Rating of hand winches. Manual winch for a car: operating features

03.04.2019

These winches are completely manual...

Text: Evgeny Konstantinov
Photo: Andrey Khorkov, Alexander Davidyuk, Irina Koroleva

A powerful winch on the bumper relaxes. In most cases, it allows you to drive without turning on your heads and without disassembling the road. Plung into the liquid “on the glass”, unwound the cable, pressed the button and further ... But sooner or later the moment comes when the electricity ends. Or the winding burns out. Or the shaft breaks. And then the time comes simple movements: pushing, digging, sawing, lifting, working with a jack, launching flares or, at worst, beating pears. What a gift of fate at this moment seems to be a hand winch dug out somewhere at the bottom of the trunk! But will the happy discovery cope with the mission entrusted to it?

The less prepared the SUV, the more important it is for him to have a manual winch. And if for a trophy monster it is nothing more than a saving straw), then for standard car this is practically the only tool to overcome the obviously "ambush" area. Well, or evacuation from it. It is not for nothing that our fellow citizens grab this “tool” with particular activity in the spring: the summer season is approaching, and the road to the village ... has become even worse. Summer residents buy manual winches not only for SUVs. Well, tell me, what other off-road attribute is so easily suitable for saving the Zhiguli? Yes, and in the economy such a thing is useful: to fix the fence, and pull the clothesline across the site ... Not for nothing in just one March week market prices for hand winches have grown noticeably, and their choice from sellers and warehouses, on the contrary, has decreased. According to the dealers of the car market in the South Port, at this time of the year winches diverge best - buyers sweep everything indiscriminately.

"Sputnik" (500 kg). Russia. 3500 rub.

Jun Kaung 4ton Cable Puller (4t). Taiwan. 1500 rub.

Jun Kaung 2ton Web Hand Puller (2t). Taiwan. 850 rub.

4ton Hand Puller (4t).China. 550 rub.

"Sorokinstrument" (3v). Russia-USA. 1499 rub.

No packaging

LR-1.6 (1600 kg). Russia. 4050 rub.

MTTM-1.6 (1600 kg). Russia. 5640 rub.

Natural selection

A study of outlets showed that in the markets the vast majority manual winches is of Chinese and (to a lesser extent) Taiwanese descent. Russian products are scarcely represented: they are mainly construction hoists and lifting gear mechanisms, which are not particularly convenient for pulling out a machine. But in specialized firms engaged in construction equipment, we came across very interesting domestic specimens.

The criteria for selecting applicants are as simple as possible: the convenience of working with a car, the declared pulling force not less than a ton and the price is not more than 6,000 rubles (for a large amount, an off-road enthusiast can buy a used electric winch, and a toad will simply strangle a summer resident). We made the only exception for the Sputnik winch of the Moscow plant named after Chernyshev. Despite the passport load of only 500 kgf, it looks very worthy, with a margin. And most importantly, this is the only winch created for pulling a car in an open field - it has its own anchor.

The bestseller of the Moscow markets this spring is the Taiwanese car winch Jun Kaung with a lifting capacity of 4 tons (achieved through a standard unit). A two-ton lever winch is also sold under the same brand, where a cloth sling is used instead of a cable. Judging by the description, this mechanism is designed both for securing the load and for pulling out the car.

Of the nameless Chinese winches, at first I thought to choose the cheapest one - for 250 rubles, especially since the seller promised two tons of traction! Looking closely, I really found a sticker with the numbers 2000. Only not kilograms, but newtons. Innocent swindle, some 10 times. Therefore, the choice fell on a more expensive and strong-looking “device”, with a declared thrust of 4000 kgf.

Without hesitation, we included a three-ton winch among the test subjects. well-known brand"Sorokinstrument". According to the sellers of the company store, this winch is designed by their own designers and made in the USA.

The most powerful and extremely simple of the lever winches of traditional design seemed to us to be the construction LR-1.6 manufactured by ZAO Enerpred-Gidravlik. But even more weighty and more expensive is the MTTM railway lingering winch of the Ulyanovsk "Middle Volga Industrial Company". By the way, last device notable for the mysterious principle of operation and the "infinite" length of the cable used.

Alas, none of the winches, where it would be required to turn the handle, suited us. Some models require a rigid support, others are too weak, others are expensive and bulky. Thus, we will swing the pen for all subjects. Here it is, the tendency to simple movements ...

Physical education lessons

How to "plant" a Wrangler in the snow? Easily! The car drives off the asphalt, rolls over the parapet - and that's it, you're done. You can start. The difference with the real situation is as follows: we will not pull the car for flat road, but on the contrary, we will try to drag it further into the virgin snow. So much clearer...

4-ton Hand Puller. Due to the inconvenient drum latch and the sharp edges of the body, in order to unwind the cable, it is necessary, with precise aim, to get the handle latch into the drum latch and disengage it. It is only important to correctly dose the force on the handle and pull evenly. Everything is easy, even alone. Only the cable is too short, you will have to carry an extension cord with you. You can, of course, remove the block and increase the length of the cable, but then the gear ratio will completely fall. In addition, it is not easy: you need to unwind the cable holder, unpin the axle of the block and rearrange the hook.

We begin to pull ... A few simple movements, the cable rings like a string, the car shifts a centimeter, and the chain hoist turns parallel to the ground. And then the flimsy cable guide was skewed by the same cable. The result - the cable began to wind on one side of the drum and fall on the teeth, interfering with work ...

Jun Kaung, tape. Slightly advancing the Jeep, we brought a Taiwanese belt winch onto the field. Outwardly, she liked the accuracy of workmanship and convenient latches. True, it turned out that the entire tape is not included on the drum, and therefore the working stroke is still only a meter and a quarter. On the other hand, by pulling the tail out of the drum more or less before applying the load, there is no need to fine-tune the size of the extension. Along the way, an unpleasant property was also discovered: if the tape is tightly wound up to the stop, it is clamped by the winch body. Pulling it out after that is possible with great difficulty. And even during work, it seemed to me that the tape stretched stronger than the steel cable, and therefore the speed of work is less, and the effort is greater. It grows with every movement of the handle. On the last turns, it turned out that the tape is not wound very evenly and tends to slide to one edge, falling into the teeth. In addition, unwinding the tape under load was more difficult than first thought, and two people were required for safe operation.

"Sorokinstrument". This winch is the most versatile in terms of block handling. She has two hooks on the cable, one of which is attached to the block, and the second is hooked to the frame. It is worth unhooking it, and you can work at full length. I did so. It became noticeably harder to swing the handle than in previous cases. But from the outside, the work looked more fun. The winch cable quickly picked up the slack in the rope extension and cheerfully dragged the Wrangler towards a lonely birch. Having wound more than half of the cable, I got tired and handed over the matter to my comrades-in-arms. To be honest, even before starting work, I had doubts about the American origin of this winch. It is very similar in body and many details to the Taiwanese “four-thin”, only less accurately made. And the plastic of the handle turned out to be completely the same as the “tape”. True, Sorokin scored the most complex mechanism fixatives. It's just that they don't work easily and clearly enough. Americans don't do that. Although, if for export and from waste, and even for a penny ... When, during work, I noticed an indistinct hit of the teeth and a distortion of the drum, my doubts only intensified.

Jun Kaung, rope. The four-ton Jun Kaung was made the most solidly among imported products. The quality can be seen even in small things: it has the most pleasant to the touch rubberized handle, a very competently fixed cable on the drum, simple and not tight clamps. True, in order to use the device without a block, you need to spend time: unscrew the bolt on the body, unpin the hook and rearrange it. Therefore, we will work through the block. Clarity and ease of use here at their best, effort, as expected, requires little. The only thing that annoys is that for some reason the two branches of the cable leading to the block are twisted all the time. Their friction against each other significantly increases the resistance to work, so you have to rotate the winch around the longitudinal axis every now and then.

"Satellite". Despite the low declared carrying capacity, the winch looks an order of magnitude stronger than the previous ones. Annoying only striving to soil everything is a thickly oiled cable (the only one of all non-galvanized). The absence of a hook or even a bracket on the body also raises a question: the winch cannot be hooked, say, to a tree. Can only be screwed into the ground. And this is not convenient and possible in every situation. On the other hand, none of the competitors in the open field will not be able to work at all. Another positive point is a long cable, which allows you to freely choose a “fulcrum”. And so I put the winch drill in the first place in front of the car and start screwing it into the snow. He enters there easily, up to the very drum. But as soon as I start to pull, the winch comes out. What to do? Wait for heat to screw into the ground. Or improve the design yourself.

LR-1.6. Metal is clearly not spared here, and the sliding handle with a comfortable rubber tip convinces of the omnipotence of this device. But it has a hook on the body that is offset from the central axis, so in any position other than the correct one, the system begins to warp under load. And with a sufficiently large load, the winch generally wedges because of this, and so seriously that it becomes difficult to simply loosen the cable. In general, the LR-1.6 works as it should only if it is turned on its side and the cable with the hook on the body forms a straight line strictly parallel to the sides of the drum. In this case, you will have to swing the handle in a horizontal plane.

MTTM 1.6. Russia. It took us the longest time to prepare MTTM for work. I even had to read the instructions! The difficulty was to properly thread the cable into the winch. This action required so much physical strength, and most importantly dexterity, that no one wanted to do it a second time, and it was decided from now on to carry the device only assembled. From this it became quite inconvenient to load it into the trunk, and I got sick of carrying it in my hands from the car to the tree. But when everything was hooked, and I started pumping the pen, everything magically changed. The winch worked, and how! Easily and at the same time quickly, she pulled the Wrangler, breaking the strong April crust with it. By the way, unlike other lever winches, MTTM has no idle move pens. Movement in any direction causes the cable to be pulled, and this significantly increases the speed of work. The mechanism turned out to be the most convenient and for smooth lowering of the load. It is enough to rearrange the handle from the side to upper arm- and now the cable is already obediently going in the other direction.

Looking for the limit

The instructions for "short" winches stated that they could not be used to lift loads. Plus, in all cases, it was expressly forbidden to lengthen the handle with improvised objects. But, firstly, who will comply with such prohibitions when the "lock"? And secondly, it is necessary to understand what the violation of the above commandments can actually lead to.

For imported products, specialists Dmitrovsky auto-polygon, where we turned, came up with this method. A dynamometer clings to the lifted forks of the loader, a cable of the winch under test is attached to it, and the winch itself is attached to concrete cubes standing on the floor. To test each of the mechanisms as a whole and simultaneously reduce overall length, winches equipped with a block, we loaded through this very block, and therefore, we developed maximum traction on the hook. If we did without a block, then with the same load on the handle, the pull on the hook would be only half the value obtained.

"Four-ton Chinese" reached only 1200 kgf, after which his handle was bent. When the load was removed, it turned out that the drum was also bent, and the entire winch was warped. The belt system is stronger. Up to 1500 kgf, the load increased evenly, and then for several strokes of the handle “floated” within 1750–1500. Something dragged on. Finally, the handle was bent irreversibly, and the tape showed obvious signs of abrasion and stretching. "Sorokinstrument" quickly got down to business, but very quickly its mechanism began to warp. In this form, the winch worked up to 2250 kgf (after which the teeth could not withstand the load, and they were “licked off”). Only the cable Jun Kaung was able to lift the blocks. Its mechanism worked without distortions, and after removal, I did not find any signs of deformation.

the Forbidden fruit

Now I digress and reflect on the prohibitions. Obviously, the “do not lift” requirement is due to security considerations. Due to the very short winch handles, the lifter is too close to the load. If something comes off, then inadvertently it can crush. If the winch is suspended at the top, then the question arises of how to get to it and take a stable position there. Well, if the winch is anchored horizontally and the cable is lowered down, then it will begin to rub against the guides. Therefore, one more block is required. In general, winches can be lifted, but they must be used wisely for this purpose.

Now about lengthening the handle. When lifting the load, we deliberately used a three-meter pipe in order to be away from the falling blocks at the decisive moment. Plus, with its help, we were guaranteed to reach the tensile strength of the mechanism. Although, for example, in the case of the Chinese winch, there was no need for an extension cord. Her handle bent on the first turn of the cable when only 32 kgf was applied.

Meanwhile, it was invented new technique: we began to pull together two fixed objects. A huge concrete monolith acted as one, and two (!) ZIL-131s linked to each other and braked in all conceivable ways acted as the other. And so that the “strong man”, striving to confirm the declared 4000 kgf, did not break the three-ton dynamometer, a double “reverse” chain hoist was included in the system. In general, in order not to confuse readers at all, I will give the resulting load already with an amendment. So, working with a Taiwanese four-ton without an extension, I was able to develop 1800 kgf. Next came the pipe. With a load of 3800 kgf, a powerful blow was heard and the cable fell off. It turned out that the teeth had failed.

With LR-1.6, I began to crack down gradually. First, he developed 900 kgf on a short handle, then put forward a regular extension and almost doubled the result on the hook. Using the pipe, I pressed up to 2600 kgf. As a result, the base of the handle arched and the cable burst, but in general the winch remained operational. As for Sputnik and MTTM, they didn't even need a pipe. Having hooked the “anchor” winch modernized after a failure in the snow for a new bracket, I yielded to the persistent requests of a fragile photographer girl and exchanged working tools with her. And what do you think? Having pumped up 1100 kgf, she, having rested a little, reached 1400 kgf and ... broke the cable. Except for this, the winch remained in perfect condition. But the MTTM mechanism, apparently, is specially protected by a special kind of fuse. Upon reaching 2200 kgf (without the use of a pipe), one of the two rivets holding the lifting handle on the axle broke.

Outcome

So which winch should you choose? Again, we don't have a 100% winner. If we talk about the same type of imported products, then the best choice, of course, the 4-ton Jun Kaung. Even if the “Taiwanese” did not reach 200 kgf to his passport data, he still leads both in maximum thrust and in gear ratio, and along the length of the rope. With its competitors, everything is simple. Cheap “China” is frank junk, “Sorokinstrument” is clearly inferior to the leader (at the same price), and it is still better to leave the “variegated tape” to tighten the load on the trunk. Perhaps for the owner passenger car, who will not seek to overcome a long “ambush” on a winch, Jun Kaung is the most suitable option. But for real off-road, his cable is too short. To pass a difficult section of sufficient length (at least to get out of the swamp after the electric winch burned out), it will be necessary to change gears very often. If you need to catch on through one more block, the effective working stroke will be completely reduced to a few centimeters.

Russian winches, thanks to longer cables, are more suitable for off-road. Especially MTTM, in which you can use an almost endless cable. But, I suppose, not every off-road lover (especially on small car), will agree to carry such a bulky thing in the trunk. In addition, it is the most inconvenient in everything except ... the workflow. Its other, purely off-road, drawback is indicated in the instructions: the mechanism does not tolerate dirt getting inside. Because of this, slippage of the cable in the clamps and accelerated wear of the working surfaces is possible. And even if the winch does not accidentally fall into the mud bath, the dirty cable will surely drag enough natural abrasive and moisture inside ...

Personally, I, perhaps, would have opted for the LR-1.6 if it did not require such a strict orientation in space. Unfortunately, in the forest it is far from always possible to place the winch in the required way, and even at a convenient height for use. If the stretched cable is at ground level (usually it happens), then the LR-1.6 will be completely useless. Perhaps the situation will be corrected by a specially made guide and a modified hook attachment to the hull, but such an upgrade will require a lot of work and subsequent testing.

After much deliberation, I nevertheless recognized the Sputnik modernized by us as the most practical of the winches. If in the factory version he turned out to be an outsider due to helplessness in many off-road troubles, then with an additional ring this mechanism I think it can work wonders. Moreover, being screwed into the ground, the anchor should start working as it should. If, however, the cable is also replaced with a thicker and galvanized one, then the Thing will turn out completely (I am sure that the traction potential of the mechanism is much higher than those 1400 kgf on which the regular cable burst). With these rationalization proposals, I turned to the Chernyshev plant, but then it turned out that they (my rationalization proposals) this moment are not needed - due to a sharp rise in the price of metal, the production of winches has just been stopped for an indefinite period. And what is in stock will be sold out anyway. Such is the swan grass ...

6,3

6,4	3,0	30,2
rope diameter, mm	8,5	5,0	5,0	5,8	6,0	27 x 2.2 (ribbon)	12,0
rope length, m	8,7	11,5	2,5	2,9	3,3	6,1	12,0
Distance between hooks m	0,5-9,0	0,25-11,6	4000 (through regular block)	0.6 - 1.9 (3.2 without block)	0.65 - 2.05 (3.55 without block)	0,35-3,35	1-12
work stroke, m	8,45	11,35	1.16 (2.26 without block)	1.3 (2.6 without block)	1.4 (2.9 without block)	1,25	11
handle length, mm	750-1150	800	430	520	520	450	900-1280
gear ratio on the first layer	1:31,60 – 1:49,66	1:47,77	1:37.53 (1:18.77 without block)	1:39.17 (1:19.58 without block)	1:43.72 (1:21.86 without block)	1:38,10	1:40.63 (constant)
gear ratio on the second layer	1:22,84 – 1:35,89	1:36,23	1:30.10 (1:15.05 without block)	1:31.54 (1:15.77 without block)	1:31.54 (1:15.77 without block)	1:34,48	-
gear ratio on the last layer	1:11,86 – 1:18,64	1:13,89	1:25.12 (1:12.56 without block)	- (only two layers cable on drum)	1:28.06 (1:14.03 without block)	1:18,16	-
Average retail price, rub.	4050	3500	550	1499	1500	850	5640

Many imported SUVs are equipped with built-in winches with mechanical, hydraulic or electric drive. It is very convenient to use such devices: in case of any jamming, you can unwind the cable, hook it to a tree or pole, press the button - and the machine pulls itself out of any mud or snowdrift.

There are situations where a simple hand winch is required.

For most cars, it turns out to be the only assistant in overcoming difficult terrain. There are also combined models that can be rotated manually or with a drive. When the pulling force of the winch exceeds the value of 3-4 tons, it becomes difficult to work with it.

A hand winch for a car may be indispensable assistant, for example, to move goods.

The device and features of a manual winch

A winch should be distinguished from a hoist. They have similar mechanisms, but their purpose is different. Hoists move the load in a vertical direction, and winches - in a horizontal direction. Some designs may be combined.

Mounting winches are increasingly being used, in which the rope is moved using a special compression that pulls the rope in the right direction and at the same time keeps it from slipping.

Manual drum winch

The main winch devices are a drum with a cable or tape wound around it, a gear that reduces the load, a stopper and a lever.

In addition to models with steel ropes, there are devices with fabric slings, which are also very convenient for strengthening transported goods. At the same time, their traction force reaches 2 tons. They have an advantage over cables that break when wound on small diameter drums. For belts, the thickness of the bend during winding does not matter.

The hand drum winch is supplied with special cable guides. From the load, they can be skewed, which leads to uneven winding and hitting the turns on the teeth. The same can happen with the tape, which can shift and slip off the drum.

Mounting winches

A manual winch for a car with a drum is a traction winch. There are also mounting winches in which the cable or belt passes through the compressing device without winding. The traction option is more common. The device is equipped with a ratchet so that you can lock the cable in a timely manner.

The load-reducing transmission is made in the form of a gear or worm drive. It is mounted on a frame that can be bolted or chained to a fixed support. Mounting can be done on a horizontal or vertical surface.

winch capacity

An automobile manual winch is characterized by traction force, which is measured in tons. It is difficult to determine the actual load on the cable, in some cases it may break. The only real danger is a steel rope that can hit a person. For safety reasons, a cable arrester is used. It can be branded or any other item suspended on a rope. Synthetic rope is more preferred. It is safe, has sufficient strength, does not get wet, does not stretch and does not break when wound on a small diameter drum.

When pulling out the car, it is important to move it from its place at the very beginning. With wheels stuck in the mud, this is difficult to do and requires great effort, which sometimes even a powerful winch cannot create. If you apply a jack, raising the car and placing boards or stones in the track, much less shearing force is required. Even a low-power winch can cope with this task.

The winch is manual. Price

In specialized stores, you can choose the necessary devices for pulling out cars. Most of them are models Chinese made. The main selection indicators are the price and tractive effort, which must be at least 1 ton. When choosing, the winch load capacity must be at least twice the weight of the vehicle.

A manual lever winch should not be too expensive. If it exceeds 5-6 thousand rubles, it is advisable to purchase for the same price electric model boo.

European-made products have a price many times higher, but they have high reliability and ease of use. The figure shows a French-made device with a lifting capacity of 3.2 tons, but it works better than the Taiwanese one at 4 tons.

You can find good domestic model, for example, "Sputnik". Although it has a load capacity of only 500 kg, it works reliably, has acceptable price and quite suitable for passenger car. About 3 thousand rubles. costs lever winch MTTM with a carrying capacity of up to 3.2 tons. According to customer reviews, it can be used as a lifting and traction device for various purposes. The advantage of the device is the absence of idling of the handle, as well as the smooth removal of the load.

Reviews of professionals say that an effort of 500-1200 kg is enough to pull the car. Winches with a lifting capacity of about 2 tons are enough. In addition, most of the models do not live up to the stated effort. The main reason is that it is necessary to apply great efforts to the handle, leaning on it with the whole body. Many devices require more powerful and longer handles, as well as steel ropes.

According to the reviews of those who often meet with off-road, an electric winch is needed, which will allow you to develop the necessary efforts and speed. In order to insure against unforeseen situations, it is better to have a combined model, which can also be pulled out by hand.

When purchasing a product, please contact Special attention to ensure that there are no fakes. They can be detected by the quality of parts, markings, the name of the manufacturer and the lack of certificates.

Rules for the safe use of a hand winch

It is forbidden to touch the hook or rope when they are under tensile load, as well as to stand near or step over them.
The winch should not be loaded if there are no more than 5 turns of cable left on the drum so that it does not break off the mount.
The less rope left, the greater the traction force, as the diameter of the drum decreases and the torque increases.
When winding, the coils should be laid evenly and with an interference fit so that the rope does not plastically deform.
To pull out the car, the driver should always have two-layer gloves, and a cable arrester should be hung on the cable, and in its absence, an old jacket.
Do not attach the cable to a dry tree that could fall on the vehicle.
It is forbidden to connect a steel rope with extensions made of other materials, so that a break does not occur.
To protect trees or poles from the cable, the winch is equipped with a bark protection sling and a shackle, which should always be included.

How to make a hand winch with your own hands

For rare use, a do-it-yourself hand winch can be made very simply. For this, a strong axis is suitable, which can be fixed without much effort in the guides with the possibility of rotation. A lever is welded to it and a cable is attached. During rotation, it is wound on the axis and the load attached to the other end moves. For convenience, you will need a platform with brackets in which the axis will be located. Here you can apply a hot-rolled channel with high strength. If the axis is made with a notch and a gear is attached to it, then the cable will be located in the guides with the possibility of winding.

A manual lever winch, made by hand, is suitable not only for pulling out a car. With its help, you can move weights around the backyard, for example, logs or pallets with bricks. The disadvantage of the device is the lack of a latch. A simple fitting in the form of an insert into matching holes made in the movable and fixed parts of the winch can fulfill this role.

The rotation of the winch is a laborious operation. A do-it-yourself manual winch can be made in the form of a drum mounted on a wheel axle, which is a means for self-pulling a stuck car. When the wheel slips, a rope attached to a large stone or anchor will be wound onto the drum, allowing you to get out of a deep ditch on your own.

Conclusion

A hand winch will be reliable and durable if you choose a quality design, as well as follow the rules of operation and safe operation. Then it will serve for a long time and will be a reliable assistant on trips and in the garden. Optimal choice should be done according to price, travel distance, maximum tractive effort, ease of use, weight and dimensions of the device.

In the country or at a construction site, it is sometimes necessary to use a winch to move heavy objects. Usually, for such purposes, a traction mechanism is used, with which you can move a load of several hundred kilograms. It remains only to learn about this device, and find out which winch is better.

Hand winch

First you need to figure out how the hoist differs from the winch. By mechanical properties they are similar to each other, but they are used for different purposes. The answer is very simple - with the help of winches, objects can be moved horizontally, and the hoist makes it possible to move the load vertically.

Now that everything has fallen into place, it remains to deal with this mechanism in more detail. At the moment, the winch will be studied in detail. They are manual and electric, in the second case, the winch can be powered by a car generator.

Operating principle

The purpose of these winches is the same. Both have a drum on which the cable is wound, and the drive reduces the load. There are manual winches with lever, gear or worm drive. The whole mechanism, together with the chain, is attached to the frame.

There are several types of hand winches. There are wall and floor winches, the first option is suitable for objects weighing up to 800 kilograms, and the second is capable of moving up to 10 tons.

Cases where a hand winch is used

In the case when it is impossible to use an electric winch, then a manual one is suitable just for the same purposes. Using such a device is much more difficult, but a drum hand winch does not depend on a power source. Most often these are winches with a gear mechanism. There are traction and mounting principles of operation of these devices.

Some wind the cable onto the shaft, while the latter work with a belt. Those who have a car use manual winches when there is no room on the hood for an electric one. Ratchets, which are found in manual mechanisms, are used to fix the cable.

What are electric and manual hoists and winches used for?

Even if there is no house, but there is a garage, then there is already a need to use traction device, for example, to remove the engine from the car. Usually, a hoist is used for such purposes. But you can figure out how to do it with a winch.

It remains only to attach the frame, but this must be done in the case when there is already a mounted channel. You can use a winch or hoist to make a lifting device.

To do this, you need to find with what help the engine will cling, as well as a winch-type crane trolley, which then needs to be adjusted to the channel. The photo shows how, using a manual winch, you can build a crane.

The use of a winch in the garden

To load into the body vehicle bags and crates of fruits and vegetables, means to move these items may be used. To work with a load that weighs no more than 500 kg, you can use a winch as a lifting mechanism.

As a rule, such a device is used as an automotive attribute, especially on rough terrain, when it is likely to get stuck in the mud after rain.

In this case, in order not to follow the tractor, you can use a winch, with which you can then pull out the car. Winches, both manual and electric, can move loads up to 4 tons or more.

Choosing a good hand winch

When choosing a cable winch, you need to pay attention to the drum, namely the shaft axis on which the cable is wound. If the diameter is small, then the tension element will wear out quickly and this will lead to burrs. In the case when it is not the cable that is wound, but the belt, the diameter of the shaft is not important. In addition, it matters how well the mechanism locks.

Before using the winch, you need to know the mass of the object that will be moved using the device. The weight of the load must be such that the traction mechanism can lift it without experiencing any special load.

All joints of parts must be strong - this applies more to the drum and drive. Even if the frame is reliable, the shaft itself can easily fail. All parts must be wear-resistant so that they are not affected by cable friction.

Photo of a good manual winch

With this article, I would like to start a series of reviews on the nuances and features of choice, try to take into account the maximum specifications and features of the vehicle, while not missing the possible individual nuances.
So what do you need to know, how to choose and how to use?

Introduction

To date, a car winch has ceased to be an exotic and hard-to-reach curiosity that is decorative in nature. Instead, it has become an indispensable attribute and practical necessity for any motorist who prefers active pastime to a quiet and relaxing holiday. Equipping a car with an electric winch (or hydraulic, mechanical) will not be superfluous if you are a fan of fishing, hunting, or even not averse to climbing far into the forest for mushrooms. And if your hobby or professional occupation is off-road and other adventures in difficult places, then an SUV without a winch is generally hard to imagine.

What is a winch?

Apparently, the winch originates from quite ancient times from the construction of a well gate. Logs with a handle, on which a rope or rope was wound during torsion, and the greater was its strength, the longer this very handle was. But in today's electrification and scientific progress, the role strength element electricity took over .. well, and other tricky devices.
By by and large a winch is a force converter - physical, electrical, hydraulic, etc. - due to traction. And already finding a scope for it is not such a tricky business: industry, construction, car, tow trucks, etc.
essence car winch in attaching the free end of the cable to a fixed, well-fixed object, to pull the stuck car out of an insurmountable "trap" in the form of impassable off-road, mud, bog, snow, water and other obstacles, which an experienced extremist and amateur can find active rest won't seem complicated.

Types of car winches.

Despite the outward simplicity, choosing a winch is not at all an easy task, especially when it comes to buying. That's when a lot of questions and doubts arise - starting from the types of drives, manufacturers, quality, ending gear ratio reducer.

To begin with, winches are manual, mechanical, hydraulic and electric.

Manual winch.
The simplest option with its pluses, but also with big minuses. Of the advantages - the relative simplicity of design, unpretentiousness, low weight and no need for power supply. At the same time, she has a huge minus for everything, which, if not overlapping her merits, then at least significantly diminishes them. And this minus is that you and your physical strength are the drive to it. And okay, you have to use a winch if the car is stuck in a small ditch or a shallow puddle - you won’t have to get very dirty here, and you don’t need to put in 100% effort. It’s another matter if your SUV is bogged down in a deep quagmire, ran into an insurmountable obstacle, and even in winter time. In such conditions, standing waist-deep in mud, wet and frozen, with each next turn of the handle, your opinion will change in the opposite direction of sympathy for a manual winch. But be that as it may, one should not forget about its merits. Moreover, if used wisely, then a manual winch in right moment can be a great help.

Mechanical winch.
Quite often, the concept of "mechanical" is used in the sense of "manual". There is, of course, some logic in this, but in the context of winches it does not quite fit, since it is completely different types devices with different operating principles. The main advantage of a mechanical winch is that it does not need electricity to operate, it has enough simple design and unpretentious in care. For lack of own engine it is directly connected to the power take-off shaft of an automobile engine. As a result, a mechanical winch has quite high performance traction force. The temporary resource of work is limited by the time of engine operation. The winding speed of the rope can be adjusted by the engine speed. Reliability. Of the minuses - inconvenient installation, especially since many cars must be initially provided for the use of a winch. In the event of a car engine failure, the winch will not work. In addition, climbing under the hood of a car in conditions of increased extreme is not the most rewarding thing, however, if the need arises, you will have to do this, especially if it is associated with some kind of breakdown, then fun pastime in a meter-long layer of dirt is guaranteed.

Hydraulic winch.
It has the advantages of a mechanical winch, and in some respects even surpasses them. First of all, the hydraulic winch has its own motor, as a result of which it can be installed on almost any vehicle that has a hydraulic pump of the required power. This good alternative for those motorists who do not have a power take-off shaft on their vehicle for installing a mechanical winch. Power is generated much more than mechanical power, while hydraulics are in no way inferior to it in terms of reliability. In addition, being airtight and having a minimum of electrical elements in its design, such a winch is practically not afraid of water and all the consequences associated with it. In addition, of the advantages: less weight than mechanical, simplicity, unpretentiousness, smoothness and noiselessness. Despite the above advantages, the hydraulic winch is not without its drawbacks. First of all, this is the fact that it is powered by the same power steering pump that works on the car engine. And if the pump power is not enough to provide required pressure both for the winch and for the engine, you will either have to put more powerful pump, or install an additional one, designed to service only one hydraulic winch, or even refuse to use it. In addition, even though it has a small amount of primitive electronics, the device still has a chance of getting damaged when it comes into contact with water.
A hydraulic winch is usually installed when a power reserve is needed, and winding speed is not very important.

Electric winch.
Oh, and an electric winch. Today, among motorists around the world, this is the most common type of winch. With a relatively small size, they are able to develop a decent effort and enough high speed. The operation of the electric winch does not depend on the performance of the car engine and can pull a stalled car. Also, the electric winch is easy to install and does not require any additional options for this. It has all the advantages associated with the use of electricity. Overheating sensors are installed, wireless control systems, battery charge-discharge sensors are installed. In addition, manufacturers can quite effectively isolate the electrical part of the device from moisture, water, dirt, sand and dust. But still, insufficient tightness is one of the actual problems in the construction of such winches. Since the electric winch is powered by onboard network vehicle, there is a possibility of overload and damage. With intensive use, sooner or later the question of installing a second battery specifically for the winch, and this may not always be convenient. The best option for using an electric winch is to work with short and infrequent loads. For example, on tow trucks, on cars for fishing, hunting, etc. With prolonged extreme loads, the electric winch may not show itself in the best way. Although, again, this is a matter of the quality of the winch itself and the ability to use it.

Many imported SUVs are equipped with built-in winches with a mechanical, hydraulic or electric drive. It is very convenient to use such devices: in case of any jamming, you can unwind the cable, hook it to a tree or pole, press the button - and the machine pulls itself out of any mud or snowdrift.

There are situations where a simple hand winch is required.

A hand winch for a car can be an indispensable tool, for example, for moving goods.

The device and features of a manual winch

Mounting winches are increasingly being used, in which the rope is moved using a special compression that pulls the rope in the right direction and at the same time keeps it from slipping.

Manual drum winch

The main winch devices are a drum with a cable or tape wound around it, a gear that reduces the load, a stopper and a lever.

Mounting winches

winch capacity

When pulling out the car, it is important to move it from its place at the very beginning. With wheels stuck in the mud, this is difficult to do and a lot of effort is required, which sometimes even a powerful winch cannot create. If you apply a jack, raising the car and placing boards or stones in the track, much less shearing force is required. Even a low-power winch can cope with this task.

The winch is manual. Price

In specialized stores, you can choose the necessary devices for pulling out cars. For the most part, they are represented by Chinese-made models. The main selection indicators are the price and tractive effort, which must be at least 1 ton. When choosing, the winch load capacity must be at least twice the weight of the vehicle.

A manual lever winch should not be too expensive. If it exceeds 5-6 thousand rubles, it is advisable to purchase a used electric model for the same price.

You can find a good domestic model, for example, Sputnik. Although it has a load capacity of only 500 kg, it works reliably, has an affordable price and is quite suitable for a car. About 3 thousand rubles. there is an MTTM lever winch with a lifting capacity of up to 3.2 tons. According to customer reviews, it can be used as a lifting and traction device for various purposes. The advantage of the device is the absence of idling of the handle, as well as the smooth removal of the load.

When buying a product, you should pay special attention to ensure that there are no fakes. They can be detected by the quality of parts, markings, the name of the manufacturer and the lack of certificates.

Rules for the safe use of a hand winch

It is forbidden to touch the hook or rope when they are under tensile load, as well as to stand near or step over them.
The winch should not be loaded if there are no more than 5 turns of cable left on the drum so that it does not break off the mount.
The less rope left, the greater the traction force, as the diameter of the drum decreases and the torque increases.
When winding, the coils should be laid evenly and with an interference fit so that the rope does not plastically deform.
To pull out the car, the driver should always have two-layer gloves, and a cable arrester should be hung on the cable, and in its absence, an old jacket.
Do not attach the cable to a dry tree that could fall on the vehicle.
It is forbidden to connect a steel rope with extensions made of other materials, so that a break does not occur.
To protect trees or poles from the cable, the winch is equipped with a bark protection sling and a shackle, which should always be included.

How to make a hand winch with your own hands

Conclusion

A hand winch will be reliable and durable if you choose a quality design, as well as follow the rules of operation and safe operation. Then it will last a long time and will be a reliable assistant on trips and in the garden. The optimal choice should be made on the basis of price, travel distance, maximum tractive effort, ease of use, weight and dimensions of the device.