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In Part 4 of this 4-part series about off-road truck winches and how to use them, learn about maintenance and how to take care of a winch after it gets used.

Like all other mechanical things, winches do need maintenance to keep them reliable.

Considering the job they do and what could happen if a winch fails, providing all required maintenance is critical to that winch’s reliability and usefulness.

Keep It Clean

When coming home from the trail with mud, dust, and debris stuck all over your weekend warrior, a winch has likely gotten dirty, too.

Wash the winch off when washing the truck and if the cable is dirty, unspool and clean it also.

Use a rag if possible and if it is dirtier than that, spray it to get the dirt off.

WARN recommends lubricating with a light oil to prevent corrosion if the winch must be washed with water, then apply that oil with a clean rag as it spools back up.

If the winch rope is dirty, take it off and submerge it in a bucket of water with a mild soap like dish soap to clean it.

Then rinse it off, squeeze the excess water out, and let it dry before storing it off the winch and in the dark until heading out again.

Examine the Cable and Wiring

After the cable has been stretched out and cleaned, take some time to examine it to be sure it is still in good condition.

If kinks are found in the cable or broken metal fibers, ;remove and replace it.

Similarly, examine a synthetic rope just as carefully looking for broken fibers or other damage that would also indicate that the rope should be discarded and replaced.

After examining the winch cable or rope, continue on to examine all the winch wiring and the remote wire as well.

Test the winch and make sure everything is working as it should and if not, this is the time to make needed repairs so it is safe to take a load the next time it is used.

Stretch and Pretension the Cable

Next, if the cable hasn't been unspooled already, unspool it all the way and then pretension it the way it is done before using the winch on your off-road truck or Jeep for the first time.

Unspool the whole cable, slowly wind the cable onto the drum 5 or 6 times to cover the bolt connecting the cable to the drum, and then attach the cable to an anchor point.

Slowly reel in the cable to put the load of your vehicle’s weight on it, then continue to reel the cable onto the drum, guiding it by hand so it spools cleanly and evenly.

Try to do this with the truck downhill of the anchor point or use the brake pedal to create more drag.

Do this every time when returning home after using the winch.

Service the Battery and Connections

Finally, make sure your source of power is in good condition and ready to work.

Clean the battery terminals if they are dirty and periodically test to be certain that the battery is holding a charge as it should.

If there are any charging issues, it might be time to replace the battery since a winch is a heavy draw on it.

Use It Every So Often

Once all that is done, the winch should be good to go the next time you head out, ready to provide safe and reliable service.

If the winch isn't used too much, which is usually a good thing, unspool the cable and use it every so often because sometimes the biggest factor in the decomposition of mechanical parts is a lack of use.

Intentionally using the winch every so often will make certain that it is still working well and ready for when you actually need it.

Winching With Your Off-Road Truck

So there you have it - an A to Z look at an off-road truck winch on from selection considerations to how to keep it working well for years to come.

Whether installed on bumper mounts or put on a replacement winch bumper, winches are helpful, convenient, and sometimes life-saving.

To carry all that responsibility safely, it is essential to choose the right winch and then set it up, use it, and care for it correctly.

Do that and your weekend warrior can get you out of almost any situation when those fun off-road adventures go a little bit sour!