Advanced winching guide: How to be a Kung-Fu recovery master

A good winch makes a great tool with a little know-how. Dan puts the Bushranger Revo MKII through its paces in this advanced winching guide.

If you’ve been following along in the Unsealed 4X4 Garage, you’ll know we’ve been doing a deep dive into the new Revo MKII winch from Bushranger. You can check out our initial impressions of the winch and the video of what comes in the box. And what better way to put it through its paces than by shooting a guide on how to master winch recoveries?

From the basics to the most extreme techniques, with the Revo MKII fired up, this guide will arm you with everything you need to become a recovery sensei.

The Revo MKII is built tough, engineered with precision, and packed with features to make recoveries safe and efficient. Having the right gear may get you halfway, but knowing how to use it properly is the final piece to the puzzle.

Winching guide to mastering the basics

Before you start pulling out advanced tricks, it’s crucial to have the fundamentals down. Think of these as your recovery katas: essential movements you practice until they’re second nature. Neglect them, and you’ll end up flailing in the mud (or worse).

• Safety first: Always wear gloves, use rated recovery points, and never step over or near a loaded winch line. A snapped cable can whip back with lethal force.
• Clear communication: Designate one person to call the shots. Having multiple people shouting instructions is a recipe for disaster.
• Gear up: Even for basic recoveries, you need the essentials: a rated snatch block, tree trunk protectors, shackles, and a dampener for the winch line. Don’t skimp here; cheap gear can fail when you need it most.
• Anchor points: Make sure your anchor point is solid. Whether it’s a tree, rock, or another vehicle, confirm it can handle the load.
• Stay calm: Rushed recoveries are dangerous recoveries. Take your time to assess the situation and plan your moves.

With these winching guide basics in mind, you’re ready to level up to the real Kung Fu techniques.

Advanced winch recovery techniques

A winch isn’t just a tool to pull you out of the mud. With some clever techniques, the Revo MKII becomes a Swiss Army knife of recovery. Here’s how to take your winching game to the next level.

Advanced winching guide – multiple line pulls

Purpose:

• Amplify the winch’s pulling power by using mechanical advantage.

Our Bushranger Revo MKII has a rated pulling power of 12,000 lbs, but with a multiple-line pull, we can double or even triple that power. This is ideal when you’re deeply bogged, carrying a heavy load with all the gear for a big lap, or recovering something significantly larger than your vehicle.

How to do it:

In a standard recovery situation, you’d run your winch line out and connect your hook directly to the recovery point, normally a bow shackle in a tree trunk protector. Instead, we’re putting a snatch block on that bow shackle, reeving our winch line through it, and connecting the hook back to a rated recovery point on the front of our rig for a 2:1 mechanical advantage.

It’ll halve the line speed but double the pulling power. If you’re really in a bind, you can hook a second pulley block to your 4X4, reeve the line through that as well and back up to the anchor point for a 3:1. You won’t get anywhere fast, but you’d move the earth if you needed to. 

Things to watch out for:

• Increased line tension means more stress on gear—always use rated equipment.
• Snatch blocks add friction, so monitor heat buildup in the winch motor.
• Double-check all connections before you start pulling.

Advanced winching guide – winch re-directs

Purpose:

• Winch in unconventional directions, such as around a corner or sideways.

Sometimes the straight path isn’t an option. Whether you’re stuck in a tricky spot or need to pull another vehicle that isn’t directly in front of you, re-directing the winch line using snatch blocks is the solution.

How to do it:

Think of a winch re-direct as an extension of a multiple-line pull, and it’s a pretty simple concept to wrap your head around. We’re using snatch blocks to change where the winch line goes, but instead of using it for mechanical advantage, we’re using it to send it somewhere else. If you’re halfway up the track and your mate behind you needs a hand, you can set up like a double line pull, but instead of running the line back to your own bull bar, run it past and to them.

You won’t get a mechanical advantage, but you will recover someone behind you. You can use this technique to winch around corners, too. If you’re on a side slope, you can even run through two pulley blocks, connect to your rear tow point, and pull your backside back onto the track. Neat eh?

Things to watch out for:

• Friction reduces pulling power, so avoid unnecessary re-directs.
• Make sure all anchor points and recovery equipment can handle angled pulls.
• Keep bystanders well clear of the re-directed line in case of failure.

Advanced winching guide – winching upwards

Purpose:

• Overcome vertical obstacles like rock steps or steep sand embankments.

The Revo MKII is a powerhouse, but it can’t pull an unstoppable force through an immovable object. If your tyres are pushed up against a rock ledge or dug deep in the sand, pulling in a dead straight line is likely to break something. Instead, let’s re-direct that line so you’re pulling upwards, not just forwards. 

How to do it:

Give up any ideas of just running your winch line higher up the tree, while it may work in theory, the reality is you’ll apply massive leverage to the base of the tree potentially ripping it down. Instead, keep that anchor nice and low near the ground, and pop your spare tyre under the winch line right above the obstacle. Slowly tap a little tension on the line until it holes your spare tyre in place, then begin winching operations like normal.

It’ll pull you up, not just forwards. It adds an element of danger with the tyre as well as the usual line, so you need to make sure you stay well clear. It’s an “in a bind” technique, not an every-time one.

Things to watch out for:

• Keep people well clear of the front of your rig, if the line pulls the tyre over, you’ll know about it.
• Check that your spare tyre is secure and won’t shift under load.
• Be patient; upward winching often requires multiple adjustments.

Advanced winching guide – belaying

Purpose:

• Safely guide another vehicle down steep or unstable terrain.

Belaying is like being the safety net for a mate navigating something sketchy, such as steep descents or slippery tracks. Using your winch as a stabilising force, you can prevent their vehicle from sliding or tipping.

How to do it:

This is about as simple as it gets. All you’re aiming to achieve is a little resistance if your mate starts to slip, slide, or roll. Think about the sketchy situation they’re in and then how a little resistance could help them. Say they’re heading down a massive ledge like gunshot and worried about going end over end, hooking the Revo MKII on to a rear recovery point with a little slack in the line would be enough to catch them if they tipped forward.

You can use it as a drag line on the back of a ‘van if someone is descending steep terrain and worried it’ll slide sideways. Belaying a mate is more about thinking outside the box than a specific technique, but it’s a great tool to prevent a recovery before you even need one. 

Things to watch out for:

• Communication is key; both drivers need to stay in sync.
• Avoid jerky winching motions that could destabilise the descending vehicle.
• Ensure the recovery points on their vehicle are solid and rated for the load.

Final thoughts

Becoming a Kung Fu Recovery Master isn’t just about owning the right gear—it’s about knowing how to use it safely and effectively. The Bushranger Revo MKII winch is a game-changer, but only if you put in the time to practice these techniques and understand their nuances.

Recovery situations can go from manageable to chaotic in seconds, so stay calm, plan carefully, and always prioritise safety. With these techniques in your arsenal, you’ll not only recover yourself and others but do so with the grace and precision of a true master.

Now, get out there and put your skills to the test. Just remember: the mud waits for no one!

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