Winches and stuff

Robert Goodwin · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:42 pm

I need a winch for my new (to me) enclosed trailer. Anyone have any good
places to purchase? On-line, Warn and Superwinches go for about 400.00 that will pull a 3000 lb. car into my trailer. Rather get one in person if possible. How about wireless ones? There are several for boats that look good and are rated at 4000 lbs. and are resonably priced. Ideas???? Thanks!!

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2010 6:58 pm

Why do you need one? For just in case the car won't run? There are some issues there with how to keep it from getting frayed scraping the floor and such. I've seen people with winches in their trailer, and I've thought I should get one myself, but I've never actually done it nor needed one. *shrug* Sure, it's a pain to climb in and out of a race car in an enclosed trailer, but so is winching.

At any rate, I would think a 4k winch is fine. But I'd be afraid of being ANYWHERE inside the trailer while winching, so plan accordingly. Most of the cable operated ones will have a long enough cable to be outside the door, so that's fine. But any winch cable under tension is a death trap if it breaks thanks to the whip action (unless you swap it for a synthetic one, but that's a bad idea if it might rub the floor).

--Donnie

Robert Goodwin · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:14 pm

Donnie, Thanks for the reply. My second track day I blew my motor at CMP. The winch came in handy.Also, the trailer I bought is 8 feet wide with no escape door on the left. I was thinking of winching the car in with me on the outside guiding it into position, saving the clutch, my trailer etc....Not much room to spare. Definitely not much room to climb out.

Donnie Barnes · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:19 pm

That's just three less inches of width than a "normal" trailer, and I'm 6'2" and can climb out of a Spec Miata with no side door. Sure, it sucks, but less than winching, IMHO.

But again, if you want to use one, anything 4k or above should do. I'd go with a Warn myself as they seem the best built to me. I'd also be perfectly happy buying a winch off Craigslist. Well, I've done that for 4x4s on several occasions, in fact.

You'll want your tow hook in the middle or two equally spaced tow hooks and a centering strap to make it easier to pull straight on (assuming you can also center your winch). Otherwise it will want to wander and require some steering correction.

--Donnie

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Jul 05, 2010 9:28 pm

i have to agree with Donnie on this, while maybe nice to have, mostly unneccasary. i've loaded my track car 500 times at least. twice after bouncing off tire walls. :roll:

a winch would be good to have if the car is fubar'd, but we don't like to discuss such situations around here.

clinehall · **Posted:** Tue Jul 06, 2010 7:19 am

Crap,I thought this thread was going to be about skanky girls

MarcusMcRae · **Posted:** Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:49 am

....ARrrrrrrr that's true, but she's a hardy wench!

Googling "wench pics" gets you some pretty funny stuff.

Marty Howard · **Posted:** Tue Jul 06, 2010 3:11 pm

After dealing with a blown trans at VIR, I decided to put one in myself. Looking at the research here's a good article on deciding how much power you need:

http://www.etrailer.com/electric-winch.asp

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Fri Jul 09, 2010 7:20 pm

Unless you are going to use it for hanging your car fromm a tree, you don't need anywhere near the weight of the car capacity to pull the car into the trailer, rolling weight is much less than dead weight. The trade off in a lower capacity winch will be in speed. I mounted a 3000# winch in my trailer just in case, since we can climb out with the top down on the Solstice we usually drive it in and out. You can get away with even a lower capacity winch <1K# by utilizing a pulley hook at the car and doubling the cable thru and back to the winch (doubling the cable doubles the capacity, but 1/2s the speed). My winch was meant for an ATV so it had a remote control button that could be mounted to handlebars. I put a quick connect plug on the remote control wires and wired the switch with a longer wire and matching plug so one person could steer the car and operate the winch starting at the back of the trailer. I also power all the 12V trailer accessories (winch, compressor and tongue jack) from an onboard optima deep discharge battery rather than try to pull all that juice through the truck wiring and trailer plug. I use a battery minder charger designed for Optima type batteries to keep it charged.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Fri Jul 09, 2010 10:32 pm

Adding to what Chuck said, "math majors, physicists, and engineers" are free to use Trigonometry to determine what the effective car weight on the cable will be as the cable "lifts" it up the ramp on an incline. Don't forget any likely uphill driveway angle, minor "steps" in the ramps, etc. :lol:

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sat Jul 10, 2010 10:34 am

yes but, what about when the car is bent and possibly not "rolling" as it was intended.

i saw a tow truck load a boxster into an enclosed trailer one time. they pulled the cable out thru the side door.

Chuck Frank · **Posted:** Sat Jul 10, 2010 12:01 pm

It depends on if you are an optimist or a pessimist. If an optimist you assume you will bring it home in one piece and rolling, so you select a winch accordingly. If a pessimist you forget about a winch all together and bring a tow truck and a case of trash bags. :shock:

There are a lot of ways to load a disabled car, and there is usually a lot of help available.
If you go with the winch do get one with a roller fairlead guide in front of the drum.

BretLuter · **Posted:** Sat Jul 10, 2010 5:44 pm

OK, so I guess I'm a pessimist.

BUT, I also load alot of bent/disabled cars. So, I would highly recommend getting more winch than you think you need. Those 1-2k lb ATV winches might work in a best case scenario, but from what I've seen, winches are alot like Air Compressors in that their specs are usually highly overrated (i.e.- a 1k lb rated winch should probably be like 6-700 lbs).

I got a SuperWinch on my flatbed open car trailer. When I was looking they had 2500, 3500, 4500 lb winches. I originally thought I'd just save a few $$$'s and get a 2500 or 3500, but sprung for the extra $$ and got the 4500. I'm glad I did, and there have been times when I wished I had a slightly bigger winch, but for the most part it has handled everything I've thrown at it.

And definitely get the roller fairlead- I didn't get one (the place I bought the winch did not stock them) and I REALLY wish I had.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sat Jul 10, 2010 5:49 pm

if you are going to track a car you need to be a realist Robert.

there are only two types of people on the track...............

those that have been off, and those that will have an off. hopefully nothing gets in your way in the process. :lol:

Sean O'Connell · **Posted:** Sun Jul 11, 2010 2:00 am

my take on this one is the reason for having a winch in not for when the car is functional and can roll. its for when you or your friend ball up a car and it cant be driven on a trailer let alone driven home. ever since i smashed my car up at rockingham and Bernie helped me get my mess home on his trailer i have recognized the importance of a trailer and a winch. when i finally get a truck and trailer which i plan to do soon, it will have a winch with the ability to pull my car into the trailer on its roof if necessary.

you dont have a cage or harness because you expect to have an indecent you have them for worst case scenario and same goes for a trailer and winch.

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