| When you're out exploring or working in the great | | | | winch capacity to find the capacity you need for |
| outdoors, there's no telling what kind of tricky | | | | the snatch block. Make sure the snatch block can |
| situations you may find yourself in. That's why it's | | | | handle the diameter of your cable. |
| best to be prepared for whatever life throws | | | | 4. Winch Tool #2: Tree Strap |
| your way. A winch can get you out when you | | | | 5. - If you're hooking up to a natural anchor point |
| find yourself stuck, but some situations may take | | | | such as a tree or rock, a tree saver strap will |
| a little more ingenuity and finesse. Here's where | | | | come in handy. Tree straps soften the impact on |
| your winch tools come to the rescue! | | | | the environment, unlike choker chains, which can |
| Don't go offroading without these 3 basic winch | | | | damage or kill trees. Your cable itself should never |
| tools: a snatch block, a tree strap, and a clevis | | | | wrap around an anchor point and hook back onto |
| shackle. | | | | itself. This can severely damage your cable. A |
| | | | tree strap saves your cable from rubbing against |
| 1. Winch Tool #1: Snatch Block | | | | abrasive surfaces and gives you a secure hold on |
| 2. - Whether you need to straighten out the cable | | | | your anchor point. |
| on a side pull or you need some extra "oomph" | | | | 6. Winch Tool #3: Clevis Shackle |
| for a really good stuck, a snatch block gives you | | | | 7. - A clevis D shackle (also known as D ring, |
| the power and flexibility you need. As an added | | | | anchor shackle, etc.) works as a link between the |
| bonus for heavy pulling, they also reduce amp | | | | tree strap (or other anchor point, such as a tow |
| draw and heat buildup. | | | | hook) and your cable hook. Check the working |
| 3. - In order to truly double the capacity of your | | | | load of your D shackle to make sure it can handle |
| winch, the snatch block capacity should be double | | | | what you put it up against. |
| the maximum capacity of your winch. For most | | | | With these 3 basic winch tools and a little |
| ATV or UTV winches, which generally run up to | | | | know-how, you can winch your way out of tricky |
| 4000 lbs, an 8K pulley block is more than | | | | spots and get back on the trail before you know |
| sufficient. For recovery winches, double your | | | | it! |