When you winch you should try not to stack your cable.

 

http://s126.photobucket.com/al...n=view&current=018.flv thought you would like some video

 

Right .. and mostly that is achieved by a straight pull and if possible to guide the cable in... Stacking is one sure way to destroy a winch! no matter which brand you have... I personally carry 2 6 ft tree saver straps, a 30ftx3" tow strap (from my full size 4x4 days) and 3.. yes 3 ****** block so I can re-direct the winch line as needed...

In the case of your vid.. it looks like the Popo was hooked you the Outty?

 

Also it's a good idea not to use the winch cable to pull things with reverse, or be pulled by another machine by the winch cable. When slack gets jerked out of the cable, it puts a shock load on the gears they weren't designed for.

I also carry a couple tree savers, a longer tow strap, and a ****** block.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: JeffinTD

Also it's a good idea not to use the winch cable to pull things with reverse, or be pulled by another machine by the winch cable. When slack gets jerked out of the cable, it puts a shock load on the gears they weren't designed for. </end quote></div>

I've seen several winches, even large truck type, destroyed because they were used to tow with. You're exactly right about shock loads. Shock loading will tear a winch up quick. About three weeks ago i seen a guy with a brand new superwinch trash his winch because he was using it as a tow strap or recovery rope. He got away with it twice but the third time she let loose with a pretty sickening mechanical crack and grinding sounds.

 

http://i126.photobucket.com/al...pbear/brucepic2254.jpg Hears my rope and e anchor . The Anchor is so you can use a ****** block

 

so two weeks ago i finally got the opportunity to put on the winch i got for the winter solstice. I was like "great... cant wait for the opportunity to use it." Its a 3000 lb winch thats very very similiar to this one --&gt; http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...rksid=p3286.m14.l1318


so this past sunday i get my opportuinty to use it. I had to pull a log out of the trail so that a side by side could get through. Anyway i get behind a tree and snug the front bumper up against it string out the winch line to the end of the tree where i would get the most leverage and hit the button. i was very carefull to watch the line to make sure i was not pulling to the point where the winch stalled. it was still moving at a good clip when i heard the quaint sound of grinding or slipping gears. I stopped the winch let out some slack. a buddy of mine was feeding in the cable as i was winding it in and i asked him to try to hold it back by hand... He could with no problem before the gears would start to grind. I would say its cabable of pulling about 50 lbs.

and so easy to install.. i would highly recomend it.

oh wait theres more. So i got to thinking that perhaps the issuse was becuase it was not completely engaged. you know how you feel a nice firm click when it goes into disengage. well this one had that but there was never a good click going into engage. so i figured i would cycle it through the diengage/engage thing a few times... finally i though well... "i cant hurt this thing ... after all... iit was a one time capable of pulling 10 times my weight. so... i give it a good hard turn with one hand towards engage. ... snap! now it wont even go back into disengage... the little wheel thingy on the right just turns round and round. ... so... like a complete ***.. . (cause anybody else would have just stopped the train wreck by now), i decide to pull out some cable.... no problem. exept for the fact that it wont go back in.

again... i highly recomend this no name winch... and by the way... it goes by a bunch of different names like the simple but deceptive "ATV winch" monocer.

so ... my question is. do you guys think that it was the engage/disengage thing all along and perhaps just an issue with the specific which that i have.... or do you think that all such winches by that manufacture are trash?

 

http://s126.photobucket.com/al...n=view&current=015.flv Hears some more video it's funny if your not the one stuck.

 

Today, i got the winch cable over wound and off the sppol, pulling my wife up this steep Snow grade. Took me like an hour to get it back and working. Non the less i pay more attention now how it spools up.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Discovery

Today, i got the winch cable over wound and off the sppol, pulling my wife up this steep Snow grade. Took me like an hour to get it back and working. Non the less i pay more attention now how it spools up.</end quote></div>

Where you at where there is still snow [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]