‘Winch pulling power’ is the capacity of a winch that it uses to haul or lift heavy items like vehicles, car trailers, etc. Using a winch is one of the best and stress-free methods of hauling and lifting heavy items.
While you do your calculations before getting a which, having to lift a higher weight than it was rated for. So, what do you do in that situation?
Knowing how to double winch pulling power will come in handy in this situation for sure. With the increased load capacity, you’re doubling the effectiveness and time spent during winching.
Let’s help you understand how things work in your winch, and how you can trick it to lift double the mass it does now.
Why Do You Need to Double Winch Pulling Power?
A winch pulling power is as important as the winch itself. The pulling power determines how effective and time-consuming the winch will be. If a load is light, the winch can operate at a normal pace. But if the load is more, the winch pulling power has to be doubled. As the load increases, the pressure on the winch increases too.
The weight of the load plays a major role in determining when you double the winch pulling power. You will run at risk when you operate the winch with an increased or heavier load without doubling the pulling power.
So, let’s check some reasons to double the winch pulling power:
Trim the Increased Additional Pressure
When you double winch pulling power, it reduces the pressure from the additional weight you’re putting on the winch. This makes it easier for the winch to operate without fear of pulling off.
Cut Down The Stress for The Winch
With a doubled winch pulling power, winching of the load or recovery vehicle becomes easier. Also, less stressful. The doubled pulling power makes it easier to pull heavier objects with less stress on the winch motor.
Maintain Winching Direction
By doubling the winch pulling power, the direction of winching can rarely be changed.
Also, when the winch pulling power is doubled, the capacity of the winch automatically improves. In such an operation, the efficiency of the winch will increase since the winch pulling power is doubled.
Avoid Ticking an Accident
Accidents are easily avoided when certain cautions are put into place. When you double the pulling power of the winch, it reduces the risk of ticking an accident. Being that the doubled power can winch the recovery vehicle.
Provide More Power for Recovery
Doubling the winch pulling power automatically provides more power for the recovery of the vehicle. For example, if a vehicle is stuck in the mud or fighting with rocky terrain, you can make use of it for a better recovery.
Reduce Time Spent Winching
Based on the type of recovery load to be winched, doubling the winch pulling power reduces the time it will take to the winch. This is because speed and efficiency are increased, thereby the time spent will reduce.
Reduce the Risk of Winch and Load Damage
If a winch is used to pull a heavy load without doubling its pulling power, it will get damaged. So, when you double the winch pulling power, it reduces the risk of the winch getting damaged.
Also, when we take caution by doubling the winch pulling power, the recovery vehicle incurs any further damage.
Reduce Stress on The Winch Pull
When you double the winch pulling power, stress on the winch pulls automatically reduces. This is a result of the double power on the pull as you now have less stress on the motor and the drum as you pull the cable in.
What Are Those Situations That You May Need to Double Winch Pulling Power?
Here are some conditions for you to double your winch pulling power.
- Suppose you’re stuck while alone – Where your winch rope is quite short, the best option is to use the single line winching. Connect your winch to a snatch block and attach the line to a tree, moving it back to your vehicle bumper.
- If you’re stuck in the mud – You can pull your vehicle out in this situation by either using the single line or double line winching. Also, you will have to connect the winching rope to a snatch block and a tree.
- If stuck while winching uphill and there’s another vehicle – This situation requires much care to avoid the vehicle at the lower end from dragging down the one uphill. You should consider the weight difference of the two vehicles, the topography of the area, and other conditions during the process of winching.
- If stuck while winching uphill and there’s another vehicle and a tree nearby – The second vehicle, in this case, will serve as an anchor. Make a connection of the winching rope to both a snatch block and the nearby tree. Also, attach the second vehicle through its bumper to the tree. This offers increased safety in your winching process.
Often we tend to overlook the fact that the winch is designed based on capacity, and as such winching has to be followed sequentially. We don’t just operate a winch based on self-will but on the capacity and size of load to be winched.
So, you must double winch pulling power when the load is deeply stuck in the mud. Also, when the weight of the load is more, compared to the capacity of the winch.
How to Double Winch Pulling Power?
Normally, you can engage in a straight pull and single-line pulling depending on the level and situation to overcome. However, you may need more pulling power once you’re stuck deep in a muddy area or when your winch is undergoing the stress of pulling. So, you must know how to double winch pulling power to salvage such situations.
Also, where the load to pull is too heavy or dealing with a heavy-duty vehicle, you may need to get a good winch for a car trailer as your quick remedy.
Straight-Line Pulling
This position offers the best pulling power of a winch. It prevents less stress on the winching rope and the motor that powers the pulling effect.
But where the situation doesn’t allow a direct straight line pulling, you can employ a snatch block to influence the angle of the winch and redirect it to a straight line. A snatch block is a suitable tool that enhances winching power in different situations. Also, it’s a handy influence for engaging more winching lines.
Single Line Wrap
Usually, winches have wraps of rope or chain around their drum. This forms their power rating and decreases as the number of the wraps exceed one wrap on the winch drum by a measure of 10%.
Rigging the winch with either one or more snatch blocks helps to spool out more of its rope and maximize its pulling power. However, you must know that rigging is a tricky process that could prove to be dangerous in highly complicated situations. Where you are still a newbie with issues about winching, you should maintain the simple method.
Doubling the Winch Pulling Power
The best process to use in doubling winch pulling power is to double the winch rope or line. This technique will invariably distribute the object’s weight across all the winch rope. So, as the winch starts pulling on the object, it feels like its pulling only on half the object’s weight since the line is doubled back. But the effectual pull cuts across the entire object.
Here are the steps in doubling a winch pulling power:
Step 1: Attach the Rope With a Tree
The first step is to attach the rope around any nearby tree to strengthen the pulling effect. With the help of two parts of a shackle, hold it stronger and create a room for the perfect fitting of the snatch block.
Step 2: Set Snatch Block(s)
Proceed to grab and wrap the winch line. Then, spool out the line, bring and attach it to the tree. Go ahead and confirm that the winch rope is strong and properly attached to the tree. At this stage, there won’t be any need for powering the motor that will drive the winch. You just have to spool out the line freely.
Go ahead and open the snatch block at this point. To double the winch pulling power, the line will move faster than its usual single line method. This speed is more notable if you are winching in a remote place. Also, you may require an extension for the winch line since its power is directly proportional to its line length.
Moreover, while setting the snatch block, you could opt for more of it. The addition depends on the level of weight you want to over of the strength of pulling power you desire.
Step 3: Connect the Snatch Block(s) with Wire
Once the setup process for the snatch block is complete, you can move on with connecting it to the wire. You will move back to your pulling point after the snatch block is set up. Also, the shackle is meant to be holding the front bumper of your vehicle.
On completing the wiring, you can turn on your engine. Create a little tension on the winch line by moving your vehicle a bit. Then, move back to the snatch block and ensure that the rope is properly at its center. At this stage, your winch has doubled its pulling power. You can commence the winching process.
Bottom Line
Knowing how to double winch pulling power. It will help you to maneuver your situation when stuck in deep muddy areas. It provides the right process to overcome where you have been left stranded to struggle.
Now that you know how to double winch pulling power, it should be easier for you to lift heavier objects. The process requires that you use a snatch block that could allow you to avoid wrapping more of your winch line on its drum.
Also, the process demands that you get the winch line through the snatch block, such that there’s a double lining pulling the object. This means that the winch will apparently be pulling on half the object’s weight as the weight is completely distributed through the entire winch line. Hence, you can double the pulling power of the winch.
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