How To Work A Come Along: A Complete Step-by-Step Technical Guide
A come along is a manual, hand-operated ratchet winch utilizing a high-strength steel cable or web strap to pull, tension, or lift heavy loads with mechanical advantage. Operating this tool safely requires inspecting the wire rope for fraying, anchoring the frame hook to a stationary load-bearing point, and maintaining constant tension on the ratchet pawl during both pulling and releasing phases.
Understanding Your Mechanical Winch Before Operation
Before tensioning a single pound against a stuck vehicle, fallen timber, or framing member, you must understand the mechanical and structural limitations of your equipment. A come along relies on a gear-and-pawl mechanism to multiply human muscle input, typically achieving a mechanical advantage ratio between 15:1 and 30:1 depending on the gear configuration. Using this tool incorrectly invites catastrophic cable snap, sudden load release, and severe personal injury.
- Essential Gear and Tools: A rated cable or strap come along (typically 1-ton to 4-ton capacity), heavy-duty leather work gloves, eye protection, rated rigging straps, and heavy-duty screw-pin anchor shackles (minimum Grade 8 or stamped working load limit matching the come along).
- Mandatory Prerequisite Knowledge: Users must understand working load limits (WLL), the difference between dead weight and rolling/sliding resistance, and how to verify that anchor points can withstand the combined pulling force without failure.
- Estimated Budget and Duration: Basic hand-operated come alongs cost between thirty and one hundred dollars. A proper setup, pulling, and rigging process typically takes between fifteen to thirty minutes per pull depending on the site conditions.
Step-by-Step Rigging and Winching Execution
Step 1: Inspect the Hardware and Cable Integrity
Examine the entire length of the wire rope or synthetic strap for kinks, bird-caging, broken wire strands, corrosion, or severe abrasion. Ensure the frame, the handle, and the ratchet gears are free of cracks or excessive deformation. Check the safety latches on both the frame hook and the grab hook to verify they snap shut completely and spring back without binding.
Warning: Never use a come along with kinked, flattened, or frayed wire rope. A compromised cable can snap unexpectedly under tension, releasing stored kinetic energy with lethal force.
Step 2: Secure the Anchor Point
Select a rigid, immovable anchor point capable of withstanding the maximum pulling capacity of your tool plus a safety margin, such as the base of a healthy, thick-trunked tree or a heavily rated vehicle frame recovery point. Wrap a protective tree saver strap or rigging sling around the anchor to prevent bark damage or cable friction, then attach your come along's anchor (frame) hook directly to the sling using a certified anchor shackle.
Pro-Tip: Always attach hooks so that the load rests against the base of the hook, never on the tip or latch, and ensure the safety latches are fully engaged to prevent accidental slip-outs.
Step 3: Connect to the Load
Unspool the wire rope by releasing the pawl lever and pulling the cable out manually. Attach the puller's load hook (the hook connected to the traveling block or cable end) to the object you intend to move. Ensure the load connection point is structurally sound and won't tear away, bend, or detach when heavy tension is applied.
Step 4: Engage the Ratchet Mechanism and Begin Pulling
Push the reversing lever or flip the pawl into the forward (pulling) position so that the directional gear engages the drive wheel. Pump the handle in a steady, controlled motion. As you pump, the cable will wind onto the spool, taking up slack and increasing tension on the load. Keep your body clear of the direct line of the cable and handle swing path in case of a slip.
Step 5: Safely Release or Reverse the Tension
To release tension, you must transfer the load weight off the primary pawl carefully. Hold the operating handle firmly to prevent it from spinning backward under load. Disengage the safety catch and flip the control lever to the reverse (unwinding) position. Slowly cycle the handle back and forth to back the gear down notch by notch.
Warning: Never flip the reversing lever to free-wheel while the line is under tension. Doing so will cause the handle to spin violently out of control, causing severe hand or facial trauma.
Come-Alongs & Cable Hoist | Agriculture | BigIron
Come Along Specifications and Capacity Selection Matrix
| Model Capacity | Cable Diameter / Material | Maximum Span (Fully Extended) | Primary Application Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Ton (2,000 lbs) | 3/16-inch Galvanized Wire | 6 to 8 Feet | Light pulling, fencing wire tensioning, garage work |
| 2-Ton (4,000 lbs) | 7/32-inch Galvanized Wire | 6 to 10 Feet | Pulling small engines, light vehicle recovery |
| 4-Ton (8,000 lbs) | 1/4-inch Dual-Line Wire | 5 to 6 Feet (Double Line Rig) | Heavy vehicle recovery, structural timber positioning |
| 2-Ton Strap Style | 2-inch Polyester Webbing | 8 to 12 Feet | Boat loading, delicate surfaces, general tensioning |
Common Field Failures and Troubleshooting Remedies
- Root Cause: The handle begins to kick back or spin uncontrollably while under load.
- Actionable Fix: Immediately stop pumping and grip the handle with both hands while maintaining body positioning away from the swing arc. Verify that the directional pawl is fully engaged in the drive tooth before attempting to cycle the handle again.
- Root Cause: The wire rope binds, overlaps, or spools unevenly across the drum during operation.
- Actionable Fix: Relieve tension safely by backing off the load, use a secondary anchor to hold the load in place, and manually guide and tap the cable into neat, parallel wraps across the spool before resuming the pull.
- Root Cause: The frame or hooks begin to twist or deform under pulling force.
- Actionable Fix: Stop the operation instantly. This indicates that the load exceeds the safe working capacity of the tool, or the pull is being executed at an unsafe lateral angle. Re-evaluate the rigging setup and step up to a higher-capacity winch or add a snatch block to halve the load.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a come along be used for vertical overhead lifting?
No. Standard come alongs are engineered strictly for horizontal pulling, tensioning, and dragging applications. Using them for overhead lifting violates standard rigging safety codes because they lack the continuous positive-load brake required to prevent accidental free-falling if the handle is released.
What is the difference between a cable come along and a web strap come along?
Cable come alongs utilize galvanized steel wire rope, offering a shorter overall package and greater abrasion resistance against rough ground or sharp edges. Web strap come alongs use heavy-duty polyester webbing, which provides a longer pull distance, floats on water, and prevents surface scratching on painted or finished materials.
How do I prevent the come along cable from kinking?
Prevent kinking by never allowing the wire rope to unspool completely off the drum or develop loose loops when slack. Always maintain slight back-tension on the cable when unspooling manually to ensure the wire lays flat and tight against the spool drum.
Can I use a snatch block to increase my come along's pulling power?
Yes. By rigging a snatch block to the load and anchoring the cable end back to the main anchor point, you create a double-line rigging setup. This doubles the mechanical pulling capacity of your come along, though it cuts your total pulling travel distance in half.
Master safe winching techniques and equipment standards to handle heavy pulling jobs with confidence. Explore our advanced rigging guides to upgrade your field safety practices today.
