year coverage.) You also need to consider what is used in making the critical gears, shafts and brake mechanisms when buying a winch for ACCESSORY KITS A winch on your truck is almost worthless without a proper accessory kit. It's akin to having a ratchet without sockets. Every pickup equipped with a heavyduty winch should also have a winch accessory kit that includes tree saver straps, choker chains, shackles, a snatch blocks, winch straps and leather gloves. Notice the items listed above are plural. Most winch accessory kits come with one item each. But heavy-duty winches being used around the jobsite or in the field often require longer, heavier and more difficult pulls than those encountered during a weekend recreational outing. Two 30-foot winch straps, a pair of ten-foot choker chains, a double-sheave snatch block, and three or four shackles in your truck will handle most winching situations. Like the Boy Scout motto says, "Be prepared." commercial-type use. I've spent a lot of time at shops that do winch repairs and warranty work. The three main reasons the winches end up on a work bench are: 1) poor quality design; 2) poor maintenance; and 3) being used improperly (overheating or in place of a snatch strap). Cheap components are a liability in a contractor's or construction worker's line of work. So it is with winches. High-quality steel gear sets, case-hardened shafts, heattreated planetaries and all-metal housings cost more to make than cheaper components. But they last longer and are designed to take big loads for long periods of time –- something a number of inexpensive, imported winches don't. So, select a well-made winch, keep it maintained and use it properly and it'll perform when you need it year after year. HEAVY DUTY BUMPERS The winch is only as strong as the weakest link in the system. That weak link could be the winch itself, the cable or rope on the drum, or where the winch is mounted. When a winch capable of exerting five, six or eight tons of force is installed on a pickup, the last thing you want is the mount to break or the bumper snap off. (Don't laugh. It happens.) There are two basic mounting systems: the type that retains the factory bumper and heavy-duty replacement bumpers with the winch mount built-in. I prefer the latter because heavy-duty winch bumpers afford a lot more frontend protection while increasing tire clearance and approach angles. Like winches, some are better built and designed than others. Here're some key elements to look when bumper shopping: Look for "commercial" or "industrial" models that feature heavy-duty plate steel (1/4- to 5/16-inch), welded and gusseted. The winch mounting plate should be integrated in the bumper. A strong winch bumper should mount to the frame instead of using any factory brackets, and have strong mounting for front and side pulls, as well as pulls at upward and downward angles. Built-in marker lights, fog/driving lights, and welded "D"-ring mounts are also good indicators the bumper is designed for commercial, severe-duty applications. Brush guards and grille guards, if you want them, should be welded on as well, not bolted. The bumper should also be powder-coated (not painted) or coated with a premium spray-on bedliner-type material. Again, the winch is only as strong as the weakest link in the pull. Make your purchase decision accordingly. WINCHES: HEAVY DUTY Which brings us to how the winch is built. When you work around mud, sand and water day in and day out you want a winch with the highest quality internal components, and its electrical and drum/gear components sealed from the elements. Before you buy, read the warranty in detail. Compare what components are covered and for how long. A winch with a twoyear warranty on the solenoids and motor is a better than one with a one-year warranty. "The best winch in the world is useless with out a working solenoid, first and foremost," says Superwinch's Senior Design DOUBLING PULL propickupmag.com PROPICKUP 127 PPBB13PG000_Winches HD.indd 127 8/6/13 10:55 AM