Winch Tips - Tips from the guys with pull at BLITZKRUEG
Written By: John Arens
The great thing about ATVs and Side x Sides is their versatility. Whether you ride across endless miles of barren desert, knee deep snow, shifting sand, or slimy mud, your ATV is uniquely suited for whatever type of terrain you come across. They’re the transformers of the power sports world, and when it’s time to go to work, they can again be transformed into one of the most useful tools you will ever own. There are parts you can add, though, that definitely increase your ATV or Side x Side’s versatility, and bigger tires and wheels, accessory storage, and a winch are at the top of the list.
It’s easy enough to bolt on bigger wheels or a storage box, but winches usually take a little more effort to install in order to work properly. A clear set of instructions makes the job much easier, especially if your machine is pre-wired for it. However, there is more to using the winch than reeling out the cable and dragging yourself or a buddy out of a jam. If you've ever tried to sell used cars that aren't running anymore, then you've likely already had experience with winches, as the dealer drags your car onto their truck. For advice on how to use a winch safely, and to properly maintain it, we went to our friends at BlitzKrueg.
The Basics
BlitzKrueg sees many riders who buy a winch and then either use it incorrectly or fail to maintain it properly. Consequently, when the time comes that they really need their winch to work, they are literally between a rock and a hard place, or up the creek without a paddle. Either way, you get the picture. There are a couple ways to prevent that, and one thing BlitzKrueg offers is several sizes of replacement, synthetic rope in varying strengths.
Most winches like this WARN unit feature a gear driven electric motor, a coil spool, and fairlead rollers to control cable direction and spooling.
There are several reasons for replacing a solid cable with synthetic rope. The major benefit is synthetic rope has a higher overall strength rating while weighing much less than a steel cable of the same size. Synthetic rope doesn’t fray with sharp edges or a handful of needle sharp points that invariably find their way into your fingers, like steel cable does. It also comes off the spool without the “memory†common to steel that causes it to coil itself back up. It also won’t rust, kink, stretch, or conduct electricity. In the event you do work a synthetic rope beyond its’ ultimate yield point, it will not recoil and whip dangerously past anything or anybody that gets in the way. Besides all the safety benefits and other reasons to go with synthetic rope, the final advantage is less maintenance. It even floats in water; which is why it is preferred in the marine industry. However, not all synthetic ropes are created equal.
BlitzKrueg recommends only 2 grades of ropes: Standard Amsteel and the Amsteel blue™. The difference is in ultimate strength, and for most winching they prefer the Amsteel Blue. The Blue is made from a 12 strand braid from the world's strongest fiber, Dyneema® SK75. Just because it is the world’s strongest fiber doesn’t mean you can’t screw it up, however, and the easiest and quickest way most people wreck a synthetic rope is to let it fray. BlitzKrueg also provides their rope with an extra large, solid steel thimble loop at the end to spread the load and prevent fraying.
To read the rest of the story and to see pictures please visit: Winch Tips for ATVs, UTVs, and Side-x-Sides | ATV Illustrated