Level Wind on Deuce Winch?

[m38inmaine]

Is it possible to bolt on a level wind from a 5-ton winch on to a deuce winch? There is one in a local yard and thought it might be nice to have.

 

[Westech]

you can do anything with a hammer and steel

 

[treeguy]

Old post but; I've been flipping thru a tow truck cataloge recently and they offer two types of level winders. One is a flat plate that presses down on the spooled cable and the other is a bar with arms that is also pressing down on the spool. If the drum width matches or if it could be modified does anyone think this would be a bonus for keeping out the bird's nests?

 

[73m819]

Old post but; I've been flipping thru a tow truck cataloge recently and they offer two types of level winders. One is a flat plate that presses down on the spooled cable and the other is a bar with arms that is also pressing down on the spool. If the drum width matches or if it could be modified does anyone think this would be a bonus for keeping out the bird's nests?

This is what is on the cable drum on the crane on the m819

 

[treeguy]

It seems to me that these would be priceless as to not allowing cable to chop and crush itself.

 

[gimpyrobb]

I have a buddy with a roll back. If you put more than one layer of cable on the drum, they don't work so good. I wouldn't waste my time on it.

 

[treeguy]

Just a thought.
What happens after the first layer, wouldn't the spring compress giving you the same result?

 

[KsM715]

Proper winching technique will help with the birds nests.

 

[treeguy]

Just thought it might be nice to help with an even lay.

 

[gimpyrobb]

When you have a hard pull, that spring does nothing. Its nuce for winding up the cable with no load, thats about it.

 

[73m819]

Not much will PREVENT bird cages except PROPER winching and PROPER cable care

 

[treeguy]

I'm not saying that I have done this, I have had winches before and understand how they work and used them. I was just feeling out what you guys thought about installing the pressure plate type. Esp. for winding in when your are done, but I guess your best bet is to hook up to a tree or something and reel in to get your spool tensioned again with tight wraps.

 

[hartke20g]

i could definitely see the use of having one if you have to clean or otherwise disassemble your winch a lot (perhaps due to mud, salt, etc) as after you unwind and clean/lube the cable it would be much easier to be able to simply reel in the line instead of actually having to winch the entire truck to spool it with adequately tight and accurate winds.
for me anyway, it's a pain in the *** to reel in 100' of cable when i don't have an extra set of hands. and if you can get (and modify if necessary) the level winder for free or very little cash, you might as well take it. at least then, even if you never used it, you wouldn't have lost very much.

just my 2 cents.

 

[Jake0147]

I was just feeling out what you guys thought about installing the pressure plate type. Esp. for winding in when your are done, but I guess your best bet is to hook up to a tree or something and reel in to get your spool tensioned again with tight wraps.

You are quite right, hooking up to something and winding in under a load is the best option. I work with (literally) a dozen different designs of pinch rollers, tension plates, tension bars, winder's, etc at work. To know what to expect, you need to step back and look objectively. It is a flat plate that pushes gently on the top layer of cable. No more, no less.

The tension plate will keep a well trained cable in place. (One that's been used enough that it's "static" unloaded position leaves it relaxed when it's coiled on the drum). It will function nicely as a drum brake, where as the original little puck style will typically function "OK" as a drum brake. It will also function as a "cable brake", so that a well wrapped cable will stay put on the stationary drum while you unhitch it from a tree and snake the chain through the tow shackles. Those two features alone are what is built for and what it excells at.
You will find that with a well trained cable (one that's been used a lot under heavy load, and has kind of taken on the shape of the wraps on the drum) it may well be enough assistance to neatly wrap a cable under no tension. That's conditional though depending on your cable, and not part of it's claim to fame. It also still leaves the cable wrapped less than tightly, and while it works just fine, the ever so slightly looser (right positon, less tension) lower wraps won't be "preloaded" as much, they'll squirm more, and using that practice regularly will shorten the life of the cable. Outside of commercial use, that difference might be splitting hairs, it's wear more so than instantaneous damage, tangles, pinches, entrapments (birds nesting), etc.

 

[treeguy]

Jake, you speak of exactly what I was thinking. Utilizing it to keep uniform wraps and the bonus of the tension to keep any wraps loosening on the drum with a slack cable while you hook or unhook to something. I was not thinking of it being a tool to keep the wraps tightly wound on themselves, you would definitly need to tension wind in for that. Thanks for the input.

 

[spicergear]

There is more to the five ton level wind than just the arched bridge and trolley. Before the cable gets to that...there is a tensioner that centers the pull...AND before that...the cable must pull past the large horizontal roller of the five tons substantial fairlead. THESE ALL must be used in accordance with each other to have a properly working level wind. The bridge and trolley can't just be slapped on and expected to work. Oh, and you will also lose a winching speed. When using the the level wind, you turn the winch reverse of what it would turn usually so that the cable, after the level wind, can spool on the drum correctly. So, that being said, you'd lose your low and high for in and only have reverse speed for in and low and high out.

And as far as feeding it in and it laying correctly...I'm usually alone in my working on things so I adapt; set the speed to a low idle, engage the pto and get out (relax fellas...I'm not condoning it, just saying what I do ALONE) and let the cable spool in while I guide it slowly onto the drum so it wraps nicely. Lots of people haven't tried to pull 200' or move of cable and chain...it's really friggin heavy and doesn't drag well which is perfect for spooling in the winch. Believe me, there is still a lot of tension on the cable coming in just on it's own weight.

 

[treeguy]

The tensioner or level winder that I am refering to is not the standard military type Spicegear is talking about. I'm refering to an after market add on with a very simple design. Please keep in mind this was just a thought while flipping thru A and W Direct's tow truck cataloge for the objective described in post #14 and #15.

 

[KsM715]

Oh, and you will also lose a winching speed. When using the the level wind, you turn the winch reverse of what it would turn usually so that the cable, after the level wind, can spool on the drum correctly. So, that being said, you'd lose your low and high for in and only have reverse speed for in and low and high out.

Are you sure about this? All the 5ton winches I have seen both with and without the level wind and they all spool over the top of the drum.
I searched the TM's that I have on hand and could not find where it said which direction to spool the cable but the all the drawings I could find had the cables over the top of the drum.

 

[timntrucks]

yes my 5ton winches go over the top

 

[treeguy]

Now isn't thats a little dandy! You said 5ton but that doesn't look like a regular deuce winch, the rear end looks different and the lever is on the other side. Will that front roller adapt to the front deuce winch, I kinda don't think it will?