rrrrrrkevin

Forgive me im a newbie to winching, the last time I used a winch I was active duty army and it was in a HEMTT and the last time I was winched out it was by a wrecker and all I did was hook up the cable and watch the show. I honestly have no clue how to operate a winch with a manual trans on a jeep but it is something I plan on adding to mine eventually.

rrrrrrkevin

if the vehicle that was stuck was badly stuck would that cause my e brake to slip and my jeep to pull towards the stuck vehicle? (I only make this assumption because you can easily drive around with your e brake on)

nvrenuff

If the winching vehicle is being drug while winching you are transfering load to your own driveline if you are in gear. If possible you might want to anchor winching vehicle or double up with another vehicle rather than put all the strain on your vehicle. Just a thought.

Mad-Hatter

chock your wheels

Socal Tom

This whole R&P is weaker in reverse is really blown out of proportion. Yes, the R&P is weaker in reverse, but that doesn't mean that its fragile. Here is some evidence to consider
1) These rigs are rated to tow capcity of 3500 lbs, that includes backing up the trailer, so the R&P have to be rated to handle 3500 lbs ( and that would be just the rear, if you have it in 4wd, then you would assume it could handle more)
2) Older rigs with low pinion front axles, were actually rear axles installed in the front end, so they went in reverse ( on the weak side of the gear) anytime the rig was in forward motion. Properly sized, they worked fine, and ran for years.

That being said, there are some considerations for pulling rigs in reverse. The angle of the pull can put a lot of stress on the front axle due to the weight transfer. So , just be smart no hard pulls in reverse, and make dont jerk in reverse. Its always safer to go forward, so you can see where you are going, but a small yank in reverse shouldn't cause a problem.
Tom

JKlad

Apart from the previously mentioned ring & pinion issue concerning the direction of the splines, reverse isn't as low as first so combined with the tall 3.21 diff gearing that comes with the 6-speed (unless you have the tow-pac or the Rubi) it's a sure fire recipe to cook the weak OEM clutch, particularly if you're not in 4-low.

Many people here have cooked their clutch by simply reversing up slight inclines or reversing trailers in 2-hi; I need to reverse into a upward-sloping parking space at work and need to shift into 4-low to do it, otherwise I really have to rev it & ride my clutch to get it to move.

Papa Surf

No problem here:

harmonsjeep

thanks alot guys. i was just wondering

Mark Doiron

As said, it's best to pull someone going forward. A bit easier on the gearing, and let's you see where you're going. However, for a very easy, quick pull, going in reverse is okay ...



As for winching: Someone needs to be at the wheel and on the brake. He is protected by the windshield should something break (but windshields have been known to fail when hit by a flying shackle from a snapped winchline--get synthetic and don't use shackles to join line extensions!). The engine is running to keep the battery juiced up, but either hold in the clutch or put the vehicle in neutral. This is why, BTW, wireless remote winches have never made sense to me.

u-joint

The rated tow capacity is mostly about braking and the weight of the tow vehicle. Jeeps are rating poorly on their tow capacity because they a short (especially the 2-door) and light, and therefore have poor control of large towed loads.

But, this is towing as it related to trailers and going down a highway... not PULLING someone out of a ditch.

And when pulling someone who is stuck, you are going to exert MORE than their vehicles curb weight is most circumstances.

Above and beyond that, do you realize how cheap a broken winch is to replace versus a broken R&P... just some food for thought