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WHAT MAKES UP A WINCH

2021-10-21

WHAT MAKES UP A WINCH?

Winch Definition:
[a hauling or lifting device consisting of a rope or chain winding round a horizontal rotating drum, turned typically by a crank or by motor."

For the uninitiated, an electric Winch is a tool commonly used in vehicle recovery. It`s typically bolted to the front of a vehicle (usually a 4WD or truck) and is used when the vehicle gets stranded and needs help getting pulled out from wherever it`s ended up stuck.

A winch is made up of various components and these include:

steel cable/synthetic rope
A winch`s cable is commonly made of either steel cable or synthetic rope. Some prefer one material over the other depending on their preference and needs. Each has it's pros and cons which we go through further down.

Winch Drum
The drum on a winch allows the wire to be neatly wrapped when not in use. The winch spool will rotate the drum which then winds the cable.

Gear Train
The gear train is the part of the winch that gears down the motor and turns the winch. The lower the gear ratio, the faster winch.

winch motor

The winch motor powers the drum so it can pull and wrap the wire around itself. Winches are typically available in 12 volt or 24 volt models.

Winch Control Box
This is the brain of the winch, and usually consists of wires and a small electrical board that operates the motor. This box, depending on the winch, can usually be mounted on the winch, or within the engine bay with cables running to the winch motor and vehicle battery.

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