Myth or Truth? Winch to Trailer

[Gator]

I've heard it said many times, that you cannot (should not) use your winch to secure the front of a wheeler/SxS when trailering, because "winches are not made for dynamic loads, therefore you will damage your winch".

I've been doing it since the 80's. One time the cable was pulled tight into the spool, making it difficult to pull out. Otherwise, I've never had an issue.
I park against a hard stop and pull the suspension down about half way.

Have any of you ever personally broken a winch or cable doing this? Or is it an urban legend?

 

[Admin]

 

[BigOL3]

I've heard it said many times, that you cannot (should not) use your winch to secure the front of a wheeler/SxS when trailering, because "winches are not made for dynamic loads, therefore you will damage your winch".

I've been doing it since the 80's. One time the cable was pulled tight into the spool, making it difficult to pull out. Otherwise, I've never had an issue.
I park against a hard stop and pull the suspension down about half way.

Have any of you ever personally broken a winch or cable doing this? Or is it an urban legend?

I SOMETIMES use the winch to tie the front end down IF only traveling a short distance, but never so tight as to bottom the shocks out. Never had a problem.

 

[70Bones]

I've tried to find the logic in that, all I can see is that if you have a winch, let's say, 3000 lb, and you've got your buggy's springs compressed about half way, I'm guessing 500 lbs of winch power, and you go over a bump on the road, and the buggy wants to bounce, could the force on the winch go over 3000 lbs? Is that the load "they" are talking about?

 

[ohanacreek]

It’s a dynamic load winches and winch ropes are not designed for a dynamic load but a slowly increasing static load.

Spend $$$ on a good set of tie downs and a few mins using them.

Forces generated by dynamic loads can be MANY times the weight of the load itself.

I don’t remember the formulas from physics, but a 200lb man (dynamic load) falling from 10’ can generate a 2000+lb shock, imagine a 2000lb SxS moving 6-12” and how much force it can put on the $200-700 winch.

Now imagine if that SxS tied to a trailer moving at 70mph behind your truck and a bad driver pulls out in front of you. That SxS is going into the cab of the tow vehicle like a 70mph 2000lb wrecking ball.

Edit: That reads very harsh but physics is a cold hearted b****, and no one needs to get hurt over a few dollars in tiedowns and a few mins each time they trailer a machine.

 

[JTW]

The superwinch manual said not to and I think it was due to the type of load, as @ohanacreek said.

Now, you can probably get by with it 99% of the time.

 

[kswaterfowler]

So I am at work and thought about a fall protection demonstration truck they brought out last year and videoed the results. The guy has a 220 lb weight he drops 6 ft without a shock absorber on it. Anybody want to take a guess how many pounds that equates to?

 

[dnjones161]

So I am at work and thought about a fall protection demonstration truck they brought out last year and videoed the results. The guy has a 220 lb weight he drops 6 ft without a shock absorber on it. Anybody want to take a guess how many pounds that equates to?

North of 1000lbs ?

 

[sporttrac4x4]

Do what you want to most people do. But using your winch to tie your ride down is a bad idea. Don't ask if you don't want to know.

 

[kswaterfowler]

North of 1000lbs ?

Load cell showed 4796 lbs. With a shock absorber only had 745 lbs of force on the load cell. They had always told us while wearing fall protection look for something you think would hold a car.

 

[dnjones161]

Load cell showed 4796 lbs. With a shock absorber only had 745 lbs of force on the load cell. They had always told us while wearing fall protection look for something you think would hold a car.

This is exactly why people that do extreme rock climbing scared the $+#& out of me.

You can't tell me that quarter inch anchor is going to hold into that crack in the rock when you drop 4000 lb of weight on it

 

[ToddACimer]

It’s a dynamic load winches and winch ropes are not designed for a dynamic load but a slowly increasing static load.

Spend $$$ on a good set of tie downs and a few mins using them.

Forces generated by dynamic loads can be MANY times the weight of the load itself.

I don’t remember the formulas from physics, but a 200lb man (dynamic load) falling from 10’ can generate a 2000+lb shock, imagine a 2000lb SxS moving 6-12” and how much force it can put on the $200-700 winch.

Now imagine if that SxS tied to a trailer moving at 70mph behind your truck and a bad driver pulls out in front of you. That SxS is going into the cab of the tow vehicle like a 70mph 2000lb wrecking ball.

Edit: That reads very harsh but physics is a cold hearted b****, and no one needs to get hurt over a few dollars in tiedowns and a few mins each time they trailer a machine.

Couldn't have said it better. I'd never tie down with a winch and you won't convince me to try it. I do love my shock straps for securing my P1000-5.

 

[ohanacreek]

This is exactly why people that do extreme rock climbing scared the $+#& out of me.

You can't tell me that quarter inch anchor is going to hold into that crack in the rock when you drop 4000 lb of weight on it

Rope is dynamic, basically a bungee cord it’s spreads shock out over a longer time frame so instead of 5000lbs in half a second it’s 500 over 5seconds

Load cell showed 4796 lbs. With a shock absorber only had 745 lbs of force on the load cell. They had always told us while wearing fall protection look for something you think would hold a car.

I couldn’t remember the math I swag’d low.

 

[kswaterfowler]

Rope is dynamic, basically a bungee cord it’s spreads shock out over a longer time frame so instead of 5000lbs in half a second it’s 500 over 5seconds



I couldn’t remember the math I swag’d low.

Depends on the rope. We used a lot of static rope when I was high angle rescue and confined space rescue certified. Climbers use mostly dynamic just for the shock absorption. FWIW I absolutely hated rappelling.

 

[100Acre]

Straps are cheaper than winchline. Especially if the line is synthetic. If it’s steel, you run the risk of even more damage if it snaps. Like a bullet it will fly and take out other things like windows. Personally I’d say not a good idea. I over strap my machine down when trailering. I use both the Erickson’s or E Tracks and either a strap in front and or the back especially at interstate speeds. Redundancy spending now beats spending more for unforeseen damage later. Then there’s lawsuits.....or if it came off the trailer causing a manure truck to jackknife and so on...like livestock, have ye ever seen 50 cows or 100 pigs ground into the pavement? Mmmmmmm meat. Got Ketchup?....what are we talking about again?

 

[ohanacreek]

Depends on the rope. We used a lot of static rope when I was high angle rescue and confined space rescue certified. Climbers use mostly dynamic just for the shock absorption. FWIW I absolutely hated rappelling.

I loved repelling it was the ascending that I hated.....

 

[Kilo427]

I have done it when I thought it needed to be used like on the back of my truck, but if I have good tie downs and correct positioning on them I will use them and just attach the rope loosely in the front as a fail safe.

 

[JTW]

I loved repelling it was the ascending that I hated.....

I agree...

 

[hondabob64]

I use my winch on front & my Trailer Dog on the rear. Lockable & fully secure.

 

[Baldeagle]

I've heard it said many times, that you cannot (should not) use your winch to secure the front of a wheeler/SxS when trailering, because "winches are not made for dynamic loads, therefore you will damage your winch".

I've been doing it since the 80's. One time the cable was pulled tight into the spool, making it difficult to pull out. Otherwise, I've never had an issue.
I park against a hard stop and pull the suspension down about half way.

Have any of you ever personally broken a winch or cable doing this? Or is it an urban legend?

The 2500 warns with the plastic planetary gear. Not a good idea. Others no problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hondabob64]

I use Smittybilt winches exclusively. Never a problem whatsoever.