2" receiver mount for Harbor Freight 12,000lb winch

[Sodo]

Built this 2" mount today.

The view out of the shop this morning, April 12, 2015.
Some warm water off the cost of WA is causing weird weather here in the mountains.



2 x 2 x 3/16 stinger. 1 x 2 x .120 rectangles welded to 3/16 x 1 1/4" angle.







Still need to add carry handles / roll bar. I will use Anderson connectors to attach to the vehicle, front & rear.



Trying to figure out how to use it as a standalone mule. Chained to a tree, and running with just a 12v battery. How to you keep it straight & winding up the wire evenly across the spool?

 

[dragoneggs]

Looks good! :thumbsup:

 

[Shield Arc]

winding up the wire evenly across the spool?

Generally the wire rope will wrap up just fine on it's own, if you follow the 1 to 18 rule.

 

[BHD]

Generally the wire rope will wrap up just fine on it's own, if you follow the 1 to 18 rule.

what is the 1-18 rule?

 

[aczlan]

what is the 1-18 rule?

18" from the winch drum to the load (or wherever it cant pivot) for every 1" of width for the winch drum, so a 6" wide winch drum would need ~108" from the winch drum to the load in order to wind properly without assistance.

Aaron Z

 

[Shield Arc]

18" from the winch drum to the load (or wherever it cant pivot) for every 1" of width for the winch drum, so a 6" wide winch drum would need ~108" from the winch drum to the load in order to wind properly without assistance.

Aaron Z

Good job!:thumbsup:
Or a guy could add a fleeting sheave to help.

 

[Sodo]

That 1-18 is great to know. Seems like there ought to be a consideration for wire size in there, but simpler is better, if it works. If you just lay a winch on the ground (with a 6" wide drum) won't it cock sideways and have a little argument with the 1-18 rule? . Seems like it needs some arrangement to keep it straight such that the 1-18 can apply.

Has anyone used a 2" receiver tree-mount? Here's one from portablewinch.com



The more I research this stuff - its getting me interested in capstan winches. Maybe just make this mount for the truck, etc and go a different direction for 'portable'.

 

[Shield Arc]

We use the 1 to 18 rule when setting up derricks. The deck winches have to be placed , when the wire rope comes off the drum it doesn't touch a deck sheave until at least the 1 to 18 rule. Same with winches in a crane. The wire rope on a crane doesn't touch the point sheave in the boom, until more than the 1 to 18 rule. Nothing more aggravating than having 1 1/8" to 2" wire rope that won't wrap up on the drum correctly!

 

[Sodo]

That deck winch looks like its bolted down though. I need a way to enforce the 1-18 rule with a winch with 3/8" rope that's laying on pine needles. And all eqpt carried on an ATV. :thumbsup:

Maybe the "forest mount" just needs a long 'tail' with a grab hook welded on the end? Something like this except "solid" without that swivel joint at the receiver.

 

[Shield Arc]

I walked down back to the scrap pile, and took some pictures of this old donkey I built years ago. It's been right at a hundred years since I used it:laughing:. But I don't ever remember having trouble with the wire rope not wrapping up on the drum correctly. Maybe the reason why, is the frame is wide enough to hold the drum of the winch perpendicular to the wire rope.
I can see where a guy might have trouble if the winch pulls off to one side when the wire rope is to the far side of the drum, right or left.