Winching is one of the main tool based services that we provide here at Towing Chicago. In this blog entry, our towing experts will explain exactly what a winch is, and how it works in towing operations.
Guide to Winching
Winches haul or lift vehicles with a combination of a rope / chain / or cable that horizontally winds around a canked drum. Winches are used to rescue human or animal survivors from strange areas like mountains or rivers, and winches are also used to rescue vehicles when they have been stranded in inopportune places. Winches are used in car wrecks, stuck vehicles, illegally parked vehicle tows, abandoned vehicle retrievals, and, of course, with mechanical car breakdowns.
Basic Winching Tips
- Don’t use a winch to haul a person or animal unless it’s been specifically designed for winching animals or humans.
- Always wear gloves when winches are operated.
- Never touch the winch as it’s operating, and keep your hands far away from it.
- If you’re using a wire rope in the winch, place a towel or blanket over the rope so it can lessen the potential of an injury in the event the rope snaps or breaks.
Winching Strength
The best capacity for winch recovery strength measurement is that the winch should have 1.5 the gross weight of your vehicle. If your car is then 5,000 pounds, the winch should be able to lift 7,500 pounds. However, every winch has specific capacity based on the layers of winching cables. If your inch has more than 1 or 2 layers of cable wrapped around the drum., the gear ratio and pulling power is decreased. The longer the cable or chain, the lower the pulling power as well. The longer the rope or chain is, it can quickly bunch up or snag as the pulling is occurring. We recommend keeping spare ropes or chains on hand for a backup. It’s absolutely essential that winch ropes, cables, or chains are kept full straight and wrap perfectly aligned and linearly around the drum, as uneven wrapping layers can cause dangerous snaps.
