how do you do that?

boataway · Apr 3, 2012

new to trailering and have a few questions.

i was in a marine store the other day and saw a nice, new winch with a strap instead of a steal cable. i noticed that it had two gears! that seems fancy.. then i got home and noticed that mine might. then i noticed that there is a lever on the left of the picture that i don't know what it does (the one on the right is to lock and unlock). i can get my boat on and off, but are there features that i'm missing out on?

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another question: my trailer has surge brakes. i read that you can't reverse (esp uphill) without some kind of pin to lock the moving part so it won't activate the brake. do you see that pin hole on here? i've backed it up my driveway before, which is at an angle, just fine. but was i stressing my trucks brakes?

also, do i pump the brakes when i want to bleed the lines? is that the leaver looking thing on top that held in place by that pin?

one more question. i read on here about a speed bleeder. however there are many sizes! i have a load rite trailer. any idea on what size i need? i looked at the manual that i got from the manufacturer and it says nothing about it.

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Mischief Managed · Apr 3, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Push down on the end of the lever closest to you and pull the crank shaft to the right to change gears or put the winch in neutral. There's three positions on the crankshaft and the lever locks them in place.

I have found that most drum surge brakes back up OK. If they don't, there's a lockout provided on the coupler. If you can back up a hill, don't worry about it.

The easiest way to bleed them is with a vacuum bleeder. I have a mity-vac kit that works great. Note that the reservoir is tiny on the coupler, so you need to make sure you don't drain it or you'll have to bleed all over again.

I can't help you with speed bleeders, but the vacuum bleeder would make them moot.

Mikeyboy · Apr 3, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

It looks like if you pull the lever on the top left that shaft with the gears will slide over engaging the second gear. That could be a second speed but I'm not sure about that. The lever on your surge brake is probably the breakaway lever. The cable comming off of it attaches tow your tow vehicle and if the trailer ever breaks away the cable pulls that lever and applys the breaks to stop the trailer.

bruceb58 · Apr 3, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

I am not a fan of vacuum bleeders. Always seem like the bleeders leak around their threads making it impossible to bleed. I like pressure bleeders the best now and you don't have to worry about getting low on brake fluid if you put enough in the bleeder.

badbowtie · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Yes the lever on the left side lets you change the gears for a different cranking ratio. I also have drum brakes on my 25' crusier and I have no pin niether and can back it up my driveway no problem. For some more help on vacuum bleeders I have a kit I use all the time for cars trucks and everything else. I was told a couple years ago by a old mechanic to remove bleeder screw and wrap it with teflon tape it will not suck air around the threads and works great also keeps them from rusting in the caliber or wheel cylinder.

Home Cookin' · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

your supposed to be able to release and slide the gear bar over to change gears, but something doesn't look right on yours.

boataway · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Home Cookin' said:
your supposed to be able to release and slide the gear bar over to change gears, but something doesn't look right on yours.

i think so too. it seems like the first gear is up against the the cable gear, so if i pull that lever on the left and try to push the whole thing to the left engaging the second gear (one on the right) it won't move!

erie_guy · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Boataway,

I suggest you pull the lever and try moving the spool to the right. You may also have to move the winch handle to another attachment point. That should get the geared shaft into the mix.

It also looks like some oil might be in order for this equipment on the lever and the shaft bearings.

erie_guy
Port Clinton, OH

Silvertip · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Your trailer coupler looks like it has a reversing solenoid which is the round black thing behind the emergency lanyard. It should be wired into the back up lights on your truck. No - trailer brakes do not affect how the truck bakes work since there is no connection to them. They help the truck stop when moving forward -- hence the term "surge".

bruceb58 · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Silvertip said:
Your trailer coupler looks like it has a reversing solenoid which is the round black thing behind the emergency lanyard.

That's the master cylinder.

QC · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

bruceb58 said:
That's the master cylinder.

That's the master cylinder reservoir . . .

With that style coupler you can shove a block of wood in the large rectangular gap for backing. Don't ask me how you keep it there. Agree, not much of an issue with drum brakes. Disk brakes won't go anywhere in reverse without blocking actuation in some fashion.

bruceb58 · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

QC said:
That's the master cylinder reservoir . . .

Technically the cap on the master cylinder. That master cylinder does not have a seperate reservoir.

Item #17 on the Dico 6 coupler
http://www.championtrailers.com/dico_brake_coupler_parts.htm
http://www.championtrailers.com/dico_parts/dico_6_parts/pages/Dico_mod_6_parts_dighm_gif.htm

QC · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Agree, but the actual cylinder runs horizontal, no? I almost typed "cap".

bruceb58 · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Well, its all one unit with the reservoir integral to the master cylinder. Yes, the "bore" of the cylinder runs horizontal. I happen to know this particular this version pretty well since its the one I have/had on my trailer. I actually took this master cylinder off when I converted to electric/hydraulic. I left the coupler portion on the trailer an bolted it so it wouldn't move. Its kinda weird looking because the master cylinder hangs off the back of it.

jkust · Apr 4, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

The strap is nice. The only issue i've found with it is when I let my dad drive my truck and trailer back from the ramp to the cabin (while I drove the boat) and because he's nearly deaf from the Vietnam war he couldn't hear the strap dragging along the tar the whole ride back since I cut a corner and clipped it on a roller instead of winching it all the way up and it came off the roller. Point being a cable wouldn't have gotten as damaged as the strap did.

boataway · Apr 5, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

so i got some more pictures last night showing the winch with a little more detail. am i right in that something doesn't seem to line up with the gears?

erie_guy · Apr 5, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Push the lever on the left down and shift the shaft to the right. This will align the gears for a higher ratio and give more pulling power. Oil both ends of this shaft were it goes through the end bearings. You may have to tap the left side of the shaft to get it to move - it looks rusted in place.

Lots of luck

erie_guy

erie_guy · Apr 5, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

Hope this gets you back in the game. I used to have a winch like that. The handle of the winch had to be physically removed and placed on a different shaft to get the proper ratio.

boataway · Apr 5, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

erie_guy said:
Push the lever on the left down and shift the shaft to the right. This will align the gears for a higher ratio and give more pulling power. Oil both ends of this shaft were it goes through the end bearings. You may have to tap the left side of the shaft to get it to move - it looks rusted in place.

Lots of luck

erie_guy

no can do. look at how the little gears butt up against the guard that is right next to the big gear.

interestingly, there appears to be a groove on the little gear shaft for that left lever to go into. it's like something is backwards.

bruceb58 · Apr 5, 2012

Re: how do you do that?

erie_guy is correct. The shaft that the handle is on should move to the right to allow the extra small gear that you have on the shaft to engage with the gear that the ratchet touches.

how do you do that?

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