Ramsey Winch 800/H-800 DOW-LOK - Manual (Page 4)

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Techniques of Operation
The best way to get acquainted with how your winch operates is to make test runs before you actually use it. Plan your test
in advance. Remember, you hear your winch, as well as see it operate. Get to recognize the sounds of a light steady pull,
a heavy pull, and sounds caused by load jerking or shifting. Gain confidence in operating your winch and its use will be-
come second nature with you.
The uneven spooling of cable, while pulling a load, is not a problem, unless there is a cable pileup on one end of drum. If
this happens reverse the winch to relieve the load and move your anchor point further to the center of the vehicle. After the
job is done you can unspool and rewind for a neat lay of the cable.
The Dow-Lok ® clutch provides free spooling and clutch engagement with the cable drum. With the clutch disengaged,
the cable can be freespooled off the drum. For winching in the load the clutch must be fully engaged with the drum.
The Dow-Lok
® clutch is latched into either the engaged, “IN” position, or the disengaged “OUT” position, by a pin at the
bottom of the shifter handle which fits into latching slots.
TO UNLATCH CLUTCH
Run winch in the reverse (reel out) direction until the load is off the cable, Grasp handle firmly and while pushing
on the top of the handle with the thumb for leverage, lift until pin clears latching slots.
TO ENGAGE CLUTCH
Unlatch and pull handle toward “IN” position as far as it will go. In order to attain full engagement, internal elements
of the clutch must be aligned. This alignment will take place when the cable drum or cable drum shaft turns a
maximum of 1/4 revolution. The clutch will automatically spring into engagement and pin will drop into “IN” slots
when this alignment takes place. Do not attempt to lift a load unless pin is fully into “IN” slots. Keep clear of
spring-loaded handle during automatic engagement.
TO DISENGAGE CLUTCH
Unlatch and push handle to “OUT” position and fully insert pin into latching slots. Do not disengage the clutch
under load.
The Dow-Lok
® air-shifter clutch provides free spooling and clutch engagement with the cable drum. With the clutch
disengaged, the cable can be freespooled off the drum. For winching in the load the clutch must be fully engaged with the
drum.
TO ENGAGE CLUTCH
There must be a minimum of 1 foot of slack in the cable before attempting to engage the clutch. This will allow the
drum to rotate a minimum of 1/4 turn allowing engagement of the clutch before picking up the load. With this slack
in the cable, exhaust air pressure from the air shift cylinder. Run the winch in the “IN” direction until the clutch
starts to turn. Clutch must be fully engaged before starting the winch operation.
TO DISENGAGE CLUTCH
Run winch in the “OUT” direction until there is no load on the cable. Apply 70-90 psi to the air shift cylinder to dis-
engage the clutch. Do not disengage the clutch under load.