R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
One bit about winch maintenance and the need to confirm they work before going on a trip, it wouldn't seem to be enough. On my first trip, somebody needed to be winched a decent ways on flat ground. The winching truck had a Champion (you can see where this is going...) and they hooked him up.
They pulled him about 100feet until the winch gave it up. Just stopped. Now, I figured the motor burnt out or something. That would speak to winch quality more than maintenance.
Thing is, it turned out to be a bad ground or something like that. When they got back to the shop, this is what they discovered, cleaned it up, and it works again. So, obviously this was a maintenance issue, but it also sort of goes against the idea that if you test it before a trip you should be good. Because in this case, it worked for a bit, then stopped.
They pulled him about 100feet until the winch gave it up. Just stopped. Now, I figured the motor burnt out or something. That would speak to winch quality more than maintenance.
Thing is, it turned out to be a bad ground or something like that. When they got back to the shop, this is what they discovered, cleaned it up, and it works again. So, obviously this was a maintenance issue, but it also sort of goes against the idea that if you test it before a trip you should be good. Because in this case, it worked for a bit, then stopped.