Ramsey Winch UTV Honcho 5000 - Manual (Page 3)

Tips for Safe Operation
Don't underestimate the potential danger in winch-
ing operations. Neither should you fear them. Do
learn the basic dangers and avoid them.
Observe spooling of cable onto drum. Side pulls
can cause cable to pileup at one end of the drum.
To correct uneven stacking, spool out that section
of the cable and move it to the other end of the
drum and continue winching. Uneven spooling
which causes cable pileup can interfere with the
winch tie rods causing damage to the winch.
Never connect the hook back to the cable. This
causes cable damage. Always use a sling or
chain of suitable strength.
Observe your winch while winching. If possible,
while standing at a safe distance. If you use ATV
drive to assist, stop and get off every few feet to
assure the cable is not piling up in one corner.
Jamming cable can break your winch.
Do not attach tow hooks to winch mounting appa-
ratus. They must attach to ATV frame.
When double lining during stationary winching,
the winch hook should be attached to the chassis
of the ATV. Since the greatest pulling power is
achieved on the innermost layer of your winch, it
is desirable to pull off as much line as you can for
heavy pulls. If this is not practical, use a snatch
block and double line arrangement.
Neat, tight spooling avoids cable binding which is
caused when a load is applied and the cable is
pinched between two other wraps of cable. If this
happens, alternately power the winch in and out a
few inches. Do not attempt to work a bound
cable under load, free by hand.
Techniques of Operation
The best way to get acquainted with how your
winch operates is to make a few test runs before
you actually need to use it. Plan your test in
advance. Remember you hear your winch as well
as see it operate. Get to recognize the sound of a
light steady pull, a heavy pull, and sounds caused
by load jerking or shifting. Soon you will gain
confidence in operating your winch and its use
will become second nature with you.
Your winch will not only pull your ATV up or ease
your ATV down a steep grade, it will also pull
another ATV or a load while your ATV is anchored
in a stationary position.
When pulling a heavy load, place a blanket, jacket
or tarpaulin over the cable five or six feet from the
hook. It will slow the snap back in the event of a
broken cable.
Use the ATV wheel power to help the winch, but
don't overtake the winch line. Plan your pull.
You can't always hook up and pull out in one step.
Examine all the areas for anchoring possibilities
as well as leverage situations, direction, and goal.
Winches equipped with cable guide fairleads can pull
from several directions. Pull from an angle only to
straighten up the ATV--otherwise you can damage struc-
tural members or other parts of your ATV and cause
excess cable buildup on one end of the winch drum.
For basic self-recovery, anchor to a tree or heavy rock.
When anchoring to a tree, always use a tree trunk pro-
tector.
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