Adding a winch to a flat trailer

[Mike in NC 341]

Here is what I did for the winch on my 6.5' X 10' trailer. I welded the cross bars to the tounge of the trailer. I welded a flat plate to the 2" insert then bolted the winch and the plastic box on to the plate. The plastic box is what all the electronics are installed in to keep weather out. The winch/plate are removable to store inside out of the weather when the winch is not being used. This setup could also be used in the receiver of your vehicle or could be used on another trailer. What is not pictured is the battery box that is bolted to the crossbars on the trailer. It works very well and stays out of the weather.

[peter lena 8,582]

@Handy Don  just a recommendation , use a cable specific aerosol lubricant on that cable , before it rusts and stiffens up , that also goes for related slide and movement areas . just saw a front winch on a CREW CAB , that was solid rust and splayed cabling , don't  know , how it could possibly work . keep it oily , pete  

[Handy Don 12,158]

Nice work there. 
My winch is manual and I’ll have my spare tire on a strut across the tongue. Someone posted using a 2” receiver to make an easy-on/off and that’s gonna happen. 

[Jrain 276]

2 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Nice work there. 
My winch is manual and I’ll have my spare tire on a strut across the tongue. Someone posted using a 2” receiver to make an easy-on/off and that’s gonna happen. 

You know Don  a Cordless drill and the correct socket turns your Manual hand crank in to a electric winch. 

[Handy Don 12,158]

2 hours ago, peter lena said:

@Handy Don  just a recommendation , use a cable specific aerosol lubricant on that cable , before it rusts and stiffens up , that also goes for related slide and movement areas . just saw a front winch on a CREW CAB , that was solid rust and splayed cabling , don't  know , how it could possibly work . keep it oily , pete  

Pete I've had challenges with cable winches due to rust, friction/wear/jamming when the cable doesn't wind neatly onto the drum, and even bloodshed when individual strands break and grab flesh. For these reasons I chose a strap winch for this application (actually, it is also able to use a cable but that's another thread!)

[peter lena 8,582]

@Handy Don  one of the things we regularly did in the N/G  was to verify state and function of a piece of equipment , regularly serviced , both front and rear winch units on 2 1/2 ton and 10 ton wreckers . the spiral wrap make up of a cable , serves 2 functions , initial make up , and most important ,the twisting /  turning of the  cable wire , acts as a LUBRICANT PUSHER / PULLER  throughout the cable laying set up . we would totally run out cable  , attached to  ground mount, and pull the trucks  back and forth with fresh lube on cables . fresh lube was quickly drawn into the  length of the cable , WHAT A CONCEPT ! imagine wanting a cable to work easily and smoothly ? my experience  of rust and neglect , makes me go the other way , pete

[Handy Don 12,158]

2 minutes ago, Jrain said:

You know Don  a Cordless drill and the correct socket turns your Manual hand crank in to a electric winch. 

That is an interesting idea. I'd put it on the low-ratio shaft (it's a 2-speed winch) so the torque doesn't tear the drill out of my hand. I'll have to experiment with it to see what sort of load it can handle and come up with a way to lock the socket to the shaft (the crank fits over flatted sides on the shaft and is held in by a nut--the crank turns lefty when pulling load so a nut alone would unthread!)

[peter lena 8,582]

@Handy Don that strap idea is probably the best for your set up , you are not pulling the TITANIC !,  makes it simple and easy , still use a lot of the rigging straps I used to use  at  work , shackle them up , never approaching their break strength , get r done , pete 

[Handy Don 12,158]

2 minutes ago, peter lena said:

@Handy Don that strap idea is probably the best for your set up , you are not pulling the TITANIC !,  makes it simple and easy , still use a lot of the rigging straps I used to use  at  work , shackle them up , never approaching their break strength , get r done , pete 

I like to use straps with break strengths 4x my largest expected stress load. Modest investment for peace of mind.

Also as they wear or become damaged I either discard them or gang them up or just "demote" them to non-critical task use.

[ebinmaine 67,277]

4 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Also as they wear or become damaged I either DISCARD THEM or gang them up or just "demote" them to non-critical task use.

As a Professional Commercial Driver this the ONLY answer. 

 

In some senses I'd consider using them for non-road tasks but the way I see it having been safety trained many times is that if you already considered them unusable for the original task they shouldn't be any kind of usable.  

[oliver2-44 9,689]

On 12/23/2021 at 5:19 AM, Pullstart said:

What about making the winch removable with a 2” receiver hitch?  Mount the tube vertical, have a mount made for the winch to just drop it in the hole and even add a pin if you’re feeling safe?

That’s what I was just thinking. ( Did I just say I sometimes think like @Pullstart  Then you could also put a mount on the side of the trailer to move winch to. 
 

I too have an electric winch I’ve been thinking about putting on a receive hitch sq tube to use on the receiver hitch on my truck and a future one on my trailer …..but I want a bigger trailer. 

[Handy Don 12,158]

5 minutes ago, oliver2-44 said:

That’s what I was just thinking. ( Did I just say I sometimes think like @Pullstart  Then you could also put a mount on the side of the trailer to move winch to. 
 

I too have an electric winch I’ve been thinking about putting on a receive hitch sq tube to use on the receiver hitch on my truck and a future one on my trailer …..but I want a bigger trailer. 

Posts 19 and 21 in this thread are very relevant!

 

Already looking at the versatility of 2" receiver mounting to site the winch on both tongue and side of trailer as well as on the car or tractor!

[Jrain 276]

49 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

That is an interesting idea. I'd put it on the low-ratio shaft (it's a 2-speed winch) so the torque doesn't tear the drill out of my hand. I'll have to experiment with it to see what sort of load it can handle and come up with a way to lock the socket to the shaft (the crank fits over flatted sides on the shaft and is held in by a nut--the crank turns lefty when pulling load so a nut alone would unthread!)

Yea  I am not that familiar with that style of hand winch , I have a 5/20 winch lift for vertical use , capacity is 500 lb and crank height is 20 feet  on that system  but the drill socket approach work well for that ,that is why I threw it out their.

[Handy Don 12,158]

2 minutes ago, Jrain said:

Yea  I am not that familiar with that style of hand winch , I have a 5/20 winch lift for vertical use , capacity is 500 lb and crank height is 20 feet  on that system  but the drill socket approach work well for that ,that is why I threw it out their.

Very handy gadget, there! It would have capacity to lift most WHs, too.

 

The strap winch is a 2,500 lb capacity and I doubt I'll never need more than 1,000 so for an "easy" pull like putting a tractor onto a trailer, the drill idea has nice possibilities.

You've gotten me thinking of something like a deep socket that fits over the bolt and nut and has flanges to engage the sides of the handle. That way the crank handle can stay on for its grip on the shaft, for backup, or for the "heavy" lifts.

Good mental distraction here on a cold day, thanks!

[Jrain 276]

41 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Very handy gadget, there! It would have capacity to lift most WHs, too.

 

The strap winch is a 2,500 lb capacity and I doubt I'll never need more than 1,000 so for an "easy" pull like putting a tractor onto a trailer, the drill idea has nice possibilities.

You've gotten me thinking of something like a deep socket that fits over the bolt and nut and has flanges to engage the sides of the handle. That way the crank handle can stay on for its grip on the shaft, for backup, or for the "heavy" lifts.

Good mental distraction here on a cold day, thanks!

Yes that is how I do it I do not take the crank handle off ,though you must stay away from the crank handle while using the cordless , I can see it doing some serious damage to your wrist or arm

[Handy Don 12,158]

1 hour ago, Jrain said:

Yes that is how I do it I do not take the crank handle off ,though you must stay away from the crank handle while using the cordless , I can see it doing some serious damage to your wrist or arm

Yep, good warning. Use cordless on winch with a long shaft to the socket!

I've been whacked by a spinning boat winch handle and it is not an experience I'm eager to repeat!

[SylvanLakeWH 25,492]

44 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Yep, good warning. Use cordless on winch with a long shaft to the socket!

I've been whacked by a spinning boat winch handle and it is not an experience I'm eager to repeat!

 

 

I never use mine without the ratchet lock on going both ways… takes some extra time but my hands are worth it…

 

[ranger 1,746]

On 12/23/2021 at 11:19 AM, Pullstart said:

What about making the winch removable with a 2” receiver hitch?  Mount the tube vertical, have a mount made for the winch to just drop it in the hole and even add a pin if you’re feeling safe?

You could consider using a vertical tube, attached to the trailer ‘A’ frame. This sized to pass through the centre hole of your spare wheel, then as @Pullstart suggests, fabricate a winch mounting that drops into this upright. This answers both questions, 1, where to mount the spare wheel. (It sits over this vertical tube). 2, how to mount the winch! (It sits over the spare wheel). If you use round tubing for the vertical, the winch could swivel itself during use, (like a weather vane), to accommodate pulling objects not directly behind and inline with the trailer!

 

Doug.

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by ranger