58 Best (And Worst) Practices When Winching

DO NOT DO TO THE FOLLOWING

• DO NOT: Wear loose fitting clothing or jewelry

• DO NOT: Step over or under the wire rope

• DO NOT: Work on or around the winch drum when the winch is operating

• DO NOT: Operate your winch with an obstructed view

• DO NOT: Alter your winch in any way. Alterations may weaken the structural integrity of the winch and void your warranty

• DO NOT: Misuse your winch

• DO NOT: Lift items vertically. The winch is designed for horizontal use only

• DO NOT: Operate the winch with less than eight wraps on the drum. The set screw on the drum is not designed to hold pull force of cable.

• DO NOT: Continuously pull from extreme angles. This will cause the wire rope to jam as it piles up on one side.

• DO NOT: Move your vehicle to assist the winch in pulling the load. The combination of the winch and vehicle pulling could overload the wire rope and winch

• DO NOT: Release the free spool clutch when a load is connected to the winch.

• DO NOT: Exceed the pulling limitations of this winch

• DO NOT: Shock loads when winching. A shock load occurs when increased force is suddenly applied to the wire rope

• DO NOT: Use your winch as a hoist

• DO NOT: Use your winch to life, support or transport people

• DO NOT: Alter the warning instruction label

• DO NOT: Overheat your winch. Use your winch intermittently

• DO NOT: Use your winch for jerking loads, towing, or securing a load.

• DO NOT: Winch near electrical power lines

• DO NOT: Abuse the wire rope

• DO NOT: Carry your winch by the wire rope

• DO NOT: Yank the wire rope from the winch

• DO NOT: Overwork your winch

• DO NOT: Maintain power if the motor stalls

• DO NOT: Exceed maximum line pull ratings

• DO NOT: prolong pulls. The electric winch is designed for intermittent use only. If the motor becomes very hot stop the winch and let it cool down for several minutes

• DO NOT: Unintentionally start winch

• DO NOT: Attach tow hooks to the winch mount.

• DO NOT: Allow the wire rope to thread through your hand.

• DO NOT: Engage the clutch while the motor is running

• DO NOT: Continue to winch when the battery power is low.

• DO NOT: Skip using all mounting bolts

• DO NOT: Tie the winch cable to itself

• DO NOT: Leave the remote plugged in when not in use.

• DO NOT: Use the winch as a secure tie-down point.

DO THE FOLLOWING

• DO: Tie back long hair

• DO: Wear leather gloves when handling the wire rope

• DO: Wear non-skid footwear during winch operation.

• DO: Wear eye and ear protection during operation

• DO: Keep a safe distance

• DO: Keep all onlookers away from the work area

• DO: Dress properly

• DO: Use a nylon sling when winching

• DO: Use your winch intermittently

• DO: Keep your vehicle running while winching. This allows the battery charging your winch to maintain a charge and will not run down your battery.

• DO: Keep the winre away from heat or sharp edges.

• DO: Fully disenage winch when not in use and fully engage when in use. The winch dog will disengage from the drum if the clutch is not fully engaged.

• DO: Disconnect power when not in use

• DO: Use snatch blocks to increase the winch's pulling capacity and remove tension from the wire rope

• DO: Use pulleys and guides to keep the wire rope off sharp corners

• DO: Put the winch in free spool when not in use.

• DO: Use rachets and straps to secure all loads.

• DO: Use a safety cut off switch

• DO: Make sure the winch is fully engaged (clutch) before pulling.

•  DO: Maintain your winch. Read our winch mintenance article here.