Use a winch to load sleds on deck?

[Cyle]

Does anyone use a winch to load their sleds? Wondering how it would work and how long it takes vs driving them on. The reason is my truck deck is about 5'10 off the ground and with only a small beavertail and 8' ramp it looks pretty dang steep. A 1500lb winch can be had for $40, heck I could buy one for each side a lot cheaper and less work then extending the ramp or buying a new one. Just looking for input if anyone has done it and pics of how the winch is mounted would be great

 

[Wayniac]

I have seen that exact set up on decks in the parking lot. I didn't see it in action though. Hopefully someone will give you good feedback.

 

[0neoldfart]

Have one

My buddy bought an XP last year, so I got to use it! (Just teasing). Seriously though, I mounted a 1500 lb winch to the headache rack on an aluminum Marathon deck to pull sleds up in case of mechanical breakdown. There are a lot of times I ride just with my wife, and if we ever have a problem, I know one could tow the other down, and then use the winch to load it. I've never used it until last year on my buddy's doo. The reason I thought of it was 8 years ago another riding buddy lost a crank on his 700. After realizing we forgot to pack rope to help load it, we grunted for a good half hour loading that tank. The next year I mounted one to an Aluma-Tec deck, and have had one on every deck since (three of them). I just fabricate the mount to fit dead center with no fairlead, and run a detachable jumper from the vehicle battery - this way it isn't live all the time. Good idea to carry a snatchblock when it gets really cold out - a lot easier on the winch motor. I don't have a pic at the moment, but if you want to see the setup, PM me with an email address, and I send one as soon as I can.

 

[Cyle]

My buddy bought an XP last year, so I got to use it! (Just teasing). Seriously though, I mounted a 1500 lb winch to the headache rack on an aluminum Marathon deck to pull sleds up in case of mechanical breakdown. There are a lot of times I ride just with my wife, and if we ever have a problem, I know one could tow the other down, and then use the winch to load it. I've never used it until last year on my buddy's doo. The reason I thought of it was 8 years ago another riding buddy lost a crank on his 700. After realizing we forgot to pack rope to help load it, we grunted for a good half hour loading that tank. The next year I mounted one to an Aluma-Tec deck, and have had one on every deck since (three of them). I just fabricate the mount to fit dead center with no fairlead, and run a detachable jumper from the vehicle battery - this way it isn't live all the time. Good idea to carry a snatchblock when it gets really cold out - a lot easier on the winch motor. I don't have a pic at the moment, but if you want to see the setup, PM me with an email address, and I send one as soon as I can.

If the winch is mounted in the center wouldn't that only allow you to winch up 1 sled? Because if your winch is in the center and trying to winch up a sled sideways I could see it going off the ramp? I would like to be able to winch up 2 sleds with 1 winch ideally, and make it easily removeable, because anything left out isn't going to be there when you come back

 

[Boondockin800]

something else to consider is using a winch and boom that would pick your sled up and set it down on your deck. No $40 winch is going to handle that, but its another option. A buddy of mine has this setup and it works great!

 

[SAWYER]

A friend of my dads landed a M1000 on the roof of an beautiful 07 cummins last year because of the steep ramp. I think he's going with a 2 piece ramp this year

 

[0neoldfart]

If the winch is mounted in the center wouldn't that only allow you to winch up 1 sled? Because if your winch is in the center and trying to winch up a sled sideways I could see it going off the ramp? I would like to be able to winch up 2 sleds with 1 winch ideally, and make it easily removeable, because anything left out isn't going to be there when you come back

Cyle, I don't use it to load sleds everyday - just use it for loading a disabled sled. I suppose one could make a mount that could be pinned to either side of the deck for every day use. (I've a 10' telescoping ramp with the marathon deck, so I've no problem loading the sleds. If there is one that is disabled, I've just winched it up dead center, then lifted it over to one side by hand... If you were to use it daily for loading - I'd likely use a 2500 lb winch, as the 1500 lb unit likely wouldn't last.

 

[Rprecision]

I have a single place tilting trailer. I addded a hand crank winch to the front to use in case a machine goes down.

Something along these lines:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=5798

A come along has alot of uses as well, I always carry one.

I thought about a electric winch, but in the end, a hand operated version is more reliable for my needs.

 

[Mtn. missle]

Winch ?

Cyle, I ride w/a friend that has a winch boom,works great. I always liked the idea of being able to load or unload your sled in tight parking ( plus I had an incident in my youth, put the skis on the cab- steep ramp loading, but I also don't drink 100 proof scnapps when I ride anymore. Most booms mount center in the back all the way through the deck too the bed this setup is not readilly removed though.I did see one mounted on the headache rack of a flatbed passenger side, never saw it work but I did like how it was mounted up front.

 

[Summitseeker]

I just had my F-3 fiddy stolen out of my driveway. What scares me is during the winter months I always load my sleds on my deck the night before so I do not wake up the neighbors when I leave the house early to get first tracks. They sit on my deck all night.

I got the truck back a week later with 700 additional KM on it and $12600.0 worth of damage.

Anyhow...I am now concerned about losing my sleds so I have been thinking about the winch idea just so I do not have to start the sleds up in the morning. You would need to have the winch on a slide and some type of pulley on each side so the cable does not tear up the deck at the angle point.

If anybody has done this....pics would be great!

 

[vmaxfrank]

I used a boat winch to haul my sled up once. I had a truck tow hook mounted to it to hook to the headache rack. Only problem was the handle had to turn a full 360. I now have an atv winch with a ratcheting handle like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Universal-ATV-Ratchet-Winch-Capacity/dp/B0000AXF5G

but I haven't tried it yet.

A 1500 lb electric would be more than enough. They go up very easy on the slides. If I had an electric, I'd just fab a mount in front of each sled and move it as needed. Only thing to watch for is the cable/strap rubbing when it makes the turn to go down the ramp. A piece of plastic or something there may save your strap over time.

Edit: I use my 2500lb atv winch to pull it up all the time. Works great even on the slick ski slides.

 

[rynokron]

The guy who sold me my deck had it setup with 2 cheapie winches. It worked ok. Carbides catch alot, but it can be done. For a dead slead it would shure beat the alternative. I ended up never using them and the last couple of years i never even put the battery in.

 

[Mtn. missle]

I can't believe there's not a pile of people on here that have seen or used a winch boom, I believe that's the system in question here. Not to say a winch up a ramp method would'nt work but the beauty of the boom is you don't need a ramp, wich is handy if you wan't to back into the last little hole in the parking area. Although I have not bought one I'm sure you could buy the whole unit, but if you were to build one don't go cheap sleds full of fuel, oil, wet snow in the skid, seat full of water etc.... make sure the load rating on the winch is enough all winches I have seen the rating is for a single wrap on the spool (I don't remeber how much but each wrap on the spool decreases the pulling or lifting capacity ). The boom mounts in the center at the rear of the bed it needs to extend through the deck and mount to the bed as far as batteries go there's different ways to do it one good method is to mount an rv type in the bed for the winch and wire it so the vehicle battery can charge it when running yet can't draw it down. Hope this info helps out any of the "shade tree fabricators" out ther

 

[Gimpster]

Been a ton of times I wished I had a winch.
Learned the lesson so when I built the gooseneck tailer, I put in a winch.
When I pick up a sled that does not run, to service in my shop, I have my quad loaded backwards in my truck and drag the sled up on the 2 place with the quad's winch
Winches come in handy for loading sleds for sure
I use a 'Y' strap to hook to the spindles when pulling them

----- Gimpster -----

 

[2zeros]

Winches?

My sled deck has two winches mounted on it. They are 1000lb. and are a little weak. But one guy can help the winch and get it done. I have bought a larger winch after using them a couple of times. I figure, what is the chance of two dead sleds? I wouldn't want to use them all of the time though, that would be waaaaaaaay too slow! But wouldn't take them off. I would spend the extra and get a good winch, instead of two cheapies. If you are winchin your sled up onto your truck, your day has probably gone bad, no sense in making it worse. Atleast now, you are at the truck! -00's