Full Product Manual

WARN INDUSTRIES • THE BASIC GUIDE TO WINCHING TECHNIQUES
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To start, you should familiarize yourself with your
WARN winch and each of its components: Practice
using your winch before using it on the trail.
1
Motor Typically the winch motor is
powered by the vehicle’s battery. The motor
provides power to the gear mechanism, which
turns the winch drum and winds the winch rope.
2
Winch Drum The winch drum is the
cylinder onto which the winch rope feeds. The
drum is driven by the motor and drive train. Its
direction can be changed using the remote control.
3
Winch Rope The winch rope’s diameter
and length are determined by the winch’s load
capacity and design. Wrapped around the winch
drum and fed through the fairlead, the winch rope
is looped at the end to accept the hook’s clevis pin.
4
Fairlead When using the winch at an
angle, the fairlead (or wire lead) acts to guide the
winch rope onto the spooling drum. It minimizes
damage to the winch rope while it goes through
the winch mount or bumper.
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Gear Train The reduction gear converts
the winch motor power into a large pulling force.
The gear train design makes it possible for the
winch to be lighter and more compact.
6
Braking System The brake is automatically
applied to the winch drum when the winch motor
is stopped and there is load on the winch rope.
The brake prevents the winch from paying out line,
which in turn holds the vehicle in place.
7
Clutch The clutch allows the operator to
disengage the drum from the gear train, enabling
the drum to rotate freely (known as “freespooling”).
Engaging the clutch “locks” the winch drum back
onto the gear train.
NOTE: WARN® offers multiple clutch control
configurations. See your specific winch operator’s
guide for details on your particular clutch operation.
WARNING
Never engage or disengage clutch if winch is under
load, winch rope is in tension or drum is moving.
8
Control Pack Using electrical power from
the vehicle’s battery, the control box solenoids
switch power to the motor, enabling the operator to
change the direction of the winch drum rotation.
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Remote Control The remote control allows
the operator to control the winch direction, as well
as stand clear of the winch rope while operating the
winch.
NOTE: WARN® offers a variety of remote control
options. See your specific winch operator’s guide for
details on your particular remote control operation.
NOTE:
See your
specific
winch
operator’s
guide for
details
on your
particular
winch.
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WINCH BASICS
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WARN INDUSTRIES • THE BASIC GUIDE TO WINCHING TECHNIQUES
Winch Mechanics
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with your
WARN winch and its components, we can begin
reviewing how it works. The major advantage of
an electric-powered winch is that it can provide
reliable service for inter mittent utility and
recreational use even while the vehicle’s engine
is stalled — assuming, of course, that sufficient
battery current is available. Your winch can operate
at high current loads, and, for this reason, the
control box uses a high current control system to
safely handle the current flow.
It is important to understand that the longer
the pull, the more heat that is created, just like a
hot plate. Prolonged winching without cooling
the winch motor will damage the motor. Also, if
the engine is idling during winching, the battery
may drain faster than it is charging. So pay close
attention to your voltage gauge to make sure you
aren’t draining your battery too low to start your
vehicle.
Control Of Your Winch
The winch is controlled by the hand held remote
control* to allow the operator to stand clear while
controlling the winching process. The remote
control provides control of the forward or reverse
rotation of the spooling drum.
NOTE: WARN® offers a variety of remote control
options. See your specific winch operator’s guide for
details on your particular remote control operation.
How the Winch Reacts to Load
WARN winches are rated by pulling capacity. The
maximum pulling capacity occurs on the first layer
of winch rope on the drum. As the layers increase,
the pulling power decreases. It’s the mathematics
of winching. Exceeding the winch capacity could
cause the winch to fail or the winch rope to break.
Thinking through how you intend to use your winch
now, could save you a big headache later.
In addition, you’ll also want to make sure that
your winch’s mounting system and your vehicle’s
frame can accommodate the rated load of your
winch.
So analyze your situation. Use your judgement
to calculate how much weight you intend to pull.
Calculate the gross weight and multiply by 1.5 and
then do not exceed the rating of your winch or
winch rope.
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HOW THE WINCH WORKS