Does anyone have personal experience with one of these? If so, what are your opinions about it? I am considering one for general use such as pulling logs, helping with stumps, dragging game, hoisting, vehicle recovery and anything else that seems appropriate. It is an attachment for a chainsaw powerhead which runs a 4,000 lb winch with 150 feet of cable. http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=LW 400MK2
A friend had one, I only used it the one time elk hunting but it worked great. Not sure what brand it was, we used a bunch of mule tape on the end of the cable, hauled two cows 600+ yards uphill, saved my back and legs for sure.
they were using one of those on one of the Alaska based reality shows .... very impressed .... they were hauling some big ass logs thru the brush ..... not a common tool around the midwest ..... wouldn't mind having one for moving stuuf on/off my trailer ....
I own one of these, and use it with my Stihl 032 chainsaw. I do a lot of firewood logging and this is used a lot in this pursuit. They work very well. Especially with some external Blocks, to multiply the winch advantage. My winch drum is loaded with 3/8 Stainless Aircraft Cable that is 10K parting Rated. I have a "close" neighbor that also has one, and we have used them in tandem, to make a "Highline" Logging system with back haul capabilities. Lewis does make a Double Drum version, for this purpose, as well....
A free winch like that has to be used carefully when recovering vehicles. If you need to pull the vehicle straight out over an incline, it can crest first and pull the nose of the vehicle into the ground. If you are aware, then this is not a problem, because you would plan out the recovery to be pulled in steps, not all at once. Blocks would be a must, as 4000 pounds is too little for most 4x4 vehicles. The blocks should be rated to double the capacity of what you are pulling, because they will get twice the force enacted on them. I.E. 4000lb winch should have at lease an 8000 lb rated snatch block. Really, don't go cheap here. I like BT's larger cable, but yet again, you must be aware of what you are doing, and what the vehicle is going to need to get it out. As long as you stay within your safety envelope, you shouldn't have to worry about a cable snapping and severing your torso. If a mounted winch is not what you are looking for, or if you need to be a lot more mobile than the vehicle you are driving, then I could see where this winch would be really useful. In my neck of the woods, and what I use a winch for, less so. I never really envisioned having a winch on the front of my Jeep. I got one only after coming to the realization that it was cheaper than buying and installing a better rear axle (Dana 35's are lightweight axles) so I could have a locker. Dana 44's, Ford 8", or such really didn't fit my budget. If I installed a locker, with my tire size, I would most assuradly twist an axleshaft apart in no time. As long as I run an open diff, I can make up for it with the winch. I've used it a few times since I installed it and it is worth every penny when 'wheeling; even if it is just for peace of mind.
Snow Ready pickup with warn winch+Stihl chainsaw+1500 feet of mule tape+good team of highly motivated guys= ultimate elk removal system. Oregon Style
"Snow Ready pickup with warn winch+Stihl chainsaw+1500 feet of mule tape+good team of highly motivated guys= ultimate elk removal sys" Mule tape is the sh#t, Ineed to find a full spool of it to stock up.
They are NOT cheap.... I bought mine many years ago and it was over $700US, then..... I learned to use a vehicle mounted winch, back in the 70s, when I had a Military 10K rated PTO Winch on my 1955 Dodge PowerWagon 4X4 Panel Truck. 300 Ft of 5/16 inch 7 Strand WireRope, on the Drum, and I kept three 8K rated Snatch-Blocks under the front seat. You can do a lot of rigging, and recovery, with a setup like that. I wish, I still owned that "Pig"..... .....YMMV.....
If mule tape if the stuff you use for pulling wire then you are better off just buying a spool of 1/2 inch pole rope its stronger and probably cheaper....
free is good enough for me, The high tension power line crews leave spools of it in the brush here. I dont know if they forget it or dont care, but i do
o yes ... my modow is if it is free its for me and give me 3!!!!! free is like a sore D#ck hard to beat
