Interesting info, I have a Willamete angle blade on a 7J D4. I have seen the Willamette Ersted on a double drum winch on a 1930 cat Sixty of my dad’s. Hope you get the D4 running soon. Mike

Thinking ahead about the winch.... You guys that use your winch what size and length cable do you prefer? I do have some 1/2" on hand. I would like to be pulling a few logs with mine, and mostly downhill. Is there any info on how much the drum will hold? Thanks

The book says a maximum of 165' of 1/2" cable can be used. I just noticed that I quoted the specs for the D4N auxiliary winch, not the main winch. Will is correct on his info.

Here are 3 scans from the "Parts Book and Instruction Manual for Hyster D4N Towing WInch", and one of a Hyster flyer on the D4N. The pages from the Hyster book cover installation on the 6G and 7J tractors.

There is no mention of using 1/2" cable - only 3/4" and 5/8".

I run 125' feet of 3/4" cable on the one on my 7U. I think you will tear 1/2" rope apart.

you say the chrome has worn off the ram shafts. it is cheaper to have new shafts made from hard chrome shafting than to rechrome the existing shafts. especially if you are or have a friendly machinist in your circle of friends and family.

Will, Is the winch protected by a clutch before something breaks inside? I see the capacity on a bare drum at 17k lbs. I saw capacity listed for 1/2" wire rope is 24k lbs. I don't know how much pulling power is required on a large log, and if a snatch block was typically used. I wouldn't want to damage the cable or the winch if a log became snagged on something. On the property I own, most of the pulling would be done downhill. I don't see a disadvantage in overwinding the winch as it could be helpful lifting the butt end from digging on a flat or uphill pull.

If you have a running tractor with a winch on it, it would seem that would be an ideal way to load it on the trailer. I pulled the dozer onto my trailer with an old Bellview Winch. It only pulls one way, there is no out, only freewheeling. I think those are rated at 6k lbs, but it pulls a lot more than that. I had 2 snatch blocks, but the 3/8 cable was my biggest worry. I drape the cable, and stay out of line with it. I've watched a lot of YouTube videos where guys are very unsafe. They act like they don't know what could happen.

I think I will use the 1/2" since that is what I already have, unless I decide to put it on the old Bellview.

There is nothing but the main tractor clutch between the winch and the engine. Driven by a shaft coupled to the rear end of the lower transmission shaft.

These Hyster winches have the same gear ration in either overwind or underwind. I run mine on the 7U in overwind. On the TD 9 with a Carco winch there is a big difference in line pull - underwind much higher. No reason not to run in overwind if you want the lift.

On the question of wire rope strength - depends on how you read the charts. The one I use show a WLL (working load limit) for 1/2" cable of less than 5000 pounds pull. The breaking strength is about what you listed above.

The oil field hands back here regularly carried up to 500' of cable (1/2") for working wells over - all light loads.

This is my rig up tractor:

 

Will, Your tractor is one to be really proud of.

Is there a shear pin that protects the winch? Sounds like there should be. I don't understand the meaning behind working load limit? How do you limit your working load when pulling a log? I understand the reasons not to work the cable near the breaking strength, but I would think 15k would be a reasonable upper limit. If you never want to overload the winch, and risk breakage, the 5/8, and 3/4 line would seem to increase that risk without a shear pin.

There is no shear pin.

Theses winches are so overbuilt that the rigging will always (almost) fail before the winch.

Working Load Limit (WLL) is the minimum breaking strength of the cable divided by a safety factor - usually 4 or 5.

When I saw they limited the winch capacity to 17020 it made me think every 20 lbs was accounted for. It sounds like the actual pulling power is much higher than the capacity listed. It also sounds like a drum that has more cable on it could be an advantage since the winch can handle it.