Hand winches
Submitted: Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 08:18
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Member - Barnesy (SA)
Have done an archive search but still can't find the info I'm after. Looking for a hand winch as we are going bush as a single vehicle. Not interested in cheapo Chinese things.
Obviously Tirfor are the bees knees and if I found a s/hand one I would get it. Not too many for sale out here though.
What are the other recognised brands like, such as Big Haul, Terrain Tamer etc? Are they as good quality as Tirfor?
Can I trust them as much as Tirfor when they are needed most?
Anything else of interest about them I should know?
Cheers
Barnesy
Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 08:32
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 08:32
Barnesy,
There are a few hand
winches that are a direct copy of the Tirfor.
The original Tirfor was made in France and was just about the only hand winch on the market Used a lot in the construction industry.
Today hand
winches seem to be good even the Chinese ones. It is hard to tell where they are made and they look the same only different colour.
I have used, along with the 516 Tirfor, the Big Haul hand winch.
As long as they are kept clean, as with any winch, they work just as good as the more expensive Tirfor.
What ever hand winch you do get, try it at home before you head out on the big trip.
Wayne
AnswerID:
275880
Reply By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 08:57
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 08:57
G'day Barnesy
I have a near new tirfor that i hadn't considered selling untill i just saw your post. If your interested drop me a member message or post a reply here. Changing phone numbers today so not much point in giving you that.
Cheers Lyndon
AnswerID:
275892
Follow Up By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 09:02
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 09:02
When i say near new,it's old but not used if you know what i mean.
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539733
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 09:09
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 09:09
In a test of hand
winches around 12 months ago, the Big Haul winch was given the best rating.
AnswerID:
275898
Reply By: Peter 2 - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 09:48
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 09:48
I've got a "Elephant Looper" which is a direct copy of the original early T516 round shaped Tirfor which works very
well on the rare occasions it has been used over the last 30 years.
It is so close a copy that parts are interchangeable (years ago we used Looper parts to repair a tirfor).
I wouldn't buy a Black Rat as I've had personal experience of one failing to grip the cable under load and others have had similar experiences.
AnswerID:
275902
Follow Up By: Hoyks - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 12:38
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 12:38
I had the same problem once with my Tuff Pull, which is very similar to the Black Rat one.
It was in dusty conditions (pulling out bushes) and a fine layer of dust was enough to make the cable slip through the jaws when under load. Not so it went anywheer, just enough so the jaws wouldn't pull the cable through.
1/2 a litre of
water poured into the casing fixed it right up.
FollowupID:
539769
Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 11:36
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 11:36
shame your not in Vic I have a T516 forsale.
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275916
Reply By: Hoyks - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 12:42
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 12:42
You will find most of the hand
winches will do the job. They are imported as lifting devices and as such have to meet the Australian Standards. That's why a 1600kg rated winch will pull 2500kg with a margin of safety.
Make it easy on yourself and pack a snatch block though.
AnswerID:
275923
Reply By: trolute - Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 21:06
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 at 21:06
I have a 'green meanie' which is, effectively, a cheap chinesse thing. I have had it for 5 years now, and use it on my Patrol ute several times a year. Its hard and slow work (due to weight of ute, and lack of me, I always run thru snatch-block) but totally reliable.
Working in sand a few times it has got unhappy, and I have had to remove the sidecover and give it a clean, but they are so simple, you just clean it and get back to work.
Trolute
AnswerID:
275998