9. Slowly wind the wire rope until no slack remains by using the winch
switch. Once the wire rope is under tension, stand clear and never step
over it.
10. Check the anchor point. Make sure all connections are secured and
free of debris before continuing with the winching procedure.
Never use the winch as a hoist. Never use the winch's wire rope
to tow another vehicle.
11. Check the wire rope. It should be neatly wound around the drum.
Improper winding can cause damage to the wire rope.
12. Lay something over the wire rope to absorb energy should the rope
snap. Tree limbs, heavy jackets, chain and the like may be used for this
purpose.
Note:Always avoid continuous side pulls which can pile up wire rope at
one end of the drum. This pile can damage the wire rope or the winch.
13. Make sure everyone in the immediate area is aware of the winching
operation. Tell them where they shouldn't stand; never behind or in front
of the vehicle and never near the wire rope.
14. With the vehicle's engine on and light tension on the wire rope, begin
winching slowly and steadily. Be sure the wire rope is winding evenly
and tightly around the drum. For assistance, the winched vehicle can be
slowly driven while being pulled by the winch.
Note:Avoid overheating of the winch motor. For extended winching,
stop at reasonable intervals to allow the winch motor to cool down.
What to look for under load
The wire rope must always spool onto the drum as indicated by the
drum rotation decal on the winch. As you power in, make sure the rope
winds evenly and tightly on the drum. This prevents the outer wrap from
drawing into the inner wraps, binding and damaging the rope. Avoid
shock loads by using the control switch intermittently to take up wire
rope slack. During side pulls, the wire rope tends to stack up at one end
of the drum. This stack can become large enough to cause serious
damage to the winch. Line up pulls as straight as possible and stop
winching if the wire rope comes close to the tie rods or mounting plate.
Note:To fix an uneven stack, spool out that section of the rope and
reposition it to the opposite end of the drum; this will free up space for
continued winching.
15. For vehicle recovery, continue pulling until the vehicle is on stable
ground. If the vehicle is able to be driven, the winching operation is
complete.
Driver Controls
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