Machoo

Hello all! Question regarding my winch I just installed!

On all my searching I cannot find out the answer to this but it looks like all winch manufactures are saying the same thing and that is to

Do not leave clutch engaged when winch is not in use.

Here is a photo of mine. So. I've got the hook hooked up to my D-ring. If I disengage the clutch won't the line freespool then? If I leave it engaged you can't pull it out so it seems like it's better to leave it engaged??!? Or do I tighten it up then flip it back to disengaged?

Thank you so much for your help!!

Machoo

Any winchers out there?!?

tjkamp

I keep mine tight, not super tight, but with a little tension.

I don't know what the winch manufacturers suggest. But I do know that when winching, at least with steel cable, you are supposed to have the line tightly wrapped on the drum, or you can bend, crush, or damage the line. If you leave the drum in free spool, then you have to take the time to unspool your line to the bottom wrap, and then adjust and re-spool the line so that it is tight. Winches are not designed to spool quickly, they are designed to pull crazy amounts of weight slow and steady. I've never been in a winching situation, even just pulling someone out of the mud, where I want to take all the time to re-spool 94 feet of cable before I put it to work.

I'm sure some will agree with me, and others will disagree, but that is Jeeping. Hope this helps.

Happy Jeeping!

hair2831

I hook mine to the d ring and tighten it up. I always leave mine engaged and haven't had any issues with my winch in 3 years. If you disengage the clutch, it will unwind and cable goes everywhere. Why would you want that?

lowendrider

I also cinch mine down and leave clutch engaged..no problems.

Machoo

Well I thought it was interesting too. I've scoured other makers of winches and they all say the same thing. It's printed right in the Warn manual they have posted online as well. I'm not sure why you would want it to be disengaged to free spool.

kevinlee

It's probably a liability thing. That way if somehow something shorts out and engages the winch they can escape any kind of liability for any damage. Kind of like how a lot of the aftermarket stuff says for off-road use in the description. That said when I get mine mounted (hafta paint the bumpers first) I will leave my clutch engaged. The odds of a problem like that are so slim and the odds of a loose spool of cable being a pain are so great.

Machoo

Yeah probably a liability deal. Good point. I winter though if I could just disengage and zip tie the line at the fairlead. Maybe that would stop it paying out. Good point though it's probably just liability.

I guess if there is no mechanical consequence to leaving it engaged that's best. Installing a cutoff under the hood might be a good idea.

lkjk

Never heard of this but googled it and it seems like it's so the solenoid doesn't get stuck. See the vid below for what happens when it happens.

Mine is always engaged, I'd just put in a kill switch if i was that worried, which I'm not.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSS-CmVTIGU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Machoo

Well that's scary! Damn that video was crazy on many different levels.