I'm going to mount a 12,000 lb winch on this gooseneck flatbed for pulling trucks and tractors onto the trailer. I was thinking of mounting the winch on top of the i-beam above the spare tire. This would give the cable a slightly better angle when pulling something up the ramps, which is the hardest part of the pull. I would have to either (a) cut a notch out of the i-beam to accommodate the cable or (b) use some kind of spacer to raise the winch 2 inches so the cable clears the beam. In either case, I'd put a backing plate on the bottom of the i-beam. Thoughts on this?

Since I'm going to be pulling straight in or nearly straight, not from a side angle, I think the 4-roller fairlead is probably unnecessary. OTOH, the cable will almost certainly drag on the back end of the trailer when whatever I'm pulling is at the bottom of the ramps. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I used to work on HH-60G rescue helicopters and I was taught NEVER to let the rescue hoist cable drag on the ground. Is there some type of long roller I could mount on the back of the trailer, and which could be easily removed when the cable lifts off it so the truck/tractor tires don't have to go over it?

 

for the roller, just an idea but maybe search for “heavy duty conveyor belt roller”. Could maybe rig one of those up on the edge of the trailer.

 

You want the winch at the deck height not up that high. If its up that high you will never be able to pull equipment all the way on the trailer. You will get halfway and instead of pulling the winch will try to lift up because of the angle. At 12k winch needs to be mounted feet forward for maximum capability and safety. Mounting feet down all that stress is on the winch Mounting bolts. You can do a vee shape single roller off the rear deck to keep the cable off the deck. If you have to pull at a angle use a block and tackle off the rear of the trailer to straighten it out.

 

OK... I'm not saying you're full of baloney, but this doesn't quite add up to me. The tow hooks on the front of my truck are 25.5" above ground. The top of the gooseneck is 37.5" above the deck. Assuming whatever I'm actually winching is similar height to my truck, this makes it closer to a horizontal pull with the winch up high. Or am I missing something?

 

Nope, math applies here. If you are 12" higher than your attachment point you would only be able to pull up until the x and y axis intersect. This is why you don't see high mount winches used on rollback trucks or trailers. You obviously can't pull straight horizontal in a linear motion all the way to the front of the trailer if your winch is 12" higher. You would only be able to pull in a straight line until you break the plane.

 

I would agree. I have a 10K winch on the deck of my trailer. Never had an issue pulling anything up on. At some point it might start to lift up on the vehicle being pulled on the trailer.

 

Im curious would using a pipe at the end of the trailer for cable to ride on be enough? But having the winch lower makes since to me so the machine being load can be all the way up on trailer But im not experienced enough to know for sure

 

I used to work on and sell used forklifts Forklifts, Ford390 is correct. The winch needs to be mounted at floor height on the trailer. You can buy or build a roller for the end of the bed. Never Never Never allow the cable line or chain simply drag on the tail of the trailer. Not only will it wear the cable quickly the added drag will case a tremendous strain on the winch AND cable.
TJ

 

Corner guide cable rollers would be what is used on the rear of a trailer. you can fab the mounts and buy the hardened rollers or buy the whole thing. These do not accommodate side loads.

 

In the oil field, we always had a "rolling tail board"..... It was easy on the winch cable and allowed skid mounted equipment to come aboard without any strain.

Hobo
https://pjtrailers.com/options/rolling-tailboard

 

Yes a rolling tailboard is still an option.

 

the problem starts when you get closer to the winch point. The winch point is 37 inches above the deck? Unless you’re towing a tall truck as soon as the rear wheels hit the deck you’re winching at a higher angle as most vehicles tow hooks are nowhere near 37 inches from the ground.
And what happens when you load something low to the ground like a car that has a bumper and front overhang from the winch point which is most likely a chassis or frame component. Your angle of the cable is gonna start cutting into the front fairing/overhang as it gets closer to the front of the trailer.

your best bet is to winch from the lowest point closes to the deck. There is a reason why all winches are low to the deck.

as far as the cable at the back of the trailer hitting the horizontal edge of the end of the trailer you can easily make a roller out of some pipe and weld two big nuts on the end and weld I g a couple of ears to mount it all. Just needs to keep the cable from the sharp 90* edge of the trailer.

or just cut a 1/4 section of a piece of pipe lengthwise and weld the 3/4 round section so the cable rolls over a round surface

 

I have a utility trailer that i want to put a winch on. I was thinking the same about winch height.
The difference for me is that i want pulling power up. Reason is i will be lifting log rounds that i can't lift myself.
I want to build a mount higher than my side walls.
Here is what i am working on. The height of the wall will be just short of 4'.

 

Maybe something like this at the back would help with loading logs. I guess it might not work well if you are loading a bunch of medium logs. But, something to give leverage and lift the logs, but attach to a low winch point.

 

To all the professional mathematicians in here with their calculations and angles and trying to prove that there is only one right way. I have a 25' gooseneck with beaver tail. The winch is mounted up high on the cross bar much like One Sock wants to do, my cross bar is considerably higher even than his. I have used this set up successfully oodles of times. The winch being up high reduces the force pulling the cable into the back edge of the trailer when you're loading, effectively saving your cable and trailer. Once equipment is up on the deck it is no problem at all to winch it right to the front, sure when it gets near the front it starts to lift up as well but the vehicle is or at least should be fully on the trailer at that part and generally rolls/slides well enough that even though the cable is exerting upward force it is also exerting enough forward force to pull the vehicle forward. Also who loads equipment right to the front of the trailer anyway?
My winch is on a 2" bar and slides in and out of a receiver mounted on the cross bar of the trailer. It can be taken on and off to prevent theft and leaving that expensive winch out in the rain, snow and road salt. It does weigh about 100lbs though so it can be a real bugger.

Go with your gut One Sock, it works as well as you expect it too. Also making a full width roller across the back of the trailer for the winch cable to run on sounds like an extremely bad idea when you're loading vehicles that still run and drive as well. A drive wheel hits that thing and you could have a real dangerous situation.