All About Winches

Picture this… you were having the ride of your life in your newly bought vehicle and all of a sudden you find yourself stuck in a muddy mess. If you ask me, that would totally be an embarrassing and at the same time frustrating situation and I would definitely want to get out of it quick! How, you might ask? Simple! Use a winch!

A winch is a device which specializes in setting a vehicle free from a sticky situation. It works by using a motor to pull out your vehicle, which is attached to something that serves as an anchor, by a cable or a rope. This task which requires great amount of work when done manually can be accomplished easily by a winch.

There are a lot of winches available in the market and you are free to take your pick. Hydraulic winches which are powered by hydraulic systems of power-steering pumps can also come in different types. The same goes with electric winches that use the vehicle’s battery as a power source. There are other types of winches available aside from these two. Since the winch would be attached at the front or back of your vehicle, the size of your vehicle would also matter. Second, you should take note of the load of the winch so as not to cause any hindrance in the full performance if your automobile. The third thing to think about is the line being used in the winch. Some lines are made of steel cable which does not melt even when exposed to a great amount of heat. There are also lines which are made from synthetic rope which melt but are less dangerous when accidentally broken. However, there are now winches available that have the both features.

There are several things to note in purchasing a winch for your vehicle. First, you must look at the winch’s rated line pull. This indicates the maximum amount of weight that the winch can safely pull. Knowing the weight of your vehicle, you can calculate and see if the winch that you chose can pull your vehicle efficiently. Since the winch would be attached at the front or back of your vehicle, the size of your vehicle would also matter. Second, you should take note of the weight of the winch so as not to cause any hindrance in the full performance if your vehicle. The third thing to take into consideration is the line being used in the winch. Some lines are made of steel cable which does not melt even when exposed to a great amount of heat. There are also lines which are made from synthetic rope which melt but are less dangerous when accidentally broken. However, there are new winches available that can accommodate both kinds of lines.

With all these plus safety in mind, you can choose the winch that would best suit your vehicle and cater your needs.