How many of you that ATV in the Rockies have winches on the ATV and what all kinds of equipment do you carry with you to assist in winching if you need to??

I have Warn winches on all 3 of my ATVs. The 01 is set up to move it from the front to back. I also carry a shovel in the snow conditions. Almost more important than having a winch on your ATV is to have friends with a winch on their ATV.

Wayne, that is very true.

In all the riding I have done in the mountains, there has only been one time that I can remember using the winch. Saying that, I am probably way over prepared. I will get pictures tonight of all my stuff.

Along with the winch and friends with winches, Tree straps, tow straps, snatch block and lots of shackles. Some carry extension cables also and there's times that would be handy if not necessary.

sujada and wayne left out the most important thing need. Knowledge of winching techniques. It may look simple, but if you know different ways you can double the pulling power of your winch. You can also do angle winching and other things. Look on youtube or warn website for more info. If you have a winch cable, (not rope) a jacket or sweatshirt to put over the cable, so if it snaps it wont spring back at ya. If you don't have a winch there are some cum a longs that are compact for atv's.
shawn
link to moving a big az tree with atv's and winches.

Ok Here are the pictures as promised.

The 2 Amsteel ropes were put together over Memorial Weekend. I have not had a chance to put them to a test yet. This rope is the same as the rope Winch lines that you can buy. Going by the book used for splicing the eyes, the rope still retains 95% of its rated strength. This stuff is so lite it floats.

Over kill Yeppers, but better to have & not need than need and not have.

Water
First Aid box (sometimes two)
Gas
tools
Plus all that is mentioned above

quote:

Originally posted by JohnsWoodshop:

Recovery:
- Winch
- Snatch block
- Shackles
- Strap
- Tree saver
- Shovel
- Rope

Outside of recovery it's tools/repair, 1st aid, survival gear, gps, food/water, sometimes fuel, rain or cold weather gear. Amazing how often I've loaned out my hammer on the trail.

The winch gets most of its use in the snow and predominately during winter/spring riding.

On the sport quad: 1st aid, survival kit, gps, rain gear, food/water, minimal tools (factory quad tool kit), & tire repair.

Besides the winch, a tow strap, snatch block, tri-fold shovel (might be able to use it with the winch where a tree isn't anywhere close). And a knack for rigging.

Tip for getting more "mule tape". It is commonly used by the phone company. They use it once and throw it away. Most phone company trucks have it on them. Just go up and ask if you trade them out of 100' or so. Most just give it right up.

Also a good pair of leather gloves.

The more I think about it, there has been 3 times I have used the winch in the mountains.

First was to pull myself out of a gully that had about 2' of snow in the bottom.

Second time was to drag a 4' X 15" chunk of an aspen tree up to the road on the Alpine Tunnel road. This piece of aspen made many bowls, calls & pens on the lathe.

Third was last summer and going over Napoleon Pass there was a good sized (12-14") tree down over the trail. I carry a tree trimming saw in my front box, so I grab the saw and start cutting. This was the day after we arrived in the mountains and in a short time I was dieing. Step son takes over and we trade off & on. Saw gets pinched in the cut, so had to rig tree strap in a near tree up high and then use winch to pick up on log. After getting it cut in two, used the winch & snatch block to move the tree to the side of trail.

We use Warn 3.0XT
I carry two or three Koplin 15ft snatch straps.
A steel shackle and pallet hook.
One priceless accy is an ATV Pull-Pal.
http://www.pullpal.com/in_use.html
A few times we had no natural anchor point. It is heavy to haul though.
I carry a pack of zip ties, Mac Guyver tool by ToPeak. Glock E-tool shovel/saw, Mapp gas click torch for starting fires. Crescent wrench, knife, pistol, dry gear. SPOT PLB.

My winch allowed me to travel across the Rockies by myself last October. I went without one for 2 years. it just makes the difference between turning around and going back or going through.
We all run Warn XT 3.0's with remote controls. I thought the remotes were trivial until I found myself hanging on the edge of Upper Reno Divde in October.

Then we used the two winches we had and 4 straps to get all of us through Pearl Pass in 07.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GrampasShop,

Now time for dumb question.

Am I the only one that thinks the winches on Polaris are mounted to high?? Seems to me like you have to hook up kind of high on a tree to keep from sucking the front end down when you start winching. This is really noticable in snow if the only thing around to hook to is the hitch on another ATV. That really sucks the front down.

For winching yourself out, yes, it would seem better to mount lower but you might be able to fab up a bracket that could connect to the lower frame that contains a pully or even use a a short peice of cable that is run under the machine to a connect point like the hitch to create a change of direction at a lower point. Just more on rigging techniques. Figure out what you need when you get in the situation and then make it happen. I have pulled a winch cable under a truck to winch it out backwards. After that muddy mess, we all thought it would be cool if they made a winch bracket for the 2 inch receiver hitch but a buddy decided to build his own then installed a receiver tube on the front of his truck. This was in the 80s and the home made version of the multi mount like Wayne has.

Maybe Polaris just figures their machines don't get stuck so the only reason for a winch is to pull out the Honda along for the ride?

quote:

Polaris just figures their machines don't get stuck....

Maybe because they are always following other brands, who bust the trails open.

quote:

Originally posted by JohnsWoodshop:
Am I the only one that thinks the winches on Polaris are mounted to high??

At this years New Years Day run there was a certain Model-T that was winching uphill. The quad was being pulled under the snow rather than over it. It was mounted too high for that situation.

That's the only time I recall noticing that occur in numerous snow winching situations with Polaris quads.

This winter after a 8-12" wet snow here I was out riding and got stuck. Called wife to come rescure me as there was not a thing to hook winch to. Hooking to her hitch made the front end of my ATV really suck down and the snow pushing was unreal. I thought then that I should use a shackle to fasten the snatch block to the anchor point on the front of the Polaris.

quote:

there was a certain Model-T

I have a whole spool of that stuff in my storeroom. It's rated at 1800 lbs and it's a little slick. I just might bring some out in July.

quote:

Originally posted by shawn bebout:
Tip for getting more "mule tape". It is commonly used by the phone company. They use it once and throw it away. Most phone company trucks have it on them. Just go up and ask if you trade them out of 100' or so. Most just give it right up.

Also a good pair of leather gloves.

They say the best knots to use are 1/2 hitches or next best is most any fishing knot. Reason for 1/2 hitches is you dont have a permanent knot in the stuff.