Whenever you operate a winch you want to understand the equipment and have the best understanding possible of winching techniques in order to be as safe as possible.
Winches are potentially a very dangerous and even lethal piece of machinery. Read the following notes prepared by WARN for your own safety and the safety of others around you.
MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
serious injury or death.
• Always ensure hook latch is closed and not supporting
load.
• Never apply load to hook tip or latch. Apply load only to
the center of hook.
• Never use a hook whose throat opening has increased, or
whose tip is bent or twisted.
• Always use a hook with a latch.
• Always ensure the operator and bystandnders are aware
of the stability of the vehicle and/or load.
• Always keep wired remote control lead and power cord
clear of the drum, rope, and rigging. Inspect for cracks,
pinches, frayed wires or loose connections. Damaged
components must be replaced before operation.
• Always pass remote
-
MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
serious injury or death.
General Safety:
• Always Know Your Winch. Take time to fully read the
Instructions and/or Operations Guide, and/or Basic Guide
to Winching Techniques, in order to understand your
winch and its operations.
• Never exceed winch or winch rope rated capacity. Double
line using a snatch block to reduce winch load.
• Always wear heavy leather gloves when handling winch
rope.
• Never use winch or winch rope for towing. Shock loads
can damage, overload and break rope.
• Never use a winch to secure a load.
• Never operate this winch when under the influence of
drugs, alcohol or medication.
• Never operate this winch if you are under 16 years of age.
Installation Safety:
• Always choose a mounting location that is sufficiently
strong to withstand the maximum pulling capacity of your
winch.
• Always use grade 5 (grade 8.8 metric) or better hardware.
• Never weld mounting bolts.
• Always use factory approved mounting hardware,
components, and accessories.
• Never use bolts that are too long.
• Always complete the winch installation and hook
attachment before installing the wiring.
• Always keep hands clear of winch rope, hook loop, hook
and fairlead opening during installation, operation, and
when spooling in or out.
• Always position fairlead with warning readily visible on
top.
• Always prestretch rope and respool under load before
use. Tightly wound rope reduces chances of “binding”,
which can damage the rope.
-
MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
serious injury or death.
Winching Safety:
• Always inspect winch rope, hook, and slings before
operating winch. Frayed, kinked or damaged winch
rope must be replaced immediately. Damaged
components must be replaced before operation. Protect
parts from damage.
• Always remove any element or obstacle that may
interfere with safe operation of the winch.
• Always be certain the anchor you select will withstand
the load and the strap or chain will not slip.
• Always use supplied hook strap whenever spooling
winch rope in or out, during installation and during
operation.
• Always require operators and bystanders to be aware of
vehicle and or load.
• Always be aware of stability of vehicle and load during
winching, keep others away. Alert all bystanders of an
unstable condition.
• Always unspool as much wire rope as possible when
rigging. Double line or pick distant anchor point.
• Always take time to use appropriate rigging techniques
for a winch pull.
• Never touch winch rope or hook while someone else is
at the control switch or during winching operation.
• Never engage or disengage clutch if winch is under
load, winch rope is in tension or drum is moving.
• Never touch winch rope or hook while under tension or
under load.
• Always stand clear of winch rope and load and keep
others away while winching.
• Never use vehicle to pull load on winch rope. Combined
load or shock load can damage, overload and break
rope.
• Never wrap winch rope back onto itself. Use a choker
chain or tree trunk protector on the anchor.
-
FALLING OR CRUSHING HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
serious injury or death.
• Always stand clear, keep hands clear, keep others away.
• Never operate winch with less than 5 wraps of rope
around the drum. Rope could come loose from the drum,
as the rope attachment to the drum is not designed to
hold a load.
• Never use winch as a hoist or to suspend a load.
• Always be certain anchor will withstand load, use
appropriate rigging and take time to rig correctly.
• Never use winch to lift or move persons.
• Never use excessive effort to freespool winch rope.
• Always use proper posture/lifting technique or get lifting
assistance while handling and installing product.
• Always spool the rope onto the drum in the direction
specified by the winch warning label on the winch and/or
documentation. This is required for the automatic brake
(if so equipped) to function properly.
• Always spool the winch rope onto the drum as indicated
by the drum rotation label.
-
CUT AND BURN HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
serious injury or death.
To avoid injury to hands and fingers:
• Always wear heavy leather gloves when handling winch
rope.
• Always be aware of possible hot surfaces at winch motor,
drum or rope during or after winch use.
-
CHEMICAL AND FIRE HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
serious injury or death.
• Always remove jewelry and wear eye protection.
• Never route electrical cables across sharp edges.
• Never route electrical cables near parts that get hot.
• Never route electrical cables through or near moving
parts.
• Always place the supplied terminal boots on wires and
terminals as directed by the installation instructions.
• Never lean over battery while making connections.
• Never route electrical cables over battery terminals.
• Never short battery terminals with metal objects.
• Always verify area is clear of fuel lines, fuel tank, brake
lines, electrical wires, etc., when drilling.
• Always consult operator’s manual for proper wiring
details.
• Always insulate and protect all exposed wiring and
electrical terminals.
-
CUT AND BURN HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
minor or moderate injury.
• Never let winch rope slip through your hands.
-
MOVING PARTS ENTANGLEMENT HAZARD
Failure to observe these instructions could lead to
minor or moderate injury.
To avoid injury to hands or fingers:
• Never leave remote control where it can be activated
during free spooling, rigging, or when the winch is not
being used.
• Never leave the winch remote control plugged in when
installing, freespooling, rigging, servicing or when the
winch is not being used.
-
AVOID WINCH AND EQUIPMENT DAMAGE
• Always avoid side pulls which can pile up wire rope
at one end of the drum. This can damage wire rope or
winch.
• Always ensure the clutch is fully engaged or disengaged.
• Always use care to not damage the vehicle frame when
anchoring to a vehicle during a winching operation.
• Never submerge winch in water.
• Always store the remote control in a protected, clean,
dry area.
-
ELECTRIC WINCH BASIC COMPONENTS
To start, you should familiarize
yourself with your winch and each
of its components: Practice using your
winch before using it on the trail.
Motor - Typically the winch motor
is powered by the vehicle’s battery.
The motor provides power to the gear
mechanism, which turns the winch drum
and winds the wire rope.
Winch Drum - The winch drum is the
cylinder onto which the wire rope feeds.
The drum is driven by the motor and
drive train. Its direction can be changed
using the remote control.
Wire Rope - The wire rope’s diameter
and length are determined by the winch’s
load capacity and design. Wrapped
around the winch drum and fed through
the fairlead, the wire rope is looped at
the end to accept the hook’s clevis pin.
Fairlead - When using the winch at
an angle, the fairlead (or wire lead) acts
to guide the wire rope onto the spooling
drum. It minimizes damage to the wire
rope while it goes through the winch
mount or bumper.
Gear Train - The reduction gear
converts the winch motor power into a
large pulling force. The gear train design
makes it possible for the winch to be
lighter and more compact.
Braking System - The brake is
automatically applied to the winch drum
when the winch motor is stopped and
there is load on the wire rope. The brake
prevents the winch from paying out line,
which in turn holds the vehicle in place.
Clutch - The clutch allows the
operator to manually disengage the
spooling drum from the gear train,
enabling the drum to rotate freely
(known as “freespooling”). Engaging the
clutch “locks” the winch drum back onto
the gear train.
Control Box - Using electrical power
from the vehicle’s battery, the control
box solenoids switch power to the
motor, enabling the operator to change
the direction of the winch drum rotation.
Remote Control - The remote control
plugs into the winch control box,
allowing the operator to control the
winch direction, as well as stand well
clear of the wire rope while operating
the winch.
-
TOP TIP!
Never engage or disengage clutch if winch is under load, winch rope is in tension or drum is moving.
-
Winch Mechanics
Now that you’ve familiarized
yourself with your winch and its
components, we can begin reviewing
how it works. The major advantage of
an electric-powered winch is that it
can provide reliable service for intermittent
utility and recreational use even
while the vehicle’s engine is stalled
— assuming, of course, that sufficient
battery current is available. Your winch
can operate at high current loads, and,
for this reason, the control box uses a
high current control system to safely
handle the current flow.
It is important to understand that the
longer the pull, the more heat that is
created, just like a hot plate. Prolonged
winching without cooling the winch
motor will damage the motor. Also, if
the engine is idling during winching,
the battery may drain faster than it is
charging. So pay close attention to your
voltage gauge to make sure you aren’t
draining your battery too low to start
your vehicle.
Control Of Your Winch
The winch is controlled by the
hand held remote control to allow the
operator to stand clear while controlling
the winching process. The remote
control provides control of the forward
or reverse rotation of the spooling drum.
How the Winch Reacts to Load
Winches are usually rated by pulling
capacity. The maximum pulling capacity
occurs on the first layer of wire rope
on the drum. As the layers increase,
the pulling power decreases. It’s the
mathematics of winching. Exceeding
the winch capacity could cause the
winch to fail or the wire rope to break.
Thinking through how you intend to use
your winch now, could save you a big
headache later.
In addition, you’ll also want to
make sure that your winch’s mounting
system and your vehicle’s frame can
accommodate the rated load of your
winch.
So analyze your situation. Use your
judgement to calculate how much
weight you intend to pull. Calculate the
gross weight and multiply by 1.5 and
then do not exceed the rating
TOP TIP: Practice using your winch before you
get stuck. A real situation is no time to be
learning how to use your winch. Make sure
new wire rope is stretched before it is first
used.
Stretching Wire Rope
The life of a wire rope is directly related
to the use and care it receives. During its first
use, a new wire rope must be spooled onto
its drum under a load of at least 1000 lbs.
(454 kgs). Use the following instructions to
properly stretch the wire rope onto the winch
drum.
1) Choose a FLAT AND LEVEL location that
is large enough to run out the entire length
of wire rope.
2) Turn the clutch lever on the winch to
the “Free Spool” position. Spool out the wire
rope to the last 5 wraps on the drum. Once
the wire rope is spooled out, turn the clutch
lever on the winch to the “Engaged” position.
3) Attach the hook end of the rope to a
suitable anchor point and back the vehicle
away from the anchor point until there is very
little slack in the wire rope. Before getting
out of the vehicle, set the parking brake,
place the vehicle in gear or park and turn the
vehicle off.
4) Connect the remote control to the
winch. Standing approximately 8 ft away
from the winch, power in the winch until all
of the slack is wound onto the winch drum.
Disconnect the remote control from the
winch. Hold tension on the wire rope with
one hand; carefully push the wire rope to the
side of the drum the wire rope is attached to
so there are no gaps between each coil on
the drum. Be sure to check that the wire rope
is winding off of the bottom of the drum, not
the top, or the automatic load holding brake
will not function properly. (If the wire rope is
winding off the top you have powered the
winch “out” instead of “in” on the remote
control).
5) The following steps should be done
using two people for proper safety. If you
attempt to tension your wire rope alone be
sure to always engage the parking brake,
place the transmission in gear and turn the
vehicle off every time you exit the vehicle to
inspect the winch wire rope. Never exit the
vehicle with a load on the winch wire rope.
Tensioning the wire rope is critical to ensure
a long product life. Tensioning the wire rope
will prevent outer layers of wire rope from
pinching and deforming the inner layers.
6) Use care to evenly wrap each layer to
prevent damage to the rope.
7) Pass the remote control through the
driver’s window for the driver of the vehicle
to operate. Instruct your assistant to stand
to the side of the vehicle and away from the
winch wire rope. Your assistant should signal
you if the wire rope is winding correctly by
watching it move across the fairlead as the
wire rope is powered in. Start the vehicle and
place the transmission in neutral. Release
the parking brake while applying moderate
brake pedal pressure. Press power in on the
remote control switch. After winching in for
approximately 6 ft, stop winching. Slowly let
up off of the brake pedal and then apply the
parking brake. This will ensure that there is
no load on the winch rope. Then place the
transmission in park or gear and turn the
vehicle off. Exit the vehicle and inspect the
winch to make sure that the wire rope is
being evenly wound onto the winch drum
and not sinking into the lower layer. If the
wire rope is sinking, power the wire rope out
and repeat this step from the beginning with
more brake pedal pressure.
8) When you are convinced the wire rope
is winding onto the winch drum properly,
repeat step 6 until the vehicle is within 6 ft of
the winch anchor. Once within 6 ft, slowly let
up off of the brake pedal and then apply the
parking brake. This will ensure that there is
no load on the winch wire rope. Then place
the transmission in park or in gear and turn
the vehicle off. Exit the vehicle. Disconnect
the hook from the anchor. While holding onto
the supplied hook strap, hold tension on the
winch rope and slowly power in the winch by
“pulsing” the power in on the remote control
until the hook is within 3 ft of the fairlead.
Stop winching in and attach the hook to a
suitable anchor point on the vehicle. DO NOT
POWER THE HOOK INTO THE FAIRLEAD. This
could cause damage to the fairlead. Once
the hook is suitably attached to the vehicle,
power in the remaining slack in the winch
rope by “pulsing” the power in on the remote
until there is minimal slack in the winch wire rope.
Whether you’re recovering another
vehicle or pulling a stump from the
ground, knowing the proper winching
techniques can help keep you and others
around you safe. And perhaps the most
important part of the winching process,
regardless of the situation, is what you
do before you pull.
In this section, we’ll show you the
basic fundamentals for effective winching.
However, it is up to you to analyze
the situation and make the decisions
necessary for the proper use of your
winch. Apply your knowledge of your
winch and the basic fundamentals
you’ve practiced and adjust your techniques
to your unique situation. Some
keys to remember when using your Warn
winch:
1. Always take your time to assess
your situation and plan your pull
carefully.
2. Always take your time when using a
winch.
3. Use the right equipment for your
situation.
4. Always wear leather gloves and
do not allow the wire rope to slide
through your hands.
5. You and only you should handle the
wire rope and operate the remote
control switch.
6. Think safety at all times.
7. Practice. Practice and practice the
steps.
-
What to look for under load
The wire rope must always spool
onto the drum as indicated by the drum
rotation decal on the winch.
As you power in, make sure the wire
rope winds evenly and tightly on the
drum. This prevents the outer wire wraps
from drawing into the inner wraps,
binding and damaging the wire rope.
Avoid shock loads by using the control
switch intermittently to take up wire rope
slack. Shock loads can momentarily far
exceed the winch and wire rope ratings.
During side pulls the wire rope tends
to stack up at one end of the drum. This
stack can become large enough to cause
serious damage to the winch. So, line up
pulls as straight ahead as possible and
stop winching if the wire rope comes
close to the tie rods or mounting plate.
To fix an uneven stack, spool out that
section of the rope and reposition it to
the opposite end of the drum which will
free up space for continued winching.
-
TOP TIP! Avoid overheating
the winch motor. For
extended winching,
stop at reasonable
intervals to allow the
winch motor to cool
down.
-
GENERAL WINCH MAINTENANCE
Inspect the wire rope before and after
each winching operation. If the wire
rope has become kinked or frayed,
the wire rope needs to be replaced.
Be sure to also inspect the winch
hook and hook pin for signs of wear or
damage. Replace if necessary.
• Keep winch, wire rope, and switch
control free from contaminants. Use
a clean rag or towel to remove any
dirt and debris. If necessary, unwind
winch completely (leaving a minimum
of 5 wraps on spooling drum), wipe
clean, and rewind properly before
storage. Using a light oil on the wire
rope and winch hook can keep rust
and corrosion from forming.
• Operating your winch for a long
period of time places an extra burden
on your vehicle’s battery. Be sure to
check and maintain your battery and
battery cables according to manufacturer
guidelines. Also inspect switch
control and all electrical connections
to be certain they are clean and tight
fitting.
• Inspect the remote control for
damage, if so equipped. Be sure to cap
the remote socket to prevent dirt and
debris from entering the connections.
Store remote control in a protected,
clean, dry area.
• No lubrication is required for the life
of the winch.
-
TOP TIP! Never operate winch
with less than 5
wraps of rope around
the drum. Rope could
come loose from the
drum, as the rope
attachment to the
drum is not designed
to hold a load.
-
SUMMARY
The basic guide to proper winching
techniques cannot cover all the possible
situations in which you may need to
use a winch. In the final analysis, the
decisions you make will determine the
final outcome. So think through each
situation and each step of use. Always
be mindful of your own safety and the
safety of others. Pay attention and you’ll
have fun.
