Winch Safety & Operation
Safety
Dress Properly
- Don't wear loose clothing, long hair, or jewelry around winch operations.
- Non-skid footware is recommended.
- Always use leather gloves when handling winch and winch cable/line.
Keep Safe Distance
- Ensure all persons are standing clear of winch cable. 1.5x the cable length is a good distance.
- Don't step over cable
- Keep proper footing and balance at all times.
Don't Overwork Winch
- If motor becomes uncomfortably hot to touch...STOP and let it cool.
- Don't maintain power to winch if motor stops and/or drum stops turning.
- Don't exceed maximum pull ratings.
Operating the Winch
- Ensure vehicle is secured by applying parking brake or chocking wheels
- Pull the cable out to desired length and attach to an anchor point. See below how to disengage or engage clutch to enable free pulling if cable.
- Ensure all cable rigging is secure
- Plug in winch hand control and operate from the driver’s side
- Start vehicle, make sure the vehicle is in neutral, and dis-engage parking cable once line is tight
- Operate winch control (IN or OUT) until vehicle is recovered. Regularly check winch to ensure cable is winding onto winch drum evenly as possible.
Disengage Clutch
Move clutch shift tab to the “OUT” position. Cable can now be free pulled.
Engage Clutch
Move clutch shift tab to the “IN” position. The winch can now be used to pull.
