Receiver winch capacity question.

[CrabGuy]

I'm not familiar at all with winches and needed capacities. I have to 'roll' a disabled Toyota Highlander from a spot where it can't be pushed due to soft clay. I would need to use a snatch block off of a large pine to get it moving because of limited straight line access. Once on the gravel we'll load it on a flatbed. All the tires are aired up so dragging it shouldn't an issue. The Highlander doesn't run so it will be just dead rolling weight. Do you think a cheaper HF Badlands 2500# winch be adequate on a rear receiver type mount? I would probably use the winch infrequently for other things in Oregon and have no need for pulling other people out of mud pits, etc. I know the safety aspects for preventing a snapped cable. Thanks

 

[Curious Hound]

In this case, I would want the winch capacity to equal or exceed the weight of the vehicle. The fact that it's in clay adds rolling resistance. If everything is level and the clay/mud is only about 2"deep, maybe the 2500# winch will be ok. Normally, winch capacity should be 2.5x's the vehicle weight or more. But that is to account for winching uphill, over Rocks or logs or having other things add to the force necessary to move the vehicle.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

You can up the capacity to a point by adding a pulley or two.

 

[RustyShackleford94]

It depends on the length of the pull. If you have enough line to double it up with a snatch block that will double your pulling power. I have a 3000lb champion winch on my car hauler and it pulled a 96 half ton chevy up the ramps and onto the trailer without even grunting using a snatch block.

That said, if your keeping this winch around i would go for the 9000lb winch. Theres no telling what you might need it for in the future. Plus with the receiver mount you can use it on anything with a hitch and a set of jumper cables.

 

[Rimjam]

If your clay ground is fairly flat I think you'll be OK there. The test will come at the flatbed ramps. If it's an 18 wheeler flatbed w/ 22.5 rubber you're in trouble, if it's a tandem axle car trailer you just might make it. Be aware that the winch rating is measured at the first wrap of cable on the spool, each additional wrap is farther from the spool axis & thus has slightly less power. I had to go from a 6K to a 9K to be able to self rescue my '88 supercab.

 

[CrabGuy]

In this case, I would want the winch capacity to equal or exceed the weight of the vehicle. The fact that it's in clay adds rolling resistance. If everything is level and the clay/mud is only about 2"deep, maybe the 2500# winch will be ok. Normally, winch capacity should be 2.5x's the vehicle weight or more. But that is to account for winching uphill, over Rocks or logs or having other things add to the force necessary to move the vehicle.

I figured #2500 might be a bit light. The good news is my son (where the Highlander is) is going to pull it out on the gravel tomorrow with his 4x4 Silverado. He's expecting 8" of rain by Tuesday so after that it will take weeks to dry out. He does tree work and has the the gear to do it. I've been after him for 2 years to do this. The bad news is I don't get to buy a winch!

 

[CrabGuy]

The Highlander will be loaded onto a AAA tilt bed tow truck so at least that will be taken care of. That 07 Highlander was a great Winter vehicle until some nimrod jumped the battery backwards and fried the 140A alternator fuse. Luckily the computer isn't damaged but the alternator and main fuse block took a hit. If you ever want a description of Dante's 7th Ring of Hell, look up replacement of that fuse. The $12 fuse is bolted into a Rubiks Cube of puzzling detents and releases just to take the box apart for access.

 

[Snoranger]

According to my wrecker/recovery training, first calculate surface resistance:
If it’s a rolling vehicle on a level, hard surface you’ll be pulling approximately 5% of the vehicles weight.
If it’s a rolling vehicle on a level, soft surface you’ll be pulling approximately 15% of vehicles total weight.

If the tires are mired (sunk) and not rolling, you’ll be pulling 75% of the vehicles weight.
If it’s sunkto the axles, you’ll be pulling 100% of the vehicles weight.
if it’s sunk to the body, you’ll be pulling 150% of the vehicles weight.

You also have to calculate for the incline:
If your pulling up an 15° incline, multiply the total weight by 25%.
For a 30° incline, multiply by 50%.

Now add the surface resistance and the gradient resistance for the total pull weight.


Now you need to remember that winches are rated for how much they can pull on the first layer on the drum. As each layer is added, you lose about 15% of your pulling power.
You can double the the pulling force by attaching a snatch block to the vehicle being pulled and returning the cable to the pulling vehicle. If you return the cable at any other angle other than 180° you won’t get exactly double.
If you attach the snatch block to another solid object and put the cable end to the towed vehicle, you’re not doubling the pulling force... you’re just redirecting the pulling angle at the same force.

Now you tell me, is that 2500lb winch going to work

 

[Shran]

I have a 12,000lb winch on my car trailer and have easily maxed it out pulling junk out of fields several times...I dead stopped it with an Explorer that was frozen to the ground. The tires had sunk about 4" into the dirt.

I would use a 2500lb winch on an ATV but that's about it. You are going to break it or the mounts or the cable and hopefully not hurt yourself in the process. Small cheap winches are just total danger zone stuff in this situation.

If you are not able or willing to buy a bigger winch, I would suggest getting one or two come-a-longs and tow strap(s). I used two of them for a long time before I had a winch on my car trailer... they work fine and it's pretty easy to tell when you've got them maxed out.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

I tried using the HF 2500lb atv winch to pull my ranger up the ramps of a uhaul flat car trailer. it didnt work. I had a buddy push it up with his jeep cherokee. I owed him a bumper.

 

[Curious Hound]

According to my wrecker/recovery training, first calculate surface resistance:
If it’s a rolling vehicle on a level, hard surface you’ll be pulling approximately 5% of the vehicles weight.
If it’s a rolling vehicle on a level, soft surface you’ll be pulling approximately 15% of vehicles total weight.

If the tires are mired (sunk) and not rolling, you’ll be pulling 75% of the vehicles weight.
If it’s sunkto the axles, you’ll be pulling 100% of the vehicles weight.
if it’s sunk to the body, you’ll be pulling 150% of the vehicles weight.

You also have to calculate for the incline:
If your pulling up an 15° incline, multiply the total weight by 25%.
For a 30° incline, multiply by 50%.

Now add the surface resistance and the gradient resistance for the total pull weight.


Now you need to remember that winches are rated for how much they can pull on the first layer on the drum. As each layer is added, you lose about 15% of your pulling power.
You can double the the pulling force by attaching a snatch block to the vehicle being pulled and returning the cable to the pulling vehicle. If you return the cable at any other angle other than 180° you won’t get exactly double.
If you attach the snatch block to another solid object and put the cable end to the towed vehicle, you’re not doubling the pulling force... you’re just redirecting the pulling angle at the same force.

Now you tell me, is that 2500lb winch going to work

That’s the kind of info I like to learn and have available. Hope to print that out and keep it in the truck.

 

[Blmpkn]

I've always heard that using a snatch block more or less doubles the capacity of the winch. Id think a 2.5k winch would flat pull a suv no problem

 

[CrabGuy]

According to my wrecker/recovery training, first calculate surface resistance:
If it’s a rolling vehicle on a level, hard surface you’ll be pulling approximately 5% of the vehicles weight.
If it’s a rolling vehicle on a level, soft surface you’ll be pulling approximately 15% of vehicles total weight.

If the tires are mired (sunk) and not rolling, you’ll be pulling 75% of the vehicles weight.
If it’s sunkto the axles, you’ll be pulling 100% of the vehicles weight.
if it’s sunk to the body, you’ll be pulling 150% of the vehicles weight.

You also have to calculate for the incline:
If your pulling up an 15° incline, multiply the total weight by 25%.
For a 30° incline, multiply by 50%.

Now add the surface resistance and the gradient resistance for the total pull weight.


Now you need to remember that winches are rated for how much they can pull on the first layer on the drum. As each layer is added, you lose about 15% of your pulling power.
You can double the the pulling force by attaching a snatch block to the vehicle being pulled and returning the cable to the pulling vehicle. If you return the cable at any other angle other than 180° you won’t get exactly double.
If you attach the snatch block to another solid object and put the cable end to the towed vehicle, you’re not doubling the pulling force... you’re just redirecting the pulling angle at the same force.

Now you tell me, is that 2500lb winch going to work

That is some great info. That should be added to the Tech Articles

 

[Snoranger]

That’s the kind of info I like to learn and have available. Hope to print that out and keep it in the truck.

That is some great info. That should be added to the Tech Articles

Yeah, I guess I should put something together with all the winching calculations... It could help someone out.

 

[Rimjam]

As snoranger stated above, use of a snatch block only doubles pulling power when the hook end of the cable is returned and attached to the pulling vehicle.