I read about using this technique in , I believe, one of Ragnar Benson’s older books. It looks like this company has taken the idea and ran with it.
Whats nice is that unlike many vehicle-mounted winches, this one does not require a bullbar or hitch to attach the winch to. Realistically, a product like this should be part of a larger self-extraction kit of things like Hi-Lift jack, tow ropes/strap, traction aids, etc, etc. But…when that day comes where getting your vehicle stuck may be a Very Bad Thing, this product would make a nice addition to your toolchest of options.
6 thoughts on “Link – Bush Winch”
Our 1972 Mercedes Unimog has this feature on both front wheels along with a 29000lb Mercedes factory winch, three locking differentials, six forward and two reverse gears, and a manual throttle link on the dash.
That spool sticking out creates a lever putting forces on the wheel/axle which could be A Bad Thing. No hard data to back up my claim, just stuff I’ve read somewhere.
I recall reading about such a device in some 4WD book back in the 70’s or so…
Seems they have the tendency to snap wheel studs…which are a pita to replace in the field.
Plus, having to attach and then remove the thing when stuck makes me happy I have a winch already installed.
I thought I read that hub spool on one of Don Paul’s old books (Pathfinder Publications), but it mentioned only as a place to store rope, not as an extraction device. Cool!
In the movie Wages of Fear 1953, (and awesomely sweaty and tense) using a technique like this is a pivotal and excruciating scene involving getting a truck out of a mud bog.
Recommend the movie, not sure I’d try the move unless I was desperate.
nick
Oh, last season of Ice Road Truckers, the American from the logging industry uses a variation of this to self rescue after ending up in the ditch.
I remember seeing an advertisement in the 70s for a log splitter that replaced a vehicle wheel. The user jacked the drive axle up off the ground, installed the log splitter, which was a giant tapered screw, and fed the sections up against it. The company was in Colorado, I never saw the device in use, but it probably worked okay. Just really slow to set up and use and a little scary. Would make a fantastic death/near-death scene in a movie, though.
Our 1972 Mercedes Unimog has this feature on both front wheels along with a 29000lb Mercedes factory winch, three locking differentials, six forward and two reverse gears, and a manual throttle link on the dash.
That spool sticking out creates a lever putting forces on the wheel/axle which could be A Bad Thing. No hard data to back up my claim, just stuff I’ve read somewhere.
I recall reading about such a device in some 4WD book back in the 70’s or so…
Seems they have the tendency to snap wheel studs…which are a pita to replace in the field.
Plus, having to attach and then remove the thing when stuck makes me happy I have a winch already installed.
I thought I read that hub spool on one of Don Paul’s old books (Pathfinder Publications), but it mentioned only as a place to store rope, not as an extraction device. Cool!
In the movie Wages of Fear 1953, (and awesomely sweaty and tense) using a technique like this is a pivotal and excruciating scene involving getting a truck out of a mud bog.
Recommend the movie, not sure I’d try the move unless I was desperate.
nick
Oh, last season of Ice Road Truckers, the American from the logging industry uses a variation of this to self rescue after ending up in the ditch.
I remember seeing an advertisement in the 70s for a log splitter that replaced a vehicle wheel. The user jacked the drive axle up off the ground, installed the log splitter, which was a giant tapered screw, and fed the sections up against it. The company was in Colorado, I never saw the device in use, but it probably worked okay. Just really slow to set up and use and a little scary. Would make a fantastic death/near-death scene in a movie, though.