Hey guys i just picked up my first winch and after doing some research online i just want to verify what i read to be correct and for any input you guys may have. i want to make sure im doing everything properly.
I have a rugged ridge 8500, 3" x 60ft tow strap, a 6ft tree saver, d-ring and stock battery.

1. Keep vehicle running while winching in short bursts (winch for a few seconds, pause, winch for a few seconds, pause..ect)
2. Keep vehicle that's winching in neutral with brakes held down. don't keep in park or reverse.
3. If recovering a vehicle that has a tow hook you are too attach a tree saver to the tow hook, then attach a d-ring/clevis to tree saver, then attach WINCH HOOK to D-RING
4. Never attach winch hook directly to tree saver strap or a tow hook on another vehicle for any reason.
5. Winch from inside the cabin



Thanks!

 

1. Keep vehicle running while winching in short bursts (winch for a few seconds, pause, winch for a few seconds, pause..ect)
-CORRECT, u don't want to overheat ur winch
2. Keep vehicle that's winching in neutral with brakes held down. don't keep in park or reverse.
-Start out in Neutral, if u start sliding towards the other vehicle I throw it in reverse and keep winching. If that don't work then I tie off to a tree or have a buddy pull with me (2 on 1)
3. If recovering a vehicle that has a tow hook you are too attach a tree saver to the tow hook, then attach a d-ring/clevis to tree saver, then attach WINCH HOOK to D-RING
-Yes this IS the proper method. I prefer not to use tow hooks at all but if it's all the stuck rig has then u gotta work with what u got. Here's a video of what happens when u don't hook up to a tow hook properly (that's me doing the pulling, I thought it would be a quick easy pull lol) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avBPnUoq1X8&feature=youtube_gdata_player 4. Never attach winch hook directly to tree saver strap or a tow hook on another vehicle for any reason.
-See above VIDEO....the hook barely misses my windshield
5. Winch from inside the cabin
-ALWAYS! NO EXCEPTIONS!







Sent from my obama monitoring device

 

A tow hook isnt a standard recovery point? Or is it truly just for "towing"? Hence the name? I probably just answered my own question. Where on that jk would you have hooked up otherwise? Loop strap around bumper (frame) and d-ring perhaps?
Glad i read/watched this. I wouldnt have thought a tow hook would snap off like that.

Sent from my iPhone while thinking of my Jeep

 

The hooks on the front are for recovery and the manual suggests that you use BOTH of them instead of just one. You're simply distributing the load and pulling evenly when you do that.

As far as the strap coming at the windshield (shoulda, coulda, woulda), there should have been a jacket or something across the middle of the strap in case of failure. The jacket absorbs a lot of the force and makes the strap not go so far.

Don't make winching too complicated, a little common sense goes a long way and safety first.

 

This is correct. I've always been careful when winching, but obviously sometimes we don't think right. I SHOULD have had something on the line to dampen the recoil incase of breakage. Since then I ALWAYS do. If u use common sense you will be just fine. See above video for what happens when u don't use common sense lol.

Sent from my obama monitoring device

 

Another good practice is to raise the hood all the way back against the windshield to act as a deflector.

 

If you haven't winched before, set up some easy winch practice to get used to it.

Pull a log with your winch.

Set up a 90 degree pull of a log with the winch and shackle.

Pull your own vehicle up a small incline.

Pull a friend's vehicle, even though it isn't really stuck.

Everytime you rig the winch and use it, you'll get more familiar with it. When you finally NEED the winch, it will be an old friend and you'll use it effectively instead of trying to learn how to winch, when the situation is critical. Winching is a very useful skill, practice up, it's not really hard or complicated. I've used mine mostly for clearing fallen trees from the road, though I've also used it for self-recovery and moving other vehicles. Great thing to have on a 4x4.

Regards, CW

 

Thanks for all the help and tips everyone. im going to head out to the desert and practice winching to get more familiar with it.

 

http://www.warn.com/corporate/images...PN62885-A2.pdf

 

Ok, I'm looking at mounting a smittybilt xrc8 to an aev front... Will I need aev's mount or smittybilt or both? Sorry to jump in lol.. Here's a pic mine came installed and with jus a cover where the winch should be