Many people do not always appreciate the importance of having a manual mechanical winch. Understanding the significance of this tool in most cases occurs only in critical situations, when, for example, it is necessary to rescue a car from a mud trap formed on a dirt road. Moreover, such moments can happen to almost every person, regardless of his type of activity and hobbies.
There is a huge selection of hand winches on the market. And in this variety, it is often very difficult to decide on the best option that has good performance characteristics and an affordable price.
Features of a manual winch
In fact, the entire system is tied to the drum. Special attention is paid to him, because virtually 50% of success in work depends on him. Due to it, the cable is wound and unwound, thus moving the loads horizontally.
- The minimum load that the cable will be able to handle is 150 kg. The maximum is 10 tons.
- It is noteworthy that when purchasing a cable, the maximum permissible load is often not indicated; instead, there is a marking.
- If you don’t have the knowledge to decipher it yourself, you can ask a consultant at the store where the winch was purchased.
Manufacturers declare the loads for which their products are designed. However, it is worth considering that equipment of the same class, but from different manufacturers, may have different load thresholds.
Chinese devices, for example, have a load threshold less than stated, so it is not recommended to use them to their full capacity; they should be loaded no more than 80% of the maximum.
Russian models, as a rule, work exactly with the stated characteristics. It is recommended to purchase the highest quality devices from the Armavir plant; it has existed for a very long time, has proven itself exceptionally well, and is widely recognized by users.
What are they needed for
A winch is a valuable acquisition for any motorist. After all, it is she who will come to the rescue in the most seemingly hopeless situation.
I will share my experience from my own life. I went to visit my parents one day. Although they live not far away, getting to them is a real challenge. They have to find out in advance whether it has recently rained near their village. If so, then the trip was canceled and postponed to another date, when the “road,” let’s call it that, dried out. I left when my father gave the green light. Everything would be fine, but the rain caught me right on the road. I think, but I’ll push and have time to get through. But it was not there. Having almost reached my parents, in front of me there was something reminiscent of a road in its outline. Only it consisted of a solid dirty puddle. The devil pulled me to risk driving through. He took a risk on his own. While my parents’ neighbors were waiting for a tow truck in the form of a tractor, more than an hour passed. The car is dirty, the mood is spoiled.
Having already reached his father, he asked, why don’t you buy yourself a winch? Every second of us has it. Thank you, dad, for your timely advice.
I watched a video about them, went shopping, talked to smart people. And then I had the idea to share with you information about these life-saving devices. They can really be useful in emergency situations. I advise everyone to buy it so as not to get into trouble like I did.
Essentially, all types of hand winches can be divided into two categories:
- lever;
- drum
And it’s better to talk about them separately.
Rules for operating a manual winch
It is worth using the above recommendation of a cable load of no more than 80% of the stated maximum as a first rule. This is because at the limit of its load the cable begins to break. It is worth considering that it is virtually not subject to stretching, but in any case, if it breaks, it will spring back in both directions. Therefore, when working with objects or using a winch, workers try to take a position behind some reliable shelter in case the cable breaks.
If a broken cable hits a person, it can cause very serious injuries, and even cause serious injuries that will result in death.
It is preferable to use rope-type cables. This is because their length varies from 1.5 to 10 meters, which makes their use safer in case of rupture.
- In addition to the drum, a gear is included. The transmission can also take the form of a gear drive, or be represented by a screw mechanism. This allows you to reduce the load on the working cable, which increases the safety of using such a system, and also slightly increases the maximum load.
- This entire system is attached to the frame, which, in turn, can have several types of fastenings in order to securely secure the winch.
- In any case, homemade winches will be much more effective than without the use of mechanical force. However, homemade installations are only capable of attracting cargo. Factory devices also have a mode for smoothly lowering the load, if necessary.
- Combined models are in great demand on construction sites. The markings on them may be “2.0/0.8”. This means that the horizontal thrust is a maximum of 2 tons, the vertical thrust is about 800 kg.
The markings are quite easy to decipher; on combined models, the first number is responsible for horizontal thrust, the second for vertical thrust.
Operational Capabilities
Those who prefer a high-quality hydraulic winch and carry out the installation correctly can count on very rich functionality. The mechanism is directly controlled through levers – as a rule, there are two of them. The main advantage of branded models is the support of several traction modes. For example, in the basic order, the unit performs free unwinding and locking, and the remaining several modes differ in different tension transmissions. A modern hydraulic traction winch supports several speeds, which can also be controlled via a remote control.
Types of hand winch
There are a large number of types of winches, both in power and functionality. In addition, specialized models are produced for use in strictly defined conditions to achieve certain goals. Let's consider the design varieties.
Lack of locking lever mechanism
Allows you not to look for a base that will be able to withstand a load comparable to that which the winch will pull. Thus, the structure can be used both horizontally and vertically.
The main element is the lever; it triggers a ratchet-type mechanism that rotates the shaft in only one direction.
The relative disadvantage of such models is the length of the cable. The value is 5-6 m, which will not be enough for some purposes. However, these models, depending on the configuration, can pull up to 10 tons.
Operation of the mechanism from the support
Such models are designed exclusively for horizontal movement of loads. If the load needs to be lifted at 45 degrees, the winch itself must be placed 15 cm above the ground.
- Please note that the greater the angle of the upcoming lift, the higher the winch must be positioned above the ground.
- Thus, if the angle is 65 degrees, the device needs to be raised to a height of 70 cm.
Types of cables
There are mainly two types of cables used - metal and synthetic. The option of twisting steel threads may seem preferable, but, oddly enough, it has significant drawbacks. Firstly, you should not place special hopes on metal in terms of strength. Over time, some of its threads break, and at some point it is necessary to replace it. Secondly, a hydraulic winch with a metal cable is unsafe. Those same broken threads can injure the skin of your hands and damage your clothing, and if you miss the moment of critical wear, then a complete rupture of the cable during the pulling process can lead to tragic consequences. Synthetic is also not perfect, but it is less dangerous, less dynamic and lasts longer with proper care. Such a cable should be protected from sunlight, and after use in contact with sand, the fibers should be thoroughly washed.
Using a hand winch
Most often, such designs are necessary for motorists, especially those who often drive off-road. Lever models are very often used in cars, because they are quite reliable, have adequate traction and are also compact, which allows you to carry them with you on a regular basis.
They can also be used for small construction jobs to lift materials to the desired floor or lower something. They are widely used in country houses and garages.
- Electrical units can also be used, but for their operation they are connected to the engine, which creates additional consumption of resources.
- In addition, electric models are larger, but at the same time more convenient to use.
It is also worth considering that lever installations are much cheaper than those powered by electricity.
Criterias of choice
The design features of the equipment are not the only aspect that needs to be considered when purchasing a tool. There are several other important points that require attention:
- Rope length . Longer parts are more convenient. Although it is quite difficult to find a winch with a cable of more than five meters on the market.
- Traction force . Often sellers claim that five hundred kilograms of traction force is enough. However, in practice, this indicator is often not enough and the equipment does not cope with the task. The optimal weight is considered to be at least a thousand kilograms.
- Cross section of the cable . In this case, a too thick element is not the best option, since a small length of it will fit on the drum. The optimal diameter is six millimeters, which is quite enough, for example, to remove a car from a mud trap.
- Belt or cable . Both of these components can be used on a winch. But which one it is is a personal decision of the owner. The belt is rather short-lived, but easy to use and cheaper. The cable can last much longer, but it is difficult to lay it on the drum. If the equipment will be used infrequently, then it is probably better to acquire the first option.
As a conclusion, we can briefly list the main aspects regarding this equipment:
- For use in a garage, it is better to purchase drum-type winches with a worm gear. And to use the equipment in field conditions, a lever modification is better suited.
- The abutment tooth of the ratchet must be wide enough to prevent unintended slippage of the fastener.
- It is better to choose a winding drum with a diameter of more than 45 millimeters.
- A high-quality lever winch frame is made of metal thicker than three millimeters.
- The equipment will better cope with the assigned tasks if its traction force is at least 1 thousand kilograms.
- The optimal cable thickness is six millimeters.
- It is worth choosing a mechanism with a telescopic lever. Alternatively, this element can be equipped with a special amplifier.
Photos of the best hand winch models
Drum miracle of technology
Externally, this device for a car resembles those winches that are installed on special vehicles and tow trucks. The components are a drum and a gearbox. Moreover, the gearbox can be gear or worm. Accordingly, a worm winch is one of the options to choose from. The drum serves to ensure that the cable, chain or belt component of the mechanism is wound and unwound gradually as it rotates.
Worm
Let's start with the worm type. They have a very significant advantage - the gearbox makes it much easier to organize the winch locking system. That is, the level of security is very high. Let’s not forget about such work qualities as reliability and variety of fixation methods. But the worm mechanism is not without its drawbacks.
- Dimensions. The mechanical worm winch is quite large. It is problematic to store it in the trunk of a regular car. Mainly used in a garage or private home.
- Possibilities. The mechanism is not designed to pull a large mass. Therefore, this option is not suitable for heavy cars.
- Complex design and maintenance. Plus, the “worm” doesn’t like dirt.
