Good video. I'm new to winching and have been watching a few to learn about how stated pull capabilities compare with actual. Lots of people out there showing how to overload a 1500 lb Harbor Freight, while standing by the reel and luckily not getting their heads torn off, and this is some of the little good information I've seen.
Flip it over.Weld metal on the base plate to extend it for the holes on the new roller fairlead. Not just because it was designed that way, but because it's way easier and stronger too.
New lathe project! I don't need it to be so heavy. Just gonna replace my top vertical roller bar with heavier round stock, add a slot for the roller to move down, and some springs. I am a cheap bastard.
This is a great infomercial. I've never seen this or thought of putting pressure on the outside of the winch. Being they're $170.00 with shipping I'll probably build my own. One thing I'll probably build my own being there is plenty of roundstock laying around to make rollers out of around the barn. I'm wandering if I should make a cam lock lever on the springs to release the pressure should any need to have freespin again? This "Birdmouth" thing has always been an issue even with hand crank winches and the sheet metal brake on the spool usually gets tangled into the wire and becomes a problem in itself at some point in a really bad time of need.
I need to do an update video on this. After using it for a while, I've found it can be a pain in the rear when unspooling your cable. A cam release might eliminate that issue.
I have a Smittybilt H2O 10K. When I release the spool, it instantly free-spins with virtually no friction at all. From what I can see, this would work great if I use the motor to roll out the cable, but I'm afraid that I would still get a bird's next if I release the lever. Is that correct?
Chuck Fowler I have the exact same winch and the same problem. I go into free spool and if I'm not taking all the line off it gets too loose and then I crush the cable on a recovery, because all the pretensioning I did was for naught. The only thing I can think of is free spool if you know you're going to pull all your line out if not power out so that all that tensioning you did is not defeated.
dont worry about it too much just keep your cable well lubricated. the only time you will get a birdsnest hitting the release to go out is if you have some tension on the line which does not really matter much as your pulling it out anyway. then when you go back into drive on the winch pull the cable tight then step on it to get even more slack out off the drum then winch in with your foot pressing down on the line till it gets tension. then your ready to winch. the line will stack up on the sides if you have a side pull no way around it really just yank the line back out and bring it in nice when your done.
what no thimble each wire carrys a part of the load. wire does not like to bend a lot. the thimble limits how much the cable can bend. more bending breakes more wires. then the entire cable can break at the end loop without a thimble..
Good video. I'm new to winching and have been watching a few to learn about how stated pull capabilities compare with actual. Lots of people out there showing how to overload a 1500 lb Harbor Freight, while standing by the reel and luckily not getting their heads torn off, and this is some of the little good information I've seen.
Flip it over.Weld metal on the base plate to extend it for the holes on the new roller fairlead. Not just because it was designed that way, but because it's way easier and stronger too.
New lathe project! I don't need it to be so heavy. Just gonna replace my top vertical roller bar with heavier round stock, add a slot for the roller to move down, and some springs. I am a cheap bastard.
my dad was a master welder! He made the rollers out of solid brass stock machined the center out and made his mounting plate. Works excellent.
+Bryan Dunlop awesome!
I’m so glad I clicked on this video. Great info. Thanks from Tennessee.
Very helpful, thank you. About to mount up my Smittybilt 9500 & very good to know about the chincy fairlead!
Tension plate on drum works better, power in & out, or free spool out.
This is a great infomercial. I've never seen this or thought of putting pressure on the outside of the winch. Being they're $170.00 with shipping I'll probably build my own. One thing I'll probably build my own being there is plenty of roundstock laying around to make rollers out of around the barn. I'm wandering if I should make a cam lock lever on the springs to release the pressure should any need to have freespin again? This "Birdmouth" thing has always been an issue even with hand crank winches and the sheet metal brake on the spool usually gets tangled into the wire and becomes a problem in itself at some point in a really bad time of need.
I need to do an update video on this. After using it for a while, I've found it can be a pain in the rear when unspooling your cable. A cam release might eliminate that issue.
Nice video with great explanation!! Not all fairleads are made equal are they?
Not even close. I made the braces for it tonight, I'm planning to do another video soon showing it in use.
does this fairlead need extra bracing?
Great for a straight on pulls, but side pulls will still give us a bird nest.
So what happens when you power winch out with out load on it.... Birdnest on drum?
I modified my winch motorand it is now oil filled with mineral oil like a submergable pump motor and it give it a 80% Duty cycle
How did you do it?
I have a Smittybilt H2O 10K. When I release the spool, it instantly free-spins with virtually no friction at all. From what I can see, this would work great if I use the motor to roll out the cable, but I'm afraid that I would still get a bird's next if I release the lever. Is that correct?
+Chuck Fowler it is possible to still get a birds nest if your winch free spools too much.
I have the same winch as you and yeah I don't free spool much unless im going all the way out
Chuck Fowler I have the exact same winch and the same problem. I go into free spool and if I'm not taking all the line off it gets too loose and then I crush the cable on a recovery, because all the pretensioning I did was for naught. The only thing I can think of is free spool if you know you're going to pull all your line out if not power out so that all that tensioning you did is not defeated.
dont worry about it too much just keep your cable well lubricated. the only time you will get a birdsnest hitting the release to go out is if you have some tension on the line which does not really matter much as your pulling it out anyway. then when you go back into drive on the winch pull the cable tight then step on it to get even more slack out off the drum then winch in with your foot pressing down on the line till it gets tension. then your ready to winch. the line will stack up on the sides if you have a side pull no way around it really just yank the line back out and bring it in nice when your done.
The problem I see is that of your in freespool the cable will stop and the drum will keep turning from what I can see? That will make a mess also
How do you make this not happen? Mine did that out of the box
Question, has yours ever started to rust? Just got mine and curious if I should paint it or not.
It hasn’t, but painting it might be a good idea anyway.
Looks like you swapped one problem for another
what no thimble each wire carrys a part of the load. wire does not like to bend a lot. the thimble limits how much the cable can bend. more bending breakes more wires. then the entire cable can break at the end loop without a thimble..
This price Indian rupyes
Cheers nice stuff
I just don't understand you guys that use steel cables. Synthetic rope is the way to go.
Dude.... where is your fairlead???
The whole video was about installing one?
Dude good lord😂2 years later u gotta still think about making this comment
I waited 10 minutes to see this fairlead actually work. 10 minutes poorly spent, apparently.
Thanks for the heads up! Saved me 7 minutes!
I got my kinked and stuck in there any solution to get it unhung
+chris gore where is it stuck?
In the winch I guess i must of winch it in with slack now the cable only comes out so far my thought is just pull the heck out it
Like a real when it backslashes
Without seeing it I have to say unlocking the winch drum, anchoring the cable to something solid and backing up might be an ok option.
Guy in WY thanks I hooked it to a try and broke the cable again so I'm just gonna saw it out and get a new cable thanks for replying though
Guys can someone tell me what lube to use for maintain my wire cable keep it from rusting wd40 or axle grease
I’d recommend a chain and cable lube, I get mine from Napa.