Hand winch

Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:25

ThreadID: 61956 Views:3546 Replies:6 FollowUps:4

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Winches

All travellers should be capable and equipped for winching so in this article we will discuss the various winching methods and equipment on the market.

Member - Jeanette S (WA)

Hi all. My vehicle does not have a vehicle mounted winch and in the future I will be travelling to places where I could need one. Rather than replace the whole roo bar etc i was thinking of a hand winch. I have seen the turfer type ones that use a cable same as a winch. Is this all that is available or are there other better suited products. Please advise or point me in the direction of a thread I can read on this. Thanks muchly. Kirk

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Reply By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:34

Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:34

Jeanette,

Have you read this article on winches??

It may answer most of your questions.

Cheers Kev

Russell Coight:
He was presented with a difficult decision: push on into the stretching deserts, or return home to his wife.

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AnswerID: 326749

Follow Up By: Kirk and Jeanette - Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 10:13

Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 10:13

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks Kev. Cheers mate.

FollowupID: 594018

Reply By: RobAck - Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:36

Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:36

Hmmm Hand winch! OK you have two choices. A hand winch or a hi-lift with a winch kit and wheel lifter kit. With the hi-lift you would need a winch extension strap, to replace the cable you would have with a hand winch. Hi-lift and hand winch are both darned dangerous in unskilled hands. I strongly suggest if you are contemplating purchasing either that you do a decent training course to understand the risks implicit with the use of both pieces of equipment. We use both but prefer the hi-lift and wheel lifter as well as having an electric winch. But we definately prefer not to have to use any of it. Instead relying on travelling with others and trying to avoid finding ourselves in a position to need to use such recovery items in the first place.

Summary. Both items are dangerous in untrained hands so get some proper training, preferably before you make your final purchasing decision. As well get fit because both are hard physical work

Regards

RobA

AnswerID: 326751

Reply By: Member - Mark G (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:44

Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:44

bush winches

AnswerID: 326755

Reply By: Member - Tessa (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:46

Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 17:46

Kirk
sounds like you could do with some fair dinkum off road training. Could I suggest that you either join a club or at least sign up for a commercial 4wd course with an accredited trainer.

tessa

AnswerID: 326756

Follow Up By: Kirk and Jeanette - Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 10:10

Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 10:10

Not sure why you would say that. The question was not how to use a winch but what alternatives there were available if a winch is not fitted to the car. I have been 4WD ing for many years. I am not planning to get stuck but want to plan ahead so I am prepared thats all. Cheers

FollowupID: 594017

Reply By: Ken - Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 19:18

Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 at 19:18

Kirk, A couple of points to consider. Tirfor cable is NOT like winch cable, it has a solid core to prevent crushing by the internal jaws that the device uses to grip the cable. Any hand winch is very, very hard work if used for even moderate slopes or for relatively short times. eg. Most electric winches are about 2 hp or greater, the human body is capable of about 1/4 hp. And before all the clever dicks jump in with human bio-dynamics and gearing comments, the bottom line is the power that even the fittest person can maintain is mostly not going to be enough to give you any real security.
Not saying they don't have their place but their best feature is they teach you not to jump in where angels fear to tread.
Ken

AnswerID: 326778

Follow Up By: Member - Mark E (VIC) - Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 12:00

Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 12:00

Sorry Ken....have to disagree with some of your comments here.

Before I bought the car I have now (with elec winch), all I had for the past 20 years was a Tirfor and I still have it as a back up if I'm on my own in the High Country.

My Tirfor has been used MANY times to extract me from a variety of situations and it has never failed. Yes, it is hard work, but so is carrying a 25kg pack all over the Main Range on skis in Winter. Or climbing up the West Ridge of Buller....etc Fitness is a personal issue and I have never had an issue with using the Tirfor to extract myself from whatever. Just so long as you are not in a hurry it will keep on going for HOURS if you are prepared to keep on pulling the handle..........more than I can say for even the BEST electric winch. In fact I even enjoy the exercise and challenge the hand winch provides. I want to be able to keep doing this 'outdoorsy' thing for a long time yet so plan to keep fit to maximise my enjoyment of my trips.

I hear so often on this and other 4WD forums how hard using the Tirfor is..........perhaps some of those people should go to the gym or put down their beer occasionally!

I do agree though it is important to learn how to use it properly, be it hand winch or elec winch as it's probably the most dangerous activity you'll do with your car.

I await the flaming........

Cheers,

Mark

FollowupID: 594034

Follow Up By: Member - Redbakk (WA) - Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 20:06

Wednesday, Sep 24, 2008 at 20:06

Mark....I agree with you....everytime I got myself in a pickle a forward mounted winch would have been useless.....I luv my tirfor and high lift jack......and air compressor, shovel, snatch strap,tyre pressure guage......NEVER go anywhere without them.

FollowupID: 594172

Reply By: Kirk and Jeanette - Thursday, Sep 25, 2008 at 15:05

Thursday, Sep 25, 2008 at 15:05

Thanks Mark and Redbakk. That is all the info I need to convince me that the Tirfor is my next purchase. I am pretty fit and when you (hopefully never), get stuck then time is not that much of an issue as long as you get yourself out. I built a pole home a few years back and all I used to lift the poles into postion (some up to 11 metres long) was a tirfor. They are great and not that hard to use at all.

AnswerID: 327096