We've never once gone on a trail ride without running into a situation where a winch was needed. It wasn't always our group that needed the assistance, but we seem to inevitably run into folks along the way who aren't as prepared to get stuck as they should be. It can be an important tool in safely extracting a vehicle from an impossible situation, or righting a rig after a rollover. A winch can also be used to clear or clean a trail by moving fallen trees or rocks (if permitted by the land owner). Basically, we wouldn't be caught dead without one. It's saved our tails too many times and gotten us home to dinner and a hot shower when our winchless option still had us hiking out to the trailhead.
01. What appears to be a simple operation can quickly turn dangerous if basic safe-winching practices aren't used. | 
02. Most winches, such as this Warn 9.5xp unit, are equipped with a varying length of wire rope. The diameter and length of the wire rope is determined by a winch's load capacity and design. Wire rope should be inspected regularly to ensure that it hasn't become crushed, pinched, frayed, or kinked at any point in its length. Should the rope be damaged, it should be replaced before use to avoid injury. | 
03. A popular replacement for wire rope is synthetic line. If you opt to replace the wire rope due to damage or other purposes, make sure to specify which brand and model winch you have so that the proper application is used. For more information, check out the The Dope on Rope: The Guide to Synthetic Winch Line article in this issue. |
04. All winch owners should have a winch accessory kit to properly and safely recover a vehicle. This Warn Medium-Duty accessory kit includes 10 feet of 5/16-inch Grade 7 choker chain; a clevis/ D-shackle; a 19,000-pound-capacity snatch block; a 14,000-pound-capacity 2-inchx8-foot tree-trunk protector; a set of Warn leather gloves; and a red or camouflage Cordura nylon carrying case. | 
05. Most winches are offered with a winch hook strap to ensure that operators don't have to put hands and fingers in harm's way. Remember: Always wear gloves when operating a winch or handling wire rope. | 
06. A single-line pull is one of the most basic winching operations. It involves rigging the wire rope to a stable anchoring point and spooling it in to pull the vehicle toward the anchor point. This type of pull can also be used to extract a vehicle without a winch; the winch-equipped vehicle becomes the anchor point and the stuck vehicle is pulled toward it. It's also a good idea to throw a heavy blanket or similar item over the wire rope midway between the winch and the anchor point. This follows the theory that the blanket will absorb any energy in the wire rope and permit the rope to fall to the ground rather than ricochet away from the breaking point. |