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Tensioning winch cable

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Got my first winch. Badlands Apex. Read through the manual about tensioning the sythetic rope. I'm assuming I need to have the rope straight out from the truck which I start tensioning it. Will it automatically scroll back and forth as it winches in or do i need to put some sort of side tension on the rope so it wraps correctly?

I tried it at my office today, we have a sight incline in the parking lot. Had it wrapped around a steel bollard but is was off center of the truck and the winch kept wrapping on one end of the winch.

I'm assuming any time I use the winch I need to re-tension it afterwards?
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You'll have to move it side to side yourself as it pulls in so it sits evenly. Wear some gloves because the rope can still tear your hands up pretty good.
 

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You do not need to re-tension after you do it for the first time.

When you first tension the rope, you will want to guide the rope back and forth across the winch.
If you can enlist the help of a co-worker, you can have them sit inside the JT and gently apply the brakes to add some additional tension.
That will allow you to be in front of the jeep, control the spooling and guide it
 

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Point the Jeep straight at the bollard, tranny in neutral, engine running, light parking brake.
Guide the line by hand and only hand tension for the first half drum. Guide the coils so they wrap close. Leave your window down to adjust steering as necessary.
 

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Got my first winch. Badlands Apex. Read through the manual about tensioning the sythetic rope. I'm assuming I need to have the rope straight out from the truck which I start tensioning it. Will it automatically scroll back and forth as it winches in or do i need to put some sort of side tension on the rope so it wraps correctly?

I tried it at my office today, we have a sight incline in the parking lot. Had it wrapped around a steel bollard but is was off center of the truck and the winch kept wrapping on one end of the winch.

I'm assuming any time I use the winch I need to re-tension it afterwards?
WARN technique.

 

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Steel cable or sythetic rope needs to be prestretch before using. What I do. Is to spool all of the rope out but for 5 wraps on the drum. Anchor the one end to a good size pole or post. Back the truck up until there is some tension on the rope. Set the parking brake. Now spool in, dragging the truck. Keep an eye on the drum. You don't want the rope to overlap it's self. When it starts to. Stop, and pull out the rope that starting to overlap. Spool in guiding with your hand. BE CAREFULLY!! Keep going until you are almost to your anchor. Now you can unhook your anchor, pull all the rope back out but for the last 5 wraps on the drum. Respool using you hand to guide it in. It's best to do this on the grass.
 

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Don’t let it go all the way out… you can ruin your line. I know … broke mine on a previous winch. Not a fun repair.

the recommended guidelines above work really well

gl op
 

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Got my first winch. Badlands Apex. Read through the manual about tensioning the sythetic rope. I'm assuming I need to have the rope straight out from the truck which I start tensioning it. Will it automatically scroll back and forth as it winches in or do i need to put some sort of side tension on the rope so it wraps correctly?

I tried it at my office today, we have a sight incline in the parking lot. Had it wrapped around a steel bollard but is was off center of the truck and the winch kept wrapping on one end of the winch.

I'm assuming any time I use the winch I need to re-tension it afterwards?
I had that happen to mine and I have to redo it. Truck would go into autopark everytime I tried to get out and guide the rope. I tried to let it do it on its own but it didn't work
 

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I have the Smittybilt XRC and the manual said to tension it with about 500#, iirc.

When you do pull in the line, remember not to let it slide in your hand.
 

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I have the Smittybilt XRC and the manual said to tension it with about 500#, iirc.

When you do pull in the line, remember not to let it slide in your hand.
Yep. wear a good pair of gloves with a leather palm.
 

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I'll give it another go this weekend with my daughter in the drivers seat.
 
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Tensioned it up myself this weekend. I think I got it would pretty well. I did notice when under load, the winch was pressed up against the bumper. Normally there is maybe a 1/4" gap between the two. When I finished tensioning the rope, I noticed the 1/4" gap was back

When I got home I tightened up the 4 winch bolts attached through the plate. Bolts were pretty tight already. Is this normal when the winch is under load? Maybe there is some flex in the plate?
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