Winch gears are needed to convert a high-speed, low force electric motor output into a low-speed, high torque pulling machine. In other words, you want the strength to pull heavy weights, but you don’t want to jerk ‘em so fast they fall to pieces. So winches use gears with thick, strong “teeth” which pass this test. And there are 3 main types of gearing systems:

1. Spur gears
2. Worm gears
3. Planetary gears

A simple spur gear.

On the “low end” of the gear spectrum you have spur gears. They connect parallel shafts, have internal or external teeth, and cause no external thrust between gears. They’re inexpensive to manufacture and still perform well making them one of the most cost-effective types of gearing.

The speed and change of the force depends on the gear ratio or number of teeth on the gears to be meshed. One gear is on the input axle of the motor, and the other gear is on the output axle of the wheel. With this higher contact ratio they run smoother and quieter which makes for excellent corrosion resistance.

A sample of a simple worm gear setup.

Next up we have the worm gear made of two parts: the pinion and the worm gear. The pinion has a few teeth wrapped around the pitch cylinder. The worm gear has concave faces to fit the curvature of the worm. This provides a “line of contact” instead of point of contact. They’re capable of transmitting high tooth loads for the ultimate power ratio, but the disadvantage is the high sliding velocities across the teeth.

Worm Gears offer the smoothest, quietest form of gearing with high-ratio speed reduction in minimal spaces. This is great when large gear reductions are required. The worm gear can easily turning the gear, but the gear can’t turn the worm. The angle on the worm is shallow so the friction between the two holds the worm in place.

A “driven sprocket” or electric motor applies torque to the input end of the worm causing the friction between the worm gear and the gear being “driven”. This increases wear on the gear teeth and erosion of the restraining surface. Worm gears serve as speed reducers in many different industries.

The planetary gear system.

Finally, we have the planetary gear, which is actually a set of gears on or inside a larger gear. They make drastic gear ratios possible, and they’re used to turn the input in the same direction as the output. It’s called the “planetary gear” because it looks a little like the sun with some revolving planets. The gear in the center of the larger gear engages two or three smaller gears in the same large gear. Planetary gears turn on a movable center and the sun gears turn on a fixed center.

Planetary gears are also used to produce different gear ratios depending on the which gear is used as input, which one as output and which one is held stationary. They’re the most commonly used gear train, and they have some clear advantages…

• Higher gear ratios.
• Most popular for automatic transmissions
• Used in bicycles for controlling pedaling power
• Also used for power train between internal combustion engine and an electric motor.

While all of these gear systems do the same job – gearing down a high-speed electric motor to turn a low-speed, high torque winch drum – their efficiency varies. The worm gear has a transfer efficiency of 35-40% causing the winch to be self-breaking even under heavy loads. The spur gear’s transfer efficiency is 75%, and the planetary gear weighs in at 65%. They both have a tendency to “free spool” when loaded; so a braking mechanism is needed.  And that’s another story…

>> In 1944 Claude Ramsey and his brother, Rayburn, founded Ramsey Winch Company in Oklahoma as Ramsey Brothers Tool and Die. They manufactured aircraft parts as well as tools and dies for Douglas Aircraft Company. This was just at the end of World War II, so as you can imagine, there was still quite a demand for aircraft parts.

>> In 1945, with the end of World War II and a decline in the need for these aircraft parts, Claude Ramsey found a market for a front-mounted winch for passenger cars and pickups. He designed a crankshaft-operated winch to pull vehicles out of mud and snow. It was called the Model 101. The winch was so popular and demand so high that the company name was changed to Ramsey Brothers Winch Manufacturing Company in 1947.

The Model 101 helped put Ramsey Winch on the map.

>> Then, in 1950, the company name was changed again. This time it became the Ramsey Winch Company because Claude Ramsey bought out his brother’s share. And on December 22, 1959, the company was incorporated as Ramsey Winch Company, Inc.

>> William W. Ramsey (Claude’s son) became sole owner in 1978. He made sure the company continued to flourish by supplying winches worldwide to a variety of growing markets and in 1980 the company grew into its new 132,000 square foot plant and office complex. This also commemorated the firm’s 35th anniversary. They dedicated the opening of the new facility to their founder, Claude Ramsey.

>> Ramsey Winch Company, Inc. began to manufacture a wide array of 4WD products including its industry-leading winches for front mount self-recovery, industrial, and ATV applications. Other products such as:

• towing winches – planetary and worm gear
• hydraulic, electric, and mechanical winches
• synthetic rope
• aluminum hawse fairleads
• winch covers
• wireless remote controls

They’ve now included a host of other related products like wireless remote extension wire, battery isolators, hooks, wiring kits, battery wire extensions, weather resistant contactors, brake kits, handlebar rocker switches, replacement remote control switches, and mounting systems.

>> In April 2007, Gridiron Capitol (a private equity firm headquartered in New Canaan, CT) acquired Ramsey Industries Inc. Bruce Barron was appointed CEO of Ramsey In-dustries and began to oversee the daily operations. Ramsey Winch is now a market leader in supplying towing & recovery and other industrial OEMs with an estimated annual sales of $28,400,00. They employ 250 people in their privately held company.

These days Ramsey Industries offers its products through authorized dealers and through websites like WinchDepot.com. They also market their products internationally. The company is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Ramsey Winch Company, Inc. still operates as a subsidiary of Ramsey Industries, Inc.

Then you take your tricked-out 4X4 beast for a tumble, and that’s when you find out the stuff you really need to know. Like “Maybe I should have gotten a rack for 2 gas cans” or “Whoa, I guess the mud tires really do make more sense than the all season tires.”

And when it comes to a winch (and even more importantly the winch bumper) it’s no different. There are some key things to consider when buying the part for your 4X4 that’s gonna get you out of the mud or up from the ditch. A winch bumper can make or literally break your recreational outing.

Here’s an overview of what to look for in a winch bumper:

• Position: in most cases this’ll be front
• Material: 3/16 steel is a good standard
• Size: it matters…off-road front ends are not all equal
• Light Mounts: especially if you’ll be doing any night crawling
• Winch compatibility: seems like a “duh”, but match it to the winch you’ll use
• Shackle mount: it’s very important to note how much work it’ll take to mount
• Receiver mount: depends on what else you’ll need the bumper to do
• Weight: More pounds…less gas mileage  ‘nuff said!
• Finish: it’s more than a matter of looks…although they can look great, too

Warn offers a beefy heavy-duty winch bumper on Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks.

You can also choose from tubular, flat, tapered, and other designs. Tapered provides an extra clearance on approach.  And you can consider other options including the brush guard/grill guard combination, top Euro guard, and D-ring shackle mounts.

You should look for precise placement of the mounting holes and the engineering of the bumper reinforcements. If you’re not that handy with drilling and placement, this feature will save you lots of time, headaches, and busted knuckles. You’ll need the quality and thickness of the finish to hold up well to rock scrapes and road treatments such as sand, gravel, salt, and magnesium chloride.  A good coat of automotive wax and thorough buffing prior to installation helps preserve the finish.

Several bumper models are contoured to follow the shape of the grille and body, so they look custom made. More than that; they provide real protection. The one-piece weld design is stronger because it has fewer stress points for breaking and bending. And there’s minimal deflection under a load.

In addition to a weight capacity, here are a few more things to consider for your bumper:

• Remote control plug-In with easy access?
• Factory tow loops?
• Minimum effect on approach angle?
• Will it fit your winch preference?
• Easy access to clutch lever?
• Compatible with a light bar?

Finally, how about going modular? It’s a bolt together assembly! You start with a center section including a winch mount and mounting holes for your tow hooks. Then you can add sections to each side of the center section whenever you like. Bumper extensions make the bumper full width to protect your fenders. You can even have four Spotter’s Lamps™ mounted low to illuminate directly in front of your vehicle.

A really great feature of the modular style is even if you’re in an auto accident, you can replace just the piece you need instead of the whole bumper. And you can accessorize a piece at a time and change the look of your vehicle without having to buy a completely new bumper.

Now, go get the cool winch bumper to match your beast, hook up the winch, and get off the pavement this weekend!

Here’s what some people imagine of when they think of a logging career. If only…

This poses some unique challenges when it comes to moving trees and other obstacles. While it is relatively easy for a man to cut down a tree with modern technology, moving that tree once it is on the ground is another issue entirely. Trees can be massive, making them quite difficult to move by hand, even after they have been cut into smaller pieces. Winches are usually employed to help with some of the moving duties. Not only does this mean carting extra gear out into the woods, but hand-winches are tiring to use and very time consuming…enter the chainsaw winch.

The Lewis Chainsaw Winch.

Lewis Winches have come out with a product that is not only a killer concept but also features a slick application. The company decided that instead of adding to the list of what loggers need to bring with them to a jobsite, why not make use of something that every logger already has – a chainsaw? Their chainsaw winch simply attaches to a standard chainsaw and uses the engine’s horsepower to do all of the heavy lifting so that humans don’t have to.

How does it work? The winch comes with an adapter kit that is specific to the model of chainsaw being used. The winch bolts onto the chainsaw and uses the saw studs to fit into the winch’s casting. The winch is designed to be anchored to a heavy counterweight such as another tree, rocky outcropping or vehicle, and uses 3/16 inch steel aircraft cable to tie everything together. It can pull up to 4000 lbs. with a 7 horsepower chainsaw, at up to 60 feet per minute! Using a snatch block will increase that capacity to 8000 lbs.

The Lewis chainsaw winch getting ready for action.

Of course, the Lewis chainsaw winch can be used for more than just moving lumber. It’s also great for helping to get someone’s pickup truck or ATV un-stuck from the mud or the water, as well as helping to move vehicles in a rescue capacity. It can be used on farms to move heavy loads of produce, hay or equipment, and it’s great for clearing land, lakes or streams of large, awkward obstacles.

Check out this video of an Aussie using his chainsaw winch to up-end a piece of equipment.

The portability of a chainsaw and the ease of use of this winch makes it an attractive solution for all but the heaviest of jobs. However, it is even possible to purchase a mounting accessory which makes use of a front or rear trailer hitch to not only anchor the winch, but also provide an extra degree of pulling power, should the job require it.

A spec sheet for a Warn.

The rule of thumb is that your electric winch should be able to pull 1.5 times your vehicle’s gross weight. What that means is you take your vehicle’s gross weight…let’s say 5000 pounds…and multiply it by 1.5. Your total would be 7500 pounds, and that should be your winch’s minimum capacity. Not total. Minimum. Recommendations for maximum capacity can go much higher.

There are some other very important details to think about besides just the winch’s capacity in proportion to your vehicle’s weight:

• How many people will be in your vehicle when you’re pulling?

• How many racks and “cool” add-on’s” did you add on?

• Do you carry lots of extra gas?

• How well can the winch pull layer by layer?

• Does it have a “free-spooling” feature?

• Will it drain your battery before it gives out?

Even an electric winch rated at 10,000 lbs. won’t always pull 10,000 lbs. The spec sheet numbers come from a winch’s pulling strength with one layer of winch cable. So the winch motor’s capacity is greatest when it’s pulling 1-2 layers of cable. As you continue to wrap more layers around the drum, the pulling power diminishes.

We haven’t even started to talk about where, when, and how the winch and its motor will be used. Different owners are doing different things, so capacity for one guy in a Jeep on the trails of Moab won’t be the same for 2 guys, 2 ladies, 2 dogs, 3 coolers, and four backpacks in a Land Rover on the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Don’t forget there are men (and maybe some women) who make a living or at least a habit of going where no vehicle should go. They end up sideways between two boulders on a regular basis. Or they find mud and slime in the seats all too often. Their electric winch pulling power needs will be extremely different from the guy and his date who want to go “off-road” around the city lake.

And, of course, many people are moving to the synthetic winch cable instead of steel which can make an electric winch motor’s job much easier especially when it comes to mud and other debris.

So how much HP do you need?

You need as much as you can safely install and as much as you can afford. Good news is nowadays there are many more models of electric winches available, and you can install one on just about any vehicle with universal mounting kits. They’re much easier to install or remove, and they have horsepower combined with rugged durability to stand up to those “oops” moments…or maybe even those “yeah! alright!” moments.

Wherever your “outback” might be; whether it’s the miles of off-road trails in the Rocky Mountains, the dusty back roads of the Mojave Desert, or the famous Australian  outback, you may recognize the name ARB.

In fact ARB began around 1975 in the remote region of Australia’s Top End. This huge area, with its rugged terrain, was a magnet for the nation’s fledgling four-wheel drive community. But they quickly discovered the very thing that drew them there would have its way with their equipment. The extreme conditions really took their toll, and the  drivers found that only the “best 4X4 accessories” could last.

ARB is arguably the best 4×4 contribution that Australia has made to the world.

One driver in particular, Tony Brown, was exploring the treasures of the Top End, and he developed valuable skills from working on his Land Rover. He had to consistently mend damaged bull bars and broken roof racks because bar work back then was really crude. It just couldn’t meet the demands of the terrain. So Brown came up with an idea based on this experience…high quality equipment for 4WD owners that could. Simple.

Tony returned to Melbourne and started his business in the family garage. His idea was to fix the off-road problems he’d experienced with a combination of sound design principles and reliable raw materials. The concept was a big hit in the 4×4 market, and ARB (the initials of Anthony Ronald Brown) was founded.

So ARB began under the name ARB Engineering Pty Ltd. The business started  manufacturing bull bars and roof racks. Later they expanded into other accessories such as differentials, shock absorbers, and tow bars.

Based in Melbourne, ARB’s primary production facility is located in Kilsyth. ARB listed on ASX (Australia’s stock exchange) in 1987, and they established a 4WD accessories distribution operation in the 1990’s. This includes an office in the U.S. and an export network covering more than 80 countries around the world. With over 200 outlets ARB now distributes and installs a wide range of products such as:

• winches
• canopies
• suspension
• seats
• tires and wheels

ARB provides what they call a “pure” exposure to the 4WD segment of the automotive market. Company management claims to be the largest operator in Australia, with a market share of around 30% (not including 4WD tires and wheels). There’s a continuing demand for four-wheel drive vehicles, and ARB is positioning itself to meet and benefit from the market. The company is building and growing from its traditional 4WD-enthusiast customer base. And they supply products to original equipment manufactur-ers in Australia. These include well-known giants of the market like Nissan and Toyota.

Some of ARB’s other very important customer segments are:

•    the mining companies,
•    government departments,
•    commercial fleet owners,
•    4WD tour operators,
•    and the Australian defense forces.

In August of 2003, ARB acquired Kingsley Enterprises, a Sydney-based supplier of 4WD accessories, and now they’re Australia’s largest manufacturer and distributor of 4×4 accessories.  They like to say their philosophy, however, doesn’t veer from its  original course of “quality, reliability and practicality above all else”.

Visit ARB’s website for more information.

This site is brand new, and a lot of things don’t work yet. We appreciate your patience. If you need something right away that we don’t have working yet, feel free to contact us and we’ll do the best we can.

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

Jason – Admin of WinchBin.com and head of the WinchBin team.