# Info about my winch



## G Jackson (Jan 1, 2011)

Happy New Year to you all! I have finally succeded in getting a manual for my TJ 380 with a 453 screamer, 3 spd ps, and an Eaton winch. The problem is they are telling me it is over a month away. I am wanting to go to the bush soon and my winch is acting up.

Of course it never did this till I spooled a new cable on! It will wind in just fine and seems to hold. I have just winched the skidder back to a tree as I haven't been in the bush yet. Problem is when I go to release it. Not all the time but SOMETIMES the winch just unspools like crazy and f%#@s up my tightly wound drum. More often than not it does this. Even if the line is not ''loaded'' the winch spool will reverse and spool out. The mechanical nature in me tells me that the brake is not holding this, when I drop the lever into the release position. I assume this is adjusted by the cylinder back there. Should I shorten the stroke to apply more pressure on the brake? I would just like some advice by someone who has been there and done that before I go on with my trial and error ways. I can't wait for that manual.

It,s an 81 model also. Thankyou in advance for any advice. I have only played around with this in the yard, but I want to make sure it's working before I head to the bush. Regards Gerry


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## Slamm (Jan 1, 2011)

Aren't you resetting the brake with your hand, so as to not allow the crow's nest?

Or are you just releasing the brake and letting nature take its course, because steel cable will always crow's nest when allowed to. If you set the brake to drag, then you have to pull that "drag" everytime you go set chokers and that sucks.

I'm just asking, cause it seems you haven't run a cable skidder before, by what you are saying. What you are describing is what destroys steel cables, and is the source of much wasted time with regards to a steel cable as appose to running a synthetic rope. You have to get that crow's nest stopped before it happens, but it always will unravel a little after setting chokers, then you pull forward a little and get to a fresh tight row of cable and then begin your pull, if you don't you will cross wrap the cable and ruin it in an hour's time.

Synthetic rope on the other hand doesn't care how it is wrapped or cross wrapped and it won't crow's nest at all, and it won't get stuck underneath the other rows when you are trying to pull it out by hand.

So when you release the winch with a steel cable you need to re-apply it very quickly so as to stop the inertia of the heavy steel covered winch spool from unspooling several rows of cable and causing the mess you are describing. The more full your spool is the worse this happens, which might be why you are experiencing this now and not before with the shorter cable.

Just a guess, based on how I read your description,

Sam


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## redprospector (Jan 1, 2011)

In my experience, if your winch is anything like the one on my JD. You need to adjust the brake just to the point that it dosen't cause a birdsnest, but is still not too hard to spool out. On mine there is a fine line, cross it one way......birdsnest, cross it the other way and you'll pull your guts out.

Andy


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## joesawer (Jan 1, 2011)

A new cable will do this worse. Once you pull it in really hard enough it will take a memory to the size of the drum and do it less. 
But when you release it you will need to keep your eye on it and stop the unwinding action by engaging the winch then releasing it again. It is kind of like using your thumb on a bait caster.


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## G Jackson (Jan 1, 2011)

*misinformed*

Thanks for the replies. No I have never run or even seen a skidder until a month ago. I live on the bald ass Manitoba prairies. No skidders around here. It is only a 75' cable. Not really long enough, but what he sold me for less than half price.

Since I am a skidder newbie, let's start at the beginning. I back into the bush. The winch control has 3 positions; up middle and down. I was told when I go to pull the line out, pit the lever in the DOWN position. Pull the cable out and then UP is winch in. When done winching return lever to center position and it will hold. I get the fact that you have to feather it when releasing, to prevent bird cages. So when you pull out the cable is lever in the CENTER or BOTTOM position? It worked before in bottom position, but now most times the winch wants to just unwind like crazy. 

I looked at the rope, but for 4 or 5 cords of firewood a year it was too pricey. I am wondering if this was a problem for the previous owner as the old 25' cable was flattened out and pretty well hooped. I hope it is an adjustment issue or maybe just operator error. Like I said I have never ran one before, and if it needs adjustment I would prefer to do it in my warm shop as opposed to in the bush at 30 below and 25 miles from home.

I did get alot of nice ash knocked down today. Tomorrow I am installing a shutdown as the 453 does not have one. I donèt need this running away. A friend of mine who is experienced with screamers has a very effecient and economical idea. Thanks in advance Regards Gerry PS I am not a stupid person.


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## Slamm (Jan 1, 2011)

Make sure you don't pull the butts up to the rollers/arch tight, leave a little gap or a lot of gap as the situation requires. Some newbies cram the butts up hard against the mahine and this breaks cables/chokers and strains the mahine in the turns, so leave some slack, but not so much that the wood gets to slamming the rear of the machine needlessly.

I don't think there is any feathering of a winch control, they are either pulling, stopped or released....... some have a power out, 4th postion. On a John Deere UP is wind in, Middle is Locked up and Down is released for pulling the cable out.

Sam


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## joesawer (Jan 1, 2011)

Do I understand that your winch is powering out?


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## G Jackson (Jan 1, 2011)

Yes it sure is. But not all the time. It only started doing this after I put a new cable on. In the released position (bottom one) it will unwind the spool.


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## joesawer (Jan 2, 2011)

It sounds like you might have a friction rubbing inside the winch.


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## TumblebugTaylor (Jan 2, 2011)

Im not too familiar with skidder winches other than a GearMatic tat a company I worked for had on a 175 IH track loader. It had t obe run out and winched under load daily or the frictions would get a layer of rust on them and It would constantly try to wind up then have to be taken apart and cleaned. We just would hook it to a tree and drag itself back to keep te insides clean. We traded up for a Hyster winch later. Im not familiar with the Eaton winch but I can ask my euipment mechanic about it.


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## G Jackson (Jan 2, 2011)

Thank you guys. I knew I was not going crazy. I believe it has sat for abit without being used, so that is definately a possibility! It's only minus 22 celcius this morning so I am going to go look at it. Thanks again guys! I have learned so much on here. Amazing when I go to the bush and my friend will ask me why I am cutting a wedge. Says he never bothers. I asked him if he ever heard of a barber chair? You mean where you get your hair cut he says?:help:

Thanks again Gerry


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