Thread: Alternative to hand winch - hi-lift jack

All of the above is why I am starting to build a hydraulic winch system, powered by my PTO.

I've got the PTO pump, am ordering the winch today (Mile Marker) and have found out where to get all the ancilliary gear to control it.

I am going to keep it simple. No solenoids/electirc hand controller. Just a fwd/backwards control valve.

I've got a Tirfor, which is fab, but pretty backbreaking on a long pull.

(First let me start with a disclaimer/full disclosure statement)... it has been a while since I have posted and my new Job is at ARB...

that said I have tried winching with a hilift previously and personally found it barely worked, as already mentioned taking up of slack was a big problem meaning minimal travel. I would agree and say you definately need an all chain/cable set up. (Although another option would be plasma or similar but you may have just aswell bought a handwinch!)

My preference is definately the handwinch and a couple of snatch blocks!

A very nifty accessory I have since come across is a wheel adaptor for a hi lift which allows you to lift the wheel instaed of the boby.. great for packing under the wheels!

I tried using my hi-lift as a winch when I bogged my D2 properly.
Once the slack was out of the chain I couldnt lever it any further.I ant clever but I can lift heavy things!!!!
There was no way I could crank it another click!!!
Andrew

Just read an article in Land Rover Owner International.
July 1988 issue 8, picked up while on hollies.

It showed casting(jack and push side ways), useing the shovel as a jacking plate and..
Attach a Kerr(read; rope type snatch strap) to anchor point, and a chain to vehicle.
Remove as much slack as possible and winch untill the whole system is under max. load. ie. until vehicle starts to move.
Start motor and drive out...!

We are talking mud tracks and not rocks ect. BUT I don't think I like the idea.
Just throwing it in the mix.

Cheers

PS. We have the longer Highlift which gives us another 150mm of jacking travel.

I don't quite understand some of the posts about a hilift only taking up the slack.

There really is only one way to be successful at using a hilift as a winch. Non-stretch chain, cable or straps just the same as any other recovery pulling device. If the ropes chains, or straps are slack before pulling then even a tirfor will take time to pull it in tight. For the hilift, by using two chains attached to the hilift to pull (chain 1), hold (chain 2), reset hilift, pull (chain 1), hold (chain 2), reset hilift etc there is absolutely no reason why a hilift cannot do the same work as any other hand winch. (See the photos in my post pg 1 if not sure of two-chain setting).

Add in the versatility of being able to push, lift and clamp and you have the 'Leatherman" of recovery devices... sure, using a hilift is awkward but hell, it ain't tiddly-winks out there when you are stuck in goop...


In saying that about using stretchy ropes, I have actually used the method outlined by Alien D2/Landrover mag. Load the snatch strap by two pulls of the hilift and drive out using the loaded stretch. I use this method in the rocks or muddy tracks when a controlled direction of movement or exit is required. If I am pulling the truck and am not in it, it (the truck) tends to follow gravity. By loading up a snatch strap and then driving off the load, I can control direction and distance. Handy when there is a drop-off or when climbing big rocks in the river bed (not rock-crawling just getting over big rocks). I have two straps I use for this, a specific snatch strap, and an ARB winch extension that has a small amount of 'give'.

Very interesting ideas. I have another idea which I only discovered existed over the last few days. That is the Lever hoist or lever block.

Basically its like a block and tackle which huge mech advantage but uses a lever instead of a rotating chain. As said a chain is a PITA to use for vehicle recovery but a lever is not. The only issue is you want the chain to be fairly clean entering the device so my idea would be to use the lever hoist from a tree and a longer chain/rope to the vehicle. You still encounter the issue of resetting the block when you have moved your 1.5M of chain it comes with. The positives I see is the easy to use lever action, the very low hand force to lift 1.5 - 3 - 9 tonnes, the very small weight and size of the system and the low purchase price, $220 to $400 retail.

Originally Posted by F4Phantom

Very interesting ideas. I have another idea which I only discovered existed over the last few days. That is the Lever hoist or lever block.

Basically its like a block and tackle which huge mech advantage but uses a lever instead of a rotating chain. As said a chain is a PITA to use for vehicle recovery but a lever is not. The only issue is you want the chain to be fairly clean entering the device so my idea would be to use the lever hoist from a tree and a longer chain/rope to the vehicle. You still encounter the issue of resetting the block when you have moved your 1.5M of chain it comes with. The positives I see is the easy to use lever action, the very low hand force to lift 1.5 - 3 - 9 tonnes, the very small weight and size of the system and the low purchase price, $220 to $400 retail.

Yep. I've got one of these out in the shed, and have previously used it exactly as you have described (lever block hanging off a tree) to recover a vehicle. Mine has about 10m of chain though, so I don't have to "re-set" nearly as often (was originally sourced for lifting screens out of processing tanks in a gold mine).

They are a very handy bit of gear (especially if you didn't have to pay for it). I've also used it for lifting out / installing engines into vehicles on many occasions - much better than pulling on a chain above the engine bay and worrying about your chain getting hooked on engine components / scratching the bodywork.

Originally Posted by BMKal

Yep. I've got one of these out in the shed, and have previously used it exactly as you have described (lever block hanging off a tree) to recover a vehicle. Mine has about 10m of chain though, so I don't have to "re-set" nearly as often (was originally sourced for lifting screens out of processing tanks in a gold mine).

They are a very handy bit of gear (especially if you didn't have to pay for it). I've also used it for lifting out / installing engines into vehicles on many occasions - much better than pulling on a chain above the engine bay and worrying about your chain getting hooked on engine components / scratching the bodywork.

I almost got the 1.5T model but winded up with the 3T model. I dont know the exact weight of a RRC but overdoing it is safer and also easier on the kit. List price $700, my price 3 hunge if anyone wants one.