Content Source: 2020 RS1 Owner’s Manual (9930796 R02) > Winch Guide Chapter

IMPORTANT

The Owner's Manual for this vehicle contains warnings, instructions and other information you must read and fully understand before safely riding or performing maintenance on this vehicle.Always follow the warnings and instructions in Owner's Manual.

Click the CONTENTS link above for the Table Of Contents, or download a full PDF of the Owner Manual in the Owner Support area of Polaris.com

Winch Safety Precautions

  1. Read all sections of this manual.
  2. Never use alcohol or drugs before or while operating the winch.
  3. Never allow children under 16 years of age to operate the winch.
  4. Always wear eye protection and heavy gloves when operating the winch.
  5. Always keep body, hair, clothing and jewelry clear of the winch cable, fairlead and hook when operating winch.
  6. Never attempt to “jerk” a load attached to the winch with a moving vehicle. See the Shock Loading section on Shock Loading.
  7. Always keep the area around the vehicle, winch, winch cable, and load clear of people (especially children) and distractions while operating the winch.
  8. Always turn the vehicle ignition power OFF when it and the winch are not being used.
  9. Always be sure that at least five (5) full turns of winch cable are wrapped around the winch drum at all times. The friction provided by this wrapped cable allows the drum to pull on the winch cable and move the load.
  10. Always apply your vehicle’s park brake and/or park mechanism to hold the vehicle in place during winching. Use wheel chocks if needed.
  11. Always align the vehicle and winch with the load directly in front of the vehicle as much as possible. Avoid winching with the winch cable at an angle to the winching vehicle’s centerline whenever possible.
  12. If winching at an angle is unavoidable, follow these precautions:
    1. Look at the winch drum occasionally. Never let the winch cable “stack” or accumulate at one end of the winch drum. Too much winch cable at one end of the winch drum can damage the winch and the winch cable.
    2. If stacking occurs, stop winching. Follow step 15 of Winch Operation to feed and rewind the cable evenly before continuing the winch operation.
  13. Never winch up or down at sharp angles. This can destabilize the winching vehicle and possibly cause it to move without warning.
  14. Never attempt to winch loads that weigh more than the winch’s rated capacity.
  15. The winch motor may become hot during winch use. If you winch for more than 45 seconds, or if the winch stalls during operation, stop winching and permit the winch to cool down for 10 minutes before using it again.
  16. Never touch, push, pull or straddle the winch cable while winching a load.
  17. Never let the winch cable run through your hands, even if wearing heavy gloves.
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  18. Never release the clutch on the winch when the winch cable is under load.
  19. Never use the winch for lifting or transporting people.
  20. Never use the winch to hoist or suspend a vertical load.
  21. Always inspect your winch and winch cable before each use.
  22. Never winch the hook fully into the winch. This can cause damage to winch components.
  23. Unplug the remote control from the vehicle when the winch is not in use to prevent inadvertent activation and use by unauthorized persons.
  24. Never grease or oil the winch cable. This will cause the winch cable to collect debris that will shorten the life of the cable.

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