# Snapped my winch line & cant use the plow - Help!



## RichTJ99 (Feb 6, 2012)

Hi,

I have a 2011 Kawi Brute Force 750 with a moose plow & a warn RT25 winch. I was plowing & I heard a snap, then the cable was broken. 

I looked at the cable & it is not only snapped, but tangled pretty badly. I tried to free spool it out but it looks like its sort of tangled in a knot. 

Anyway, I am trying to figure how to get it out so I can have some room to work with it. 

From what i looked at online, I think i have the 70207 warn mounting plate. I am looking for instructions so I can figure out how to take it off. 

Any suggestions on what i can do? It looks tangled so I dont know if I am better off taking it off & or bringing it to the dealer (not what I want to do).

Thanks,
Rich


----------



## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Do you have a way to make a clean cut in the cable? Like a cutting wheel?


----------



## soapy (Nov 12, 2011)

You probsably held the winch in the up position to long. Get a long pair of needle nose pliers and you can reach in a grab the end of the cable and shoudl be able to pull it out while spooling the winch. Any hardware store should have a cable clamp that you can use to make a loop in the end of the cable. Depending on the type of hook you have you may be able to reattach it or pick one up at the hardware store. If you don't have a cut off wheel on a minigrinder you can tape the cable with a few wraps of masking tape and cut the cable with a hack saw for a clean cut.


----------



## bullseye (Dec 13, 2009)

Soapy has all the right ideas !!! I agree with what he said !! Thumbs Up

I have also found using needlenose plyers works good...it's also nice to have one person on the quad running the winch ...in and out (when you tell them LOL) ..cause some times you can get a better grip on things on a different angle.

I use a cold chisel and and dolly to "cut" my winch cable the last time....mine to was frayed pretty bad and just want to clean it up abit !! Line it up ...and a good hard strike !! Clean as a whistle !!! LOL

Ohhh awe...... wear leather gloves too !!! Steel slivers from the cable are a bugger !!!


----------



## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

Rich, once you get the cable free on the winch. Just take it all the way off and use a strap and fairlead like in this thread.

http://www.plowsite.com/showthread.php?t=87754&page=2


----------



## IPLOWSNO (Oct 11, 2008)

it happens every year once or twice for me my first time with my new winch was the other day,right during a storm to boot then my battery died.

just my luck nothing a hundred dollars and multiple trips to the store didnt fix, but it always happens when ya need it the most.

you can hook it to something that doesnt move and try and pull it out like that reeling it in and out it will soon come out atleast it works for me,


but the reason you are tangling is you are reeling it in when the line has slack in it meaning the plow is on top of the snow, make sure you pull back off the pile before you reel it in.

and occasionally pull out your line and respool it


----------



## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

IPLOWSNO;1553294 said:


> it happens every year once or twice for me my first time with my new winch was the other day,right during a storm to boot then my battery died.
> 
> just my luck nothing a hundred dollars and multiple trips to the store didn't fix, but it always happens when ya need it the most.
> 
> ...


All good advise however, a strap will stop it from happening again.


----------



## BlueRam2500 (Jan 15, 2005)

Use a strap for the winch and re-spool it once or twice a year. It sucks when they fail but they are awesome when you need them.


----------



## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

Reminds me to pick up a couple clamps to throw in the sidewalk trucks


----------



## IPLOWSNO (Oct 11, 2008)

ALC-GregH;1553749 said:


> All good advise however, a strap will stop it from happening again.


yea but a strap wont help me get out of the mud lol, well past a couple feet anyway, besides its a new winch im in the dont fix it if it aint broke crowd,

but i know what ya mean


----------



## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

BlueRam2500;1553845 said:


> Use a strap for the winch and *re-spool it once or twice a year.* It sucks when they fail but they are awesome when you need them.


If you have to re-spool a strap on the winch one or two times a year, you're doing something wrong or you're using a strap that is too thin. If done right, it will last years and years without problems.


----------



## jmbones (Jun 17, 2009)

ALC-GregH;1557932 said:


> If you have to re-spool a strap on the winch one or two times a year, you're doing something wrong or you're using a strap that is too thin. If done right, it will last years and years without problems.


I think I'm going on 3 years with the same tow trap for plowing and no frays. And mine is only attached with duct tape to the winch drum and a few wraps around it. I take it off after plow season and replace it with the regular steel winch cable and put the roller fairlead back on. It only takes a few minutes.


----------



## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

jmbones;1560008 said:


> I think I'm going on 3 years with the same tow trap for plowing and no frays. And mine is only attached with duct tape to the winch drum and a few wraps around it. I take it off after plow season and replace it with the regular steel winch cable and put the roller fairlead back on. It only takes a few minutes.


I don't even bother removing the strap anymore. I use to take the wheeler out and joy ride. Now it sits more then anything. I might even sell it since I have a plow on my truck now. I wouldn't mind having a utv but even that will more then likely sit most of the time.


----------



## jmbones (Jun 17, 2009)

I hear you, mine is used more for yard work than play. I might get out once a year for a ride but I still want to have that cable just in case. I am also getting lazier though, so maybe I'll leave it there after this season.



ALC-GregH;1561891 said:


> I don't even bother removing the strap anymore. I use to take the wheeler out and joy ride. Now it sits more then anything. I might even sell it since I have a plow on my truck now. I wouldn't mind having a utv but even that will more then likely sit most of the time.


----------



## ALC-GregH (Nov 26, 2008)

It will be two seasons after this one. I haven't even used it since I got the truck plow. I kinda feel bad for the thing. It just sits there wanting to do some work but the battery died on it so I took it out and haven't gotten one yet. Poor thing..... LOL I'm still going to consider a utv.


----------



## perrysee (Jul 30, 2009)

soapy does it the same as i do ,start the season with a 20 ft cable so you can keep repairing when it snaps and it will again. you only use the last 3 to 4' feet of cable.


----------



## jmbones (Jun 17, 2009)

lol, or use a tow strap and never repair it!


----------



## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

Is it possible to use a chain like a Snowbear?


----------

