12,000lb winches save lives, it’s as simple as that. Big call, but you’ll know what we mean if who’ve been saved by the humble 12v winch. Picture your 4WD teetering on the edge of a steep drop off with no one else around… what would you do?

You could run the 4×4 winch cable or synthetic winch rope out to the nearest tree, throw on the damper and hope for the best, but what if there were no trees? Or better still, what if the only way out was backwards?

DOUBLE LINE PULLS

A double line winch pull effectively doubles the pulling power of your 4WD winch while effectively halving the winching speed. To achieve one the 4×4 winch line is run to its anchor point, through a snatch block then back to the vehicle where it is attached to a rated recovery point. It’s worth practicing this method a few times before using it in anger as it can be a little extra setup time involving more steps than a single line pull.

WHEN TO USE A DOUBLE LINE PULL

There are two common situations where a double line pull using your 4×4 winch is useful. The first is when it is obvious the amount of muscle required to free the 4WD will put the 12,000lb winch at severe risk of being overloaded or the winch stalls mid-use. Terrains such as mud or steep obstacles work your 4WD winch hard and it’s often best to use the pulley. Using a snatch block doubles the capacity of the 4×4 winch while halving the load on the winch. This means it’ll lead to an increased 12,000lb winch service life and reduced strain on your battery, winch motor, gearbox and line. 

The second situation where you might find it’s a useful technique is when you are using your 4WD winch to recover another vehicle that exceeds the 1.5 times the GVM golden rule of 4×4 winch capacities. This is achieved by attaching the snatch block to a rated recovery point on the vehicle needing recovery and running the line back to your truck.

TRIPLE LINE PULLS

The ultimate in 4WD winch power is the triple line pull. This method involves using a two winch blocks to create three lines running between your 4WD and the anchor point. To set one up run the winch line to the anchor, attach a snatch block then run the rope back to the vehicle where the second pulley is attached to a recovery point. Lastly run the cable back to the anchor point where it is terminated using a rated bow shackle. This triples the pulling power of the 12,000lb winch and the cost of retrieval speed.

WHEN TO USE A TRIPLE LINE PULL

A triple line pull is for the very extreme recoveries such as deep muddy situations or boggy sands, the sort of stuff nightmares are made of. They require a lot of gear and finding a suitable anchor might be difficult as you’ll need enough rope to run a line between your truck and the tree three times. That said, they offer a huge amount of pulling power. For example if you’re using a 12,000lb winch a triple line pull will effectively put the capacity of the winch at 36,000lb or 18T. If you can’t recover a truck with that much pull you’d best be reaching for the shovel.

BONUS: DOUBLE YOUR 4×4 WINCHES LIFE!

4WD Winches are mounted on the front of the vehicle, which means they’re exposed to all the bad elements that make mechanical part fail. The biggest reason you’ll find winches letting you down on the tracks is a lack of basic maintenance. Even though a winch may be sealed everything needs pulling down and regreasing every now and again. A basic schedule such as rope removal, cleaning and inspection, gearbox regrease and a motor check-up goes a long way to extending the life of your 4WD winch and ensuring that it is ready to be put to work whenever you need it to. Make a habit of spooling or running out your synthetic winch rope every time you wash your 4WD, or at least once a month. This will let you inspect your 4×4 winch’s synthetic winch rope for damage, and will let you spool your 12,000lb winch all the way back in nice and neat.

Use these tips to get the most out of your 12,000lb 4WD winch and you’ll be ready to take on any obstacle on your next offroad adventure!