Winching and Recovery 101

[Colibri]

You know where the anchor point will be during the entire process.

That seems to be a significant advantage of the NATO anchor. Not just because you put it wherever you can hammer it in, but because the Pull-Pal needs to be pulled some distance before it bites in. Might be a short distance, might be right where you set it, but you won't know until you put tension on the line. The NATO anchor has a cost advantage over the bigger Pull-Pals (RW14000 and 16000), but the Pull-Pal is lighter (by about 30 pounds for the RW 14000). I don't live in a cold climate, but I would think the NATO anchor is more likely to work on wet ground that has frozen, assuming you have a big enough sledge and enough energy.

Good points fellas, makes it more interesting for sure. I'm sure it works it's just labor intensive, but if you had to relocate a pull pal before you got unstuck to do a second pull that would be way worse on the back than moving the nato probably. Hmmm

[Ducky's Dad]

Just carry both! That's only another 130 pounds in the truck. What the heck?

[Colibri]

I'll just kick my girl out and it won't be any extra weight hahaha

[2011TXPowerWagon]

I need an anchor that would work in sand, both loose an wet. Do you think that NATO would work?

[Jack187]

Hard to say. Would depend on how far down you would have to go through loose sand. In that situation, the blade type anchor might have an advantage.

[Ducky's Dad]

For use in mostly desert sand, I'm leaning toward getting a bigger Pull-Pal. Faster to deploy and retrieve and 30 pounds lighter than the NATO anchor. Trick is to find a used one at a decent price. Best I can find on a new RW14000 is $500 delivered. If I wheeled in different terrain and/or weather conditions, I'd probably lean toward the NATO anchor. But I have never used either one.

[2011TXPowerWagon]

I'm thinking next time I go to the beach I'm going to pick up a cheap boat anchor an see what happens.

[TwinStick]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjuif0HCVi4

Check out that video. It is a spade type boat anchor holding back a diesel ram

from $700 to $7000 !!! for ssteel.

$270 to $5600 for gal steel.

$400 to $2100 for alum.

[Bigskyguy1976]

well I see it's been covered already. This is the video that I think best covers it. Even the bestest winching extraordinaire engineer experts often times don't know how to reverse winch by winching forward. It's a good skill to know and a handy camp trick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBphM-u ... e=youtu.be

[olyelr]

well I see it's been covered already. This is the video that I think best covers it. Even the bestest winching extraordinaire engineer experts often times don't know how to reverse winch by winching forward. It's a good skill to know and a handy camp trick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBphM-u ... e=youtu.be

Haha holy hell i had no idea that was even possible!

[TwinStick]

Yeah, it is possible, no question about that. But what is the possibility or better yet---probability, of having 3 trees in just the right spot, at just the right time, that you need to do that ???? My guess, about as often as Halley's Comet comes by earth. If you have the need to do this more that 2x in your life, you would be wise to invest in one of these: https://www.warn.com/truck/winches/ZEON ... ount.shtml

At the most, you may need one snatchblock to use this & only 1 or 2 trees.

[RustyPW]

Yep, put a winch on the back of the truck. End of story.

[verdesardog]

And who carries three snatch blocks? I have two and thought that was excessive

[PWDan]

Okay, my factory winch cable is due to be replaced since it's got some serious kinks and a few strands here and there that always seem to get through my gloves. I was looking into using a synthetic winch rope but I noticed that they advertise the Hawse fairleads with all of the ropes and I read that a standard roller Fairlead will pinch and cut the sythetic ropes. I'm just wondering if we have to use the Hawse and if so, do they make one that'll bolt up to our bumpers and replace our rollers or would we have to fab our own mount for it? Just seems to me that rollers would be good for both but I don't want to spend $250 -$300 on a new rope and destroy it the first time I use it if I'm wrong.

[huntinguy]

I work for a fairly big power company and we use warn winches with amsteel blue rope and roller fairleads in all of our trucks. We pull very heavy loads at sometimes hard angles and never have any problems. Just my two cents.

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[adeluca73]

Yeah, it is possible, no question about that. But what is the possibility or better yet---probability, of having 3 trees in just the right spot, at just the right time, that you need to do that ???? My guess, about as often as Halley's Comet comes by earth. If you have the need to do this more that 2x in your life, you would be wise to invest in one of these: https://www.warn.com/truck/winches/ZEON ... ount.shtml

At the most, you may need one snatchblock to use this & only 1 or 2 trees.

Says only comes w/ 7.5' of electrical cable---not sure that would reach up to the front battery, would need to buy some battery gauge wire & splice it.

[olyelr]

Says only comes w/ 7.5' of electrical cable---not sure that would reach up to the front battery, would need to buy some battery gauge wire & splice it.

Yeah, that is for mounting it in the front of a vehicle. You would have to purchase wiring/plug separately to route a plug-in at the back of the vehicle.

You would think they would sell that kit with two different length cables, for the front AND the rear, which could be ordered with certain length cables specific for your own setup/vehicle.

[Cactus Red]

As long as the roller are free of burrs, rope works great. Clean them up with a file and emery cloth, and you should be good to go. I've had the same piece of 7/16 Amsteel on for 6+ years.

Dennis Miller "You can't order black coffee anymore. It's un-creamed..."

[PWDan]

I work for a fairly big power company and we use warn winches with amsteel blue rope and roller fairleads in all of our trucks. We pull very heavy loads at sometimes hard angles and never have any problems. Just my two cents.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

Okay, that's good to hear and yeah I had my rollers off about a month ago and cleaned them inside and out so they roll easy and there aren't any burrs or gouges in them. I was gonna grease the insides but decided against it. I just figured it would collect dust and dirt and get packed with grit. I think it's time to order an Amsteel rope then. Thanks guys!

[Luke Duke]

Hey fellas, I'm sure I've missed it but out of curiosity is there an opinion on a good block/pulley? Is it worth pony-ing up the cash for a Warn, Superwinch, etc....or should I just find the heaviest I can at Harbor Freight?

Thanks in advance!

Luke

[RustyPW]

Get the big one. No use in being undersized.

https://www.warn.com/truck/accessories/ ... ocks.shtml

[TwinStick]

I have used these with great success: http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produc ... _vc=-10005


Had the rear of truck chained & strapped to a big tree & used 2 of these up front to winch a tree bottom w/roots back up & out of the hole it left when the wind blew the tree over. Tires of the truck actually came off the ground. It finally came over though. Don't think it would have without 2 snatch blocks though. That was when i had stock alt & single battery though.

But if you got the cash. get the big red shiny one from WARN. It is the most HD one for sure.

[Dylan Robinson]

I'm gonna try this one of these days, just for fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxP-Mjk23HA

Dylan

[Cactus Red]

Thanks - that's a good video. I've only seen it done with 5 pulleys - three is much easier. I have three in the truck as is - need to get another for the JKUR so it's up to snuf.

[Ducky's Dad]

I finally found a lightly used Pull-Pal RW14000, $250 plus shipping TBD. Guy has a Dodge 3500 and says he never got stuck after he bought the Pull-Pal, so should be near mint when it arrives. Took over a year to find one, but they are out there.