Winch.....Pulled out of retirement.

[guyvapeur]

Back in the 70s. we did not have much in the way of modern equipment to get us in the bush and out of the bush. I drove a 1972 chevy short box and had a 3 in. pipe bumper on the front. I always had a 1.5 ton COLUMBUS MCKINNON (CM) winch (puller) with me. I had 75 feet of 3/8 in. cable wrapped around the front bumper. When stuck, I would unwind what cable I needed and hook up the puller. I recall coming upon a 4x4 truck that had its nose in a lake. The driver thought 1/4 in. ice would carry him. Now we were 40 miles from the nearest phone. The puller did the job in no time at all. Now that I think of it, the puller got me out of every hole I ever got stuck in.
Yesturday, I took the puller down from its perch and stripped it to the last part. I cleaned every part and repacked it with grease. I think it is time I go down to the creek and see how this forgotten piece of kit really works.
Anyone out there use a chain puller when out in the bush.
All the best of the season to everyone

[Dozerlarry]

I never used a chain puller but my first Jeep had a hand cable winch on it. It always worked and never let me down. We worked it with a 3/4 drive ratchet.

[ARGOJIM]

Many of the older Warn 12000 truck winches had the manual capability if motor fried, course they weighed about what the engine in these machines weigh ( least it seemed it and I was much younger then).

[North Country Tough]

Older post but just come across it,oddly enough in my gallery is a shot of me correcting one of my Boo Boo,s when I dropped my Avenger in the lake thru the ice,along with a good stretch of chain the one armed bandit I used that day to extract said error in judgment was a Columbus Mc Kinnon chain winch which as I recall was liberated from a General Motors Plant in southern Ontario by a Bud of my father,its been with me for years and saved me from myself numerous times.Cheers NCT

[Noel Woods]

I had a Massdam come along back in the day, if I recall it was a 3 ton. It saved my butt in my M38a1 Jeep and later my I.H. Scout several times. Winches were for the rich and powerful back in those days. I always had about 120 feet of logging chain in 10' to 20' increments.

Years later, I befriended a guy who owned a machine shop, and he helped me to build an electric winch out of a starter motor and that went on the Scout. It was a great winch but I'll always remember that big come along and all that chain I carried. The Massdam was probably 30 years old when I had it and I don't even recall what I did with it once I got the winch. Ironically, I still have some of that same chain.

[guyvapeur]

Seems to me the CM Winch I own had all the markings of an oil plant up in Northern Alberta. I don't know of anyone that has bought one of these new. they all seem to have been scarfed, borrowed, liberated, found or received as a gift. It is one solid piece of kit. The Princess Auto come-alongs just don't cut it when you need a solid pull..

[northernargoman]

I was thinking of a come along when reading this thread but it seems that this hand winch may be different. Any chance you could post a picture. Sorry but the early 70s was before my motoring time had started. Thanks!

[guyvapeur]

This is the puller. It is old and banged up, but it pulls well. Not to be confused with a come along

[North Country Tough]

Thats the one but what is that accessory thing I have nothing like that wrench looking thing

[akcrawler]

It looks like you only get about 4' of pull before you have to reset and go again. Is that about right? We have similar rigs in the oilfield construction business. You can lift/pull a lot of weight with them. That is a rare find for a recreational setup. I can imagine it is real handy.

[Noel Woods]

I've got a similar chain hoist that has about 20' of chain, it can be used horizontally and vertically. If you are winching with it, its sometimes necessary to stop, and rewind it, then restart the process for a long pull. Its a good piece of kit though, and I've used it many times to pull motors and transmissions and frames out of aatvs as well as to pull motors off boats.

[guyvapeur]

With reference to the second handle or wrench shown in the picture, I think I read somewhere in the CM site that there is an option shorter or longer handle if working in confined space. The original pullers come with about 5 feet of chain. For my purposes, 12 feet is better. I also read somewhere that it is a good idea to put a toggle or bolt device through the last link of the chain in the event that there is a failure. Without a stop on the chain, it would feed right through the puller.

[northernargoman]

Thanks for the picture!!!