Winter may be a couple of months away still, but the cold weather is already starting to settle in and soon enough we’ll be embracing winter’s chill. With this in mind, it’s important that you’re prepared for the cold conditions ahead and maintain your winch properly and effectively, ensuring it continues to work efficiently and remains in optimal health amongst the cold conditions.
As winch specialists, we’ve put together this essential guide for you, detailing how the cold may affect or damage your winch, along with the ultimate winch-care checklist you can follow to mitigate the chances of this happening. Read on to learn more.
How Can Cold Weather Affect Your Winch?
There are various ways in which the cold weather has the potential to affect various aspects of your winch. Firstly, cold temperatures can cause certain parts of your winch to freeze – especially after periods of rain.
For example, whilst synthetic cables are often recommended over steel cables (depending on the application), these have the potential to freeze together, which can then cause kinks in the rope or abrasions, ultimately making your winch unsafe and ineffective to use.
In areas where there is a particularly salty environment (e.g. those who live/work by the coast), then it’s not just water that should be a concern but salt water. Salt is a corrosive substance, so saltwater has the potential to cause even more damage in the winter than simply plain water.
Cold temperatures also cause hard materials, such as metals, to become more rigid. As such, various aspects of your winch may become more brittle, for example steel cables and hooks, thus making them more prone to breakage – especially under excessive strain.
Lubricants and liquids can also become thicker in cold weather and batteries may be less effective, all of which have the potential to then impact your winch’s performance.
So, what can you do to overcome all of these factors? Check out our top winter maintenance tips below.
Top Winter Winch Maintenance Tips
Lubrication
Adequate lubrication is essential for safe and proper winch operation all throughout the year, but especially so during the winter months.
Lubricant helps to ensure that all moving parts operate smoothly. Without this, then friction can occur between parts that move together and cables may corrode and rust from within, ultimately damaging your winch and rendering it unusable.
During the winter, the cold temperatures can cause lubricants to thicken, thus becoming less effective. That’s why it’s important to more regularly check that there is enough lubricant in your winch and to consider using a low-temperature lubricant.
Low-temperature lubricants are less prone to the effects of cold temperatures, so you won’t have to worry about them thickening or freezing in comparison to traditional lubricants, allowing your winch components to continue operating smoothly.
Inspection
Since damage is more likely to occur during the winter months, it’s imperative that you regularly check and inspect the various components of your winch before each use – especially before its first use in the winter or between prolonged periods of inactivity.
The various components to check in particular include:
- Cables
- The battery
- Lubricants
- Hooks
- Straps
Checking your cables includes looking for any kinks, fraying or flat spots. If you do notice any damage, then it’s important that these are repaired or the cable replaced before your winch is used. Because cables are prone to freezing in cold temperatures, this is why you should inspect them before each use. You should also periodically move the cable (especially if you don’t need to use your winch regularly)- to maintain its flexibility and prevent ice buildup.
Batteries tend to perform less effectively in the cold, which can drain their charge quicker. Consider using a battery insulator or battery blanket to maintain a consistent temperature for your winch battery, allowing the winch itself to then work more efficiently.
Cleaning
Because winches are renowned for being heavy-duty, it’s all too easy to become complicit in not staying on top of their maintenance – such as regular cleaning. This is important for not only prolonging the life of your winch, but ensuring it remains safe to operate.
During the cold months, try to get in the habit of cleaning your winch after every use. Be sure to remove any and all dirt, debris and salt after every use to reduce the potential for corrosion. You should also periodically remove any old grease from lubricants using a dry cloth or rag, then use a soft, dry brush and a cocktail stick for cleaning more intricate areas.
A thorough clean can ensure you get the most use out of your winch in the winter.
Spooling
It’s recommended to test your winch by unwinding and winding the cable on the spool before using it. Spooling it in and out lets you check that the winch is working properly before using it to tow a load; it’s better to identify any damage before using your winch for the purpose you need it for, as these can and should be rectified first and foremost.
You should also use this moment to check that the cable is spooled correctly around the drum. There shouldn’t be any kinks, tangles or lateral overlapping – if there is, then respool the drum so that the cable is neatly wound around it.
Neat spooling is essential for ensuring that the layers of cables don’t slip under one another, which can put additional stress on the line when holding a load – making it more prone to damage and/or breakage.
Antifreeze Hydraulics
If you own a hydraulic winch, then you’ll want to make sure that you use a hydraulic fluid equipped with antifreeze properties. This allows the fluid to withstand colder temperatures without thickening, so that the winch can continue to operate efficiently.
To change the hydraulic fluid in your winch’s system, you’ll need to:
- Locate the drain plug and remove it.
- Let the existing oil drain out.
- Replace the drain plug.
- Locate the fill plug and remove it.
- Fill with the new antifreeze hydraulic oil.
- Replace the fill plug.
Monitoring
You should always continually monitor your winch whilst you’re using it. Your winch equipment is more prone to stress in cold weather, so pay attention to any unusual noises or vibrations that don’t usually occur. Identifying potential issues early lets you undertake repairs as soon as possible before these become worse and cause more potential damage.
When using your winch, it’s also a good idea to operate it at a slower speed than you typically would. This will reduce the stress on the winch’s various components, minimising the chances of breakages.
You should also carry out checks and inspections during breaks in your winch operations. Clear any debris and ice when you notice it to prevent buildup and inspect hooks and cables for signs of strain. Regular checks such as these are the most proactive way to identify and address any issues.
Be Aware of Overheating
Even in colder temperatures, it’s important to be aware of your winch overheating. Winches generate heat with prolonged operation, which in turn can have an impact on their performance, so even in the winter months it’s important to conduct regular cooling intervals to prevent overheating.
This is arguably even more important in the winter due to the such drastic temperature differences between the heat of the winch whilst operating to how cold it will be once not in use due to the cold atmospheric conditions.
Winch Services from Atlas Winch & Hoist Hire Ltd
Have you noticed an issue with your winch that requires repair before using it in the winter months ahead? Here at Atlas Winch & Hoist Services Ltd, we have the extensive knowledge and experience to service, refurbish, adapt and modify any winch. Furthermore, all of our work is fully warranted, giving you the security and peace of mind you deserve.
Whether you require a new or refurbished winch, winch refurbishment services or winch training, then we’ve got you covered. Get in touch with us today to discuss your requirements and our experts will be happy to help you.