Do you care for your truck a lot, then, you must give what it deserves by providing upgrades to it and provide additional tools. Trucks often face heavy-duty work and of course for it to be always on top shape, it is best that you partner it with a winch. A winch is a tool that could aid and improve your truck’s working performance and efficiency.
Your truck could be used as a utility or as an off road recreational activities which could lead to the possibility of the risk of being stuck. However, through the help of a winch, you could get out of these situations. Aside from helping you get you out of being stuck, you could also use a winch for utility purposes.
What is a Winch and How Does It Work?
A winch, as mentioned earlier is a tool that is used for hauling and hoisting. It comes with a rope, motor, drum and a gear train. This type of tool has been in the industry for a very long time and it has been used to help haul and hoist heavy objects such as vehicles, tree logs and the like.
Here are the main parts of a winch:
- Cable Wire/Rope – A winch always come with either a steel cable or a synthetic rope which is wrapped around a drum. Its length usually range from 9 meters to 36 meters.
- Drum – this is a horizontal cylinder which the wire or rope is wrapped around on. The drum is a tool that prevents entanglement.
- Motor – This is what runs and powers the entire winch.
- Gear Casing and Gear Train – This one converts power taken from the motor into pulling movement.
Do I Really Need a Winch for My Truck?
Trucks are often used to handle off-road tasks. However, with constant and regular use, it could be worn down. However, this could be avoided and reduced by using a tool that could help and support your truck and your truck’s activities. Here are some of the advantages of owning and having a winch for your truck.
- Recreational Activities – Though a heavy duty truck could handle rough terrains, there are some terrains that are very unpredictable and slippery which could cause for your vehicle to get stuck and burry yourself deeper in mud or sand. However, through the help of a winch, this could be avoided as it could help you anchor your vehicle to a more stable position which helps you recover your vehicle.
- Utility – Winches could also be used for utility. It could also be used to pull heavy loads like logs and shrubs.
- Recovering other vehicles – A winch does not only have the ability to recover your vehicle but it could also recover other vehicles as well. In other words, you could tow each other’s vehicles.
What Winch to Get for My Truck?
There are different types, brands and models of winches. For trucks, here are some of our recommendations:
- WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric 12V winch
- WARN 68801 16.5ti Series Electric 12V Heavyweight Termometric Winch
- WARN 17801 M12000 Series Electric 12V Heavyweight Winch
- WARN 97720 M12-S Electric 12V Heavyweight Winch
Mounting Your Winch
Once you have chosen the perfect winch for your truck, it is now time to learn how to install it. Here are some guideline in installing your winch on your truck
Saftey
This is the most important factor you will have to keep in mind especially when you are setting up your winch. Here are some safety tips that we recommend for you to consider.
Do not wear loose clothing – this will reduce the risk of your clothing getting caught in your winch machine.
Confirm the area is clear – ensure that your area is clean and clear especially whenever you are dealing with electrical devices.
Wear gloves – this reduces the risk of unnecessary injuries on your hands.
Choose a Mount Plate
You will have to buy a mounting plate for your vehicle as most trucks do not have a built-in winch mounting plate.
- Ensure that you choose a mounting plate that is designed for your vehicle
- It must have a rating that could handle your winch’s pulling rating
- Ensure that the mounting plate that you will choose is compatible in size.
Mount the Mounting Plate
- Align the winch to the centerline of your vehicle or at your desired location
- Mark the location of the winch base holes
- Before installing the mounting plate, ensure that there are no electrical wires
- Install the mounting plate – bolt it securely
Mount the Winch
- Mount the winch into the mounting plate
- Secure the bolts tightly
- winch should be mounting into suitable steel mounting frames
- Foot down – winch’s four mounting holes are at the bottom
- Foot forward- four mounting holes are facing forward
- Foot down or foot forward – the winch could be mounted either foot down or foot forward
- Foot down and foot forward – two could be used for foot forward and two could be used in foot down position.
Electrical Connection
There are some types of winches that are electric powered. To install these types of winches, all you have to do is mount your winch in front and run it through your car’s battery.
- Connect positive wire (red) to positive post on your winch
- Connect negative wire (black or brown) to the ground post
- Move both wires from the front into the engine section
- Ensure that you keep the wires out of any heat sources.
- Connect positive wire to positive post on your battery
- Connect negative wire from your winch to negative ground post on the battery
- There are more instructions provided by your winch. Ensure to check its instruction manual.
Conclusion:
We hope that you were able to learn how to install your winch on your truck. We also have some tips and guides on other winches such as Capstan Winch and Truck Bed Winches.
