Unicorn Winch First Session : Video

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Sorry guys, been sick with a cold all week. Finally feeling better. Gonna be heading to SPI on Wed so will be outta the loop until turkey week. After that I'm ready to help out, especially with snow features Smile

forrest · Sun Nov 09, 08 9:47 am

Joby rigged up a pulley in a tree last night and we did a test to see if the thing could pull you up hill on the snow. Test was a success, and it looks like two people could easily go up at once. One to ride, and one to pull the rope back down/film.

Gman · Since 11 Feb 2006 4911 Posts Portland Unstrapped

just attach a 500 ft drop line on the handle - folks on the bottom can pull it back down

forrest · Sun Nov 09, 08 9:53 am

No, I like my idea better! Smile

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

some logger speak here

put a wrap on your drum (spool)
and your pulley at the bottom of the hill
and you have a rope tow Laughing

forrest · Sun Nov 09, 08 10:04 am

I've thought about that one blowhard, but I think the spool would just spin on the rope and tear it up. Also, where the rope comes out is at the top of the spool, so not sure how the rope would work in that case.

We were using the grinch to pull us into a little jump where it was flat.

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

ya the fairlead would have to go
you would need to chain the drum down and put some tension on the line
and perhaps line the drum with something grippy and maybe put two wraps or more on it
that small line would be very hard to hold onto
but you could attach a handle to it and run it in reverse if you had reverse
prolly not worth it to

perhaps the next build it could be designed in

forrest · Sun Nov 09, 08 10:28 am

Yea, I read an old article somewhere about someone who invented a rope-tow system that you could hook to the rear wheel of your truck, and put the top in a tree. This was back in the 1940s. The system worked great, but hte problem was getting a truck near the slope in the first place.

Pretty interesting how jibbing a rail makes you happy with a nasty piece of snow close to a parking lot.

Chooch · Sun Nov 09, 08 10:31 am

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

Sol-flyer · Sun Nov 09, 08 10:48 am

what would be ideal is a giant rubberband between two trees. I think i saw goofy try this...It worked pretty well

blowhard · Since 26 Dec 2005 2027 Posts Windward

Wile-E-Coyote has had some luck with it as well

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Nov 09, 08 11:11 am

Forest, did you have the winch at the top or the bottom of the slope? I would think we the tav you would be able to pull a pretty heavy load up the hill. You can adjust the tension on the TAV (at least ours anyway) sothat it takes longer to spool to a higher gear ratio. I would love to agjust ours so that it engages at a higher RPM. It would take either a heavy spring on the centrifugal unit or drilling soem holes in it to lighten. I haven't seen talk of either on that internet thing.

It would be nice to start the really haevy pulls a little higher in the power band (high rpm).

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Nov 09, 08 1:34 pm

yeah, I have been trying to order a 76 tooth sprocket to replace the 72 we currently have. A smaller sprocket would result in less pulling power so we have to go bigger. If this is confusing think of a bicycle.

Having the drive kick in at a little higher rpm would be nice so that there would be less "false starts" when we first fire up the motor. That, and the load would be transfered to the engine in the higher RPM's where more torque is available. But it doesn't seem like monkeying with the TAV is a good idea. I would liek to run it with the cover off and see if the driven gear is ramping up too early. That is adjustable..there are three different settings.

The other route is to make the inner spool diameter a little smaller by say an inch or so. That would decrease the load a little bit, especially when we are not pulling the whole length of the rope out.

So either tinker with those things or slap a header and air cleaner on it (gain another 2hp) and call it good. Seems like quite a few people have gone that route and for $50 it would be nice to have the extra torque for fat guy deep water starts. Plus, the winch would sound bad ass with that header on it. Twisted Evil

genek · Since 21 Jul 2006 2165 Posts East Po KGB

Do we really want more torque with a 76 tooth sprocket? It seemed to me like there's enough torque based on the fact that it can drag you through the water when trying to deep water start, but it isn't giving you enough speed. Seems like we could try a sprocket we already have to see what it does before ordering more, but it's your call.

Pimping the engine out further sounds pretty good though if it's cost and time effective.

pdxmonkeyboy · Sun Nov 09, 08 1:48 pm

Hmmmm, that is an interesting thought. I was thinking that the engine was loading up (i.e. not able to spool up in RPM's) and that was why it wouldn't give me the speed neccessary. A bigger sprocket would put less strain on the motor and allow it to increase in speed...perhaps to the point that the TAV spools up.

Seems like when everyone on the forum says "It won't deep water start" people always say gear up or spool down. Can't hurt to try the 66.