How to Choose a Winch
When it comes to being the owner of a 4 wheel drive, finding the perfect winch to suit your needs is sometimes a tricky task. It will cost you a few bucks, so you want to make sure that you choose a winch that is going to work well, then you can think of it as more of an investment than anything else. With that being said, here are a few factors that you need to take into consideration before you make your purchase.
Winch Choices
A winch is basically a drum with a spool, winch is powered by a motor. The most common is the electric winch that gets connected to the battery. Then there is the hydraulic winch, which hooks up to the vehicle’s hydraulic system. There are also come-along winches, which are generally only used by tow truck drivers. Hydraulic and electric are much faster than the come-along type. Most 4WD vehicle owners go for the electric winch these days.
Rope Choices
A steel rope is affordable, easy to maintain, and durable, but it may be too heavy for your 4WD. They are perfect for very abrasive terrains, so if you drive rough on a regular basis, this is a good choice of rope. You will need to wear heavy-duty gloves in order to not cut yourself while using this type of rope.
Synthetic ropes are more flexible, easier to handle, and safer than steel ropes. You will not need to use gloves with this type of rope. Synthetic ropes are great for recovery and trail winches, but they do also get affected by UV light, abrasions, and heat. Synthetic ropes need a bit more maintenance than steel ropes.
Motor Choice
Cheap winches come with permanent motors, while electric winches come with a choice of two DC motors (permanent wound and series-wound). A PM motor is perfect for people who only use their winch occasionally and SW winches are a better fit for anyone who uses their winch on a regular basis.
Mount Choices
There are three popular options to choose from, and it is important that the right choice is made.
- The bumper mounting is the most simple of the three. It offers users the most versatility and they are very easy to install.
- The multi-mount is a bit more complicated than the bumper mount and it is not as durable either because of where it gets mounted. It is a great option for anyone who wants the security of having it on your vehicle permanently.
- The winch bumper is getting more popular by the day because it really looks like it is part of the vehicle.
How to Use a Winch – A Quick Guide
- Rigging the Winch
Put on your gloves and plug in the remote control. Find somewhere to use as an anchor point, like a tree, another vehicle, or a large rock. Use the disengage lever in order to release the winch. Pull the cable until it reaches the anchor, the wrap what is known as a tree strop around your anchor. Once this is done, hook to the D ring shackle, making sure the tip is facing up. Now you can put the disengage lever back to engage. Using the remote, slowly pull your winch cable tight.
- Pulling Out The Vehicle
Make sure that everyone is as far away as possible before you get in and use the remote to slowly control the winch. Continue to winch until your vehicle gets to stable ground and then stop when it does.
- Unrigging The Winch
Take the winch cable off of the D ring shackle and then slowly rewind it y using the remote. Then you can unplug the remote and store it in your vehicle.
Now you know a bit more about winches, but if you still need further information regarding power winches, or anything else, you can contact Super Power Winch for further assistance.