Recovery 101 - Winching

[JeepinSoldier]

Introduction.

‘A winch is the ‘Great Equalizer’ out on the trail. To whatever level your Jeep is built, a winch can be your ‘one way or another' guarantee of making every obstacle. And of returning home! In the old days before big tires, leggy suspensions and lockers, the winch took Jeepers over obstacles that were undrivable. Advances in technology have raised the bar of where we can and cannot drive, but the winch is still there to help us when we lack that extra oomph to clear that bar under power.’ (Or are just plain stuck) (The Winch Advisor, Jim Allen, 4 Wheel Drive Hardware, Holliday 2007 catalog)

There is a lot more to winching than just bolting the winch to the Jeep, attaching the cable or line to an anchor and pulling. In this series of posts I will cover the types of winches, cable and rope, winch accessories, using the winch and more. It’s a lot of info, so let’s settle in and learn to be informed and safe winch users.

The following were all used as references for these posts:

The ‘Winch Advisor’, by Jim Allen , The ‘4 Wheeler’s Bible’ by Jim Allen, The Basic Guide to Winching Techniques – Warn Industries and ‘Getting Unstuck’ video by Bill Burke. I encourage you to aquire these references for more information and future use.

Parts of the ‘Winch advisor’ article are posted here with a lot of additional info:

www.4wheelparts.com/wi...visor.aspx (http://www.4wheelparts.com/winchadvisor.aspx)

The Warn guide can be found here:

www.warn.com/truck/win....5ti.shtml (http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/9.5ti.shtml)

Go to the upper right side of the page and click on the Winching Techniques link to download the complete guide as a PDF file.

The ‘4 Wheeler’s Bible can be purchased online here:

www.4x4books.com/4wb.htm (http://www.4x4books.com/4wb.htm)

www.amazon.com/Four-Wh...0760310564 (http://www.amazon.com/Four-Wheelers-Bible-Jim-Allen/dp/0760310564)

A note on safety: Winching deserves a note on safety. Winching should be a slow deliberate operation with an emphasis on safety. Hands can be caught in the winch drum and a broken cable flies with enough force to kill. Use caution in every step.

[JeepinSoldier]

Winch Types

In the past, many types of winches were used in the world of off road driving, including hand (Come along) and Power Take Off (PTO) winches. Today, electric planetary gear winches make up 98 plus percent of the recreational 4x4 market. Hydraulically driven planetary winches fill in the last few percent, with Mile Marker being the only supplier of such in the recreational ‘wheeling market. (Winch Advisor, Jim Allen)

Since you may come across a PTO winch one day, Ill cover it as well. PTO is short for power take off. Many winches on classic military vehicles or heavy machinery are PTO winches. PTO winches power the drum by a drive shaft that comes off the transmission or transfer case. A lever inside the cab usually engages the power.

Hydraulic winches power the drum by using hydraulic lines. When used on a Jeep, the Hydraulic lines are usually routed from the power steering pump.

Electric winches power the drum by using an electric motor and a gear set. The electric motor uses lines that are run to the Jeep’s battery.

There are advantages and disadvantages to the various types.

Advantages of PTO and Hydraulic winches are that they can be safely run underwater. PTO and Hydraulic winches can be run almost continuously, or be used to lower vehicles down obstacles without overheating.

Disadvantages of PTO and Hydraulic winches are that the vehicle’s engine must be running to operate the winch. The installation of the PTO or hydraulic system is more complicated and expensive than electric cables. If the vehicles PTO drive shaft, hydraulic lines, or steering pump have problems the winch will not operate.

Advantages of electric winches are that they can be run with the engine off until the battery is dead. Electric winches are simpler and usually less expensive than PTO or hydraulic winches. Some electric winches are sealed and can be operated underwater for short periods of time.

Disadvantages of electric winches are that most cannot be run underwater and they overheat if run continuously. Electric winches can kill the Jeep’s battery and seriously damage the alternator or other parts of the electrical system if the winch is used for really long, hard pulls and the Jeep is not allowed to recover when the volt gauge bottoms out. For hard, continuous use, the Jeep can be prepared properly with dual batteries and a high output alternator.

[JeepinSoldier]

Recommended winch rated load capacities for weight of vehicle.

Whatever type of winch you select, its rated load capacity should match the vehicle and its intended use. A general rule is that the winch’s rated capacity should be the fully loaded weight of the vehicle plus 15 percent minimum. An 8,000 lb rated winch is a good minimum for a Wrangler. A higher capacity winch will allow for the recovery of heavier vehicles and if electric, draw fewer amps under load.

Rated pull and line speed are determined by the number of layers of cable or rope on the winch’s drum. Maximum pulling power and speed comes from the layer of cable closest to the drum. Each layer after that decreases the pulling power of the winch by approximately 10 percent per layer. So with 4 layers of cable on the drum, you lose 40 percent of the winch’s pulling capacity due to lack of mechanical advantage. For example an 8,000 lb winch pulling from the top layer may only have 4,800 lbs of capacity. Running out all the line except the last five wraps on the drum, and securing to a farther anchor point or using a snatch block can regain full capacity. The snatch block will also increase your pulling power depending on how it’s rigged – more on that later.

[JeepinSoldier]

Basic components of a winch.

The following are the basic components of a typical electric winch. Please download and review Warn’s ‘Guide to basic winching techniques’ for pictures and more detail. The guide is available here:

Winch motor – Typically the vehicles battery powers the winch motor. The motor provides power to the gear mechanism, which turns the winch drum and winds the line.

Winch drum – The winch drum is the cylinder onto which the wire rope feeds. The drum is driven by the motor and drive train. It’s direction can be changed by using the remote control.

Wire cable or synthetic rope – the line’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 line is looped at the end to accept the hook’s clevis pin. Some lines also use a thimble eye.

Fairlead – When using the winch at an angle, the fairlead acts to guide the line onto the spooling drum. It minimizes damage to the line 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 a load on the line. 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 geartrain, enabling the drum to rotate freely (Known as freespooling) Engaging the clutch ‘Locks’ the winch drum back onto the geartrain.

Control box (Separate and integrated) – Using electrical power from the Jeep’s battery, the control box solenoids switch power to the motor, enabling the operator to change the direction of the winch drum rotation. Winch’s are available with the control box either integrated into the winch body itself, or separate. A control box that is separate can be mounted away from the winch under the hood or elsewhere. This make’s for a lower profile winch. Some like the looks of the lower profile, and a lower profile can increase airflow through the Jeep’s radiator if the winch is mounted in front of it.

Remote control – The Remote control plugs plugs into the winch control box, allowing the operator to control the winch direction, as well as stand well clear of the line while operating the winch.

[JeepinSoldier]

Wire cable and Synthetic rope. Pro's and Con's of each. Which fairlead to use.

Wire cable is what most winches come with when purchased. A Warn M800 comes with 100’ of 5/16 diameter steel wire cable. This cable is rated at approximately 9, 800 lbs. Wire cable for winching is designed and constructed to a higher load rating than the winch to allow for a safety factor. The advantages of wire cable are that its inexpensive and that it is more durable than winch rope if dragged across rocks or other objects. The disadvantages of wire cable are that it’s heavier than rope; it gets damaged easier on the winch drum than rope does, and it’s more dangerous during recovery than synthetic rope. Wire cable when frayed will cut open ungloved hands. If wire cable breaks it can fly in any direction with enough force to kill.

Synthetic winch ropes are becoming very popular. 100’ of 5/16 diameter synthetic winch rope is rated at approximately 13,700 lbs. The advantages of synthetic winch rope are that its much lighter than wire cable, its stronger than wire cable of the same diameter, it floats, and its safer to use during recovery. Synthetic winch rope does not store kinetic energy like wire cable does. When it breaks it does not snap forward or back nearly as much as wire cable does. If broken, it can be tied in a knot and may still be used depending on where the break is. Winch rope can be repaired (spliced) easier on the trail than wire cable can. The disadvantages of synthetic winch rope are that it is not as abrasion resistant as wire cable, and it can be damaged (melt) if the winch drum gets really hot during a long pull without stopping or lowering another vehicle down an obstacle.

Fairleads - Wire cable usually uses a steel roller fairlead. They are inexpensive and work well. Synthetic ropes are usually run with a hawse type fairlead to prevent damage to the rope. Delrin rollers are available as a retrofit to roller fairleads for use with synthetic rope.

[JeepinSoldier]

How to inspect the cable or rope.

Inspect the wire cable or winch rope both before and after use. Replace it if it’s damaged beyond small repairs. Check wire cable for small broken strands. These can be cut off. Also check wire cable for crushed areas. Check winch rope for cut or abraded areas. Check the eye end where the hook is attached. If the winch was run very hot, check the first layer of rope on the drum to insure that part of it has not melted.

[JeepinSoldier]

Winch accessories

To get the most out of your winch and use it safely, you will need these accessories:

Gloves – used to prevent burrs on the cable from cutting your hands. Also prevents friction burns from synthetic rope.

Hook strap – used to prevent your fingers from being caught in the fairlead when the last of the cable or rope is spooled in.

Shackle – used to attach the winch hook to a tree strap or choker chain. Never attach a winch line back onto itself! This will damage the cable or rope and can injure live trees.

Snatch block – used to double the winches pulling power or change the direction of pull.

Anchor (Tree) strap – used to attach a winch line to a tree for an anchor point. This prevents damage to the winch line and the tree.

Choker chain – used for an anchor point where chafing damage might result to a strap and where there is no worry about the chain causing damage to living or valuable things. Do not use a chain as an anchor point on a tree! Chains damage and kill trees. The chain can create recovery points on vehicles that don’t have them. It’s also used to winch large fallen logs off the trail and to anchor a Jeep to another vehicle when recovering heavier vehicles.

Dampening weight – If using wire cable some sort of dampening weight should be used to slow the cable if it breaks. This can be a heavy blanket or a line weight like the ‘Winch Saver’.

[JeepinSoldier]

Hand signals.

Winches can be used to recover a vehicle while the operator is alone. But the recovery is safer and more efficient if done as a team of two or three. Hand signals are an important part of team winch recovery. Hand signals are simple to understand and can be followed over noise. Hand signals are also a part of two people respooling a cable or rope safely.

The following are the universal hand signals for use while winching. Ill post pictures as I can take them. Illustrations are also available in the Warn winching guide and the other references listed previously.

Stop
Stop!
Winch in
Winch out
A little bit or bump (Winch in or out just a little bit)
Steer left/right
Drive assist (Recovered vehicle)
Brake (Recovered vehicle)
I’m working on the cable at the drum or hands inside the fairlead.
Driver/Operator response to working on the cable at the drum.

[JeepinSoldier]

Spooling the cable under load. (Before and after use)

Before a new wire cable is used for an actual recovery, it should be stretched by applying at least 500 lbs of tension. Easy ways of doing this are to pull the Jeep up a slight incline to an anchor point or pull another Jeep up an incline. Insure that the cable is spooled correctly on the drum to prevent damaging it. Stretching is not necessary for synthetic rope. Stretching is only needed one time before the first pull to tighten the strands of the wire cable.

Both wire rope and synthetic line should be respooled after each recovery. This is because during most recoveries the line does not spool perfectly on the drum. If the line gets crossed on the drum the next time it is placed under tension it will be damaged by the strands crushing each other. Wire cable is more susceptible to this but rope can be damaged as well.

Electric winch run on.

Somthing to be aware of is that the drum on many electric winches may continue to turn for a few moments after power to the winch is shut off at the controller in forward or reverse. This is really noticible on those winches with a fast unloaded line speed.

This is important because the operator or assistant can be injured if the line runs on at the end and thier hand gets caught in the fairlead. The fairlead, line or winch could also be damaged if the line is spooled in too tightly at the end due to run on.

[JeepinSoldier]

OK, now it time to winch!

Assessing the situation.

Before any winch pull, you should thoroughly assess the situation and then decide on the best and safest method of recovery. Complete your assessment by using the acronym RECOVERY.

R – Recon the area
E – Estimate the situation
C - Calculate the ratio
O - Obtain the resistance
V – Verify the solution
E – Erect the rigging
R – Recheck the rigging
Y – You are ready

Calculate the ratio by determining the number of wraps left on drum after the line is pulled to the anchor point. Subtract 10 percent of the winch’s capacity for each layer over the first one on the drum.

Obtain the resistance by using the ground and slope factors explained in the formulas below. The following is paraphrased or quoted directly from “Winching Effort’, Chapter 8 of the ‘4 Wheelers Bible’ by Jim Allen:

‘Because your Jeep is rolling on wheels, the effort required to move it is less than it would be for the same amount of weight laying flat on the ground. That’s why a single person can move a 4,000 lb Jeep by pushing but not a 4,000 lb crate. On a flat, hard surface, the person is only required to generate enough force to move approximately 4 percent of the Jeep’s total weight (about 200 pounds) The same applies to the winch.’

‘Ground conditions will increase the effort required as well. A Jeep mired to the hubs in mud will require more effort to move than a Jeep on pavement. In addition, the slope, if any will increase the effort required to pull.’

Ground factor chart

Ground Condition Effort Required

Pavement 2-4 percent
Grass 8-14 percent
Hard Packed Sand 10-17 percent
Wet Sand 15-20 percent
Gravel 10-20 percent
Soft, Dry Sand 25-30 percent
Shallow Mud 30-35 percent
Deep Mud 40-60 percent
Deep Clay Mud 50-70 percent

Slope Factor

Slope factor is determined by approximating the slope in degrees, and then multiplying it by the loaded weight of the stuck vehicle and dividing that by 60.

Calculating the total line pull:

To determine the total the total approximate pull weight required, add the number determined by the slope factor to the loaded weight of the stuck vehicle. Then add the approximate weight that the ground condition will account for. Use the formula below:

Slope (in degrees) x Loaded weight (lbs)
_______________________________= winch pull
60

Winch Pull x Ground Factor (in percent) = Additional Load

Additional Load + Winch Pull = Total Load on Winch

Example

Let’s use an LJ Unlimited as an example. It weighs about 4,500 lbs unloaded and we have added 300 lbs of gear and supplies , making it 4,800 lbs total. We are trying to winch it up a 50 degree slope consisting of shallow mud.

50 x 4,800
_________ = 4,000 lb pull
60

4,000 x 35 percent = 1,400 lbs additional pull from mud

4,000 + 1,400 = 5,400 pound total winch pull.

Now using the ratio and resistance calculations, determine the method of recovery – can it be done by a single line pull? Will a double or triple line pull be necessary?

[JeepinSoldier]

Rigging/Pulling part 1

To begin rigging, select a suitable anchor point. Anchor points may be anything large enough to support the weight of the vehicle being recovered. Trees, rocks, and other vehicles are common anchor points.
If no anchor point is available, one can be constructed using stakes, your spare tire, or a Pull Pal ground anchor. Expedient anchor points will be covered in the Recovery 201 class.
Try to find an anchor point that is as close to directly in front of the winch as possible. Angled or side pulls cause the line to spool on one side of the winch drum and can bind up the drum or damage the line. If a straight pull cannot be avoided, think about changing the direction the direction of pull by using snatchblocks. Winch a short distance then slacken the line and respool it properly before continuing.

If you are only winching a short distance, pull as much line off the drum as possible. Remember, the most pulling power comes from the bottom wraps of line closest to the drum. Twice the length of line can be pulled out and used by running it through a snatchblock and back to the Jeep.

After determining your anchor point, begin rigging. Today we will demonstrate a single line, double line and change of direction pull.

Single line

For a single line pull, begin by putting on gloves, and then follow these steps:

Disengage the clutch lever and move to free spool.
Free the winch hook and attach the hook strap if one is not already on the hook.

Pull the line to the anchor point.

Secure to the anchor point.

Attach the shackle to the tree strap or chain. Attach the line to the shackle through the looped end or use the hook. Screw in the shackle pin all the way and then back it off ½ turn.

Lock the clutch by turning it back to engaged.

Connect the remote.

Put the line under slight tension. Lay the dampener on the line or slide the winch saver to the appropriate place.

Recheck the anchor and rigging. Check the line at the drum to insure that while the line was being pulled out, it didn’t loosen at the drum and cross over itself.

Establish ‘No people’ zones around the area and clear all others from within them. All persons observing the recovery should stand outside the angle formed by the cable under stress at a distance at least equal to the distance between the winch and the anchor, in both directions.

Once the line is under tension, the operator, spotters, or assistants should not step over it.

[JeepinSoldier]

Rigging/Pulling Part 2

Begin the pull. Use a spotter if available and necessary. Insure the spotter is in a safe location. The spotter should stop the pull a few times and check that the line is spooling properly on the drum and the temperature of the winch drum if necessary.

The driver can assist the winch pull with the Jeeps engine power to the tires if needed. Be careful not to drive over the line. The driver should also watch the Jeeps volt gauge and check engine light. Winching for to long with the voltage gauge bottomed or the check engine light on can damage the alternator and battery.

If the winch pull is straining the Jeep's electrical system, stop the pull a few times to prevent damage to the system. If possible, you can stop the pull and rerig as a doubble line pull. Doing this will make the load on the winch approximately 50 percent less. Less load on the winch will require less amps to turn the drum.

Once the stuck vehicle has been recovered, set the brake and put the transmission in park or first/reverse for a manual.

Slacken the line if still under tension and disconnect the rigging. Secure the strap/chain from the anchor point.

Respool the line neatly on the drum.

Disconnect the remote.

Check the area to insure that you have not left any gear.

Double line.

A double line pull is similar to a single line pull, but prepare the rigging this way:

Start by pulling out enough line to free the hook. Attach the hook to a front recovery point and route the looped end of the line through a snatch block.

Disengage the clutch and using the snatch block, pull out enough line to reach your anchor point.

Secure to the anchor point using a strap or chain. Route the shackle through the snatch block and the pin through the strap or chain. Screw the pin all the way in and then back it out ½ turn.

Go back to the winch and apply tension to the line. Lay a dampener over each line if necessary. Do not step over the lines after they are under tension. Do not allow anywone to stand between the lines while they are under tension.

Recheck all the rigging and clear the safety zones.

Winch out the recovered vehicle.

Set the brake / transmission on the recovered vehicle, disassemble the rigging and pack away all the gear. Recheck the area to insure that you have not left any gear.

[JeepinSoldier]

Recovering heavier vehicles

Even if you have a 9,500 or 12,000 lb winch on your Jeep, you cannot recover a heavier vehicle such as a full size 4x4 pickup by yourself without anchoring the Jeep. Your winch will drag you toward the stuck vehicle. To recover heavier vehicles, anchor the winching Jeep to a tree, rock or another Jeep.

To use a rock or tree as an anchor, route a strap or chain around the anchor point as necessary. Route at least one, preferably two choker chains from the rear of the winch Jeep’s recovery points to the anchor strap or chain using shackles. Pull the Jeep forward slightly and take the slack out of the chain(s).

To use another Jeep as an anchor, pull it up fairly close to the rear of the Jeep doing the winching. Route at least one, preferably two, choker chains from the rear of the winch Jeep’s recovery points to the anchor Jeep’s front recovery points and secure the ends. Back the anchor Jeep up slightly if necessary to take the slack out of the chain(s). Use chains instead of straps to do this because chains will not stretch like straps and will reduce shock loads on the recovering Jeeps frames. Use wheel chocks on both Jeeps if available. If you only have one, or one set, use it on the anchor Jeep.

[HillBillE]

Great info JeepinSoldier! Even after years of recovery in the service (M88 and 5Ton wreckers) , driving wreckers (civilian) and wheeling recoveries ( a whole lot of self recovery:D) It's always good to have a refresher!

[E5EDDIE]

Very good info, I've got my first winch coming next week and look forward to becoming familiar with it's safe and correct utilization, thanks-Ed

[Fifthpro]

This data can be found in Jeeping Soldiers very informative post. This is the same Recovery Formula formatted like the other pages to be printed and shoved in your Jeep when you need them.

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg227/Fifthpro/RecoveryBasics.jpg

[BomberJeep]

This is a great writeup and should be read by everyone