Winch Modifications

[MossRoad]

Maybe you could just leave it in the garage and use a big wheel garden cart to take it out when you get stuck?

We have a garden cart made out of plywood, angle iron, conduit and it has 26" bicycle tires on it. I can haul 50 pieces of firewood on it. It is so balanced that I can do that with one hand. The large tires let it roll over anything.

Or you could stow it on top of the engine compartment, perhaps?

 

[3238dpw]

Bob,
That isn't a bad idea with the attachment plate on the back.

If you want an idea for something similar to what you already have, why not put the second receiver pointing straight up just to stow the winch. Then when you need it you can move it to where you need it, the front or back.

 

[BobRip]

Or you could just buy one of the gas powered portable winches that have been mentioned and be done with it

Where would I carry it?

 

[toy]

Bob Rip a suggestion about knowing when to stop the winch before you pull it in too far. Pull the cable out to where you can just see the hook while sitting in the seat of the pt, then measure the distance from the winch to the hook on the cable. After you have done that then make up a short chain just a little shorter than the distance from the machine that the hook was visible. With that short piece of chain on the winch as you roll it up when you can just see the far end of the chain then you know that you have it pulled in far enough without pulling it in too far that might work.

 

[3238dpw]

The second receiver would point straight up. You would stow it there. That should save some length on your PT. The reciever you built would be changed to only have the one receiver pointing backwards. When needed you would install it in that receiver. I know i may not be explaining this well enough. Keep asking questions till I make it clear.

 

[wasabi]

I took the machine out today with the winch on back. I did not need it, but it did not interfere with the use. I am thinking about shortening the two inch receivers. I will have to grind off the reinforcements at the end, and then weld them back on. The machine is very long the way is it. Suggestion here would be appreciated.

Nice job Bob! just a thought for you on how far the winch sticks out back...if you were to cut and reweld the 2" so the winch straddles atop your (top) receiver, you would both reduce the back extension and lift the winch even further...perhaps to the point that you could glance back and see it. kind of hard to explain but visualize a u shaped sort of affair (on its side). this way you could still easily attach via receiver

second thought would be ...you could reconfigure your brackets so that the winch would operate horizontally but the receiver connection could be vertical per 3238's suggestion. again, you would raise the winch further and reduce rearward extension... hope this helps

 

[BobRip]

Bob,
That isn't a bad idea with the attachment plate on the back.

If you want an idea for something similar to what you already have, why not put the second receiver pointing straight up just to stow the winch. Then when you need it you can move it to where you need it, the front or back.

That's not a bad suggestion, and I seriously considered it. However, I could not open the engine cover to check oil and add gas without removing the winch. That would be a lot of pain. I wonder if I put a receiver on the engine cover if the cover balance would be so bad it would not stay closed?

 

[BobRip]

Bob Rip a suggestion about knowing when to stop the winch before you pull it in too far. Pull the cable out to where you can just see the hook while sitting in the seat of the pt, then measure the distance from the winch to the hook on the cable. After you have done that then make up a short chain just a little shorter than the distance from the machine that the hook was visible. With that short piece of chain on the winch as you roll it up when you can just see the far end of the chain then you know that you have it pulled in far enough without pulling it in too far that might work.

Good suggestion. Gotta ponder this one.

 

[BobRip]

All of these comments got me thinking. Thanks for the suggestion. I decided to put a two inch receiver facing left, between the other two 2 inch receivers. So I now have three of these things on the back of the PT. I then slid the winch in from the left, just for storage. I don't think I would actually use it there. If I did I think I would need some more reinforcements. The whole assembly now sticks out about 11.5 inches. That's one foot shorter. I think I can use the other receivers with the winch going sideways. I think this is an excellent approach. We will give it awhile and see.

Again, the comments are very helpful and force me to think of other ways or maybe even use a comment. See pictures.

 

[cqaigy2]

Very nice. Looks like you have a good location for your winch.