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Winching/Recovery 101

RubiSc0tt

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I’ve seen this before. Why?

The only practical reason I can think of is safety related; if something breaks while pulling in reverse it would fly straight toward you front m in front through the front windshield vs pulling while in forward gear a component would fly toward you from behind, less likely to strike the driver. Is there another reason?
the reason I was given (back when i first started off roading) was you could bend/ chip/ damage a ring gear. I don't know if this was specific to the late model TJ axles, but it had something to do with the way the gears were cut. They weren't as strong when you were loading them up with extra forces in Reverse.
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RubiSc0tt

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Also: Use a tow strap or kinetic rope to pull someone. Don't ever spool out a winch and use it like a tow strap. Can damage the internals of the winch.
 

Tech Tim

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I’ve seen this before. Why?

The only practical reason I can think of is safety related; if something breaks while pulling in reverse it would fly straight toward you front m in front through the front windshield vs pulling while in forward gear a component would fly toward you from behind, less likely to strike the driver. Is there another reason?
That can happen forward or reverse.

The bigger reason is you are applying load to the reverse side of the gears in the axles, applying a larger amount of load to the front axle and typically 1st gear forward is stronger than the reverse gear in the transmission.


Also: Use a tow strap or kinetic rope to pull someone. Don't ever spool out a winch and use it like a tow strap. Can damage the internals of the winch.
Great point @RubiSc0tt! Using the winch as a tug strap is applying loads that the winch was never designed for.

Notes on using a tow strap, a tow strap is used for towing, not yanking or tugging, just towing.

A kinetic rope or recovery strap is used for yanking or tugging.
 

303rider

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Great thread.
Question from noob.
I bought the Quadratec Stealth 10K with synthetic rope. The manual was very poor for a novice and suggested "Setting the winch".
I went to a flat lot with a tree, tree saver and shackles to the tree, Jeep JLUR in N, Then pulled the Jeep to the tree 70%. I got out and the spool was only wrapping on one side.

Thoughts?
 

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Great thread.
Question from noob.
I bought the Quadratec Stealth 10K with synthetic rope. The manual was very poor for a novice and suggested "Setting the winch".
I went to a flat lot with a tree, tree saver and shackles to the tree, Jeep JLUR in N, Then pulled the Jeep to the tree 70%. I got out and the spool was only wrapping on one side.

Thoughts?
You need to do the same thing that you did, but guide the line onto the spool evenly in layers by hand (gloved) as it’s pulled onto the drum. Someone posted a video of this somewhere on the forum.
 
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ECHO

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Great thread.
Question from noob.
I bought the Quadratec Stealth 10K with synthetic rope. The manual was very poor for a novice and suggested "Setting the winch".
I went to a flat lot with a tree, tree saver and shackles to the tree, Jeep JLUR in N, Then pulled the Jeep to the tree 70%. I got out and the spool was only wrapping on one side.

Thoughts?
Sounds Like your ready to roll!!!
 

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Kinda a 101 topic: What is the consensus for helping random people?

Today I winched some kid who took his dad’s 2wd Silverado in the mountains alone. I couldn’t leave him there so I winched him out of the mud, then called him a dumb ass. After driving away I was thinking about the liability if I damaged his truck or worse harmed the kid.
 

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J0E

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Here are a few more basics to remember that I remember off the top of my head from a recovery course.

1) Only the hook end of the winch line should be moving. Never hook up the winch and drive backwards. Use kinetic recovery strap to frame mounted tow points for that.
2) When winching someone else, put your transmission in neutral and your foot on the brake, the other vehicle should be in D or R to assist the winch pull.
3) Always keep tension on the line whenever it's being powered in or out of the winch drum.
4) Always wear gloves, stay more than an arm's length from the fairlead, and never let the rope slide through your hand-use a hand-over-hand motion to control the rope.
5) Don't use too little winch rope. Your winch operates more effectively when you are not concentrating all of the use on the same first twenty feet of rope. Use a pulley block whenever the distance you are from the anchor point is 40 percent of the length of your winch line or less to increase your pulling power by using the lower layers on the drum.
6) Never hook onto a tow ball.
7) Keep at least 5 wraps of line on the drum (8 if using synthetic rope)
8) Always drape a blanket (parachute) over the cable.
9) If using a winch hook, connect it with the open side up.
10) Never wrap the line around an anchor point and then connect the hook back to the cable.
Good info.

Keep at least 5 wraps of line on the drum (8 if using synthetic rope)
Warns states: Never operate winch with less than 5 wraps of winch rope or 10 wraps of synthetic rope around the drum.

When winching someone else, put your transmission in neutral and your foot on the brake

Edit: I prefer to put the JL in park and using the Tazer, set to winch mode (2,000 RPM) and anchor mode. Get out of the JL and a safe distance with the remote. Either buckle the drivers seat belt or use this Seat Belt Extender. Anchor mode ends when the seat belt is disengaged.

Great info, OP.

@JAY...can we make this a sticky?
Given OP isn't active to maintain this, I might start another thread and ask Jay to make it a sticky.

When recovering another vehicle, I almost always use a snatch ring and frequently another anchor vehicle. The extra anchor vehicle is for free, no more effort than attaching to your bumper.

Jeep Wrangler JL Winching/Recovery 101 1679423147899
 
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jromanmd

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Great thread! Thanks for starting this!
 
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When winching someone else, put your transmission in neutral and your foot on the brake

Edit: I prefer to put the JL in park and using the Tazer, set to winch mode (2,000 RPM) and anchor mode. Get out of the JL and a safe distance with the remote. Either buckle the drivers seat belt or use this Seat Belt Extender. Anchor mode ends when the seat belt is disengaged.
I would caution anyone that does not have a Tazer to follow the original advice. Without a Tazer locking all four brakes the entire load would be on the transmission's parking pawl. If it fails (and they do) the Jeep would be unoccupied and in neutral. This is likely why the Tazer has a seat belt safety interlock, if anchor mode disengages you wouldn't notice until the pawl snapped and the Jeep starting moving...
 
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J0E

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I would caution anyone that does not have a Tazer to follow the original advice. Without a Tazer locking all four brakes the entire load would be on the transmission's parking pawl. If it fails (and they do) the Jeep would be unoccupied and in neutral. This is likely why the Tazer has a seat belt safety interlock, if anchor mode disengages you wouldn't notice until the pawl snapped and the Jeep starting moving...
Based on how poorly turn assist works, I'm not entirely confident that anchor mode is doing 100% of the braking. On my TJR and my LJR, I don't have winch mode to boost the RPM, or anchor mode. So I sit in the jeep, one foot on the brake and the other on the gas. Occasionally I'll raise the hood for added protection, even with a winch blanket, but that requires a spotter.

I carry chocks, so maybe in the right place (level), I'll try chocks and leave it in neutral with anchor and winch mode.
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