Come A Longs

[Kenneth in Texas]

never had one, never needed one, now I do, someone tell me about them, dont want junk but then again dont want to spend over a $100, is that possible?

 

[coobie]

never had one, never needed one, now I do, someone tell me about them, dont want junk but then again dont want to spend over a $100, is that possible?

Hasting hot line tool makes nice come alongs 1-2 ton with long handles.They have hand driven chain hoists 1 1/2,2 and 3 ton.They are pretty pricey from $240 up to $350 bucks.Quality made though that will last many years verses say come a longs from harbor freight.

 

[Baby Grand]

I had a 3/4 ton Maasdam rope puller that worked with 1/2" 3 strand rope. Used it for all sorts of projects. Pulled a few car engines with it. Not as powerful as the wire rope models, but because you can use any length of rope with it, in many ways it's actually more useful. Used to keep it in the trunk of my car with a 50' hank of nylon for vehicle extraction on snowy days. I knew that my driving skills were not as good as I thought they were when I was driving.

I have one of the wire rope ones, now. It's useful when trying to suggest a different fall line to a tree, but I miss the rope one - I never had to slacken the line to reset the hook.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have a couple of them with the nylon strap. I don't think I spent anywhere near $100 for any of them. I'm trying to remember where I bought them. Maybe Amazon? Maybe Lowes? They work great for pulling fence, or getting a crooked board straight. I have one in the Mule in case it gets stuck, but the only time I actually got it stuck I was too far away from any trees to use it.

Eddie

 

[Oldtink]

I've had a CM 1 ton ratchet handle chain host for decades. Yes, they are pricey also but built like a tank. I think when it comes to hoisting equipment you'll want to spend the money on safety and reliability. For the money you'll dish out on one trip to the emergency room or urgent care, you could buy quality equipment.
CM Bandit (US)

 

[newbury]

Do you need a winch or a hoist?
A Hoist is used for lifting and supporting "dead weight".
A Winch is used for pulling (moving rolling weight).

I have a 2 ton or 3 ton Maasdam More-Power puller.

and Amazon.com: The More Power Pullerｮ - 2 ton 20' 5/16" cable power puller w/ca: Home Improvement
It was expensive when I bought it about 5 years ago, probably around $100. Looking it up today I never would have spent $200 for one. But now looking at everything else they are selling they all look like the cheap HF models.

I'd recommend go get one of the $20 HF models on sale while you wait for the right expensive one to turn up, just a 10% discount sale and you've come out ahead.

Here's a quick discussion I found

Forrest Addy
The differences are as stated above but I woud submit the folowing.

The primary difference between a winch and a hoist is the hoist has a load brake. If the drive to the winch reduction fails the load brake will hold the load from freely falling. A hoist is designed to power down as well as up. It will not freewheel if the drive is disengaged for any reason. Consider a chain hoist with its load brake integrated in the hand chain sheave. A hoist for a crane or an elevator may gave three brakes: a motor brake, a band brake on the hoist drum, and the load brake.

Taking the safety factors, the attention to failure modes, annual inspection and load testing, hoist mechanisms are hedged around almost as much as steam boilers.

A winch however may have a brake for load holding release but it's not strictly required. It's intended for pulling loads. A winch furnished with a high ratio worm drive that will not reverse may not have a brake at all. A winch's highest evolution may be tug boat towing winches and logging high-lead winches. They have many features including some of the safety factors of hoists. I know of some automotove bumper winches equipped with load brakes as well as a magneticly actuated magnetic brake. But there are few cases where a winch has to be certified to the level of a hoist intened to suspend loads over personnel or to carrly personnel to a height.

So there isn't a clear distinction between hoists and winches. A hoist I would suggest would be better described more in terms of its safety features and annual testing and documentation. A winch is better describes as something hand or motor powered intended for dragging $hi# horizontally by spooling in a rope or a wire.

Hoists vs winches

 

[jeff9366]

You must have Tractor Supply Company in Texas.

Every TSC has a display of 10-12 different come alongs; wire, rope and strap models.

 

[Bird]

I got mine at Northern Tool and sure never paid close to $100.

come a long from Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is one of those things that when you need it you will know it and you can go and buy it then. I have probably four or five cable jacks (Massdon Power Pulls), and a couple of block and tackles. But then I hardly ever use them but when I need one they're the perfect tool for the job. Fence guys use the cable jacks for wire fence construction. There is nothing as funny as watching a young helper's facial expression when you tell him to jack it off after the fence is stretched.

 

[Thomas]

I bought mine many years ago from equipment store call it my right hand man.
Pay little more get heavy duty well made,also purchase extra lenght good soild chain.