How to Use Winch Without Remote

Last Updated on June 20, 2021

More often than not, you find yourself in a situation where you need to use a winch without a remote. You could have lost the remote and not replaced it yet or left it behind when going on the trip. Or, worse still, had the thing stopped working when you need it most.

Regardless of the cause for your inoperational remote, we are all in the same boat. We need to learn how to use a winch without a remote! For this reason, we have simplified a complex guide to sort you out within less than a few minutes.

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How to Use a Winch Without a Remote? – Step By Step

With a step-by-step guide, you can finally get your stuck car out of tight rocks, mud, or snow. So, shall we get down to business on the procedure?

You will need the following:

A D-shackle
An extra strong rope or wire
The winch kit

To ensure that you are never caught off-guard, always include the D-shackle and the rope in the winch kit. Better still, let it be part of the kit, as long as the two are functional

Step 1: Find an Anchor

Once your car is stuck, get off and start looking for a strong tree, rock, or stub ahead of you. The block you find will act as an anchor. Nevertheless, you have to ensure that the anchor is really strong, strong enough not to bulge at the weight of the car.

More importantly, the anchor should be straight ahead of the car for an efficient winching operation.

Step 2: Prepare the Anchor

Now that you got the anchor, it is time to get it ready for the winching process. How do you do the preparations? This is where both the rope and D-shackle we previously referred to come in.

Tie the rope or wire tightly across the anchor in such a way that it will not bulge under the weight of winching. Hook the D-shackle on the rope facing the car and the winch because this will also help prevent a possible roll.

Step 3: On to the Winch Cable!

Once you are through with the winch anchor, visit the winch, which we assume is already set on your car. Release the cable, which will be possible by pressing on the Disengage button of the winch.

Pul it gently, considering the distance between the car and its possible anchor. Only pull enough, or slightly more, which will prevent disentanglement.

Wait! At the edge of the cable, you must have seen a hook, right? Once you have enough cable length, press Engage. This step will save you from having the cable continue to roll out unnecessarily.

Step 4: Connect the Cable to the Anchor

Before heading for the anchor in a hurry, first disentangle the cable, making sure that each point is set straight. Then, move slowly towards the anchor with the cable, folded neatly and releasing just enough at a step.

Once you get to the anchor, hook up the cable to the D-shackle. As you head back to the car, check to ensure that the cable is straight. Actually, it is recommended that you ensure that you obtain a good amount of tension with the cable so that it is absolutely in a straight line.

Step 5: Activate the Motor

At this point, you are ready for the winching, so be ready. Connect the winch to the car battery, then start the winch motor with the help of the solenoid. Be careful at this point, and it is advisable to stay safe.

Step 6: Turn on the Car Engine

You can either decide to get into the car or turn on the car from the driver’s window. In conjunction with the winch motor, the car will start on the move. Be on the lookout for the cable, as the tension causes strain, which could eventually lead to a break.

Some DIY advisors vouch for putting something heavy on the cable at the place between the winch and the anchor. The heavy item, preferably a heavy cloth such as a jacket, will minimize the impact of the stretch.

Step 7: Winch the Car Out

At this point, you are ready to winch the car out of the muddy, snowy, or difficult position. The process should be slow. Preferably, the process is split into sections of a few minutes at a time.

Allow the winch to cool a little before moving on to the next winching section. Proceed on like this until the car is finally out of the tough situation where it is stuck.

Step 8: Drive Out of the Tough!

Once the vehicle is out of the rough situation, you can get in and drive slowly towards safety. Ensure that your driving direction is towards the anchor so that you don’t cause damage or entanglement to the winch cable. This way, it will be easily rolling around the winch.

Moreover, it would help if you looked to ensure that the cable winds around the drum all over in a consistent manner. If it rolls in one direction, it will pile up and cause a problem, hence the need to ensure that it is evenly distributed.

Park the car in the safest position around so that you can put back the winch in the right packing order.

You will obviously put off the car engine before leaving. Then, ensure that you disconnect the winch from the battery and use the solenoid to put off the motor.

Step 9: Winch Out

Once the car is safely set, you can comfortably get out and collect your winching stuff so that you put them in order.

Get out of the car, go to the anchor, and unhook the cable. Then, remove the D-shackle, and subsequently untie the rope or wire around the anchor. Fold it neatly, because you will still need it some other day.

Then, keep the cable back into place and press Engage to prevent it from spooling afterward.

Step 10: Enjoy a Better Ride

Now you can enjoy the better ride, away from the stressful snow, mud, or rough rocks that threatened your journey. And, at least, you can finally proceed, or go back home, as per your wish.

In a Nutshell

Now that you learned how to use a winch without a remote, don’t worry about the remote getting lost. At least you are armed with an alternative, regardless of what happens to your remote.

The best way to do this is to have a trial before the real deal. However, if you don’t have the time, you can always trust a step by step success procedure. With this guide, you’ll no longer be lost in the trails!

Daniel Galbreath