How Do You Fix A Winch Strap?
If you are constantly moving vehicles around using a vehicle trailer, you will know how important it is to have a winch on the trailer you are using. I was moving a vehicle for a client the other day when the strap on the winch behaved inappropriately. This situation made me wonder: How do you fix a winch strap?
There are two ways in which you can fix a winch strap. The two ways are by replacing the strap on the winch for cases where the strap broke completely and then untangling and re-aligning the strap for winches that need to be fixed when the strap gets stuck in a position or tangled up on the winch.
Experts in the lifting industry agree that winches are manufactured to pull loads within a capacity that can be located on the device’s body. When a winch strap gets overloaded, it can snap and then have to be fixed. In some cases, the winch strap can get stuck and then will also need to be fixed. I will share my research on fixing a winch strap in this post.
How Do You Fix A Winch Strap?
There are two main reasons you will need to fix a winch strap: the strap might be broken, or there may be an alignment issue that will need to be fixed. We will look at the following points under their own sub-headings
- How to fix a strap that is broken or damaged by replacing the strap on the winch.
- How to fix a strap that is not aligned correctly on a winch by re-aligning it.
Winches manufacturers suggest that a winch be repaired by qualified technicians, especially if the winch is still under warranty. Of course, the warranty will not count if the damage was caused by misuse, and in these cases, it might be worth looking at trying to fix the winch yourself. In the next part, we will look at fixing a broken strap on a winch.
How To Fix A Winch Strap By Replacing The Strap
The first option we will take a look at is to replace a winch’s broken or damaged webbing strap. If you are good at DIYs and with hand tools and have a basic understanding of how a winch works, then you will have a good chance of replacing the strap of a winch, and then it will be worth your while to look at the guide that follows.
A Guide On Replacing The Strap On A Hand Winch
A hand winch is commonly used on boat trailers and car trailers, and the chance that you will need to replace the strap on a winch like this is very likely because the straps take a lot of punishment when they are used often. Here is how to fix a hand winch by replacing the strap:
Step 1
Gather the tools(spanners, hammer, punch, and a screwdriver) and personal protective equipment(suitable gloves and goggles) for the task, and make sure that the new strap is the correct length, width, and capacity. The information on the tag will help with this.
Step 2
Secure the trailer wheels with wheel chokes to prevent the trailer from moving while you loosen parts on the hand winch. Now you will need to roll out the entire length of the strap you are replacing.
Step 3
The next step that you need to do is to secure the spool drum of the winch with the screwdriver. It is done by putting the screwdriver into one of the holes on the spool and then rotating the spool until it rests against the body of the winch.
Step 4
The center bolt of the spool needs to be loosened. If it is stuck, you can use some penetrating oil to help get the nut and bolt loose from each other. It is common if the trailer is exposed to the natural elements.
Step 5
When the center bolt is loose, you need to remove it from the body of the winch. If the bolt is bent or damaged, you must use the punch and the hammer to get it out. In this case, the center bolt will also need to be replaced.
Step 6
When the center bolt is out, the old strap will be loose because it is held in place with the center bolt. Inspect the center bolt and clean it up if you are going to use it again. Experts suggest you replace the bolt, especially if the trailer is exposed to natural elements.
Step 7
Remove the new strap from the packaging and place the strap in the same direction as the one you have removed. Insert the center bolt making sure that the bolt goes through the attachment loop of the strap.
Step 8
You will now secure the center bolt by doing the opposite of what you did when you loosened it. You can now winch the strap onto the spool using the handle and tap yourself on the shoulder because the task is done.
A GuideTo Fix The Strap On A Hand Winch If It Is Misaligned
A misaligned strap can result from poor winching practices or using the wrong size strap for the winch spool. Here is how to fix a misaligned strap:
Step 1
When a strap is misaligned, it will cause the spool to get stuck, and then you will need to get the spool unstuck first. It is done by pulling the strap while you turn the handle of the hoist. If the spool gets stuck, you can loosen the center bolt a bit to make this easier.
Step 2
Once the strap is free, you must find where the misalignment started. If the strap is misaligned because of hoisting at a poor angle, it is easy to fix because you can re-host at the correct angle.
Step 3
If the strap was damaged or is not the correct size for the winch, then you will have to replace the strap in the same way as in the previous guide.
Conclusion
I think you will agree that fixing a winch strap looks much harder than it is, but with the help of the guides in this post, you can fix common problems that involve the strap of a winch. I enjoyed doing the research and answering this question, and I hope that the information helped you find a solution to fix your problem.