I have been pulling fence down on my farm. It is pretty muddy so I have been using my atv instead of my truck. It is a 2006 Arctic Cat 400 TBX auto. I have a Warn winch on the front. I attach the winch to the fence and then pull in reverse.

Do I risk hurting the atv by doing this? I have never owned an atv before so thats why I ask. Thanks for any help.

 

You risk damaging the "drive train" mechanism of the winch. It's not designed to be used as you are doing. I would use a seperate chain (or cable) that is attached to stable part of the atv.

 

ok thanks. i kind of had a feeling that i should not of been doing that. thanks

 

As was stated by pulling with the machine in reverse and using the winch you will damage both. The winch is not designed to be used in that way. I would think that as long as you did not give it a bunch or really hard jerks it is OK.

I sometimes put my machine in reverse and give it a little throttle when pulling another machine out if I start to slide forward and cannot tie or chain my machine off to a solid place. But I let the winch take up the slack not me going backwards to keep from jerking on the winch too much and busting stuff.

I pull small stumps out with a chain and I attach it to the hitch on my 4 wheeler and drive forward and give it a good yank. Make sure you throw a gunny sack over the chain in case it slips off or comes loose because it really hurts when it hits you in the back. I do not let the tires spin much though as it just tears up the ground. I sometimes have to do some more digging by hand and cut a side root or two to get the job done.

I think pulling in reverse can be harder on an automatic transmission due to the rev limiter. I was told that once and I am not sure if there is any truth to it or not but it sounds logical.

Good luck with the fence.

SJ

 

I'll chime in and say instead of pulling in reverse, pull going forward. And wear a helmet, chain in the back hurts. Chain in the back of the head, can kill you. Ain't nothing you're doing worth dying for.