How To Properly Re-Spool A Cable On A Newly-Installed Truck Winch

Truck winches are designed to operate reliably and safely, but unless their cables are properly spooled, winches can jam or even fail dangerously. When purchasing a winch for your truck, the first step after installation is to re-spool the cable to ensure it is ready for use. Below is how to do it safely and securely:

1. Prepare to work safely - When operating your winch, you must make the proper safety preparations to prevent serious injury or even death. Winches produce a significant amount of torque, and should a cable break or jam, the unleashed force may be destructive. To protect both life and property, you will need a few pieces of safety gear and obtain knowledge about how to work safely:

• Wear leather gloves - Your hands are vulnerable to serious injury when working with cable, so wearing a pair of leather work gloves is a must. All it takes is one single wire strand to cut deeply into flesh and working barehanded or using cloth gloves is inviting injury.

• Use winch damper blankets - A sudden break in a cable under tension can cause the cable ends to whip at high velocity; the end result can be deadly if the cable strikes a person. At the very least, whipping cable ends can cause significant damage to your vehicle. To prevent these dangerous occurrences, you must use winch damper blankets to weigh down the cable and keep it under control in the event of a break.

• Discard damaged cables - If your winch is new, then your cable should be brand new, as well, and safe for use. However, be sure to carefully evaluate the cable that comes with a used winch before attempting to re-spool it; if the cable contains excessive fraying, kinks, separated strands, or corrosion, then it is best to throw it out and purchase a new winch cable. Never risk your life or property by using a cable that may snap at any moment.

2. Set-up the cable and winch - Once you feel confident about establishing a safe working environment, the next step is to set-up your vehicle, winch and cable. You will need to un-spool the cable from the winch until it has only a few winds of cable left around the spool. Next, attach the free end of the cable to a fixed object in front of the winch. This can be any secure object, but another vehicle is ideal to use, since it can be maneuvered into the proper position. Be sure the cable is at a 90-degree angle to the bumper of the winching vehicle and is not chafing against the winch rollers or any other object. Extend the cable until it is just taut between the winching vehicle and the fixed object at the other end. If you use another vehicle, be sure to engage the parking brake and put the vehicle into a low gear or its 'park' setting, as appropriate.

3. Ready your vehicle - After the cable has been secured to a fixed object, you will need to ready your vehicle for the spooling operation. Disengage the parking brake, and shift the vehicle's transmission to neutral. If possible, place a helper in the driver's seat to steer or brake the vehicle in case of an unexpected roll or movement.

4. Begin the respooling operation - Once the vehicle(s), cable and winch are ready to go, activate the winch motor to begin winding the cable onto the winch. Use your free hand to guide the cable so that it feeds onto the spool in tight, even coils. Don't allow the coils to overlap each other, and be sure there are no gaps between adjacent coils. If the cable doesn't feed properly, reverse the winch and begin the operation again. Continue feeding the cable onto the spool slowly, pausing frequently to check on the progress of the winding. Always be alert to your surroundings and the presence of others to prevent a possible injury should someone approach too closely. In addition, keep your hand away from the winch rollers to prevent trapping or pinching your fingers.

5. Finish respooling the cable -  Once you have spooled all but about 20 feet of cable, detach the free end from the fixed object. Finish spooling the remainder of the cable by holding the free end while operating the winch, and secure the cable once it has been completely rewound. For more information, contact a company like Godfrey Brake Service & Supply.