02 Ford F350 - The "last" truck?

jscusmcvet said:
So using the truck this afternoon as God intended. Pulled up some small invasive trees Ann wanted gone. As we unspoiled the Warm 16000# winch, the steel cable is doubled back about 15 feet into it. It is under many layers. Any suggestions on how to get it to release?
Click to expand...
Once you get it untangled pull it off and toss it in the recycle bin! Resurface the drum or replace it and install 1/2" 12 strand Cortland rope(synthetic).

www.safe-xtract.com

Safe-Xtract Winch Line - Safe-Xtract®

Based on years of innovative engineering and design, Safe-Xtract's Kit, Training and Software/App-based Vehicle Recovery System is the most advanced recovery system in the world - and this is our purpose-engineered Winch Lines. Our Winch Lines are designed from the ground up as an interoperable...
www.safe-xtract.com www.safe-xtract.com

www.asroffroad.com

1/2" ASR ENHANCED Winch Line (MTS 31,300 lbs)

ASR Offroad offers a variety of 4x4 accessories including synthetic winch ropes, tow straps, kinetic vehicle recovery straps and snatch blocks for 4x4’s, ATV’s and UTV’s.
www.asroffroad.com www.asroffroad.com
 
WashingtonTaco said:
Once you get it untangled pull it off and toss it in the recycle bin! Resurface the drum or replace it and install 1/2" 12 strand Cortland rope(synthetic).

www.safe-xtract.com

Safe-Xtract Winch Line - Safe-Xtract®

Based on years of innovative engineering and design, Safe-Xtract's Kit, Training and Software/App-based Vehicle Recovery System is the most advanced recovery system in the world - and this is our purpose-engineered Winch Lines. Our Winch Lines are designed from the ground up as an interoperable...
www.safe-xtract.com www.safe-xtract.com

www.asroffroad.com

1/2" ASR ENHANCED Winch Line (MTS 31,300 lbs)

ASR Offroad offers a variety of 4x4 accessories including synthetic winch ropes, tow straps, kinetic vehicle recovery straps and snatch blocks for 4x4’s, ATV’s and UTV’s.
www.asroffroad.com www.asroffroad.com
Click to expand...
Thanks. I guess my point is that it is so tangled I cannot get it to unspool. Need to know if there is a technique instead of cutting it off or disassembling the winch.
 
I also guess I should say that the primary duty for this winch will be around the farm, trees, logs, etc... For that reason we will likely stick with a steel cable. I went the synthetic route a few years back when I was in the jeep world and while it is so much easier to use, it wore so quickly due to either me or my use of it, I have not ever used synthetic since. This truck came with a Warn 16,000 (or 16500) pound Warn and the first time we went to use it got about 15 feet of wire off the drum and it is clearly doubled back on itself. Joe and I are going to work this after noon to try and untangle it and after that will inspect for damage. I will try to remember to take pics.

John
 
Lots of work today, although leaving the winch for tomorrow. Today was about mounting the camper, as well as the tie down brackets. My camper is a Northstar MC 600. It is made for a short bed half ton. Weight 1100 pounds dry. For tie down brackets this time around I went with Brophy bed mounts. Pros and cons to all systems but with the light weight of this camper, I think it will be ok.
Luckily I had my head mechanic doing a lot of the work... I was primarily the supervisor.
IMG_20240323_181742527_MP.jpg
IMG_20240323_182546136.jpg
IMG_20240323_185348051.jpg
IMG_20240323_193614086.jpg
IMG_20240323_194917357.jpg
 
I am glad we mounted it forward, as you can see it gives us a storage area with the tailgate up and a back porch when down. The Brophy mounts seemed to hold up well on my drive.
 
Last edited:
Also wanted to mention that with this 1100# camper (probably 1250 with the minimal loadout we keep in it) the rear of the truck came down right at an inch. Drives well on highway, a bit of sway on the trail into the compound, but not enough to worry over. Still like the Brophy mounts. You can see we did modify them a bit (thanks to my head mechanic, Joe) by welding on extra spacing on the tab. This was so we did not have to cut into any of the bed stake pockets to mount. Joe and I are also discussing if they would gain stability by welding on a tab on the other side. After almost a week with it on there, I don't think it is needed.
1711639847919.png
 
One more ramble. I have been getting 16 MPG around mixed driving unloaded. Highway unloaded 17.5mpg. With the camper loaded, mixed driving, I am right at 13mpg. On a separate topic, there is some wind noise and whistling due t the old light brackets on top. I am determining whether to mount a light bar up there (would come in handy at the compound) or to just tale them off. I think with the right adjustments the light bar will interfere with the air flow enough to mitigate the whistling.

John
 
I love your setup! My dad was a firefighter, and I was always drawn to the brush trucks over all of the other equipment. For years I wanted to buy his department's Kaiser m715, but I never caught wind of the auction, and it disappeared one day.

I wonder how my f150 would carry a Northstar like yours... I only have 1650lbs to work with, but only 350lbs of passenger weight. I have airbags too, so I'm sure it would help handle the load.
 
givemethewillys said:
I love your setup! My dad was a firefighter, and I was always drawn to the brush trucks over all of the other equipment. For years I wanted to buy his department's Kaiser m715, but I never caught wind of the auction, and it disappeared one day.

I wonder how my f150 would carry a Northstar like yours... I only have 1650lbs to work with, but only 350lbs of passenger weight. I have airbags too, so I'm sure it would help handle the load.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I used to carry this in a 2003 Tundra, then a dodge Dakota. Both needed some suspension enhancement to handle it well. Your F150 with airbags should have no problem.
 
Looks like you have a really nice setup with plenty of engine power to spare if you decided to pull a trailer. I love those older diesel 7.3's
 
jscusmcvet said:
So using the truck this afternoon as God intended. Pulled up some small invasive trees Ann wanted gone. As we unspoiled the Warm 16000# winch, the steel cable is doubled back about 15 feet into it. It is under many layers. Any suggestions on how to get it to release?
Click to expand...
I have run into this before with a farm truck when I was much younger. What we did was to unspool the winch until it reached the kincked up point. Tension the winch with a tree saver or something around a tree or something very sturdy. Run the winch using the power in or out going in the direction needed to free the kink. Once it releases back the truck up ever so slightly to where it's tensioning the winch line again and repeat the process with the controller. It's a bit of a time consuming pain but it should work. Once completely let out you can re-spool it under tension and have everything good again.
 
Celt II said:
I have run into this before with a farm truck when I was much younger. What we did was to unspool the winch until it reached the kincked up point. Tension the winch with a tree saver or something around a tree or something very sturdy. Run the winch using the power in or out going in the direction needed to free the kink. Once it releases back the truck up ever so slightly to where it's tensioning the winch line again and repeat the process with the controller. It's a bit of a time consuming pain but it should work. Once completely let out you can re-spool it under tension and have everything good again.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I used that method a few weekends back and it came out as easy as you please. Winch put to use a 2nd time, this time to retrieve our smashed up, but running Subaru that the boy uses as a bash around the woods vehicle (it had 2 trees fall on it years ago, but still is mechanically sound). He learned a little about approach angles and ground clearance with that little adventure. No harm to him or the car, so all good :)
 
This past weekend we made use of the truck and camper as a mobile hotel room. Went to Boone, NC, camped at the KOA and attended the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Highlight for me was the boy competing in his first Highland Games heavy athletics. He scored one 1st and 2 second place finished in his age group. Representing the Fraser of Lovat clan and the McLennan clan.
IMG_20240711_202801300.jpg
IMG_20240714_150951822.jpg
IMG_20240714_150951822.jpg
IMG_20240714_144800534.jpg
IMG_20240712_141028178.jpg
 
Here is the rear step mod I fabbed up to make entrance and exit easier. I had welded this all up in the past for the Tundra, but only had to use one step. With the F350 since we can leave the tailgate on, it needed to stick out further and needed a second step. After An gave it a try she asked if I could rig something up for her to hold onto. The result came from parts of an old trampoline frame we had in our pile o stuff. You can see below. And don't make fun of my welds unless you want to come do it for me.
IMG_20240901_152539458.jpg
IMG_20240901_152531912.jpg
IMG_20240901_152601616.jpg
 
Last edited:
It all works quite well. Just enough to steady yourself up and down the steps. Strong enough if you have to hang or put some weight on it. You can see in the last pic that the pole removes for travel. The steps stay in on the road, hence the yellow paint and reflectors.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom