Rugged Ridge 3,500 Pound Heavy Duty Winch, ATV/UTV - Manual (Page 2)

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Your Rugged Ridge ® ATV/UTV recovery winch is a powerful tool adding
considerable utility and enjoyment to your off road ATV/UTV. Keep in mind,
however, that your ATV/UTV’s weight, the forces required for ATV/UTV recovery
and the variety of terrain, grades and cable rigging your might encounter, result in
any winching operation having the potential for serious personal injury or damage
to your winch or ATV/UTV. Each winch operation may involve different risks making
it impractical to provide warnings or information regarding all the risks you may
encounter. Fully understand your Rugged Ridge ® instructions and practice safe
winch operations before attempting an actual ATV/UTV recovery.
To reduce winch related risks and help you make informed decisions about
safety, the accompanying instructions provide certain information in the form of
“Warnings”, “Cautions” and “Notices”. This information alerts you to potential
hazards that could hurt you or others.
This is a caution against anything which may cause damage to your
winch, the ATV/UTV or its equipment if the caution is ignored. The Notice includes
information about how you can avoid or reduce those risks.
This is a signal telling you that you or others CAN be KILLED
or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow the Warning. The Warning includes
information about what you must or must not do in order to reduce the risk of
injury to yourself and others.
This is a signal telling you that you or others CAN be HURT if you
don’t follow the instruction. The Caution includes information about how you can
avoid those risks.
®
A FEW WORDS ABOUT PRODUCT SAFETY
ATV/UTV RECOVERY ELECTRIC WINCH USE & INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
CABLE ENTANGLEMENT/PINCH/CRUSH HAZARDS
Failure to follow these instructions could lead to severe injury or death. Consult
further WARNINGS/CAUTIONS and instructions in this use/installation manual.
Due to loads involved, all winching involves significant risks. To minimize risks
of injury
Always:
• Assure winch, mounting, cable and hook are undamaged. ATV/UTV, slope and
conditions should not approach maximum rated pull. Leave a safety margin.
• Use supplied hook strap when spooling in or out (no load). Use gloves and
keep fingers and body clear of hook, cable and fairlead
during installation and all winch operations.
• Position operator away from line of cable. Keep others at a safe right angle
from cable and ATV/UTV when winching (min. 1.5 times distance of cable). Use
greatest cable length possible while keeping at least five turns around spool.
• Fully engage clutch before powering cable in. Do no disengage or adjust
clutch while under load. Pull in stages to avoid heat buildup and motor
damage.
• Never use ATV/UTV recovery winch for persons or as hoist.
! WARNING