Back in the day buyers often added a few accessories to their four-wheelers then: storage boxes, handwarmers and windshields to ward off our cold northern climate, plows, rack extensions and, for the serious ATVers, a winch. But only the hard-core people were willing to cough up an extra $500 for the added pulling power.
Fast forward to 2020 and winches are as common on utility machines as four-wheel drive. They’re standard equipment on many models, but even if they aren’t installed at the factory, it seems as though most ATVers add this valuable accessory to pull logs, raise a plow or tug their machines out of the muck. Here are five winching tips to make a winch more effective, safer and easier to use.
Table of Contents
1. How to Make the Winch Stronger
To increase pulling power, use a snatch block to double-back the line. This increases the mechanical advantage of the cable while reducing the workload on the electric motor, therein reducing heat and prolonging battery life.
2. Mount the Winch Wisely
Winch mount location makes a difference in how effective it is. For vehicle recovery, the winch should be low on the machine, making the cable’s anchor point more likely to be higher so it can lift the vehicle rather than squash the suspension and push the vehicle into the ground. If you’re going to use the winch primarily to raise and lower a plow blade, a high mount is preferred to reduce the chance of pulling the hook into the fairlead.
3. Winch smart
A winch is not a save-all that can bail you out of any trouble. And when recovering a vehicle, constantly analyze what’s going on so you can prevent problems before they start. It’s best to pull the quad so it rolls straight ahead in order to minimize stress.
You might need to change winch points several time in order to get the most efficient pull and reduce stress against tire beads, steering and suspension components. If the cable comes in contact with rocks or abrasive objects, use a rawhide sheath to protect it.
4. How to Choose Your Winch Cable
Steel cable has long been the standard lead for winches, but synthetic rope has become more common over the last five years. Advantages of synthetic are that it doesn’t rust, kink or poke fingers. Synthetic is safer than steel because it doesn’t transfer kinetic energy if it breaks.
And if it does break, it can be tied in a knot and reused. Use a standard hawse-style fairlead because the synthetic rope might otherwise get pinched in a corner between the vertical and horizontal rollers.
5. How Use Tree as Anchor Point
If you use a tree for an anchor point, attach the cable as low as possible so it doesn’t bend or break the tree and ALWAYS use something to protect the trunk and prevent damage.
