Winch for Smart car or utv

[alan0043]

Hi Everyone,

A question came to my mind when reading the thread about getting parts ready for the deck of the truck that Dave (Mr.Cob) started. I was asking different questions about the parts needed for Smart car or a utv for the deck of the truck. My questions were mainly about what parts are needed. So I thought it would be better to start a new topic about where to mount the winch and what parts are needed. I also understand there is a group of people who drive there Smart car up on the deck. The only piece of equipment that I drove onto the deck of my first truck was my Polaris RZR. That was easy because I used 4 wheel drive in low range. The Smart cars don't have 4 wheel drive or low range. I don't want to burn up the clutch or damage the drive train. That is the reason for the questions and opinions needed. To a lot of you guys this is old hat. But I am still learning a lot about these trucks. I need opinions and ideas. There is no bad opinion or idea. I also think this thread could help anyone building their own deck.

Here are some of my questions. Do you mount the winch on the truck or on the rear or front of the car ? What parts do you use to make the electrical connections for the winch ? Especially if you are using the winch mounted onto the car ? Do you use the car battery if the winch is used on the car ? If the winch is mounted on the truck deck do you use the truck batteries or a stand alone battery ? Has anyone made their winch portable for the deck of the truck ? Right now this is all the questions I have but I know more will come later.

Al

[Hewhoknowslittle]

Alan I drive my car on the truck and as long as you don’t stop midway and try to take off the clutch is always engaged no damage if you’ve driven your UTV up there you can you can drive your car up there, it’s different but it’s the same just the first time gives you a lot of butterflies.

Roger

[Dennis M]

Alan,

I have always winched up and now I drive off. My winch is mounted under the deck with a removable arm that brings the cable up to the height of the drawbar on the smart. You can see pics here.

I started with a 2.5 k winch which failed after a couple of years. I now have an 8k winch and that has been fine for 6 + years.

[Jack Mayer]

The Warn (89041) with synthetic is what we use on our builds. It has enough power, and it is already strung with synthetic. I caution against using a steel cable. HERE is the wireless remote as well.

We mount under the deck inside the compartment. Then a receiver tube is used to extend a single arm with two pullies up to the bumper height of the car. There are lots of pictures around that show this as well as probably a dozen videos on our Youtube channel.

As I previously said, I'll probably make the chocks, baskets, and arms available for sale for those that do not want to build your own (they will be powder coated). But not for at LEAST a few weeks yet. Really, it is not hard to build the arms, and you will save money doing it yourself (mainly because of shipping costs). I'll publish the specs when I get back to the shop and CAD. Each deck will vary a little, though.

[SuiteSuccess]

Al,

My winch is under the bed and the synthetic rope is elevated by a riser like yours. I have a Warn 8000 #. Overkill for sure but absolutely no issues in seven years.   A smart is 1600+ lbs so I think using a 2000 lb winch is testing the limits over time. I would suggest minimum of 4000#. Now I realize a rolling pull is not the full 1600# but still it is using a significant % of the capacity of a smaller winch. I would also recommend attaching either permanently or otherwise to truck simply because wrestling around a larger winch to attach to a tow bar might be cumbersome. My winch connects to truck batteries with 3/0 cable run of about seven feet with cutoff switch. 

[alan0043]

2 hours ago, Hewhoknowslittle said:

Alan I drive my car on the truck and as long as you don’t stop midway and try to take off the clutch is always engaged no damage if you’ve driven your UTV up there you can you can drive your car up there, it’s different but it’s the same just the first time gives you a lot of butterflies.

Roger

Hi Roger,

P/M has been sent.      Al

[alan0043]

58 minutes ago, Jack Mayer said:

The Warn (89041) with synthetic is what we use on our builds. It has enough power, and it is already strung with synthetic. I caution against using a steel cable. HERE is the wireless remote as well.

We mount under the deck inside the compartment. Then a receiver tube is used to extend a single arm with two pullies up to the bumper height of the car. There are lots of pictures around that show this as well as probably a dozen videos on our Youtube channel.

As I previously said, I'll probably make the chocks, baskets, and arms available for sale for those that do not want to build your own (they will be powder coated). But not for at LEAST a few weeks yet. Really, it is not hard to build the arms, and you will save money doing it yourself (mainly because of shipping costs). I'll publish the specs when I get back to the shop and CAD. Each deck will vary a little, though.

Hi Jack,

Thank you for making the offer of posting the specs of the various parts. This will be a big help. I won't have to reinvent the wheel. I have two sons that are good welders. They work in the trades as pipe fitters. I will have them help me out. The nice thing is that I know the right people that can help me.

Please keep the ideas and opinions coming,
Al

[wtgeodog]

I winch our smart4two on from the front and back it off.

I have my winch mounted to an arm which I mount into a receiver on the top of my bed. It is removable.

I power the winch from the truck batteries using Anderson Powerpole connectors.

I ran a circuit for the winch remote from the left side to the right side thru one of the 2 X 2 cross members. 

 

ShortyO

[Darryl&Rita]

3500 # SuperWinch, with synthetic rope. Mounted to whatever I want to winch. Powered by an AGM 12 volt battery out of a UPS system that went back under warranty, manufacturer didn't want to deal with the weight of 18 batteries inside. Winch has been used to load/unload golf carts, garden tractors, ATV's, etc from multiple vehicles, not just the KW. The cross bar the winch is mounted on has been chained in place, ratchet strapped, and mounts on the car using 2 of the factory tow hooks installed in the rear valence. If the car has to be loaded forward, 1 tow hook is used in the factory location, and the winch is secured to the truck. This is not my preferred method, but has been used, with a piece of plastic mud flap used to protect the paint on the deck. The wired remote is used usually, as I prefer to keep the control in my hand. I have let others run the wired remote, but will probably step up to a wireless remote at some point. 

[mr. cob]

Howdy Al,

Thanks for starting this thread and thanks to all who have contributed to it. 

I know NOTHING about running a web site but is there anyway that build threads could be stored in one place where they are easy to find, having such a place rather then dealing with a search would sure make life and LEARNING a lot easier for those of us such as MYSELF who are computer challenged.

Dave

[Moresmoke]

3 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Al,

My winch is under the bed and the synthetic rope is elevated by a riser like yours. I have a Warn 8000 #. Overkill for sure but absolutely no issues in seven years.   A smart is 1600+ lbs so I think using a 2000 lb winch is testing the limits over time. I would suggest minimum of 4000#. Now I realize a rolling pull is not the full 1600# but still it is using a significant % of the capacity of a smaller winch. I would also recommend attaching either permanently or otherwise to truck simply because wrestling around a larger winch to attach to a tow bar might be cumbersome. My winch connects to truck batteries with 3/0 cable run of about seven feet with cutoff switch. 

One thing to remember is that the rated pull for a winch is on the first wrap of the drum.  If you have a full drum of line, (only 8' left to pull in at the hardest pull loading a car) there may be less than 50% of the winch's rated pull available.

[alan0043]

19 hours ago, mr. cob said:

Howdy Al,

Thanks for starting this thread and thanks to all who have contributed to it. 

I know NOTHING about running a web site but is there anyway that build threads could be stored in one place where they are easy to find, having such a place rather then dealing with a search would sure make life and LEARNING a lot easier for those of us such as MYSELF who are computer challenged.

Dave

Hi Dave,

I like your idea about putting the info in one place so it could be found easily. I am computer challenged myself. I have a feeling that there is a place for this info but I won't not know where to look.

Please keep the ideas coming. It is nice to see how different people use different ways of doing things.

Al

[alan0043]

22 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said:

Al,

My winch is under the bed and the synthetic rope is elevated by a riser like yours. I have a Warn 8000 #. Overkill for sure but absolutely no issues in seven years.   A smart is 1600+ lbs so I think using a 2000 lb winch is testing the limits over time. I would suggest minimum of 4000#. Now I realize a rolling pull is not the full 1600# but still it is using a significant % of the capacity of a smaller winch. I would also recommend attaching either permanently or otherwise to truck simply because wrestling around a larger winch to attach to a tow bar might be cumbersome. My winch connects to truck batteries with 3/0 cable run of about seven feet with cutoff switch. 

Hi Carl,

I have a question or too for you. What size fuse our you using for your winch ? Also, what style fuse is being used ? Is it like the style of fuse that is used for the inverter ? What does your cutoff switch look like ? I am at a lost when it comes to the cutoff switch ? Any think that you can post would be great.

Please keep the info coming guys,
Al

[Hewhoknowslittle]

Here are some of my pictures of the placement of the new straps I bought and how they look on the tire, I really like these over the basket straps that I had, a lot easier and faster, now if I could upload a video of loading the car I would.

Roger

 

[Jack Mayer]

The straps like Roger use work quite well and are widely used in the towing industry. As are basket straps. I'll likely use the straight ones on my next (personal) build  - which will be soon. I don't know which style is "technically" better. I've asked towing professionals and companies that produce the products and get conflicting answers.  I've used the straight ones on trailers towing cars quite a lot, and they seem to hold better than baskets in some circumstances...but I'm not a "towing professional".

[SuiteSuccess]

Al,

Will email you in next couple of days. D’s mom was gravely I’ll and we had to take quick trip to Texas. On the road home now. She is better. 

Jack and Roger,

I am interested in your experiences with the single straps. I originally used them with two rubber tread blocks per strap but found if I tightened them down starting the trip that when checking at first stop they had stretched and loosened and required re-tightening. This might occur several times. So my solution is webs over front tires with lash winches and single straps with blocks to d rings on back. Makes me feel even with stretching the webs wouldn’t come off. I check every stop. I also will point out when I had to make a 350 mile leg without a stop to get home quickly one of my single straps had actually come off a tire. 

[billr]

Carl

I have used the single straps in Rogers pics since 2009  never had them slack at all. I do cinch then pretty tight though. 

I like them. Never used baskets. 

[GlennWest]

I use baskets. They can be tightened down well at ratchet and be loose at bed ring attachment. Will loosen back up and pull to tighten and reratchet. It is never as tight at inside as it is at ratchet. Have wondered if single strap better.

[rickeieio]

Hadn't considered that Glenn.  My single straps should be here tomorrow.  When I load, I'll try tightening front, then back, then front again.  This might me why Carl had straps loosen?

[Hewhoknowslittle]

 That’s what I did not like about my tire baskets could not get the front part tight. With these the straps slide in the  rubber blocks and the front is tight as well as the back the tire is squatting on the bed I probably have them too tight but it’s a short drive tomorrow when I get there I’ll check it out. 

Roger

[billr]

I usually tighten rear then front No real reason. With 4 chocks now they tighten up and never need adj. 

Im sure single straps or baskets they both do good job and car is going no where. 😎

[alan0043]

On 1/2/2018 at 6:13 PM, SuiteSuccess said:

Al,

Will email you in next couple of days. D’s mom was gravely I’ll and we had to take quick trip to Texas. On the road home now. She is better. 

Jack and Roger,

I am interested in your experiences with the single straps. I originally used them with two rubber tread blocks per strap but found if I tightened them down starting the trip that when checking at first stop they had stretched and loosened and required re-tightening. This might occur several times. So my solution is webs over front tires with lash winches and single straps with blocks to d rings on back. Makes me feel even with stretching the webs wouldn’t come off. I check every stop. I also will point out when I had to make a 350 mile leg without a stop to get home quickly one of my single straps had actually come off a tire. 

Hi Carl,

I am not in any hurry for the info or pictures. Please take care of the family first. It is good to hear that your mother-in-law is doing better.

I think some of the other guys also have the info that I am looking for also. I know how your equipment works. And I also know how you are about your truck. Electrical stuff is always a challenge to me. That is what pictures work so good for me.

Take your time for the info,
Al

[alan0043]

19 hours ago, Hewhoknowslittle said:

Here are some of my pictures of the placement of the new straps I bought and how they look on the tire, I really like these over the basket straps that I had, a lot easier and faster, now if I could upload a video of loading the car I would.

Roger

 

Hi Roger,

Thank you for posting the pictures. I think the pictures will be a big help to a lot of people. I would like to ask for one more thing. I remember you telling me that you got the tire straps thru amazon. Do you have a link for the straps ? It also looks like the D-rings are in the center of the tire tracks. I'm I seeing that right ?

Thank you again for the pictures,  Stay warm
Al

[Hewhoknowslittle]

2 hours ago, alan0043 said:

Hi Roger,

Thank you for posting the pictures. I think the pictures will be a big help to a lot of people. I would like to ask for one more thing. I remember you telling me that you got the tire straps thru amazon. Do you have a link for the straps ? It also looks like the D-rings are in the center of the tire tracks. I'm I seeing that right ?

Thank you again for the pictures,  Stay warm
Al

Al, 

Yes there are D-rings in the middle of the tire tracks, as we spoke on the phone you can mock yours up where the strap is going straight up at the D-ring.

This 4 hour trip today the straps are still tight front and rear and centered in the tire where I put them, I am very satisfied on my purchase. 

Here is the link

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0721GKK9S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Roger

[Jack Mayer]

22 hours ago, GlennWest said:

I use baskets. They can be tightened down well at ratchet and be loose at bed ring attachment. Will loosen back up and pull to tighten and reratchet. It is never as tight at inside as it is at ratchet. Have wondered if single strap better.

And that is exactly the argument for the single strap. In my experieince, the single strap never loosens if tightened down firmly.