Understanding the

DC electric-powered

WINCH

(A WARN brochure - reproduced without permission)

WARN INDUSTRIES, INC.
12900 S. E. Capps Road,
Clackamas, OR USA 97015-8903

Customer Service: 1.800.543.9276

www.warn.com

THE WINCH - WHAT IS IT?

The basic concept:

• A winch is a powerful gear reduction device that converts electricity or some other energy source into pulling power.

• Winch pulling capacities can range as high as 15,000 lbs. and higher.

All winches must be secured:

• Commonly mounted to vehicles, flatbed trailers and ATVs.

• Can also be mounted to many stable, stationary objects able to withstand the pulling forces.

There are a wide variety of uses:

• Popular uses include vehicle self-recovery, loading and unloading of vehicles and equipment, pulling stumps or brush and stretching wire fencing.

• Winches are designed to pull objects horizontally (not to lift, or hoist them).

• If your application requires lifting, you need a hoist (not a winch).  Hoists are engineered specifically for lifting.

A BASIC GUIDE TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT WINCH FOR YOU

FIRST, YOU NEED TO ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS:

WHAT DO I INTEND TO PULL, AND, HOW MUCH WINCHING POWER DO I NEED?

There are many types of winches to choose from, depending on your intended application

• Fixed-mount vehicle self-recovery winches.

• Portable-mount vehicle self-recovery winches.

• Trailer winches.

• Utility Winches

• Fixed-mount ATV winches.

• Portable-mount ATV winches.

Consider your intended use or application

• Vehicle-mounted winches are an excellent choice for vehicle self-recovery and other heavier uses.  They feature mechanical brake and hand-held remote control.

• Trailer winches are specially designed and engineered to efficiently pull rolling loads onto your trailer; or unload them in a controlled manner.  They feature a mechanical brake and a hand-held remote control.

• Utility winches are basic pulling tools that can easily be mounted almost anywhere, such as within a barn, storage or work area.

• ATV winches are designed to fit and work on an ATV, allowing you to create an even more versatile and capable vehicle.

Consider the load you want to pull

• Vehicle self-recovery winches range in capacities from 3,500 lbs. to 15,000 lbs.  A small vehicle in a light recovery situation may only require the Warn Pull-Pak 3,500 lb. portable winch.  Your heavier full-size pick-up, buried up to its axles in mud, might require all the pulling power of the Warn M15000, the strongest winch available.
  
  Use the chart below for a basic weight formula when deciding on which vehicle self-recovery winch is appropriate for your vehicle.

• For a trailer winch used for rolling loads, choose from the 2,500 and 3,500 lbs. capacity models.  Don't let this maximum rating confuse you when considering a rolling load.  The Z3500 trailer winch is capable of pulling an 11,900 lb. rolling load up a 20% grade.
  
  Use the chart below to help you determine the winch pulling capacity needed.

• Utility winches range in capacity from 1,000 to 4,000 lbs.  Use either chart to help you determine the appropriate capacity, depending on your anticipated use.

• ATV winches are available in 2,000 and 2,500 lbs. capacities.  Use the self-recovery formula to help choose the appropriate winch.

SOME KEY FEATURES TO CONSIDER:

Types of motors

• Series Wound™ motors are designed for extended duty cycles and high performance under heavy loads.  All the Warn Vehicle Self-Recovery winches feature this advanced design.

• Permanent magnet motors provide reliable performance in the under 4000 lb. class.

Gear Train

• The gear train is what translates motor energy into powerful pulling power.

• Most Warn winches feature the planetary gear drive train system, proven the most reliable, efficient and durable design under the worst conditions in the world.

• Planetary gears are more efficient than other gear designs, reducing amperage draw as well as providing faster line speeds.

Fairlead

• When using the winch at an angle, the fairlead (or wire lead) acts to guide the wire rope on to the spooling drum.

• There are two types:  roller or hawse.  A roller fairlead helps to reduce wire rope wear, especially on pulls at severe angles.  A hawse is very simple, basic design.

Types of controls

• All Warn self-recovery and trailer winches include a hand-held remote control, which allows operation at a distance from the winch.

• Utility winches are operated with a manual, motor-mounted control switch.

• Warn ATV winches vary.  The A2000 utilizes a manual, remote mounted control.  The A2500 features a hand-held remote control.

  Take the gross weight of the vehicle* and multiply by 1.5 - this is the minimum size winch for the vehicle.

AVAILABILITY OF MOUNTING SYSTEMS

When choosing a winch you should consider the availability of a proper mounting system

• Fixed winch mounts are available for most popular trucks, SUVs and ATV applications.  Check with your sales associate for specific listings.

• Portable winches for trucks and SUVs are designed to fit on any standard 2" Class III receiver hitch.  Warn front receivers are available for most popular vehicle makes.

• ATV Portable winches are designed to fit on any standard 1" Class II receiver hitch.  Warn offers a kit that includes both front and rear receivers.  Available for many popular ATV models.

• Trailer and utility winches include a universal flatbed mounting plate and hardware for mounting the winch directly to the trailer.

• Universal flatbed mounting plates for most of the vehicle self-recovery winches are available.

HOW IT WORKS

A DC electric-powered winch provides reliable service for intermittent utility and recreational use - assuming, or course, that sufficient battery power is available.

• The winch motor is powered by a 12-volt battery source.  The motor provides power to the gear mechanism, which turns the winch drum and winds the wire rope.

• The reduction gear converts winch motor power into a large pulling force.

• Many winches have a braking system.  The brake is automatically applied when the winch motor is stopped and there is load on the rope.  The brake prevents the winch drum from turning, which then holds the object being winched in place.

• Many winches also include a clutch, which allows the operator to manually disengage the spooling drum from the gear train, enabling the drum to rotate freely (known as "freespooling").  Engaging the clutch locks the winch drum back into the gear train.
  
  Winches without a clutch for free-spooling use power to pull the load in or pull the wire rope off the drum.

• The control mechanism (remote or manual) allows the operator to change the direction of the winch drum rotation, in or out.

WINCHING ACCESSORIES

Alone, the winch is not much more than a simple tool.  But when used with certain accessories and enhancements, your Warn winch can become a versatile and productive tool.  Some are vital to the safe operation of your winch, while others offer added versatility and convenience.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

A winch is a powerful tool, so extreme care should be exercised when operating one.

• Read and understand the safety precautions and operating instructions contained in the owners manual before installing and operating a winch.

• Never use a winch for applications it was not designed for, such as lifting an object or moving people.

• Always keep hands clear of wire rope and fairlead opening during operation and spooling.

• Careless winch operation can result in serious injury or property damage.

© 2001 Warn Industries, Inc. all rights reserved.  PN 915351.BO 8MSL

WARN

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