That >8,000 lb. winch is a waste of money.

I would argue in other ways it can since you have much less situational awareness with what's going on in front of you. I would never recover myself where I can't see in front of me

 

I’ve never winched from the drivers seat Because it’s simply stupid to do so mate. I’ve put my hood up heaps of times for GP. Sucks driving bush in the NT during the wet season with busted glass.

 

Well alright then. I like to winch from the drivers seat because

• maintain control over your vehicle
• Can rev the engine for more alternator output
  
• Accelerate while simultaneously winching

I would never winch without being in the drivers seat, mate. Seems foolish.


Edit: there’s also been numerous occasions I have to muscle the turned steering wheel while winching up some rocks. Otherwise, it would pull the truck up the wrong line.

 

I wanna toss out an ignorant question coming from a completely different application. Do you guys not throw a heavy blanket over the line?

 

Yes, that’s always safe practice. They make them specifically for winches that Velcro around the line and you can even throw rocks in them to weight it down.

 

I mean you wont be able to see the line starting to get really thin

 

I know the experts say I should even thoug I have a synthetic line, but I really dont.

 

It's fine if you are using synthetic winch line. Watch some videos of it breaking. It just falls down.

 

But, what if it's woven through 4 snatch blocks and attached to an undersized winch?? I assume that's even safer..

 

When it comes to winching folks can do what they want. I don’t like what I see, I’ll move off until it’s done.

By the way, the old hard wired controls had about an 8 foot cord. Ever wonder why you can be 20 to 30 feet away with the new wireless ones?

I’ve got enough experience that I’ve seen lines part, connections slip, and people hurt. About the only stupider thing I’ve see was a fellow standing on the down slope side of a side hilled Jeep waiting for a breeze to push it over. I’m sure no one here is that brain dead.

 

Go watch Ronny Dahl's videos on winch line breaks and the blankets. That being said all depends on what's happening and the winch pull being done. It's good practice but only if one can be put in correct place. The Dahl videos on youtube show that one in the middle of the rope or steel line doesn't do much. The recoil of the line is so quick it goes right through the "blanket". You'll see and get better explanations with real world showing what happens when the shit snaps tests.

 

Wonder if the OPs winch set up could get him through this. Probably one of the hardest and gnarlyist trails on the east coast this is typical of this trail not many can make it via their own power and definitely not when it's rainy and slick. This can be an all day trail with regular straight winch pulls but with the contraption the OP says nope no thank you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSQSPWBQhZ0

 

Did the OP ever post up pictures and videos of his great recovery ideas or did his unwarranted arrogance never end?

 

The people that hold on to their first dollar their whole life are the first to tell you about it. I find cheap people just as annoying as those that think they have to spend all their money to impress.

 

Not on synth line, but you bet your ass I do when the one guy (only one dude in our wheeling group still has an old ass steel cable) uses his. And I stand well away haha

 

I got a reciever winch I just take it off, and load it up on the weekends when I hit the trail, carry it in my bed most the time

 

So this thread did inspire me to use some MA over the weekend. Friend fell in a hole, and I was fairly close to him, about 20’. Too close to do a straight pull with a winch so I put a snatch block on his bumper and ran the line back to myself. The winch was still working hard, so I’m glad I used the block.

We turned around and noped right out of there.

 

Lol! We're all still waiting.

Agreed!

 

You’re doing it wrong. Cut your line to 20’ so you don’t need to carry all that extra weight.

 

Genius. Then I have fewer wraps on the drum at all times and stronger pulling power.