All Terrain Vehicles are pretty limited if you can not take them places and most definitely unusable if you can not get them out of precarious positions. To be capable of pulling yourself out of unwanted places, an ATV winch is mandatory. Consider it part of the sport, or consider it your only way home if you are out and traversing the wild, wild terrain.
Depending on the size of your ATV, there is a winch made for you. An all terrain vehicle is designed to go ‘where no man has gone before’ and although a winch is described as an accessory, it actually should be portrayed as a necessity. There are many different kinds of winches with tons of different options. So which one is right for you and your ATV?
Features To Consider In Choosing The Right Winch
Pulling
Winches PULL things horizontally so when the ATV becomes immovable or stuck, you can attach the winch to a secure stable object, such as a tree and pull the ATV back into safe and manoeuvrable territory.
Power Resource
Most winches come with a power source for simple operation. DC models use rechargeable 12 volt batteries while AC models use a 120 volt AC cord and an electrical supply for power. Seems that the DC model is the one that is needed in the bush. Most winches can be hand operated as a last resort.
Strength of Pull
Find out the weight of your particular ATV and double that amount for determining the rate of line pull
Mounting Capability
Winches are usually mounted either on the front or the back of the ATV. Dealers suggest that you determine where the solenoid is located and mount the winch near it because it will be wired directly to the solenoid.How Do You Attach the Load You Are Trying To Pull
The most important factor when using the winch is safety. Safety depends on how well the winch is designed for the task at hand. There are three different modes for attaching a load to the ATV.
- Shackle – Using the cable hook to attach loads with the cable, chain or looped ended straps.
- Sling or load strap – Secure the sling to the tree for instance and then attach the cable hook to the sling. The sling or strap will come in handy when you are having to use a strangely shaped object.
- Snatch block – Using the pulley inside a metal case (snatch block) you can increase the pulling power and reduce the actual stress on the drum cable. It acts as a ‘come along’.
Line Speed
The gears in the winch control how quickly the line comes off the cable drum. There are two different kinds of gear trains.
- Worm gear train – This is a slow speed, hence the name ‘worm’. With only two gears, it limit’s the amount of friction produced so the heat level is less which will in the long term prolong the life of the winch.
- Planetary gear train - Multi-geared train which allows for more speed. Conversely to the worm gear the planetary gear creates more heat and will in turn lessen the life of the winch. But, sometimes it is necessary to get the job done fast, such as in the case your ATV has met a destructible fate such as deep water.
Cable
There are two kinds of cable used with the ATV winch.
- Steel cables – normally selected for planetary gear trains because they are capable of holding up to the amount of friction producing heat. There is a danger to using steel cables as they can fray and be a nuisance if you handle it incorrectly. If it snaps the recoil can cause considerable damage to your ATV not to mention your impressionable and easily damaged body.
- Synthetic cables – actually stronger than steel but can be distressed and weakened if they slide across anything sharp.
When choosing an ATV winch, be sure to speak to an expert who might be able to give you some insight into what you are needing. Always read the manual before trying to attach the ATV winch and remember it is paramount to learn about all the safety issues involved before using.
