Using Wrecker Rear Winch Without Soldier B

[nf6x]

I've been using a commercial towing company for my recoveries from Barstow. I just don't have the time to head out there myself because of work and other responsibilities.

I think I could consider installing a rear pilot winch with less than 600 feet of cable, accepting the compromise that I would still need a few more pairs of hands to use the full length of the rear winch cable. Maybe I could get something like one of those Mile Marker hydraulic winches, and replace its cable with a thinner one to get some more length onto its spool? Maybe even with lighter synthetic cable. The top of the rear fair lead assembly looks like it's probably a good spot for a rear pilot winch.

I put the wrecker to work again this weekend. This time, the buyer and his friends showed up in a pair of deuces both Saturday and Sunday. My wrecker worked great, and the loading went off without a hitch.

 

[73m819]

Hey bud just picking on you, but thanks for calling me light, it weighs about the same as me 3-350lbs

350 lbs IS lite when your used to dealing with up to 350 tons, or figureing out how to slide a fully rigged up oil drill rig 20'

 

[bigmike]

Great pics Mark. The wrecker is pretty handy.

 

[MadCat2]

Its a 3 man job! The vehicle lists a three man crew for a reason! lol usually 2 strong privates and a SGT to control the levers. Mine does the same thing, unspools on the drum, then we yank it off and keep going. You cant drive it either while unspooling since the Tcase is in neutral- thats how I get my front winch to unspool when it binds up. GREASE is my only recomendation! the BEASTS LOVE GREASE, any excess on the fittings I just wipe on the cables to hopefully make them slipover the wheel easier.

 

[nf6x]

Speaking of grease, it's amazing how many zerk fittings are on that truck. I've already lost count, and I've only been paying attention to the ones topside on the wrecker body so far. I've been cleaning up the fittings and replacing them where necessary as I go, and installing plastic dust covers on them. I have red ones on there right now, but I got some green ones to replace them with. Too bad my supplier has them in bright green but not OD.

Hey, how's your wrecker working out, Big Mike? It served me well for around a decade, and I'm glad that it can get more attention now. I never did try out its rear winch other than joggling the spool a bit, for the exact reasons we're discussing in this thread.

 

[nf6x]

350 lbs IS lite when your used to dealing with up to 350 tons, or figureing out how to slide a fully rigged up oil drill rig 20'

Show-off.

 

[m16ty]

It almost looks like a scale model in that pic!

Yea, it looks like the same place where they filmed the moon landing.



Why in the world they didn't put a clutch on the winch for free spooling is beyond me. We've got one of those winches mounted on the back of a civi KW. We took the level wind off because 3/4 line is hard enough to pull without having to pull it through the level wind. The cable does tend to get in a mess though if you don't have the end hooked to something.

It wouldn't be all that hard to mount another set of winch controls up in the cab. That way you could travel as you pay off cable to keep it tight with one person. A air cylinder mounted to the valve and air controls in the cab comes to mind. That's how our civi truck is setup (can be controlled at the winch or in the cab via a air cylinder).

 

[zebedee]

........... You cant drive it either while unspooling since the Tcase is in neutral- ............

But if you were to engage the transfer case - what do you think would happen? (Sorry for the sarcasm - I'm a Brit, it's what we do.. It's a rhetorical question)

You are not supposed to drive while using the rear winch - hence the need to select transfer 'neutral'. Rear winching operations are a static task. That is why there is a crew of two/three for unspooling the winch etc., and ground spade pockets.

HOWEVER. The topic question was "How to do it single handed"... So, if you are going to operate the vehicle against the TM then you might as well throw it all away.

The trick is selecting the appropriate forward gear to match the pay out speed of the winch. Best done on a gravel road or mud/grass - that way a slight advantage in favour of the drive will keep the winch cable tight and the excess will be relieved at the tyres.
As I said earlier, (post #11) find a spot near the task, maybe downhill, pay out what you'll need, coil it up and stow or reverse over it back to the task site.


... As Ron has always said from his time "In". Load the truck for the task - what ever that may be. There will always be the time when the task is more than described - then you need to either go home or improvise - hence the FM's for rigging and lashing with trees etc.. These are not toys, think before you leap and try not to kill anyone. There is a whole ball of wax difference between a Recovery Mechanic, H8 or what ever you are called and a crane operator. One has an almost clinical work environment, safety is a priority and you should have access to what ever or it won't get done. The other is mostly dealing with the unknown and unforeseen often miles away from base - adaption is often the only answer. I think I am right in that Ron is more than qualified as both.
Rant over....... I'm not sure which one is more appropriate... But seeing as I don't "smiley" very often - you can have both!!! That should "put the cat amongst the pigeons"!

 

[budman67]

If I could make a suggestion, could you plumb a electric air solenoid to
the air valve clutch engage,have a remote like a garage door opener?
When want to spool out cable,set your controls to pay out,grab your
cable,press your remote will engage your clutch,press again to stop.

I don't know,might work.

 

[m816]

I think you had to use three men to pull the cable out is because of not using it regularly. We seldom used more than two troopers to pull enough cable out to hook it up to a mutt. I believe that is the best way to pay out the cable. It has the power to keep the cable flat and it saves a lot of manpower. the operator stays up on the truck behind his "armor"plates. That would be the ground pads for the braces that we never use.and about the only protedtion for the operator if a cable snapped. Never happend to me on the wrecker but it provide several pucker moments.

 

[nf6x]

Agreed, my winch cable is probably a bit stiffer from disuse.

I see what you mean about armor plates. When I was operating the winch, it crossed my mind that it didn't seem like a good place to be standing if anything came loose.

I have considered adding remote controls to the winch and crane controls on my wrecker. It would cost some money to do it right. It's fun to think about, even if I never get enough round to-its.

 

[bigmike]

Hey, how's your wrecker working out, Big Mike? It served me well for around a decade, and I'm glad that it can get more attention now. I never did try out its rear winch other than joggling the spool a bit, for the exact reasons we're discussing in this thread.

One successful recovery (m818 towed to a friends house) with no issues. I'm reupholstering the interior right now. Next I'll tackle the cab interior. Spring time brings fresh paint to the exterior. Wiring issues etc inbetween.