Flip flop off grid winch

[VanTalk00]

I know that winches have been a topic of interest in the forums.  I ran across a Youtube video that I thought was really cool.  For those who don't access Youtube, the idea is that using a few 8-10 foot 3" diameter branches or logs and a rope, you can fashion a winch to pull your vehicle out of the mud or sand or whatever. 

Basically, you tie the rope to the logs in such a way that when you put the logs at a right angle to each other, end to end, and flip them over each other incrementally, you wind the rope connected to the vehicle and anchor point around one of the logs.

Of course, a difficulty is that you may not have logs available, and an anchor point may not be readily accessible, but still ... worth knowing.  Might be handy to know in a pinch.

Jim

 

[bullfrog]

One of the more important things is to know that if you have stopped moving to not let the wheels continue to spin and dig a hole. You in most cases need to do something to stop them spinning, applying more power without traction is only going to make things much worse. Around Lake Powell the problem is usually anchor points and being held by suction created by soft wet sand or mud. Having a good long handle shovel to remove material to make a ramp for the buried tires, making sure no part of the frame or drive train is touching or plowing the ground so that you can air down the tires without touching before attempting wenching with anything will give you a much better chance of getting out rather than just digging a deeper hole for the tires and sucking the frame into the soft surface. I usually lay down some leveling blocks or wide boards that I use for leveling and attempt to jack up the vehicle. If the boards under the jack sink without raising the vehicle with the jack at full extension and I still cann't see under the truck I start looking for the nearest solid rocky ground and estimate the distance that is important to know when I call or send for help. While waiting I start digging. Make sure you have enough water and shade take breaks often and while doing so clean the muck off your shovel. If you use Facebook search Kiteley's potographs you will see what happens to a one ton extended cab 4x4 when this happens, note the ton or so dirt pile in front this was what was required before even the wrecker could get it out.

 

[Weldman]

Besides the obvious of digging your tires out and so forth, to help pull the vehicle out I use a chain fall from Harbor Freight combined with chain and or cable. Once lost a F450 over side of the mountain in National Forest, took me 3 days to recover it myself with one. Those chain falls are life savers.

 

[Gr8ful]

A 5' jeep jack, a cable with a slider to move as you go, a cable come along, a heavy T post cut to 3' & a sledge to drive at an angle & you can get out of anything. The jeep jack can lift the vehicle to fill the hole with rock, wood etc & hab pull or push. The T post is when there's no trees to hook to. Where I used to go there was no calling anyone & a 40 mile walk out was not an option. I always think how'd they do this 100 years ago?

 

[Gr8ful]

To get any dozer out chain a log or railroad tie to the tracks & it will suck it under the dozer which will almost stand up staight before flopping down on frest ground. Works every time.

 

[Gr8ful]

Unless they've changed it in the last few years all John Deere keys from lawn mowers to dozers were the same. I was stuck many miles from anywhere & the had a JD dozer logging & I tried the key as I'd heard this & it worked but it wasn't mine so I did it the hard but honest way.

 

[bullfrog]

You can if stuck in sand and have wheels with holes use long tow straps attached to the rear wheels by putting the end eye of the strap through the hole of the wheel and then through the other end eye of the strap, tightening it so the strap is in the center of the tire tread (deflating the tire some helps) and attaching the free end to a buried spare tire or looping it around a heavy duty sand filled bag that is buried as an anchor. By slowly spinning the tire in reverse the strap will go under the tire and wind up on the tire wenching out itself. The only problem is keeping the strap straight enough so it stays on the tire and of course all the digging required. Not too many people know how to use a shovel nowdays!

 

[VanTalk00]

By slowly spinning the tire in reverse the strap will go under the tire and wind up on the tire wenching out itself.  The only problem is keeping the strap straight enough so it stays on the tire and of course all the digging required.  Not too many people know how to use a shovel nowdays!

Very ingenious!  Also, the spare tire idea.

 

[bullfrog]

Loop the strap so it comes around the bottom of the spare tire if possible and slant the top of the tire away from the vehicle at least 3' down in the sand with a small trench on an angle for the strap to lay in so it pulls at less of an angle to the strap. There is a heavy duty tarp with straps on all four corners that is sold just for this purpose that works well in sand, but it isn't cheap. A good big heavy bag like a duffle bag or dry bag with the strap looped around the middle works also if buried deep enough.

 

[B and C]

Thanks for the new term "chain fall". Never heard them called that before. We always referred to them as a chain hoist.

 

[Ticklebellly]

I have used the Flip Flop winch a few years ago. Only had to move a small vehicle out of a spoon drain and had limited equipment on hand. Lucky to have a pruning saw, boat anchor rope, and a near by stand of saplings. Oh so slow but when you are miles from help on a forest track........

Good post, will add to people's list of options.

 

[regis101]

I'm wanting to think this isn't about the truck. It's about the winch itself.
Now it's clear how the pyramids were built.

 

[highdesertranger]

or you could just use a regular winch,





highdesertranger

 

[highdesertranger]

I think Gr8ful is referring to a Farm Jack or a more common name Hi-Lift jack. I have never heard it called a Jeep Jack. highdesertranger

 

[regis101]

killjoy

 

[bullfrog]

They make a large snap on base plate for the Hi-Lift jack but I had a hard time digging it out after it and the 2"x10"x4' board it was on sunk in the soft wet sand yesterday and mine is the 5 footer! We called the tow truck because we figured we would do more damage than the tow bill costs, his insurance was already buying a front spoiler, and my winch and straps are only good for about 125'.

 

[Gr8ful]

Google "jeep jack" & you'll see. I have electric winches 9,000, 12,500 , 17,500# & 2500# for the 4 wheelers but it's nice to know how to do it the manual way. I use hitch mounts front & rear & keep the winch in a case. BTW your capacity is 1/2 with a full spool of cable & the cut off T post driven on an angle is handy as it seems trees are never in the right place.

 

[Marco56]

I have 12,000lb warn winch and it never lets me down on emergency cases. It's better to have one than not have at all. A lot of options here for best winches.

 

[SLB_SA]

A 5' jeep jack, a cable with a slider to move as you go, a cable come along, a heavy T post cut to 3' & a sledge to drive at an angle & you can get out of anything. The jeep jack can lift  the vehicle to fill the hole with rock, wood etc & hab pull or push. The T post is when there's no trees to hook to. Where I used to go there was no calling anyone & a 40 mile walk out was not an option. I always think how'd they do this 100 years ago?

You don't have a satellite phone?  One of my brothers has lived on the road for 8-10 years and always has satellite phone service.  He used to fix (the electronics in) cell towers and cell systems in airports, etc.; he got calls to immediately drive to an airport and fly to Las Vegas or Jackson Hole or SF or somewhere.  His RV has a garage for his smart car.  He would not be without a satellite phone because he can get pretty far from a cell tower, especially when he lived in Arizona.

 

[crofter]

While you are doing that, I will be doing this. Link to coffee.
-crofter