Lewis Winch vs. Portable Winch

[Brno22F]

This topic comes up just about every year. There are a bunch of threads. Just type Lewis winch in the search box at the top of this page and click on the little magnifying glass. You will have an evening of reading ahead of you. Good pro/con discussions concerning capstan type winches like the portable winch(Honda powered) and the Simpson Winch (mounts to chainsaw) versus the fixed drum winch=the Lewis.

Personally, I have a Lewis. So far it has pulled 5 moose out of some really nasty places. Despite it's weight and limited drum capacity/cable length, it is an awesome piece of kit.

[blister]

Whats the pull capacity on the Hand Winch, Rocksteady? I see it pulls a Dear but will it pull a Moose?

[Sunzuki]

Buddy has one and claimed it pulled an elk up a steep hill.
I know for a fact the older Lewis my buddy has pulled a cow and
calf tied together.
Decently flat ground and got a chain gang going.
One on the chainsaw, two on the Lewis, one clearing brush, one
watching for grizz's and me tossing and turning the two moose
to avoid withers from hanging up.

[Citori54]

We pulled a decent bull moose out with a Lewis last season. No way to get a truck in so we had to winch 600 yards across a meadow and through trees. Worked like a hot damn although you are not going to set any speed record. Use it with a good saw and they are great.

[rocksteady]

Whats the pull capacity on the Hand Winch, Rocksteady? I see it pulls a Dear but will it pull a Moose?

it depends on what the rated capacity is of the winch you mount, as well as the tensile strength of the cable.

no one says you gotta pull it out whole. Buck it in half and 2 easy pulls

[blister]

ya i was trying to avoid that process...

[bcsteve]

I have a Lewis winch, bought it new three years ago straight out of where they make them in New Westminster. Shot three moose in those three years but only needed it once. Shot a bull moose across a small pond about 75 yds across. Pulled the moose whole (to avoid mud and swamp water in the cavity) across the pond and up the embankment without even slowing down. When it got to the embankment my buddy didn't notice that the antlers were digging in the dirt and I actually broke the antlers off the skull with pieces of skull still attached!! Lots of power!

I went with the Lewis over the rope/capstan style winch because I read that once the rope gets wet they loose some of their pulling power with the rope slipping. The Lewis is also rated much higher with 4000lbs straight pull and 8000lbs double. Useful for game recovery as well as vehicles. The endless rope length of the capstan is appealing over the 150' cable of the Lewis though.

[bcsteve]

I wonder if you can use synthetic cable on that Lewis winch.

I've seen guys who had done it (on the Internet) but when I asked Lewis they said they didn't recomended it and it would void my warranty. I'll probably do it anyway when my cable needs to be replaced.

[Sunzuki]

Bring some sturdy rope (climbing) with you so you don't have to keep
moving the winch.

[264mag]

I bought non stretch rope at Cascades Supply in Chilliwack. I used it a few weeks ago sliding trees around the cabin without any breaks or issues, works great.