Use your truck or ATV to unbind a pinched winch cable.
Cable binding and pinching can happen for a number of reasons, for example, an off-kilter pull, loose wraps on the drum, or other improper winching techniques. In any of these cases, strands of cable can overlap, crisscross, pile up on one side of the drum, or get pinched in the winch housing.
How to Unbind Winch Cable
If the winch cable gets hopelessly pinched, to the point where freespooling is impossible, the first thing to try is to hook the winch cable to a tree or anchor point and pull it loose. Use a tree strap to attach the cable to the anchor point. Then back up the ATV or truck while powering out the winch. If that doesn’t work, try powering the winch in while you maintain backwards pressure with the vehicle.
Keep Safety in Mind
If the cable does not come loose right away, try powering in and out a few more times, but don’t work at it so long and hard that you damage the winch or vehicle. And don’t throw safety precautions out the wind. All the same winch safety rules still apply. Don’t jerk the cable. It’s not designed to withstand shock forces. Also, keep bystanders well away from the winching operation. Severe pinching and binding can weaken the cable and make it more susceptible to break. Use extreme caution when attempting to free a pinched winch cable.
Other Suggestions for Untangling Winch Cable
If pulling the cable out with your ATV or truck doesn’t work, you’re basically left with the option of taking your winch off the vehicle or trying to free the cable with a screwdriver or other tools. If your winch is behind the bumper, you may not be able to reach it with tools unless you remove the bumper and winch.
Once you get the cable loose, spool the line all the way out and inspect the cable for weak spots, snapped wires, or permanent kinks. Flex the cable to remove any temporary kinks or compression. Replace the cable if there is any sign of damage. Then respool the cable with the proper tension in tight, even layers.