The Wheel Winch

[Beowulf]

Found this interesting little bit of kit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY4cKc4FKSM&NR=1

 

[Martyn]

Looks like a great self recovery device if the land anchor holds.

Not to knock the product, but, I had self recovery hubs on my 1956 Austin Champ.

 

[Ireland]

We used the wheels more than a few times when the farm tractors got stuck back in the day, cool idea...
Our tractors had some cool crawler gears and one cool advantage was it would lift the tractor up out of whatever mud hole we were stuck in instead of just towing it straight back...

 

[Antichrist]

Huh?! "Electric winches require you to have some traction in order to assist the winch"
I quit watching pretty much after that.

Wheel mounted winches were an option on Land-Rovers in the early 50's.

 

[I Leak Oil]

Not to knock the product, but, I had self recovery hubs on my 1956 Austin Champ.

The Austin Champ! Great little vehicle. Cool motor too.
Jason T.

 

[goodtimes]

For light recovery work, maybe. But as a general rule, I get nervous about using any part of the drivetrain as a recovery point. Imagine having someone pull you out of a ditch by attaching a tow strap to your axle.....yea, not much difference here...you are putting a whole lot of pressure on your axle, in a direction that it was never designed to have.

Will it work? sure....but at what risk? To each their own I guess....

 

[Willman]

For light recovery work, maybe. But as a general rule, I get nervous about using any part of the drivetrain as a recovery point. Imagine having someone pull you out of a ditch by attaching a tow strap to your axle.....yea, not much difference here...you are putting a whole lot of pressure on your axle, in a direction that it was never designed to have.

Will it work? sure....but at what risk? To each their own I guess....

I'm with ya Brian!

What about your wheel alinement?????....I'm sure that would mess that up....

I'm a winch fan....good idea but not for me!

The ground anchors look pretty cool......but on very hard rocky and sand stone areas where i live......a pul-pal seems to be the right way to go.

 

[Curmudgeon]

...you are putting a whole lot of pressure on your axle, in a direction that it was never designed to have.

And a frame mounted winch is putting strains on a frame that was never designed or intended to withstand those forces in ANY direction.

JP

 

[I Leak Oil]

You're not really pulling the vehicle by the axle. The wheel is providing the necessary force to propel the vehicle forward. Does look as if it might stress the axle shaft quite a bit. I would think in most situations you'd need a locking diff to make it truely effective. Looks like alot of work to me....
Jason T.

 

[mountainpete]

I would think in most situations you'd need a locking diff to make it truely effective. Looks like alot of work to me....
Jason T.

I was thinking something similar Jason.

I could see this on an open diff truck and it just sits there with the other wheels spinning.

Pete

 

[BigAl]

Looks like alot of work to me....
Jason T.

X2, it would be lighter than a winch but would take up as much space. Looks like a hassle to hook up too. What if the tire is under water?

 

[rusty_tlc]

Looks like a great self recovery device if the land anchor holds.

.....

I was looking at that and thinking about the soil here, sand or rock. I doubt the land anchor would work well in either. Of course an electric or PTO winch would have the same problem.

 

[rusty_tlc]

I was thinking something similar Jason.

I could see this on an open diff truck and it just sits there with the other wheels spinning.

Pete

The kit came with two hubs. I've seen some old army self recovery instructions that are based on the same principle, they call for two ropes, one to each side.

 

[Lynn]

Hey, I know! Simplify your Dually to SRW conversion by taking off the outside tires and call the rims wheel winches! I think I'm on to something here...

 

[ntsqd]

Friend of mine used a system like that, only to pull start his 4rnnr after the battery went dead from playing the radio all night. :victory: