Whats the Rachet Noise ?

[Dead Horse]

Well, as you told the story, the noise occured when the log jamed and the cable drum had stopped turning.

If the cable is not being spooled, the drum is not turning.................

 

[Gordon Gould]

Well, as you told the story, the noise occured when the log jamed and the cable drum had stopped turning.

If the cable is not being spooled, the drum is not turning.................

OK - I guess I need some help understanding what you are trying to say.
You say yours does this often? And you attribute it to the sprocket.

I'm was thinking the pto was turning but clutch was slipping and the cable was positioned just right to skip along the turns because it was not wound turn to turn on the spool and had lots of pressure on it. Wouldn't you think that if it was the sprocket that it would skip anytime I had that much pressure on the clutch ?

 

[Dead Horse]

Sorry, no. My winch only did this once this past year and I was "pushing" it....several big logs, pulling up a hill, stump hangup.

It is an old winch but I rebuilt it a year ago last summer.

Before I rebuilt it (new thrust and input shaft bearings) it would do this more often (maybe 3 or 4 times the previous season). The input bearings were quite bad and I believe that made tightening the chain tensioner rather ineffective.

Since the rebuild, it has done this only once. BTW when I rebuilt the winch I also retensioned the chain, but I erred on the "not TOO tight" side of the equation.

"It" is a loud ratcheting sound accompanied by some attention getting vibration.............and the cable is not moving. Hope that is clearer.

PS I find that when I do get a cable bind it is because I allowed the tension on the cable to vary to widely over a short period. IE if I take up the slack easy...........and then ease into the tension on the clutch lanyard, I generally do not get cable bind on the spool.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Sorry, no. My winch only did this once this past year and I was "pushing" it....several big logs, pulling up a hill, stump hangup.

It is an old winch but I rebuilt it a year ago last summer.

Before I rebuilt it (new thrust and input shaft bearings) it would do this more often (maybe 3 or 4 times the previous season). The input bearings were quite bad and I believe that made tightening the chain tensioner rather ineffective.

Since the rebuild, it has done this only once. BTW when I rebuilt the winch I also retensioned the chain, but I erred on the "not TOO tight" side of the equation.

"It" is a loud ratcheting sound accompanied by some attention getting vibration.............and the cable is not moving. Hope that is clearer.

PS I find that when I do get a cable bind it is because I allowed the tension on the cable to vary to widely over a short period. IE if I take up the slack easy...........and then ease into the tension on the clutch lanyard, I generally do not get cable bind on the spool.

OK thanks - That all makes sense. I guess I'll never really know what it was unless it starts happening alot. I dont know how loud it was but I had on hearing protectors (muffs) over a hard hat liner that covered my ears and had no trouble hearing it. I let the lanyard go immediately. Just prior I was pumping the lanyard to try to bounce the log free (I know - not good) so the cable was cycling between tight and slack which would make it whip around on the drum. As you point out that can cause a bind.

 

[Dead Horse]

Ok, understood.......... One other bit of info you might find useful. Farmi makes their owner manuals available on the internet. You can down load your model manual and it will tell you exactly how to tension the chain........

I bet if you check it, the chain is not quite tight enough. I know mine is not, and it is the dirst thing I will deal with in the spring.

My winching season is over, thankfully.

 

[leonz]

Hello Gordon,


I was wondering how often you oiled your cable?

 

[Gordon Gould]

Hello Gordon,


I was wondering how often you oiled your cable?

Never ?? From your question I assume that isn't good. My manual says to keep all oil and grease away from the drum so it doesn't spread onto the clutch so I have never oiled the cable.

I will check the chain tension specs and proceedure Dead Horse - Thanks.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Ok, understood.......... One other bit of info you might find useful. Farmi makes their owner manuals available on the internet. You can down load your model manual and it will tell you exactly how to tension the chain........

I bet if you check it, the chain is not quite tight enough. I know mine is not, and it is the dirst thing I will deal with in the spring.

My winching season is over, thankfully.

I found the tension adjustment instructions in my winch manual. I am sure you are right and it is looser than it should be after nine years of usage.
I will tighten the chain before I head out this morning. Looks simple enough.
I enjoy the winter woods. The work is plenty hard enough so you don't get cold. The snow makes things a little slower though.

gg