Hand Puller Winch

Gidday all,

Has anyone got one of those hand puller winches. Are they worth while for your emergency kit or should you go for the hi lift jack with the chains so that you can use that for a winch? Storage space is the problem.
Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Greg
Tomorrow is here!

Member
My Profile  My Position  Send Message

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 21:49

Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 21:49
Hi Greg, are you refering to hand winches such as the Tirfor, or magnum and many other various brands?

If so, they can be a great assett. Hand winches are a much more versatile tool than a winch mounted on the front of a vehicle. Mind you, they are a lot of work too. You can winch forward, backwards, sideways. can't do that with front mounted winch.

They come in sorts of prices, quality and load ratings. If you get one, make sure you get some training in how to use it correctly. I would recommend one.
regards
Fred B
VKS 737: Mobile/Selcall 1334

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

AnswerID: 401026

Follow Up By: Member - Greg H (NT) - Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:01

Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:01
Thanks Fred,

But not that type of hand winch. I suppose you can call it the cheapo winch(they sell from $50.00 to $100.00) with about 3m cable and supposedly upto 4000kg pull.

Greg
Tomorrow is here!

Member
My Profile  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 670282

Follow Up By: poppywhite - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 08:24

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 08:24
You have answered your own question I think !
The tirfor type work well. Hi Lift works and also is a lot of work for winching. Great for lifting to pack under or throw out of rut. Chain isn't cheap either.

What do you realy intend or expect to have to get out of?

3m cable wont help much 4000kg is barely more than a loaded vehicle.
Think around 8 - 10,000kg and 8 -10m chain/cable/strap and some other auxilary lengths as well.
0
FollowupID: 670321

Follow Up By: Member - Timbo - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 15:08

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 15:08
Greg, if you've already got a hi-lift jack and are contemplating one of those hand operated cable reel winches then I'd recommend you just stick with the hi-lift jack. Those little cable winches are for tensioning wire fences and are very slow work for recovering even a small 4WD - we used to use them for bogged Suzukis & Subarus but once I got a larger 4WD, I got a proper hand-winch from Black Rat.
0
FollowupID: 670377

Follow Up By: Member - ross m (WA) - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 15:14

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 15:14
Greg,I bought a 60 series once and it had one of those hand winches that you describe. The previous owner had tried to extricate himself from deep sand with it.
The handle had bent and the rachet mechanism failed.
It went in the bin as soon as I got home.
Get yourself a hilift jack. It really is the best piece of recovery gear for the price.

But remember, the low price comes with an extremely slow process of recovery.
0
FollowupID: 670380

Reply By: nsngood - Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:22

Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:22
What vehicle are you going to use in on?
I had one for many years and used it very successfully whilst driving Niva's. But anything bigger i dont think i would bother (read it would be totally useless).They are not designed for recovery but used correctly are ok. Do not use them on a full size 4wd.
AnswerID: 401035

Reply By: Member - Barnray (NSW) - Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:45

Monday, Jan 25, 2010 at 22:45
Not worth the effort to open the wallet any were near a 4WD. Barnray
AnswerID: 401039

Reply By: Richard W (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 08:24

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 08:24
I've got a Bushranger and never used it for the 4WD.
Usefull for other stuff though.
AnswerID: 401056

Reply By: OREJAP - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 09:52

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 09:52
I have used a winch extention cable,highlift jack & a snatch block to pull 4WD side ways off edge of cliff onto road (track) There was nothing else to use & no other way of recovering vehicle. Layed H/lift on it's side secured by drag chain to tree. Small cheap chinese hand winch has limited useage.
AnswerID: 401069

Reply By: Peter_n_Margaret - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 11:50

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 11:50
I can pull in ANY direction with our Warn 16.5TI..........



Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome
AnswerID: 401089

Follow Up By: Member - Allan B (QLD) - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 12:33

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 12:33
Only if there's something to hook it on to Peter! LOL

Cheers
Allan

Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 670351

Follow Up By: Peter_n_Margaret - Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 at 00:29

Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 at 00:29
Absolutely correct Alan..... :(
Can usually bury a spare,,,

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome
0
FollowupID: 670517

Reply By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 13:30

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 13:30
Yep got a couple ... 2tonne & 4tonne.

Very versatile little things.

Great for sideways pulls/taking up strain in tricky winching spots where you dont want your vehicle to look like a yoyo down in the gully dangling by the main winch cable.

Not a lot of use as a main recovery tool tho unless you have a small vehicle.

Tirfor or similiar is the way to go in that case .... and they have a reverse winching action unlike the cheapies.

Front & rear towhitches with a removable electric winch as in the photo above is a good way to go.

Since most times you need to winch back out of a situation ... a dedicated front winch has always seemed like a waste to me .... Havent found a good reason yet to flatten a battery dragging myself further into - and through a boghole.

Two Hilift/JackAll Jacks and some accessories will get you out of a lot of trouble spots but .....

An electric winch on the front takes up a lot less space .... and lets face it ...

If you dont have winch mounted on ya bullbar .... one cant be a serious 4x4er ..... LOL
AnswerID: 401106

Follow Up By: OREJAP - Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 at 10:04

Wednesday, Jan 27, 2010 at 10:04
Yes I suppose if you don;t have your motor running you would flatten your battery in about 15 mins!!! LOL!!! What's a serious off roader? Is that someone who always has a sombre expression?
0
FollowupID: 670557

Reply By: brushmarx - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 18:16

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 18:16
I would suggest you have second thoughts on the small $50 to $100 winches.
They are light in weight and strength, and the rating on ours was for pulling on flat unobstructed ground, whereas the rating on Tirfors and the like are lifting weights.
I had a small cheapie winch bend out of shape to the extent that the spool fell out. That was winching a ride on mower into a box trailer.
Imagine the cost if you had a winch failure dragging a 4x4 out of a bog?
I'll get there someday, or die wanting to.

Member
My Profile  Send Message

AnswerID: 401176

Follow Up By: gbc - Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 19:58

Tuesday, Jan 26, 2010 at 19:58
Ah - so they are rated differently. My 20 year old brahno (tirfor) is only 1.8t rated swl, and people here are saying a 4t rated winch would be no good for a fourby?
Makes sense now.
Needless to say the old hand winch has done it's share of tricky extrications.
0
FollowupID: 670442

Sponsored Links