Receiver Hitch Mounted Capstan

[hobbyheater]

(broken link removed to http://www.princessauto.com/hlr-system/Documents/84/842/8429/8429946_manual.pdf)

Could be handy for getting bigger firewood rounds out to the road .

 

[BrotherBart]

Kinda pricey but I want one.

 

[BrianK]

(broken link removed to http://www.princessauto.com/hlr-system/Documents/84/842/8429/8429946_manual.pdf)

Could be handy for getting bigger firewood rounds out to the road .

Looks like a great idea. I just searched for something like this last month but came up empty.

Here's the manufacturer's website:
(broken link removed to http://www.endurance-marine.com/product.php?categoryID=17&productID=87&productName=Tugger%20Winches)

Brief Description

Tugger Winches and Accessories: Tugger Capstan or Tugger Winch with 50ft cable.

Detailed Description

ETUG-1 Tugger Capstan:
The Vehicle / RV winch with endless possibilities. The capstan head allows the use of an unlimited length of rope to reach distant objects and constant pulling performance that is not effected by the line length. Mounts within a minute to a standard hitch receiver.
12 volt double planetary gear capstan head winch with 1500 lbs of pulling power mounted on a heavy duty steel structure that houses a 200 amp switching solenoid and 80 amp thermal breaker. Built in cleat for safe securing of loads and carrying handle.
Under light loads this 3.25 capstan will retrieve at 50 feet per minute. At 200 lb loads at 30 feet per minute.
A hands free foot switch is included to have two hands to bail the rope.
Complete with a 100 amp, fast connect 9 gauge wiring harness

So...is it heavy duty enough for dragging logs?

 

[hobbyheater]

Looks like a great idea.
So...is it heavy duty enough for dragging logs?

A capstan was used to load the bundles of lumber onto this boat. From what I can remember, the capstan was about 8" in diameter. The operator would put three wraps around the capstan and use hand pressure to lift the bundles. He would just relax just a little to lower them with good control.

 

[BrianK]

Yes, capstan winches are great and can be used for heavy pulling/lifting. I'm just not sure how much heavy pulling/lifting a 12v DC capstan winch can accomplish.

 

[fossil]

Oh hell, that's not a capstan...this is a capstan:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/7215037108/

 

[hobbyheater]

Yes, capstan winches are great and can be used for heavy pulling/lifting. I'm just not sure how much heavy pulling/lifting a 12v DC capstan winch can accomplish.

There was a thread in "The Wood Shed" where member "MR A" was looking for a way to get some big cut oak rounds up from below the street, rattle snakes included! There was a time when Super Winch produced a reasonably priced 1500 lb 12 volt winch attached to a 2" inch receiver hitch. I could not find it for an idea to post as a reply to his thread. But I found the "capstan winch" and just did the thread for general interest. You are right about it's possible lack of ability to pull.
I can pull some some pretty good logs with the 4000 lb Superwinch on my wood splitter. One thing about the capstan, you do not have to be in lead to get the line to spool and if used on the back of a pickup, you could pull at right angles to the truck. On the down side, it is questionable as to how much it could pull and also one would really want to know the breaking strength of the rope that you are using and would not want the rope going over a sharp edge; either could result in a whip coming right at you .

 

[BrianK]

I can pull some some pretty good logs with the 4000 lb Superwinch on my wood splitter. One thing about the capstan, you do not have to be in lead to get the line to spool and if used on the back of a pickup, you could pull at right angles to the truck. On the down side, it is questionable as to how much it could pull and also one would really want to know the breaking strength of the rope that you are using and would not want the rope going over a sharp edge; either could result in a whip coming right at you .

I sent an email to the manufacturer and asked whether it would have enough power and if it was heavy duty enough for dragging logs. I'll let you know if they respond. I have an area where I can scrounge a lot of good wood but I'm not permitted to use any motorized vehicles on the property. So I've been researching capstan winches for over a month. If this unit is strong enough I might just buy one.

 

[hobbyheater]

If this unit is strong enough I might just buy one.

One thing that I have to look for before yarding logs, is that there has to be a stump ahead and to the side of the splitter and truck to attach the winch cable to so the truck can be pulled ahead to release the tension on the drive train if the key cannot be turned to get the engine started. With the E- brake set as tight as I can with the transmission in park, sometimes after a good pull, I can not turn the key to get the engine started.

 

[hobbyheater]

Oh hell, that's not a capstan...this is a capstan:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/7215037108/

You are right THAT is a CAPSTAN

 

[bogydave]

We used the big ones like "fossil" showed,only a horizontal drum, for tying up oil tankers with 9" polly lines.
The one hobbyheater linked is small diameter, I bet it has plenty of torque to pull logs.

Looks like a good tool for getting unstuck too. I need one & bet I find several uses to justify it

 

[Jags]

Oh hell, that's not a capstan...this is a capstan:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnavy/7215037108/

Rick - ya ever see the fancy painted up ones in the pointy end of the USS Ranger? Them suckers were big enough to lay across.

Huh, that is a pretty neat idea for the hitch mount. I am also interested in the success. I don't really have need for one, but I always like to tuck that kind of info neatly into a corner of my brain for future reference.

 

[BrianK]

There's one currently listed on eBay:

(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/110826301254?rd=1&item=110826301254&viewitem=&sspagename=WDVW&category=43984&ih=001&vxp=mtr)

 

[coaly]

One thing that I have to look for before yarding logs, is that there has to be a stump ahead and to the side of the splitter and truck to attach the winch cable to so the truck can be pulled ahead to release the tension on the drive train if the key cannot be turned to get the engine started. With the E- brake set as tight as I can with the transmission in park, sometimes after a good pull, I can not turn the key to get the engine started.

I off road Land Rovers and use a Pull - Pal for a dead man during winch recovery. Set ground anchor, back up until tight and use as a ground anchor.

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[BrianK]

Here's the email reply from Endurance Marine:

Hi Brian
We are just launching this item and we would sell it directly to you from our US warehouse in Blaine, Wa. at $699.00. The weight is 55 lbs and the freight will be an additional $71.55 This has a very powerful 1.5 hspwr D/C motor. It has vertical lifting power of 800 lbs and pulling power of 4000 lbs. It will pull firewood and much more. It mounts to a standard 2 inch hitch receiver within two minutes and comes complete with a 25 foot wiring harness. We look forward to hearing further from you.

cheers
cam

 

[MasterMech]

4000lbs won't haul monster logs but should drag big chunks uphill.

 

[BrianK]

4000lbs won't haul monster logs but should drag big chunks uphill.

There seems to be a discrepancy between the specs on their website and what they stated in their email, so I wrote back and asked for more info:

Thanks for getting back to me, Cam.

I see three Tugger type models listed on your website, ETUG-1, ETUG-2, and EGTUG-500. These don't seem to have the same specs as those quoted in your email.
Is there another model not listed on your website with the vertical lifting power of 800 lbs and pulling power of 4000 lbs?
Do you have a spec sheet you could email or a link for all your models, and photos (instead of CAD/CAM drawings such as those on your website)?
Also, are these manufactured in North America or imported?
My apologies for all the questions but I just want to make sure what I'm looking at and ordering. I'm also considering the capstan winches for my Stihl chainsaw, so I'm trying to compare apples to apples with price range and pulling ratings.
Regards,
Brian
PS: This item will be great for the firewood/logging industry, even for individual wood burners like myself, so don't forget to market to those consumers. I first learned about your product from a thread on a wood stove forum.

Some of their other power products are clearly Chinese in origin.

It looks like they've simply mated a marine DC capstan pot/ anchor winch to a receiver, and added cables and a foot control.

I can't tell if its worth $700...

In the email, they state they ship to US from a warehouse in Blaine WA. That's the same location as the eBay vender selling their products. This looks like the marine winch on which the Tugger is based:
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marine-Capstan-Anchor-Winch-Windlass-NEW-AND-IMPROVED-/110830465670?pt=Boat_Parts_Accessories_Gear&hash=item19ce02b286)

 

[fossil]

Yup, I'd say it's all one in the same, and it's an adaptation of an imported product. Blaine WA is ~2 hour drive north of Seattle. 7th largest seaport in N. America, >2M containers/yr. (gotta love Google ) ~$17B of goods imported from China through the seaport of Seattle in 2011. Rick

 

[ScotO]

funny because I just was thinking of making my Ramsey 8000lb PTO winch a portable unit, something I could slide into my receiver and utilize a 5hp Briggs motor I have laying in the barn. would be fairly easy to do if I had the time.......nevermind I don't have any time!

 

[BrianK]

They wrote back:

We do not have the web site updated yet. The ETUG-1 is the capstan head model. The ETUG-2 is our mounting system with a drum winch. The advantage to the capstan is you may have unlimited line and you get a consent pulling power because you are not winding the line on a drum. The line is secured by three wraps around the capstan head and you remove it (or bail) the rope as it is retrieved. On a drum winch the industry rates the power on the first wrap on the drum where it has the most mechanical advantage. Every wrap of cable you put on a drum winch you loose 10%. If you have a 10,000 lb rated winch and have 5 wraps on the cable; you then have a 5000 lb winch.
The recovery or cable winch's are also fictitiously rated - the standard is against a rolling load on a 45 degree angle. For example a 10,000 lb winch is only capable of actually dead lifting approximately 3000 lbs but only on the first wrap. The 5th wrap would only lift 1500 lbs.
Our 1.5 hsprw motor with a 3 1/4 inch capstan head will dead lift as much as 1100 lbs before stalling. Capacity will vary from motor to motor on D/C but guaranteeing 1000 lbs is a safe bet. If we apply this power to the way they rate the automotive winches we can "pull" 5000 lbs. We will be doing further field testing before we firm up a rating.
Our motor features all bearing contacts (no bushings) and high temperature brushes. Heat is the enemy of D/C motors. We provide an 80 amp thermal breaker and switch using low voltage to a 100 amp solenoid. The gear casing is T5 aluminum and features twin carriages running 6 planetary gears on a heat treated 2 inch ring gear. The shaft and all fasteners are 316 stainless steel.
The components are made in China and Korea. The engineering and assembly are done in Vancouver, B.C. We warehouse in Blaine, Wa. for the US market.
We are currently closed for a national holiday but I will have further information sent to you tomorrow morning.
I think you probably asked the time and I have ended up telling you how to build the watch. Thanks for your patience. cheers cam

 

[bogydave]

I chain a hay pulley up a tree & hook the rope to the cargo hook on the front of the truck.
I can back up & watch the log. I can go about 250 feet with the rope I have.
Faster than a capstan & cheaper.
Pic of down hill logging. Works good uphill too
.




https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/local-cuttn-area-ak-2nd-trip-pics.73914/

 

[BrianK]

I can go about 250 feet with the rope I have.
Faster than a capstan & cheaper.

No doubt.

But I still have areas I want to recover trees from, on a lot in which I cannot use motorized vehicles, where I could use a capstan winch to recover a number of nice trunks. It would not be too difficult to rig a mount for this to strap to a tree but I'd still need a 12v DC source to power it. Which at this price point means the chainsaw powered capstan unit probably makes more sense.

 

[MasterMech]

No doubt.

But I still have areas I want to recover trees from, on a lot in which I cannot use motorized vehicles, where I could use a capstan winch to recover a number of nice trunks. It would not be too difficult to rig a mount for this to strap to a tree but I'd still need a 12v DC source to power it. Which at this price point means the chainsaw powered capstan unit probably makes more sense.

Might beat lugging a 12VDC power supply big enough for that winch into the woods without a motor vehicle.

 

[BrianK]

Might beat lugging a 12VDC power supply big enough for that winch into the woods without a motor vehicle.

I'm going to build a wood hauler out of an old snow blower similar to the one here: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/score-i-love-craigs-list.86371/#post-1114149

I could also run an old alternator off the snow blower motor and charge a small garden tractor battery for a 12v power supply. I'm still trying to figure out whether the landowner would consider a powered wagon to be a "motorized vehicle."

 

[Jags]

and charge a small garden tractor battery for a 12v power supply.

Probably not gonna work well. The garden tractor battery is gonna give you fits. First, pulling a constant 80 amps out of it for a couple of minutes at a time is gonna kill the battery, even if attached to a genny on the snow blower. Think deep cycle (and big) if you are looking at that kind of amps for any length of time.