Which winch...?

I'm not so sure that the brand is as important as the job. For logging work, I'd consider a PTO or hydraulic winch (some hydraulic units run off of the power steering pump). Check out some of the better 4 X 4 magazines. Either type wouldn't be "portable" like the receiver hitch units, but an electric winch uses a ton of amps which is OK for a short term recovery operation, but not so great for continuous operations. Just some thoughts. Much luck and be safe. The comments provided by the other folks on winch safety are wise ones indeed.

Gordo

Good things about the milemarker include reduced weight because of no electric motor, and like you said they don't overheat and burn like an electric. They also don't draw down your battery like electric, but like PTO the motor has to be running.

I mention the motor running because in the middle of a river once the engine has taken a gulp of water you'd sometimes like to be able to winch to a point where the intake is out of danger... Not that it should happen often, but when it does.....

Dont connect it to your PS pump.
You will be alot happier with results if you use a dedicated pump.
Either a big-ish PS pump or a regular hyd pump.
Just check the psi & gpm requirements and match your pump to that

Mike

It plugs into a standard 2" hitch receiver, which makes it very versatile. I have receivers and plugs on both ends of my truck and on my tractor, as well as recievers on my trailer (the pigtail fromt the rear of the truck will reach it) and on my home made log arch (which plugs into the pigtail on the back of the tractor) I've used it to lift logs with the arch, pull stuck vehicles out, load tractors and vehicles onto my trailer and stretch fence. It's done everything I've asked of it. If you double the line through a snatchblock, it'll pull the ugly off Tammy Faye Baker.

The little Warn on my wheeler is rated at 1500#, and is nice for light fence stretching and getting the wheeler out of really nasty holes. (Don't ask...)

For what you plan to do, weight rating is more important than line speed, and duty cycle will be a consideration. A remote is a must, and make sure you get large enough cable. Be aware that winches are rated with one wrap of cable on the drum, and pull progressively less as the drum fills up.

Be aware of safety as well. Always wear gloves (a fishhooked cable will shred your hands before you can let go) and flop a blanket over the line when pulling to damp the whiplash if it parts.

When I get all smart about stuff I'm going to make up a system just like his...

You do know what they found when they scraped off Tammy Faye's face, don't you? ..... Jimmy Hoffa.

Another thought, have you checked Surplus Center in Lincoln Nebraska? Catalog's in my shop but I'm sure they offered a variety of winches that would be a little lighter, including PTO. These army winches are designed to either pull out a stuck, loaded truck, or pull the anchor out of the ground. I've done both.

I also use it to pull on the top of a tree to ensure falling direction. With that much cable there's no risk of getting hit. Only problem I've encountered was once, when my help was cutting the hinge while I pulled gently (I thought), he suddenly grabbed the saw and took off. I was puzzled as I was sure he hadn't finished the cut. A couple seconds later I saw why he took off. I'd inadvertantly uprooted that 70' oak. Rotten roots, of course. But it sure surprised me.

I did look in the Surplus Center catalog 800-488-3407, if you don't have a catalog. They offer New United Engineering "for use on military vehicles" rated at 7500# with 150' of 1/2" cable and hook, power in and out. Winch, driveshaft, and pto coupler run $540. Winch alone is $490 and weighs 225#.

My winch is rated at 10,000# but this is from the same people who say my truck's only good for a 5 ton load on-road, VERY conservative.

Surplus Center offers a variety of elec. and hydraulic winches up to 20,000#- for only $2,695. Haven't caught up with my deuce-driving friend yet but I don't really think you want one of these hanging off the front of your truck.

And don't forget, your brakes won't keep your truck stationary when a good winch is pulling. Nose it into a tree, if available, or chain the rear to something that won't move. (And hope you don't pull it in half!)

Of course what I'd really suggest is you spring for a deuce with a winch. Don't know what you have for a 3/4 ton, but you might not want to tear it up. And then your trees might be a little smaller than mine.

yesterday I had some fun with my winch. A client bought a trailer (road tractor) that used to be a gov't lab. 30' and somewhere around 12-13,000 lbs. He didn't have any way to move it and my Cat's too light at 16,000 lbs to drag it up his driveway. I set up a snatch block, set the leveling legs on planks, and pulled.

After uprooting the first tree and then breaking one of the legs on the trailer, we gave up to await a larger crawler. Either that or I have to fabricate an axle for the front of the thing.

Probably won't want to try that with a lot less than my 7 ton truck, but that's the kind of fun you can have with a serious winch.

Of course they're harder to control because you need to be in the cab, the truck needs to be running, and spooling the cable back on is a more tricky proposition.
Theres ups and downs to everything.

Mine's power on (2 speed) and off with 200' of cable. The way to solo respool the cable is to drag the truck to a tree. As far as streams go, I'm good for 4' depth before I start sucking water- way deeper than I ever intend to drive. A matching snatchblock is essential.

Here's a link to my cobbled-up log arch:

• Link-on log