Perhaps you are going off-road, and you are wondering what to do if you get stuck. Worse if your winch is not functional. The best option to get out of the situation is to use a winch. However, the use of a winch in places where there are unforeseen obstacles is another problematic situation. You may require a remote to make your work easier. What if you don’t have the remote? Don’t fret. To make sure you are ready for a trail recovery, we suggest the following guides when you do not have the controller.

How to use winch without remote step by step guide

The following winching guide will come in handy in your preparation for using your winch without the remote.

Prepare your winch cable.

When preparing the winch, you will need to stretch winch cable, to ensure that it is smooth. Pre-stretching the cable eliminates the weak points. You start by unwinding the full length of the rope, but remember to leave at least five wraps on the drum. Find a secure anchor point and pull your vehicle slightly.

Set up the Pull.

The anchor point has to be strong enough to accommodate the stress during winching. You should make an anchor point that is in a straight line with the direction the vehicle would move. By doing so, you will enable the winch to pull with its maximum power and make the rope to wind smoothly onto the drum. Ensure that you hook the cable at the lower point for the most considerable force during the winch.

Pull out Wire

Stretch out the wire to your anchor point while maintaining the tension and ensure it does not tangle. Now place the wire rope securely onto the anchor point.

Make sure the winch line has a damper.

Occasionally during winching, you may experience winch cable break due to a lot of tension. If you want to minimize stress during winching, you should place a dumper in the middle of the cable; that is between the anchor point and the winch. Dumper can be a blanket, your jacket, or even a tree branch, but make sure it has a considerable weight. Remember to remove the cable wrap before it enters the roller head. You are not supposed to replace the cable wrap during the winching operation until the tension is off. If it falls off, you need to put off the tension before returning the cover.

Tension the Cable

Before you have to start the real Pull, you have first to stretch the cable. You can achieve this by starting the winch and pulsing it slowly until the tension is achieved. During the winching operation, keep an eye on the cable carefully to ensure that it is winching smoothly on to the drum.

Running A Winch Without A Remote

Running a winch without a remote can be challenging; however, it is possible. You need to hardwire a switch into the cab of your car. To get started you pull to remove the cover of solenoid pack, and short wires across the prongs for the plug, you will be able to identify the cable that controls the winch quickly. Once you know this, either hardwire a switch to this or find a generic plug disconnect to hook it up, and you are good to go.

Engaging your Winch for the Pull.

Now that you have set up the winching operation correctly, you are ready to initiate the Pull. Test the winch solenoid to ensure that it is going to activate the winch motor when starting the winch. Anything can happen during operation. A cable may break due to too much tension. To ensure the safety of this operation, you must be in a safe zone around the winching area. Watch out for people or animals passing by to make sure they are not hurt in case anything went wrong.

Start The Pull With An Established Safety Zone In Place.

Check if the cable wrap is securely placed in the middle of the cable, and the winch cable has achieved a slight tension state before you start the winching operation. Since you are not going to be using the remote, start your vehicle’s engine either from inside or side of the car. Begin the winching operation slowly by manually switching on the winch motor from a safe distance. Do not quickly take up the slack in the cable as it may cause jerking of the rope. Taking up the slack soon may put stress on the winch and the cable.

Once the cable is under tension, continue with the winching until the vehicle start to move out. Start winching slowly and steadily for a period not to exceed two minutes per Pull. Exceeding two minutes will place a strain on your electrical system and the winch. Taking a short break in-between one minute pulls allows the battery to recharge and therefore provide the maximum pulling power.

Verify Pull Results.

Once the vehicle is on the secure ground and can be safely driven, the winching operation is over. Stop the winching process by carefully reducing the tension and put the vehicle in park gear, and set the parking brake. Since you are not using the controller, correctly switch off the winch motor and separate the winch cable from the anchor point while ensuring that the cable is untangled.

Rewind the Cable Wire.

You have safely removed the vehicle, and what remains is to pack your stuff. You now begin by rewinding the wire cable to the winch drum. However, the process looks simple, but you need to exercise due care. If the winch rope tangle in the process, it can cause you problems during your next winching. You need to rewind your wire cable neatly. Be careful as you wind next to the roller head as you may get your fingers pinched.

Things to check During the Pull

Below are a few tips to ensure that your winching process is a success. Make sure all of the following is happening during the pulling process:

• The winch cable should be pulling in tightly across the winch drum. Carefully check if the cable is pulling on one side.
• Avoid jerk pulls during the winching process as it can cause unnecessary pressure on the cable and potentially cause it to break.

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Final Word

You can now safely operate the winch with the above procedures without a controller. However, the benefit of having a remote in your car is that you don’t have to dig through a tedious process. The above guide comes in handy when you gate into a hairy situation without a remote.

Image Credit: https://www.pickwinch.com/how-to-use-warn-winch/