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Anyone use a hand winch on their car trailer?

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15K views 30 replies 28 participants last post by  JZ9C1LT1  
#1 ·
I bought a new trailer earlier this year, and need to put a winch on it. It's not something I plan to use with any amount of regularity, but more of an insurance policy if/when my car cannot be driven on the trailer. I don't really care to put a battery on the trailer, so I was exploring different quick disconnect options when I came across the old school hand crank winches. Other than a lack of convenience when I actually have to use it, is there any reason I shouldn't go with a hand winch?
 
#6 ·
#7 ·
I used a hand winch for years.... developing muscles when stuff broke.

Then I put a cheap electric winch on the trailer and wondered why I did the hand crank for so long.
 
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#11 ·
#13 ·
My neighbor ran battery lines from the engine compartment back to his trailer hitch like the ones they have on tow trucks made another set to plug into and run to winch which he put a tool box on the trailer for straps and everything else at bottom he put his winch put a flap on the back side for the cable to run through works like a charm no issues as you cannot tell he has the winch.
 
#14 ·
Put an electric winch from harbor freight with a deep cell battery. HF even has a wireless remote kit which is great. Bought my used 24' enclosed with that set up installed by the previous owner 5 years ago....its been a life saver. I use it all the time too. I recently put a synthetic rope on my winch....great upgrade👍
 
#15 ·
I have an old antique hand winch on one of my trailers. My dad had it when I was a kid, and I winched many many junkers on the trailer in the last 30 years. Never failed due to a dead battery. Never failed due to bad battery connections. Never overheated it over-winching something, and nobody has ever stolen it. Ill keep that bitch forever!
Yes I have an electric winch on my big trailer for the heavy stuff. But that old hand crank winch has never let me down!
 
#21 ·
I used cheap Hazard Fraught come-alongs for years to load the junk that I hauled home.
Finally got a Smittybuilt and mounted it using pieces of a receiver hitch on the trailer. Easy to take off and lock up.
HF aren't anywhere close to weatherproof, Smtty is.
I also ran good sized cables in the frame rails of my tow pickup from the battery all the way to the bumper and mounted welder plugs under the bumper for easy plug-in.
 
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#28 ·
On my open I put a HF winch on it. I also didn’t want to put a battery on the trailer. So I ran welding cable from a relay at the truck battery back to a 50 amp Anderson connector miunted on the bumper. Then the trailer side to the winch. Run the truck all the power you need. I bought another connector and made a set of jumper cables. Just start the truck and plug them in and flip the rocker switch on the dash.
 
#30 ·
No way in hell.
Make a mount so you can put it on when needed.
Grap some 6 gauge and build a jumper cable to the truck.
Never have to worry about winch being destroyed or stolen, or having a dead battery for the winch.
 
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