Could a tractor power one of the ATV style winches

[jim_wilson]

I have a project coming up that I think would go a lot easier if I had a winch to help out with. I have a BX23 with the high amp alternator and was wondering if one of the Warn (or other brand) ATV style winches would work on the tractor. I need to go back and look at the specs but if I remember correctly the winches talked about using some pretty high amperage - and the truck mounted winches used even higher amperage. Is there some way I can figure out how heavy duty a winch I would be able to run with the electrical system on the tractor? I am not averse to putting a higher amp battery in the tractor if that is what it would take to make this work.

 

[nasdaqsam]

From the little experience I have with the ATV winch's they are fairly efficient but would draw down the ATV battery pretty quick unless you kept the RPM's up. I do not know the specs from the BX23 to the ATV.

For reference I had a warn winch on a Polaris 500HO. I could run it, barely, for repeated use with it throttled up but eventually I had to let it sit and charge the battery back up. So if the BX puts out more than the ATV you should be OK. Assuming its not being used continuous duty which I do not think those winches were built for anyway.

Are you doing a lot of prolonged winching or occasional pulling?

An extra battery would also be advisable.

Good Luck

 

[SnowRidge]

Depending on your project, could you use a hitch mounted portable winch? I believe someone makes one that clamps to a hitch ball and is jumper cabled to a vehicle battery.

Just a thought.

 

[bczoom]

Jim,

How often would you be running the winch? What kind of pulling do you need to do?

I can't speak specifically to the BX23 but would "think" you should be fine. Most ATV's have pretty small batteries and charging systems.

For the winch itself, there are lots out there. As SnowRidge mentioned, there are portable type that connect to a ball that can be purchased for about $50. I have one but honestly don't think it's even close in pulling power (or quality) as a Warn or Ramsey.

Not sure about your project but I'd like to propose you give the Ramsey 2500 or 3000# winch a close look. The amp draw is less then the competitors (If I recall correctly, approx. 30% less than the Warn). The wireless remote is a fantastic feature because it'll allow you to work without having to be near the winch.

I've found the best prices can be found on e-bay. There are several sellers but many (including myself) have found seller traxmotorsports to be very good.

Brian

 

[Highbeam]

Sure your tractor will run the ATV winch. It will run a truck style winch too. Any prolonged winching, like skidding out logs over and over to a landing will kill the battery even on a truck but if your use is the more typical winch the log to the tractor and then drag it to a pile or even the winch yourself out of a hole then you will be in much better shape.

Your tractor has an alternator and a battery just like a pickup. The alternator can supply just so many amps and then the battery makes up the difference as quickly as it can. The winch will consume juice faster than the alternator can make it.

I would recommend the receiver hitch mounted style that plugs in to quick connects from the tractor battery. Put a decent sized truck winch on the receiver platform and give it a try. While you're at it, equip your truck with quick connects so that you can use the winch on your pickup too. These quick connects are also a handy place to hook up that inverter for 110 power out in the field.

 

[Clyde]

I agree with all of the other replies in that your tractor will easily power an ATV winch. I have an ATV with the Warn winch which is 5 years old. I would not recommend any heavy duty winching with it and unless the newer winches have changed - they have no brake on them. They will pull with the winch motor energized but they will let out winch line with the winch off and a load on the line.

They are powerful and useful tools in the right situations.

Clyde

 

[bczoom]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I would not recommend any heavy duty winching with it and unless the newer winches have changed - they have no brake on them. They will pull with the winch motor energized but they will let out winch line with the winch off and a load on the line. )</font>

I believe you can get a Ramsey or Warn with the mechanical brake that won't allow it to slip. Even with it, exercise caution.

 

[jim_wilson]

I will take a look at the Ramsey - sounds like it might be a good option. Basically what I was intending on doing with this is making a mount that would fit into the Quick Hitch on my 3pt hitch and then have a electrical quick disconnect for the power. I am pretty sure high amp alternator on the BX23 puts out 40amps - how much does the usual ATV alternator put out? What I want to use this for initially is in helping me pull walls up when I start constructing my new garage/barn shortly. Having a wireless remote would come in handy for that.

 

[bczoom]

A good size ATV (500cc or so) probably puts out about 20-25 amps.

Out of curiosity, why a winch for putting up walls instead of using the tractor/FEL to do it?

A word of caution on the wireless. It's on/off is not as precisely timed as using a wired switch. It seems to lag about a second or so.

What you have in mind sounds "doable". Just be careful. Watch the weight and potential movement of everything involved. If you don't get the mechanical brake on the winch, exercise even more caution since the winch will allow the cable to slowly spool back out when under load.

Brian

 

[SnowRidge]

<font color="blue"> ( word of caution on the wireless. It's on/off is not as precisely timed as using a wired switch. It seems to lag about a second or so.) </font>

I would also look for some sort of assurance from the manufacturer that the wireless feature is well encoded in order to prevent falsing (activating/deactivating apparently spontaneously).

Be a bit difficult if you had the wall at a critical point when someone thumbed their vehicle's key fob transmitter--and the winch decided it was time to reverse direction. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif