Controlling winch cable

[Lorax]

A question for all who have used their winches. When unlocking the winch clutch and brake to pull out the cable, the drum spins very easily, and the cable will unspool faster than I'm pulling it. My concern is the cable will bind itself unspooling too fast.

How do ya'll keep the cable from unspooling too fast while pulling out the cable?

 

[Recovry4x4]

There is a brake built into the winch and yours is out of adjustment. It's covered in the manuals but just so you know there is a big adjuster that looks like a giant panhead screw on the passenger side of the winch close to the bottom. It needs to be accesssed from under the truck. This is the place to make adjustments. I forget which direction to tighten it up. You may have to fab up a driver with a 90 degrree bend in it.

 

[doghead]

Winching, should always be a 2 person operation. You can "power out" the cable, to avoid uncontrolled free-spooling. There is a small brake pad that is supposed to control free-spooling.the drum brake is 38 in this pic. This pic is from the TM, TM 9-3830-206-34P

 

[Lorax]

OK. I remember reading about the brake in the TMs. Is the small 90 degree handle on the side of the passenger side winch suppose to turn the brake on and off? If I leave that handle in one position and wind in or out the cable, it sounds like a ratchet, click, click, click. Turn the handle 90 degree and there is no noise.

Should that handle be left in the "click" position?

 

[doghead]

No, clicking means that your drum lock is broken!. You need to read and understand the operators manual completely. Look in TM 9-2320-209-10-1.

 

[mangus580]

Re: RE: Controlling winch cable

There is a brake built into the winch and yours is out of adjustment. It's covered in the manuals but just so you know there is a big adjuster that looks like a giant panhead screw on the passenger side of the winch close to the bottom. It needs to accesssed from under the truck. This is the place to make adjustments. I forget which direction to tighten it up. You may have to fab up a driver with a 90 degrree bend in it.

Kenny, is that the 'free spool' brake? or the 'Load Brake'

I know that when I took mine apart, there was a small spring loaded pad that appeared to hold tension on the drum for the free spool state. Mine was totally worn out, and I removed it to have it relined. (have yet to do it). Cable comes off REAL fast without it there.

I havent worred about it since my free-spool lever broke off 2 years ago

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: Re: RE: Controlling winch cable

That is the free spool brake. The load brake is an enclosed band that goes over a drum on the opposite end of the input shaft. Lorax, Eric is right, you need to go back to the operators manual and get a better understanding of the operation of this machine. One mistake with a winch can be deadly. That item you were last referring to is a drum lock and completely different from the brake.
I'm not trying to be condescending, you just need a better understanding of the operational aspect.

 

[jasonjc]

RE: Re: RE: Controlling winch cable

The drum lock lever item #2 above is a pin that locks into 4 holes in the side of the drum. If you are pulling the cable out ,with it in, it's shot.

 

[Lorax]

RE: Re: RE: Controlling winch cable

OK. The "clicking" lever, #2 in the picture, is suppose to lock the drum when the winch is not in use. I can picture how that works, since it's pulled outward and locked in that position when the drum is allowed to freewheel. That answers that question.

A question about the load brake. Is the load brake suppose to keep the drum from spinning too fast whether the winch clutch lever is locked in or out? I have read a couple TMs, including the one instructing how to adjust the load brake, but both my winch trucks behave the same way (the clicking noise from the drum lock). Before running the winch, I rotated the drums by hand to make sure they weren't frozen, the drum lock clicked on both winches, so I figured "maybe that's how they're suppose to be". Even tho it didn't seem like it from reading the TMs.

From the way both winches act, and the way the above posts describe, it sounds like the drum locks are broke. That answers another unposted question too. Spending literally days reading the do's and don't on the winches before installing one last week is one thing, but when something on them doesn't act like the TMs say they should, it raises these questions.

Nice to have a place to ask others that have experience.

 

[jwaller]

RE: Re: RE: Controlling winch cable

they are usually broken bc ppl dont know how to operate them.

 

[gringeltaube]

Very often the tip of the locking pin is just a little worn out and it helps to re-adjust the small nut and counternut at the handle.
If the drum never locks and instead you only have that "clicking" noise, chances are that bolt is too far OUT.
But if the drum lock is properly working, you pull out the handle, turn it 90º to rest in the secured position and while turning the drum you can hear the noise, the locking bolt is too far IN.
Tell us what you found.

G.

 

[Lorax]

I'll try adjusting the nut/counter nut and see what that does.

Unless I'm reading the diagram above wrong, it looks like the locking pin assembly can be removed/repaired without taking the winch itself apart. Anyone else found this to be true? Both truck winches act the same, and both winches have good seals. I'd hate to run the risk of damaging something by cracking the case open if it's not needed.

 

[gringeltaube]

It takes less than a minute (and a 3/4 wrench) to remove it, if the slotted nut is not to corroded.
The pic shows a new part from a rebuilt winch. It was "clicking" just like yours, before I adjusted it.

G.