There are all sorts of professional towing tools. One of the most important is the towing winch.
This tool has already been available for a long time and is useful in various situations.
Sometimes, you might find yourself stuck on the road that hasn’t been fully developed. In this case, you need a winch from a tow truck to help you. Some offroad vehicles have a winch to come prepared in various off road situations. However, you should know how to use it first.
Tow Winch Basics
Running out of gas or failing to start your vehicle are a few common problems you might encounter with your car. In case you get stuck or if you just can’t maneuver the vehicle a winch would be a great tool to help you. It can help pull, lift or tow huge and heavy objects like a car.
Parts Of A Tow Winch
A tow winch is comprised of different components. Each component has a purpose so knowing them would also help troubleshoot the winch in case you can’t get it to work.
- Cable Wire – The cable wire is a strong and durable steel wire or chain that is usually wrapped around a drum. The length varies from 30 to 120 feet. It is one of the most important parts of the winch.
- Center Drum – This is the part where the wire is wrapped and it prevents the wire from being tangled. It rotates to wind the cable in or out.
- Motor – This powers the drum unit and can be hydraulic or electronic. Some winches do not have a motor but those who have are stronger and easier to work. They are also faster and efficient.
- Gear Casing – This part transforms the power provided by the motor into a pulling power so you can move heavy objects or your vehicle.
How Does A Winch Work?
To work the winch, you first have to engage the free spool mode then get some cable so you can attach it to the car you are trying to move. If your car has a winch and your stuck, you can tie the cable to a stationary object like a tree to pull yourself out. After securing the cable end, you can now put the winch in gear by using the gear casing.
If the winch you are using has a motor, you can use it to make the recovery process smoother and easier. Before you start your recovery process, make sure that the winch line damper is placed on the cable. This is especially true for steel wire cables. The damper is important in protecting you and other people from kinetic energy.
