Little winch help...

I'm a sewer and drain tech. The main line machine runs about 275 lbs and can wear ya out on a busy day getting it in and out of the van. I've been considering mounting a small winch in the van and using it to get the machine in and out. A friend did this using a small boat winch and it works good but his is slower than crap.

Any one have any experience with the small winches? Maybe ATV winches? All I really need strength wise is around 500 lbs. Would like it to be reasonably guick...I can get the machine in and out fairly fast without the winch and even if it were a lot easier would most likely not use it if it were too slow.

Sarge

Is this a "ramp" loading sort of thing or are you looking for a lifting crane solution?

The ramp solutions are pretty easy -- to speed things up I recommend using a small winch (liek those $99 2Klb units marketed as 6Klb) to pul a pully - that way your load will move at 2x the winch's line speed without much difficulty (use a loop of line one end on the ramp or other fixed point and the other with a detachable hook to your load) -- a hand crank boat winch (again low rating) will work well, but you're providing the operating effort - the folded load-line thing will work there too to increase retrieval speed - in heavy situations you'll still have the option to use the winch's full capacity as well...

Crane solutions get a little more complex and would depend on your space and all of that -- easily a short boom or maybe and extending overhead trolly type of system could be viable...

I'd be happy to discuss options and offer some thoughts... (PMs work better than emails)

satan said:

The ramp solutions are pretty easy -- to speed things up I recommend using a small winch (liek those $99 2Klb units marketed as 6Klb) to pul a pully - that way your load will move at 2x the winch's line speed without much difficulty (use a loop of line one end on the ramp or other fixed point and the other with a detachable hook to your load)

Click to expand...

?????

Could you explain how you rig this to get the load to move at twice the line speed? Don't you mean HALF?

Yes, there would be a ramp. I gotta agree with Eagle...wouldn't using a pulley to double the line double the amount it could pick up but 1/2 the speed of retrieval? I know it works this way on a simple rope block and tackle setup.

Sarge

Wouldn't it be half the speed twice the pulling power?

Warn 1500 Lbs. ATV winch. Resonably quick, reliable, fairly inexpensive.


Rev

For what you would be using it for Harbor Freight occasionally has 1-2k lbs winches with I a belive a pretty decent line speed and they're not very expensive at all.

Snatch block doubles pulling power.

Snatch block cuts line speed in half.

Just like these guys said....

I think satan is getting a little excited for moab.... he just wants to get there twice as fast.

Thanks folks.

Sarge