Basic Winching Techniques for Beginners

1 min


Winches for jeeps, trucks and SUVs can come in handy if you’re ever in a sticky situation, but are for the most part rarely used. However, it’s essential that you have a thorough understanding of winching if such a situation ever occurs. Failure to do so may cause damage to your truck or injury to those involved. If you’re new to the process, here are some basic winching techniques you should know.

Preparing the Area

While the motor and cable will be doing most of the work, you can make the job easier by preparing the stuck vehicle and surrounding area beforehand. For best results, make sure you do the following before engaging the winch:

  • Use timber or rocks to pack the track
  • Let air out of the stuck vehicle’s tires
  • Clear dirt and rocks from around the tires

All of this will give you the best chance of freeing the vehicle with minimal effort.

Using Your Vehicle as the Anchor Point

If the path is straight enough, you can use your truck as the anchor point. Set up the cables, make sure that everyone is clear of the hydraulic recovery winch, then start it up. The advantage of having your truck act as the anchor point is that you can assist the winch by driving slowly and steadily along the track. Make sure you don’t go too fast, or you’ll create slack in the cable, which may result in breakage when the cable snaps taut again.

Using a Tree as the Anchor Point

At times, you may need a more solid anchor point. If you’re in the woods, a tree can fill this role. When choosing a tree to act as the anchor, look for a large tree with no signs of being dead or hollow. You don’t want it to give way during winching.

Winches are useful tools, but can be dangerous if used in ignorance. If you know the process and proceed carefully, you can successfully winch even if you’re a beginner.

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