Using an Electric Winch the Right Way
At MJOC we teach the safest, best practice method of using a winch. We recommend that you do a 4WD training course that includes safe winching practices or join a club like MJOC that will teach you as part of your membership. This article is taken from the MJOC Winch Training Course which includes an evening of theory and a full day in the bush learning all the skills and safe methods of using a winch. If you are not a member of MJOC please consider joining a recognized 4WD Club which offers 4WD training for members.
This article is a summary of the main processes that are used in safe winching. It is a guide for you to be aware of some of the safety concerns and correct operation of an electric winch. Our Driver Training Team will go into a lot more detail when you do your 4WD Training. We recommend all 4WD owners do a training course or join a genuine 4WD club. This guide includes Planning your recovery Understanding loads and equipment Correct operation of the winch Safety zones Maintenance and storage
Understanding why the vehicle is stuck is critical to a safe recovery. Sometimes a bit of shovel work or track building is all you need to get mobile. What recovery options can you use? Once you have decided that a winch is your best option you need to consider the following; Make sure your winch can cope with the loads How heavy is the vehicle and what external influences will affect the force required for the winch to work safely. What sort of angle is the vehicle on and what terrain is it in ;e.g. Deep mud to axles or deep sand? Sometimes you need to assist the winch by doing some digging with a shovel or use traction boards to create a ramp to make things easier on the winch. If you are exceeding the capacity of the winch to pull your load you will need to utilize some additional gear to help the winch. Using a snatch block pulley or a winch ring to run the winch rope through and back to the vehicle will deploy a mechanical advantage of 2 to 1 to make things easy on the winch. This halves the effort required from the winch making it easier to pull the vehicle. It takes a bit longer but reduces the strain on the winch. We do not recommend driving whilst winching. You see it done all the time on TV and the internet but don't do this as it increases the risk of damaging your winch or breaking equipment. If you drive and winch you risk the vehicle getting traction and moving forward faster than the winch speed, if the car then slides backwards, you are most likely to break the winch line or another piece of equipment or worse case you break the internals of the winch. Then you have a car still needing recovery and a broken winch.
People not involved in the winch operation need to be i a safety zone. This needs to be at least 1.5 times the length of the winch rope and any extensions. For example, you have 20 metros of winch rope out so everyone needs to be 30 meters away preferably at right angles to the direction of the recovery. Absolutely no passengers should be inside any of the vehicles, including children and pets. If something breaks during the recovery you don't want your loved ones anywhere the recovery.
Protect your hands from injury when handling any recovery gear and setting up a winch operation.
To avoid confusion and stress always appoint one person to be in charge and ensure everything is connected safe.
Have a communication plan and stick to it. Decide on your command process - you can use radios or hand signals to control your recovery. Make sure everyone knows the start and stop process.
Using a snatch block pulley helps the effort required by the winch. If the winch struggles to pull the vehicle out with a single line pull the snatch block pulley or winch ring will reduce the effort required. Straight Line Pull is 1 to 1 ratio Double line pull is 2 to 1 ratio Triple line pull using two snatch block pulleys gives you a 3 to 1 advantage. Using a winch ring or snatch block pulley reduces the pulling force required on the winch and enables a heavier load to be pulled such as a car bogged to the axles in sand or mud or pulling up a steep incline all of which increase the work the winch needs to do. These conditions usually increase the pulling force on the winch and may exceed the capacity of the winch.
The engine idle speed needs to be at fast idle 1200 – 1500 rpm
This has the effect of the winch drawing power from the alternator rather than the car battery
Running a winch direct from the car battery will run the battery low and the car may not start
Some vehicle scan tools (J Scan) can adjust the idle speed from the APP on your phone.
Winch should only be run for 30 seconds then rested for 30 seconds
This reduces heat build up in the winch. While the winch is resting you can check the set up to ensure the rope is winding on evenly. If not you will need to adjust the angle to ensure the rope feeds evenly.
Wash your cable (rope) after you use
Regularly check your winch operation so it is ready for action next time.
Regular maintenance and rectification of issues is vital
Look for damage or wear on the rope or cable
Always make sure you pull rope out and rewind evenly at the end of the day after use.
Make sure rope is evenly stored on winch drum
Mark the rope when it has only 6 rows left on the drum so you can know when to stop pulling line out
You see this all the time. The are many reasons why storing your winch hook attached to your recovery hook is a bad idea, From a practical perspective and from a safety standpoint this is a big no, Practical You get stuck ibn deep ruts or a ditch and need to release your hook. Good lock with that when the front of the car has implanted on an embankment or is deep in mud, and you cant get to your winch hook. Safety People have lost fingers when they have grabbed hold of the winch rope and operated the winch to release the line. Sometimes synthetic rope gets tangled or caught up the wrong way and when you think your winching out you actually winch in squashing fingers against the front bumper. Yuck! This happened to one of our members last year. Winch rope is exposed and can easily be damaged by other cars reversing into your winch like at the shops. Best Storage Method Wind you rope all the way in so the hook sits neatly tucked in against the fairlead away from fingers and other cars tow bars,
Your winch rope is often not long enough to reach your anchor point. So, you will have to add a winch extension strap or rope to your set up. Here are some important tips on joining straps Never use steel shackles to join straps. You can use a soft shackle Never use a Snatch Strap or Recovery Rope If you do it will lose all its stretch and then you just have a tow rope. Always place a recovery dampener over each section in case something lets go.
Hand Signals for operating winch
Arm pointing up with swirling motion and finger pointing up - Winch in Arm pointing down with swirling motion and finger pointing down Fingers and thumb touching - pulse winch
Pulse winch is constant on and off the button on the controller to give short bursts of power.
What hand signal is used to stop? The usual stop hand signal.
You can use a radio, but it is often difficult to hear communications because you have a lot of external noise going on.
Having a safety zone when you have other people in the recovery area is vital. You often see people taking things to casually with no regard to safety of people when recovery is happening and that is when people end up injured or even killed in vehicle recovery. When things break or go wrong you do not want your friends or family in the danger zone Safe zone is at least 1.5 times the length of the recovery rope away and at 90 degrees to the direction of the recovery. Keep It Safe Out There!
We encourage all 4WD enthusiasts to join a recognized 4WD club, rather than a Facebook group.
The benefits of joining a real 4WD club include
4WD Training'
Rated 4WD Trips
Trained Trip Leaders
Public Liability Insurance
Personal Accident Insurance
Social Activities and meeting like=minded new friends
You can check out all the Victorian 4WD Clubs on the Four Wheel Drive Victoria Website at www.fwdvictoria.org.au
You can join MJOC Here
www.mjoc.org.au
Using a dampener gives added safety to any recovery. You can use manufactured Recovery Dampeners or just use the Recovery Gear Bag, a blanket or a jacket etc. You can never have too much safety built into your recovery. A Recovery Dampener will act as an air deflector or air brake and will usually generate more resistance and assist the recovery rope or strap to drop to the ground, should you have an equipment failure and things start flying through the air. They should be used on each section of the line including winch extension straps or recovery ropes that have been joined. If you have more than one dampener, use it,
NEVER USE TOW BALL FOR RECOVERY Tow Bar Balls are not designed for the forces involved in a recovery. If you need to attach a recovery strap or rope, or, a winch line to the rear of a 4WD vehicle always use the tow bar pin that holds the receiver hitch in (as shown in image) or a suitably rated receiver recovery hitch or rated tow hook, Tow balls break off easily and become a deadly missile.
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