Hand winch usage...........

[Disco-Ron]

Right, just prurchased a brand new 4000kg pulling hand winch from a well known uk company, took it out of the box, (damn its heavy!) follwed the instructions, and i can't get the little reslease lever to move enough to get the cable into the winch, the instructions say it'll be tough for the first few times, but i  didn;t think they would mean stupid tough.....

How hard are other peoples.....???  clean answers only please..;)

[The Smiths]

I need to kick it everytime I use it - just cannot move it by hand.  I thought it was sticking because it was second hand when I got it :)

[Disco-Ron]

Well, it shows how tight mine is.was, i managed the break the little lever,..... got a new one on order, but it's brand new, surely i should be able to move it......

[burgerman]

 Mine would not take up the feed for about 10 minutes the first time i used it, But after that pretty much first time,

[Range Rover Blues]

Mine is a very old one though it had little use (it was my dad's) and I remember it's impossible to open the jaws to get the wire through, I fouond it easier (and faster :-.) the winch the whole cable through.

[Disco-Ron]

Well, i couldn't even get the cable in the winch, so winching it through aint an option at the moment,.... if it's still tight when i've fitted the new lever i may send it back... hope no though, i gave up on trying to work out a rear winch, and thought i'd buy this instead.....  :roll:

[Range Rover Blues]

I'm looking at this, thinking Hmmmmmmm :-k

[Disco-Ron]

That is the very thing that made me think i could modify my southdown recovery point to accept that..... but that would mean £64 for that, find a piece of 2" internal square tube, then modify the recovery thingy..... then bolt a winch onto it, and then mount cables and anderson connectors to power the winch, oh, and an isolator swithc... so not a cheap thing, AND after all that it might not be that practical, where-as a hand winch can be used on the front, rear, sides, all over the place...... and it can stay in the garage when i'm not offroading......

[Lucy1978]

our's is quite stiff as have been all the others I've ever used.  Once you get the knack for pushing it at just the right angle it's not too bad.

[Manicminer]

I'm sure the other 2 levers have to be in a certain position before the top lever will slide easily to where it should.

[muddyjames]

I have a 5 tonne hand winch and I find it easiest to have the machine vertical and puch directly downwards to get it into neutral. You should be able to winch the whole cable through though. I would send it back if you cant.

[Disco-Ron]

I tried working the levers to see if there was a chance of feeding the cable in that way, but there was no hope, i'll wait and get the new lever fitted, then see if i can get anywhere with it......