Outdoor activities have become more affordable than twenty years ago. Many thrill-seekers are equipping Soviet UAZ and Niva SUVs and trying to overcome places where an ordinary passenger car cannot pass. But even an experienced driver can get into a situation where you need to pull the car out of a hole or dirt. And it’s good if there are people and equipment nearby. And if in a dense forest alone or with family?
In this case, only the winch can save you. It is only necessary to find a suitable support (a sufficiently thick column of wood or a boulder) and fix it with a cable. Be sure, the winch on the UAZ "Patriot", for example, is installed, slowly but surely pulls your car out of the sand, mud or pit. But there is one minus - the price. This device is not affordable for every motorist. That is why in our today's review we will talk about how to assemble a winch in an UAZ in a handicraft way.
What does a do-it-yourself winch look like?
A winch assembled in a garage is a device capable of moving, moving and pulling heavy cars out of the mud. Initially, it looks like in the photo below.
Homemade device is of different designs. Here are the most common ones:
- manual winch;
- device with a hydraulic motor;
- mechanical (gross);
- with electric drive.
The above types of winches have a simple and understandable principle of operation: a steel cable of a certain diameter is wound on a drum mounted on a car. This “rope” is wound by a gearbox or by the person himself (using, say, scrap). Externally, such a winch (this device can be attached to UAZ 469 ) and its other varieties are very similar, but differ significantly in speed, gearbox power and size.
How does a hand winch work?
A hand winch (mounted on UAZ “Loaf”, for example) has the simplest design. The cable is wound onto the drum with a lever (you can use a small crowbar or mount). Such a device has its advantages:
- independence from energy sources and other resources;
- rather small dimensions and low weight;
- availability (low price);
- as the lever increases, the winch thrust increases.
Among the shortcomings, one can distinguish discomfort when working in inappropriate conditions (rain, snow, frost, dirt).
Gross or mechanical winch
The essence of this type of work is that the device is connected to the shaft for selecting the thrust of the motor of an SUV. There are no other power sources. The main advantages of a mechanical winch in the UAZ are a simple and understandable device design, low price and the ability to control the speed of winding the cable onto the drum, increasing or decreasing the engine speed. The disadvantages are obvious: the functionality of the unit depends on the health of the engine.
Hydraulic winch
Pretty common type. The beauty of this winch is that it can be mounted on any car where there is a hydraulic pump, including an UAZ. The winch with a hydraulic system is quite powerful, has small dimensions, quiet running. True, the installation depends on the presence of a power steering in the car. Without this element, it will not work.
Electric winch
This type is the most popular among many motorists. The main part of this winch is an electric drive that is powered by on-board wiring. Managing it is pretty easy. The advantage of an electric winch is that it is able to work without a running engine, that is, autonomously. The principle of its operation is simple: it is necessary to rewind the desired length of the cable, fix it and start the electric drive. Mounted on a special power bumper (its circuit is shown below).
The advantages of an electric winch :
- a sufficiently high speed of the electric drive when winding the cable;
- independence from running engine;
- ease of use;
- the ability to equip the device with additional sensors.
Among the disadvantages, moisture intolerance, a relatively small battery charge and high cost can be noted.
And now for the pressing issue. How to make a winch at UAZ with your own hands?
To make a home-made item is quite real. To do this, you need to have the necessary tools, materials, skills and patience. An installed winch (in UAZ), made by yourself, must have high torque in order to pull heavy cars out of dirt or sand. Some car owners do not believe that a reliable fixture can be made at home. But it is real. And most importantly - this will save money and not buy an expensive thing.
Materials that will be needed to make a winch:
- frame tube of square section 30x30 mm;
- a pipe with a diameter of 150-180 mm for the future drum;
- four metal sheets (5 mm thick) for the manufacture of a work surface and drum discs;
- metal studs (M12 and M14) 200 mm long - six pieces;
- six pieces of a 12 mm pipe, 200 mm long;
- chain, two stars, hub for installing the shaft and drum.
You will also need a cable of a certain length, a reliable carbine, a welding machine, a grinder, paints and varnishes.
It's important to know
Before starting any business, it is advisable to draw up a clear plan of action. You need to draw a drawing with the sequential steps of assembling a homemade winch. This will really facilitate the work, save time and nerves.
DIY production steps for a UAZ winch
- We take a grinder and cut a square tube, and then we weld the parts together. We check their perpendicularity, equal angles, sizes. The winch platform on the UAZ is fixed, then we make special holes in it, with which the motor will be mounted. The essence of the next step is to clean, prime and paint the resulting structure. Then proceed to the manufacture of the drum.
- Two circles of 350 mm are cut out of a sheet of metal, and in the center we drill a hole where the shaft will be mounted. Around him, around a circumference of 80 mm, we drill six identical holes. Then four more for attaching the hub. We fix the prepared studs, put pipes with a diameter of 12 mm on them, and cover them with a second disk from above, tightening the whole thing with nuts.
- A drum is put on an already assembled shaft. Outside, a hub and a large star are fixed.
- The drum itself is attached to the base of the winch. The shaft is fixed with a hub and prepared bolts. We put the motor on a dry platform. Its output shaft should have a small star. Then a special chain of suitable size is put on and tension is set (it should not hang or be pulled).
- When adjusting it, you need to watch so that the chain does not interfere with the cable winding on the drum. After this adjustment, we securely fix the motor.
- The cable is attached to the shaft and wound tightly around the finished drum. We fasten the carabiner and the steel hook. The winch at UAZ is assembled and ready for use. You can experience it!
Yes, regarding the time spent on work. As a rule, the installation of a winch in an UAZ is not too long. Ten hours is enough.
Making a winch from a starter
Many do not know, but the winch can be made from a conventional starter. It works the same way as above. The only difference is that instead of the motor, she has a working starter. For such a device, a planetary gearbox is best suited, which can be removed from the “penny” or “six” engine. A self-made adapter is attached to it, and then - a starter. We put the gears on the input shaft so that they fit together. Next, install the starter and connect the wiring.
DIY ratchet winch
For a device of this type, we need a brake mechanism from a KamAZ truck. This mechanism is able to withstand a load of up to six tons.
We disassemble the gearbox, pull out the gears, disassembling the so-called “worm gear”. To do this, we need to hammer a shaft with splines with a hammer. You can squeeze it out with the press, but not everyone has it.
The resulting parts are welded together according to plan. Remove the gear, vertically fix the pipe in a vice. Between the slots and the tube we drive in nails opposite each other. This will help center the gear relative to the gear.
After that, we cut the heads of the nails under the root and strengthen the structure by welding. We insert the gear into the gearbox body, simultaneously with the “worm”. The shaft clogs into the worm. To install the drum, take two washers and weld them to the drive shaft.
The work is completed, now you can install the winch on the UAZ and use a useful device.
DIY motorcycle winch
You won’t believe it, but the winch can be made from a littered old motorcycle, or rather, from some parts that are great for making a "self-made" mechanism.
As in previous versions, the motor is fixed to the frame. The working part of the winch is made of the main sprocket (it is located on the engine). The motorcycle chain is perfect for our needs. We fix the drum with previously prepared nuts and bolts. If the design allows, then longitudinal holes can be made on the frame. They will allow the drum to move, which will help regulate the chain tension.
Finally
You yourself today made sure that it is quite realistic to assemble the winch yourself and from improvised means. The main thing is to have material, tools, perseverance and desire. And the result of your efforts will be a winch - a device in the household is very necessary.