Capacity

How much does the material you are trying to move weigh? Most of the time, this is a simple decision. Obviously, you don’t want to undersize your Winch, or choose a Winch that cannot safely lift the load. Another less obvious problem is oversizing your Winch. If your load is 750 lbs, why not just buy a 1 ton Winch rather than a ½ ton if the price isn’t that much more?
This may be okay, but if you do decide to oversize the overhead Winch you choose, be sure to keep in mind that a high capacity Winch may weigh more, or have a larger frame size that could prove to be troublesome when it comes to installation. Make sure you have the clearance and capacity on the support structure!

2.

Power

Now that you know your capacity, how will your Winch be powered? When choosing a Winch, you have three main options: Manual, Electric, and Air.
Manual Winchs are powered by hand. The two most common versions of hand-powered Winchs are ratchet levers (also known as comealongs) and hand chain Winchs (commonly referred to as “chain falls”.)
A ratchet lever Winch is powered by a ratcheting mechanism located at the body of the Winch. Common applications for a ratchet lever or come-along Winch are for short lifts or for horizontal pulling. While ratchet levers can be fitted with long lifts, the jerky motion associated with lifting takes a good deal of energy.
For longer vertical lifts, a hand chain Winch or chain fall can be a good solution. A hand chain Winch operates by pulling a “hand chain” over a wheel. The smooth, constant hand over hand motion of lifting or lowering a load makes it a good choice for manual Winch applications requiring longer lifts.
Electric Winchs are another option. If you have power available to the Winching area and you are making multiple lifts within a short amount of time, an electric Winch can be a great solution.
Common information to know before choosing your electric Winch is voltage and phase of your power. Also, when planning to purchase an electric Winch, be mindful of how you are going to get the power to the Winch itself. Simply allowing the power cord to drop down from the Winch can lead to tangles with the lifting chain, so be sure you have a plan in pace as to how to route your power.
Air Winchs are another great option. Although generally a bit more expensive than an electric Winch, an air Winch is usually considered to be better equipped to perform heavy duty Winching functions. Because they are powered by air, they run cooler than electric Winchs. Also, because they are pneumatic, they have no electrical contacts that can generate an arc.

3.

Lift (Height)

Lifting height is fairly self explanatory, but too often, consumers will buy a Winch and guess at the height. While a Winch with too much lift can still be used, a Winch without enough chain can be useless!
One other factor with lift is the height of the operating controls. For a chainfall, this means the hand chain. For an electric or air Winch, this means the controls. Most manufacturers provide hand chain Winchs with 2 feet less drop than the lift on the Winch. For electric Winchs and pneumatic Winchs, the controls are usually around 4 feet less than overall lifting height.

Duty

Need to lift a load once or twice a month in a non-production type environment? You’re looking at a light duty application. Need to make a lift more frequently or in a production type environment where downtime is lost money? You need to be in the market for medium or heavy duty Winch.
We get asked this question a lot. “What’s the difference between the Winch in XYZ Import catalog and the Winchs you are selling?” The answer is, actually quite a bit. Usually, the cheap Winchs sold by discount tool catalogs are extremely light duty. You may find a ½ ton “Winch” in a catalog for $169.00, but if that Winch makes 100 lifts before the end of its life, you will be lucky. That Winch probably weighs between 30 and 50 lbs, but a reliable medium duty Winch that is serviceable and maintainable is likely going to be at least 100 lbs.
Why all the added weight? Well, a larger motor, a larger brake, cast housings, heavy duty chain, heavy duty contactors, etc all provide a long-life reliable Winch that will still be lifting in 30 years if maintained properly.
If you have a question as to what type of Winch best fits your application, feel free to give us a call at 0086-577-23837168, or email info@ chmachinery.cn and we can help you price a Winch that will best fit your application.

5.

Lifting Speed

Lifting speed is a simple concept. Is faster always better? NO! While faster may seem better, the faster your Winch lifts a load, the higher the likelihood of product damage is. If you are Winching a 1 ton block of raw steel, and you hit the ground fast, that’s no big deal. Now what if you’re handling a 1 ton helicopter engine, machined parts, or nuclear fuel assembly? If you’re dealing with delicate products, a slower Winch may be more cost effective!
Electric Winchs are also usually available with multiple speeds, which can solve the dilemma of needing precise control over your load while also allowing high speed lifting and lowering to decrease labor costs.

6.

Mounting

Winchs have many different mounting options. If you already have something to mount to, a top hook mount Winch may be your best bet. Another option is a trolley, which allows the Winch to travel horizontally along a beam. Trolleys can be either manual or electrically controlled. Different applications call for different options, so feel free to give us a call at 0086-577-23837168, or email info@ chmachinery.cn and we can help you price a Winch that will best fit your application.

7

Winch Parts

Finally, go with a Winch that has a replacement parts program. Buying from a manufacturer that stands behind their Winchs with Winch parts and crane parts can mean the difference in your Winch lasting 2 years and a Winch lasting 30. Winch Experts offers the best variety and inventory of Winch parts and crane parts with a full time distribution staff to help keep your Winchs running strong. Let us know how we can help you! Email us info@ chmachinery.cn or see our parts page for a form!