How to Use a Come Along Winch - Full Guide

If you are looking for a tool that can be used for lifting, hauling, or hoisting. The winch is one of the best tools for that job. They can really be convenient for your work when installed in vehicles. Winches can be utilized for self recovery when stuck and also can haul heavy loads. Winches can do the heavy work for you, requiring in some cases just a push of a button on your part.

They come in different models for different uses, some are installed in trailers and some are for off road trekking. Though not all of them are portable, some are, and one of the portable winches is a come along winch. A come along winch can do the work of a winch while being light, portable, and cheap at the same time. They can be attached and detached quite easily without the hassle of permanently installing them.

Learning how to operate a come along winch can get complicated, but worry not. With this guide, we can help you learn how to operate the winch without any prior experience needed.

At a Glance

General Safety Instructions

Before we give you the tutorial, you need to first follow these safety instructions to avoid causing injury to yourself.

Always Keep Safety In Mind: As with using all kinds of tools, always keep safety in mind and proceed with caution.
Clean Work Area: Keep your work area clean and clear with any obstacles that might cause you to slip. Accidents occur when work areas are cluttered with all sorts of stuff.

Don’t Use Excess Force: When operating the winch don’t use excessive force. Using excess force when operating the winch could decrease its wear over time.
Do Not Wear Loose Clothing: Wearing loose clothing might cause some of your clothes to get tangled when operating the winch. They might get caught in the winch’s moving parts and this can cause injury.
Inspect The Winch: Before using the winch, inspect the winch parts and make sure there aren’t parts that are broken. Check for any signs of wear, and if there are signs of wearing or any damage do not use the tool.

Maintain Balance: When operating the winch, make sure to keep balance and do not overextend yourself.
Always Maintain The Winch: Keep the winch in good working order. Follow the maintenance instructions in the manual that is given to you when you bought the winch.

Important Safety Instructions

Familiarize yourself with these safety instructions and guidelines. This guideline will state what NOT to use your winch for and what you NEED to do when operating the winch.

Do Not exceed the winch’s maximum rated weight capacity.
Do Not haul or pull objects by wrapping the winch cable around the object and hooking itself to the winch cable.
Do Not operate the winch when the cable has less than five wraps around its drum.

Do Not operate the winch if there are parts that are damaged.
Always inspect the winch before use, check if there is any damage or wear.
Always ensure that safety latches on the hooks are closed and the load insecure before pulling or hauling.

Always keep tension on the cable when you are releasing or winding the cable.
Always ensure that the Stop Spawl Spring is engaged when the winch is being used.

Operating the Winch

Now that you have familiarized yourself with the guidelines, here are the instructions on how to use the winch.

Releasing The Cable

Pull the Drive Pawl Spring on the lever handle to the up position to disengage the main Ratchet Drive.
Attach the Load Hook to your load. Squeeze up the Stop Pawl Trigger, this will allow the cable to spool freely. Walk with the cable until you reach to the anchor point. Once in position release the Stop Pawl Trigger and ensure it is fully engaged back into the Ratchet sprocket cam.
Connect the Anchor hook to the anchored point you will be pulling from.

Pulling The Load

To engage the drive, push the Drive Pawl Spring into the down position and the main Ratchet Drive Pawl will engage in the Ratchet Drive sprocket.
Swing the lever back and forth until the load has reached its desired position.
Secure the load so it will not move when you release the tension on the cable.

Releasing The Tension After Pulling

To loosen the cable, push the Drive Pawl Spring into the up position to disengage the main Ratchet Drive.
Swing the Lever Handle fully over to the Anchor Hook Side of the winch to force the spring loaded Stop Pawl mechanism pin down then slowly raise the Lever Handle. This action allows the cable drum to back off by one can at a time. Repeat this action as needed until the cable tension is released. As the cable tension is released, squeeze up the Stop Pawl Trigger to release it from the cam and gently you’ll back on the puller to loosen the cable further.
To help avoid tangling the cable when rewinding on to the drum. Leave the Load Hook attached on to the load and push the Drive Pawl Spring into the down position. Hold the anchor hook in one hand and gently pull the load while operating the Lever Handle back and forth to rewind the cable neatly back onto the drum.

Winch Recommendations

If you are researching which winch to get for your vehicle, COMEUP winch is one of the best winches you can get. COMEUP winch is known for their winch durability and reliability at a cheap price. They are highly rated and highly praised by their customers. Getting a COMEUP winch assures you that your winch will last long and is durable even if frequently used.

Here are some of our recommendations:

Comeup 299372 (Seal 9.5i) 12V Winch

Conclusion

Hopefully, this guide has helped you in learning how to use a come along winch. Do you have any thoughts on this? Do you want to share something? Comment below. We also offer some tips and guides as well, such as Winching Safety Tips, Top Winch Makers, and What Is Winch?.