Hand Winch

[Neverquit]

Have a damaged gear on my winch, the small one on the crank handle, first thought was to see if I could order in a new gear for it but being that someone used a welder to ensure the handle could not fall off it will need more than a few parts to bring it back to life as a functional 2 speed winch again.

-Option 1 -Buy the replacement parts from Fulton for $100 +

-Option 2 - I have a nice Dutton 2 speed winch in the parts shed but it is a cable winch and I kind of like the idea of the strap one on the trailer now, less chance of scratching up myself or the boat.

-Option 3- Looking on ebay they have 2500 lb 2 speed strap winches with a 24 foot strap for less than $50 delivered, my first thought is they must be junk for that price.

Anybody been brave enough to try one yet?

Boat probably weighs 1200 lb so one would think something rated for 2500 lb from the land of not quite right should work.

I also have a 3000 lb 12 volt cable winch sitting in the box that I could bolt onto the trailer but if I did that then I think I would still want to have a manual back up just in case.

 

[Scott Danforth]

you can get a 2-speed on walmart.com delivered for $35 total.

 

[Big Gee]

Or right here:

https://www.iboats.com/shop/trailering/boat-trailer-winches/boat-trailer-hand-winches.html

 

[JASinIL2006]

Couldn’t you just replace the cable with a strap on option #2?

 

[GA_Boater]

Couldn’t you just replace the cable with a strap on option #2?

I did. Drilled a hole on both sides of the drum and slid a 3/8"bolt through the strap loop and put a nyloc nut on the other side. That's how the strap winches are set up.

 

[MTboatguy]

I did. Drilled a hole on both sides of the drum and slid a 3/8"bolt through the strap loop and put a nyloc nut on the other side. That's how the strap winches are set up.

This one for the win, exactly what I did on the trailer I bought last summer

 

[Neverquit]

The idea of modifying the drum and putting the strap on the Dutton winch sounds like a plan I will look into doing.

Still minus 36 with the windchill right now, if I light a fire in the shop it wont be warm enough to do much till this afternoon, by then it will be time to feed the cows.
No use burning up a bunch of firewood to do a 1/2 hour work on a Sunday, will check it out during the week.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I switched mine from cable to strap and didn’t even need to modify the winch. Never going back to cable!

 

[Grub54891]

you can get a 2-speed on walmart.com delivered for $35 total.

No. I bought one. Its currently on my garage floor. Apparently it don't like ANY tension on it. Twice when towing, I looked in the rear view, saw the bow bouncing. Each time the winch had skipped a tooth and twisted the frame of the winch. Wally winch is junk.

 

[Scott Danforth]

good to know. iBoats sells the same winch

 

[Neverquit]

Glad to hear Grub, for me but sorry not for you.
I was having a hard time believing a $40 winch could work as well as the $3-400 winch that the trailer originally came equipped with.

I will definitely be sticking with one made this side of the pond.

Looked at the one on the trailer while the tractor was warming up the frame of mine is nearly 10 inch wide versus the 4-5 inch width of the too good to be true ones.

 

[Grub54891]

good to know. iBoats sells the same winch

Didn't know that. And my boat is just a 17.5 Larson bowrider. The winch should have been plenty.

 

[H20Rat]

Glad to hear Grub, for me but sorry not for you.
I was having a hard time believing a $40 winch could work as well as the $3-400 winch that the trailer originally came equipped with.

Every boat trailer I've owned came with the cheapest winch they could find to throw on the thing. Winches aren't a selling point, as long as it has one. Any more is money out of the builders pocket.