I ordered a winch last friday for my 98 TJ. I have been looking at books and cruising the internet finding out how to use it. One thing I don't understand though...all the books and internet sites say to stay out of the way of the wire in case it breaks (common sense) but they also say to make sure the wire cable winds up on the winch drum straight, meaning it is wound tightly with no gaps. How do you make sure it's wound neatly if you can't be near the cable??? I must be missing something. If it matters the winch I got is the warn XD9000i.
Nice choice for your winch! There is no way that you can (or should) try to guide the cable while winching the weight of your Jeep. Re-spool the cable once your done, so it will be right for the next job.
-- JimG
80' CJ-7 258 CID
35" BFG MT on 15x10 Centerlines D44 Rear, Dana 30 Front. SOA
4.56 Gears, LockRight F&R Dana 300 w/4:1 & Currie twin sticks Warn X8000i w/ dual batteries
OK, but I thought it was supposed to always be re-spooled *under load* so the higher layers don't cut into the lower. So then how do you make it neat under load??
BTW, how much benefit do you find with the dual battey setup?
Keith, hook your winch cable up to some immovable object and then set your emergency brake on so it gives the winch about a 500 lb. load to pull against. You can then use a gloved hand to guide it onto the spool in a controlled manner.
Dual batteries are nice but not necessary. I've been using a single Optima Yellow Top battery with my Warn HS9500i and it has gotten me through lots of winching, including some all-day winching episodes. Proper battery management is all that is needed... don't winch continually all day, stop and let the alternator recharge the battery once in a while. On just a few pulls of successive vehicles, you don't even need to worry about that. Keep the engine running, at an increased rpm via a hand throttle if possible, and that will be enough for probably 98% of winching situations.
If available I have someone hold the hook with the cable extended, as I guide it back on. If no help is available, a tight grip on the cable while being re-spooled will do.
On 28 Dec 2003 12:59 PM, Jerry Bransford posted the following:
I'm still using the single battery that came stock in my TJ, and I can winch all day continuously without draining it. 8^)
---------------------------------------------------- Del Rawlins- del@_kills_spammers_rawlinsbrothers.org Remove _kills_spammers_ to reply via email. Unofficial Bearhawk FAQ website:
Heh, Del's tongue-in-cheek comment is more meaningful if you know he's talking about his Milemarker hydraulic winch. (that I sold him after winning it in a drawing) :)
Jerry
-- Jerry Bransford To email, remove 'me' from my email address KC6TAY, PP-ASEL See the Geezer Jeep at
You folks will be eating up winch cables fast and getting to know the local emergency room doctors quickly.
Once you have 'hand' wound it on for the first time DO NOT EVER use gloves to wind it back on the second or successive times!!!
The cable will pull in between the loops on the drum because you cannot get it even close to tight using only part or even all of your body weight.
This will fray the cable on the next use and the next time you go to wind it in there could/will be be spurs that 'will' grab your glove and your hand and wind them up with the cable.
The Warn XD9000i is far too fast and you will not be able to stop it in time to prevent you hand from being sucked into the spool when one of the cable spurs grabs it.
A piece of hardwood with a notch in it is far safer to use to guide the cable even on the spool. Something like one uses on a table saw for rip cuts.
I pull another Jeep or mine up a slight hill or with my wife holding the brake when I wind mine up after a run.
I will use a person as an anchor just to get it back spooled if it is in constant use, but then I won't go near mine with my hands or gloves either.
Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
So you can still guide it with the 'stick' even when you are pulling another jeep up an incline or with the brake on. Seems it would be awfully hard to guide it...you'll have to excuse my ignorance - just trying to learn. Hopefully the winch will be here today and I can install it.
Yes, it will track back in very nice under a minimal tension to wind it tight for putting it away. The line likes to follow it's wrap when it is tight enough. If it is too loose, it gets mucked up and overlaps rows.
It will get wrecked really fast if you don't start the day out with it wound on tight.
Jerry had it about right, I think at least a 500 lb weight should be on it for a good wind up.
I am a big boy, 6'4" and 200 lb and I have tried to hold enough tension on it to wind it and there was not a hope. The next use sucked the cable right into the row below it.
Someone had a link to a pic of a winch cable that got out of control and went through the Jeep windshield and SEAT! Don't try and guide the cable during an extrication. You can re-wrap later.
I have had to stop during an extraction to let the winch unwind so I could do a couple wraps by 'hand' before I could continue.
Sometimes the cable just wants to go all to one side and it can jam itself up really bad so it is a good idea to have an eyeball bead on the cable as you are doing a pull. Or stop often and get out and look at it.
Not a hope of guiding the cable when doing an extraction, way too much tension on it.
It is a necessity to stand near the winch while operating it, what you need to be sure of is that the spectators are standing clear. Also, you will have great difficulty wrapping the cable neatly while actively engaging in recovery operations. What you will need to do is finish the recovery, then spool the cable out again, and rewrap it with less of a load.
Guiding a winch cable without gloves - never. My method has worked great for me and the guys I ride with for many years. If you have someone hold the end and apply pressure, you will get more than just their body weight. Using common sense and holding the cable a few feet back from the winch, will keep your hands out of the fairleads.
With the black cloud that hangs over your head, you should stick to you method. :-)
I used a tree strap to an apple tree in the backyard, put the XJ in neutral and used the remote to pull the jeep across the backyard to re-tension the cable while walking next to the XJ.
They do make good gloves for running plumbing power snakes. They look something like the Warn gloves. They have mesh in them, but a spur can still grab you.
The only time I get my hands near it is at the last 6-10 feet for the last winding.
I have worked around too many cables and heavy equipment to ever get close to a moving loaded cable. The things do bite.
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