Can I get parts for the puller?
Yes, replacement parts are available. Many pullers from the USA are still operational even after 40+ years of use
Can I use another handle or steel pipe instead of your handle?
NO. The use of any other bar voids the warranty and puts your life in danger. The safety handle is a calibrated handle and is designed to bend when the unit exceeds the rated capacity. This is the main safety device of the unit
Do you have a longer handle to make it easier to move heavy loads?
Yes. An 18" extension handle is available that fits into the standard 18" safety handle. Total handle length would then be 33.25". This decreases the effort needed for winching in half. With the extension handle, the 2 ton unit maximum effort would be 86 pounds of force, and the 3 ton unit 158 pounds of force.
Do the extension handles bend like the regular handle?
No. You would only want to order one extension handle. The regular safety handle will still bend where it should. One nice thing with having the extension handle is that when (if) the regular handle bends, you can cut the regular handle off and keep using it until you don't like the leverage that is left. The regular handle (P7 or P7-3) can be cut off up to 4 times. You should drill a ¼" hole in it for the cotter key.
Can I use a bolt instead of rivets?
NO, only rivets
Do I need an extension rope?
This depends on your planned use. For offroading, the maximum winch rope length (single line pull) is ~10.5 m (allowing for some wraps on the spool). Anchor points may be farther away, so having a 15 - 30 m length of rope to act as an extension would be a handy idea to cover your bases. These can be purchased as an accessory.
How do I take care of the puller?
Only use the supplied handle, keep the puller greased (see below faq) and use common sense. Of course, read and follow the operating/safety instructions that come with the unit.
Where do I grease the puller?
THIS PULLER MUST BE KEPT GREASED!
9/64" grease holes are drilled in important places of the puller for your convenience.
P16 = Where yoke attaches to the frame. Holes drilled on both arms of yoke.
P8 = Tubular Rivet is greased from a hole drilled in the center of the R17 Reel hub.
P9 = Rivets that attach the pawls should be greased from the underside.
P15 = Clevis Pin found in the center of the sheave of the tackle block hook.
SLT = All safety latch springs and screws. (puller option).
We recommend the use of a grease gun with small tip.
I ruined my cable. What did I do wrong?
The most common cause of cable damage is improper spooling. Spooling the initial wraps of cable on the reel under tension is critically important to keep the cable from diving into the loose packed cable.
When your puller is shipped from our factory, the cable is NOT tightly wound.
It is always best to start pulling a load with the minimum number of wraps around the reel. This is especially important with the first few uses (see the manual).
Additionally - don't loop the hook around an object and back onto the rope/cable. This voids the warranty. You will need to attach the hook to a chain or strap or appropriate tie off point.
Can I repair my own puller?
Yes, see the Documents Page for information.
My puller arrived today and the paint is chipped / flaking off the puller?
The puller at completion is dipped in paint. The paint is purely cosmetic and will scrape, flake and disappear over time. It is not intended to stay pretty and given the iron body will have some surface rusting if not properly greased or oiled.
What is AmSteel®Blue Rope?
AmSteel®Blue is an amazing synthetic rope that is stronger than cable, but so light that it floats. This is not your typical poly rope - the average strength of 5/16" AmSteel®Blue is 13,700 lbs.! The manufacturer of the rope is Samson®, located in the state of Washington
What are the pros and cons of AmSteel-Blue?
This rope is whiplash free (safe), light weight, long lived, has no wire splinters, flexible, conforms well to reel and wont kink like steel cable.
It is however more at risk to chemical damage and fraying from abrasion when in use. This requires more care when winching to ensure the cable isn't running across rocks etc at angles under load.
My AmSteel®Blue rope is stuck on the reel. What did I do wrong?
Spooling the initial wraps of rope on the reel under tension is critically important to keep the rope from diving into the loose packed rope.
When your puller is shipped from our factory, the rope is NOT tightly wound.
It is always best to start pulling a load with the minimum number of wraps around the reel. This is especially important with the first few uses.
When a load is applied to the puller, the rope layers under the upper rope layers act as the drum. If the lower layers are not tightly wound under load they will let the outer layer to wedge down into the lower layers causing the rope to get stuck. This will prevent free spooling back out.
If this does happen with AmSteel®Blue, most people can pull it out with their hands. However, in a few instances one might not be able to do that. To un-stick the rope you can simply anchor the puller to something and then use a small vehicle in low gear to gently pull the rope out. Note: This takes 2 people. Someone has to have the puller's pawls released while one is in the vehicle. The synthetic rope should be okay!
What is the shelf life of AmSteel®Blue?
If the rope is kept protected from chemicals and direct sunlight, there should be no degradation over long periods of time. AmSteel®Blue has been manufactured since the early 1990's.
AmSteel®Blue, an HMPE rope, will not dry rot. The temperature only becomes an issue if it reaches 65 degreesC or higher. You may start to see some color fading in the rope, but that has no effect on strength. The rope will only begin to lose strength after harsh use (overloading, shock loading, etc.) not harsh storing conditions