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A Winch in a Pinch

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ndnchf View Drop Down
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    Posted: 07 July 2018 at 12:00am
This is a carry over from my "I bought a car hauler" thread. In that thread I discussed how I fabricated a mount for a worm drive winch to haul a jeep up onto the trailer. The winch is mounted on a plate welded to a piece of 2" square tubing. I used an ATV receiver hitch from Harbor Freight to make it removable. 

While making the trailer winch, it occurred to me that the same ATV receiver could be easily added to my CJ2A's draw bar. So I stopped on the way home from work today and picked up another hitch (around $12) and a 3/4" grade 8 bolt, nut and washers from the hardware store. It bolts perfectly to the draw bar's existing holes. Since it uses a single bolt, it can pivot under load, so I welded a piece of 1/2" square stock to the bottom of it, so it locks it in place along the rear edge of the draw bar. 

It's a simple installation, that allows the 2000lb capacity worm winch (double that with a snatch block) to be used if I get in a bad situation. It not ideal, but it's a lot better than nothing. I could add a receiver to the front as well. The winch can be hand cranked, but I have a heavy duty cordless drill set up to run it. Since my jeep is 6 volts and I have no PTO, this gives me something to fall back on - just in case Wink



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mark W. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 July 2018 at 9:49am
I've used a come a long to get unstuck a few times in the past and your setup looks to be as good or better then that. And it looks like you have more cable then the 2 ton come a long.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 July 2018 at 11:15am
I had thought of carrying a come slong, and may still. But this gives another option. It has 50' of cable, enough to double it with a snatch block. Being powered by a new heavy duty 20v lithium cordless drill, should make it pretty easy to use. At least easier than a come along!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 July 2018 at 12:42am
I gave the winch a test by pulling the jeep up a slight incline. I tried it with and without a snatchblock. Both worked, but the snatchblock made it easier. The cordless drill handled it like a champ. It certainly wasn't a stress test, but it proved it to be workable.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ol' Unreliable Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 July 2018 at 3:14am
Pretty cool!  Clap
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Unkamonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 July 2018 at 5:01am
Well, it works. My 3B has a Koenig PTO and the other Jeep has a Warn M6000. Everybody else has an electric winch.
Strange, I always get to winch people.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ol' Unreliable Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 1:02am
Wait a minute--pivoting under load might be a good thing.  It will keep your cable spooling straight onto the drum.  If you don't have a fairlead to make that happen, you can end up with damaged cable.  You won't always be pulling straight, will you?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 1:49am
Originally posted by Ol' Unreliable Ol' Unreliable wrote:

Wait a minute--pivoting under load might be a good thing.  It will keep your cable spooling straight onto the drum.  If you don't have a fairlead to make that happen, you can end up with damaged cable.  You won't always be pulling straight, will you?

Good point! This is all new to me, so I'm learning along the way.  Maybe I should pick up another one of these receivers and use it for the winch, and save this one for actual towing. Thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Unkamonkey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 1:54am
I was watching a TV show about the big trucks they used to tow big things. They had to rewind a winch that had a damaged cable. Actually fairly simple. 2 pieces of wood clamped together, I used 2X4s with one of them long enough to rest on the ground. You just work it back and forth to get the line to lay straight. I ended up rewinding several winches. It bothers me to see a picture of a winch that has the line wound in some messy way. for one thing it can screw up the line.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 1:29pm
Originally posted by Ol' Unreliable Ol' Unreliable wrote:

Wait a minute--pivoting under load might be a good thing.  It will keep your cable spooling straight onto the drum.  If you don't have a fairlead to make that happen, you can end up with damaged cable.  You won't always be pulling straight, will you?

I've been thinking about this a bit more.  Would it be better to put a 2" ball on the draw bar, then attach a trailer coupler to the winch?  


That way the winch could flex is up/down and side to side to account for odd angles.  I couldn't carry the winch back there when not in use, as it would just hang down and bounce around.  But it could be easily snapped on if needed.  

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 5:58pm
I'd be hesitant to do that.  They REALLY don't recommend looping a tow strap over a ball due to the possibility of breaking the ball off and turning it into a projectile.  I know a winch would be a more steady pull (little / no impact).  But a stretchy recovery strap doesn't put a lot of impact either.  It'd probably work OK (especially with a relatively low force winch).  But I think I'd stay away from anchoring to the ball.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 6:43pm
Hmmm, well maybe this is not such a good idea after all Ouch   I set up the winch up for use on my trailer originally, and then thought about using it on the jeep too.  Maybe that was a bridge too far.  So perhaps it would be best to just keep it on the trailer.  I don't want to get myself or anyone hurt with it.  

I appreciate hearing the voice of reason.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote srlbotanical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 8:46pm
Where did you pick up the worm drive winch?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 10:13pm
Originally posted by srlbotanical srlbotanical wrote:

Where did you pick up the worm drive winch?

It's a Dutton-Lainson. 

I ordered it and the cable from etrailer.com.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 11:54pm
Originally posted by ndnchf ndnchf wrote:

Hmmm, well maybe this is not such a good idea after all Ouch   I set up the winch up for use on my trailer originally, and then thought about using it on the jeep too.  Maybe that was a bridge too far.  So perhaps it would be best to just keep it on the trailer.  I don't want to get myself or anyone hurt with it.  

I appreciate hearing the voice of reason.

I was only speaking to attaching it to the ball.  Bolting it directly to the draw bar should be fine.  Or with a little creativity you could make sort of a "shackle" that fits close (but not tight) to the drawbar, with holes through both sides.  That would let it swing freely from side-to-side, and you could do a quick-connect of sorts with a hitch pin.  Or even a grade 8 bolt, but just needing to put the nut on finger tight.  (That sort of setup puts the pin, or bolt, in double-shear which is probably the strongest way to load a bolt.  The nut would function like a hitch pin clip, only being there to keep the bolt from sliding out.)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rocnroll Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 July 2018 at 11:55pm
It's really hard for me to believe that you would get into alot of trouble (except maybe a broken cable) with a 2000 lb hand crank winch....leave it like it is and the next mud hole you pull yourself out of pat yourself on the back for having it back there.

Just understand it's capabilities and go on with it......common sense.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ndnchf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 July 2018 at 12:29am
Originally posted by Nothing Special Nothing Special wrote:

Originally posted by ndnchf ndnchf wrote:

Hmmm, well maybe this is not such a good idea after all Ouch   I set up the winch up for use on my trailer originally, and then thought about using it on the jeep too.  Maybe that was a bridge too far.  So perhaps it would be best to just keep it on the trailer.  I don't want to get myself or anyone hurt with it.  

I appreciate hearing the voice of reason.

I was only speaking to attaching it to the ball.  Bolting it directly to the draw bar should be fine.  Or with a little creativity you could make sort of a "shackle" that fits close (but not tight) to the drawbar, with holes through both sides.  That would let it swing freely from side-to-side, and you could do a quick-connect of sorts with a hitch pin.  Or even a grade 8 bolt, but just needing to put the nut on finger tight.  (That sort of setup puts the pin, or bolt, in double-shear which is probably the strongest way to load a bolt.  The nut would function like a hitch pin clip, only being there to keep the bolt from sliding out.)


I see what you are saying, loosely sandwich the draw bar above and below it so the pivot pin goes through 3 pieces.  It can then pivot maybe 120 degrees side to side. That would be much stronger than the bolt just through 2 pieces. I think I can make something that will work.

I understand the limits of this winch, while I originally intended it for my trailer, I was hoping to get a little more use as back up on the trail. I'm a newbie at all this. I really appreciate your suggestions and guidance.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ol' Unreliable Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 July 2018 at 3:26am
I think it's still a good idea, it just needs some refinement.  Keep working on it and see what ideas others might steal (or supply) in the end.  Smile  Thumbs Up
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