A winch is a mechanical device that is used to pull in or let out a rope or wire rope, or otherwise adjust the tension of the cable. It is a rotating spool, driven by a motor, that can tighten or loosen a cable, which generally has a hook at the end. Winches are used to pull vehicles out of mud, snow, sand, rocks, and water, and to pull vehicles through or over obstacles. They can also be used as elements of backstage mechanics to move scenery in large theatrical productions. Winches have been helping humans maneuver objects for millennia, and they contain several different components, each with a singular purpose to aid in a broader goal. The basic components of a winch are:
- A cable wire: Most likely a steel cable or synthetic wire that will be wrapped around a drum to prevent entanglement. The cable can be anywhere from 40 to 100 feet in length.
- A drum: A drum is circular in shape and allows the wire to be neatly wrapped around it. A spool within the winch allows the drum to rotate in a circular motion, winding the cable in or out.
- A motor: The motor powers the drum to turn so that it can pull in and wrap the wire around itself. While not all winches include a motor, most vehicle winches are electric and include a motor to speed things up considerably.
Winches can be attached to the front or rear bumper of a vehicle, although they can also sit at the front of a trailer. The primary function of a winch is to leverage that cable tension to pull a vehicle out of a difficult situation, whether its stuck in mud, water, facing a steep incline, or unable to move under its own power. There are two general types of winching: self-recovery, where the vehicle with the winch is pulling itself, and recovering another vehicle, where the winch is used to move a second vehicle. When buying a winch, its important to consider its capacity, which is measured in thousands of pounds.
