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ProMark Offroad Blog

How to Use an Electric Boat Winch

Written By: Esther
September 29th, 2009 | Filed under Electric Boat Trailer Winches | No Comments »Tags:

The diagram below outlines the various parts of your electric boat winch. (Note: Some parts may or may not be included with your winch.)

Marine winch diagram

Marine winch diagram

Follow the instructions below to use your electric boat winch. (Note: Some boat winches may operate differently. Always read the user manual before operating your winch.)

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15,000 pound electric boat winchs

15,000 pound electric boat winch

  1. Put the vehicle in park, set the emergency brake, and block the wheels to keep the vehicle from rolling.
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  2. You may keep the engine running to keep the battery winch charged. If you choose to keep the engine running, please use extreme caution when working around the vehicle.
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  3. Spool out the steel cable using the “Power Out” feature located on the winch remote. NOTE: Always leave at least four turns of cable on the spool to prevent pulling the cable completely out of the winch.
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  4. Hook the cable onto the boat or other load using a pulling point, tow strap, or chain. NOTE: The anchor point must be able to withstand the force of the pull. Never wrap the steel cable around an object or hook the cable onto the object itself. This could damage the object you’re pulling and could kink or fray the winch cable.
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  5. CAUTION! Never allow anyone to stand near the steel cable or in line with the steel cable behind the winch while the winch is in use. If the steel cable were to slip or break, it could whip back towards the winch, creating a dangerous situation for anyone standing within its path. Always ask bystanders to stand clear of the winch and cable before starting the winching process. If you are operating the winch, always stand as far to the side as possible.
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  6. After clearing the area of bystanders, stand clear of the winch and cable and press the “Power In” button on the switch. The winch motor will engage and pull the load towards the winch.
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  7. When the boat or other object is loaded, release the “Power In” button on the remote control. Secure the load with an approved tie down other than the winch cable. Never depend on the boat winch alone to secure the load.

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National Public Lands Day on September 26

Written By: Esther
September 25th, 2009 | Filed under ProMark Offroad News | No Comments »Tags: ,

Want to help make our world a better place to live? Join over 100,000 volunteers across the nation on Saturday, September 26th to build trails, plant trees, and clean up public lands on National Public Lands Day.

Thousands of volunteers make outdoor recreation what it is by protecting the natural environment where we live, work, and play. Their work ensures that the wild and natural beauty of America’s public parks, trails, and forests will continue to awe and inspire us for years to come.

If you enjoy offroading with your ATV or rig on public trails, consider giving back this Saturday and preserving the right to ride for today’s offroaders and for future generations!

Trail Clearing on National Public Lands Day 2008 - Allegany State Park, NY (Photo credits: National Environmental Education Foundation)

Trail Clearing on National Public Lands Day 2008 - Allegany State Park, NY
(Photo credits: National Environmental Education Foundation)

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Don’t Go Offroading Without These 2 Winch Tools

Written By: Esther
September 24th, 2009 | Filed under Offroad Recovery | No Comments »Tags: , ,

Going off road this weekend? Don’t leave home without these two handy winch tools: a snatch block and a clevis shackle.

8000 lb snatch block

8000 lb snatch block

Snatch blocks (or pulley blocks) are an offroader’s friend. Here’s why:

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  • Snatch blocks double the pulling power of your winch.
  • They let you straighten out an off-kilter pull.
  • They give your winch motor a break by reducing heat buildup and amp draw. The more you let your motor overheat, the faster it will wear out. A snatch block means less demand on your winch.
  • Because a snatch block pivots at the pulley pin, it easily attaches to the winch cable without any need to take apart the snatch block.

A D shackle (or clevis shackle) is another winch tool you don’t want to leave behind. Here’s why:

Pair of clevis shackles

Pair of clevis shackles

  • A clevis shackle lets you connect the looped ends of cables, straps and snatch blocks.
  • It prolongs the life of your winch cable. Looping the winch around an anchor point and tying it back on itself is a quick way to destroy the cable or, at the very least, compromise its strength.
  • The shackle pin is threaded, so it stays in place when you’re depending on its strength and can easily be removed when the pull is over.
  • It’s a good tool to have around for more than just off road recovery.

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Winch Troubleshooting

Written By: Esther
September 23rd, 2009 | Filed under Winch Maintenance | 1 Comment »Tags: ,

Does your winch need repair? Use this winch troubleshooting guide to help you find the source of the problem and figure out how to service your ATV or recovery winch.

Winch Troubleshooting Guide

Symptom Possible Cause(s) Corrective Action
Winch motor will not operate or runs in one direction only 1. Switch inoperative or wired incorrectly
2. Broken wires or bad connection
3. Damaged motor		 1. Replace switch.
2. Check for poor connections.
3. Replace or repair motor.
Winch motor runs extremely hot 1. Long period of operation
2. Damaged motor		 1. Allow winch motor to cool.
2. Replace or repair motor.
Winch motor runs but with insufficient power or line speed 1. Weak battery
2. Battery to winch wire too long
3. Poor battery connection
4. Poor ground
5. Damaged motor		 1. Recharge or replace battery. Check charging system.
2. Keep winch within distance allowed by lead wires.
3. Check battery terminals for corrosion. Clean as required.
4. Check and clean connections.
5. Replace or repair motor.
Winch motor runs but drum doesn’t turn 1. Clutch not engaged 1. Engage clutch.
Winch runs backwards 1. Motor wires reversed
2. Switch wires reversed
3. Switch installed incorrectly		 1. Recheck wiring.
2. Recheck wiring.
3. Check switch installation.
Winch will not hold load 1. Excessive load 1. Reduce load or double winch line.

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Posted in Winch Maintenance | 1 Comment »

Color Coded Winch Wiring

Written By: Esther
September 22nd, 2009 | Filed under How a Winch Works | 2 Comments »Tags:

Never installed an electric winch before? No problem. PROMARK OFFROAD winches (formerly Gorilla Winches) come with color-coded wiring to make installation quick and easy. You don’t need a degree in electrical wiring to install one of our winches.

Just to make it foolproof, we’ve designed each of the wires to be a different color: red, blue, black, or yellow. Each wire attaches to the same color winch post (i.e. yellow wire to yellow winch post).

This is winch wiring for dummies at its best. See the pics below for proof.

Winch Wiring Diagram

Winch Wiring from the Contactor


Wiring to the ATV Winch (Trail Series)

Wiring to the ATV Winch (Trail Series)

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Posted in How a Winch Works | 2 Comments »

Gorilla [now ProMark] Winch Saves the Day in Poland

Written By: Esther
September 21st, 2009 | Filed under Video | No Comments »Tags: , ,

Thanks to our die-hard fans in Poland for this off road video clip! These offroaders winched out with a recovery winch from Gorilla Winches (now PROMARK OFFROAD).

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ATV Winch Review | Gorilla [now ProMark] 2500 lb Trail Series

Written By: Esther
September 18th, 2009 | Filed under Winch Reviews | No Comments »Tags:

ATV Winch 2500 lb Trail Series Winch

ATV 2500 lb Trail Series Winch

Thanks to ATV Urge for their review on the 2500 lb ATV Trail Series Winch from Gorilla Winches (now PROMARK OFFROAD)! Here’s what they had to say:

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“One of the most important accessories for mud riders are winches since ATVs get stuck in the mud more than anywhere else. This Gorilla [now ProMark Offroad] brand winch can pull 2500 LB which should be strong enough for any serious mud addict.

This easy to install winch features best in class power and performance with a 1.0 horsepower motor and comes preloaded with 40 feet of aircraft grade high carbon steel cable.

Controlled by a mini thumb switch, it features power in and power out functions. The free spool knob allows for easy line management and the low amp draw electronics efficiently saves the battery. All this and it only weighs 16 lbs.”

You can view the full product description for the 2500 pound Trail Series winch on our website.

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Gorilla Winches Adopts New Brand Name: PROMARK OFFROAD

Written By: Esther
September 16th, 2009 | Filed under ProMark Offroad News | 2 Comments »Tags: , , , ,

After five outstanding years in the offroad winch industry, Gorilla Winches is proud to announce the expansion of their product line to include a broader range of products in the offroad category. In response to customer requests for quality products outside of the winch category, Gorilla Winches will be adding a wider range of ATV, truck, Jeep, and 4×4 accessories to their lineup, including wheels, tires, bumpers, brush guards, and Jeep accessories.

Even more exciting is the company’s decision to adopt a new brand name that more accurately reflects this expanded product line:

ProMark Offroad logo

According to sales and marketing manager John Ostman, “Our new name will more accurately describe who we are and what we do. We manufacture and supply PRO-fessional quality OFFROAD equipment to ATV, truck, Jeep, and 4×4 enthusiasts worldwide.”

Ostman notes that the company will continue to produce high-quality ATV and self-recovery winches (under the PROMARK OFFROAD name) along with their newly expanded product line. The PROMARK OFFROAD name will begin to appear on the company’s products as early as late September 2009.

The company has been hinting at a major announcement since the first of September, and Gorilla Winch customers have been eagerly awaiting the big news. Already an industry leader for durable, high quality winches and winch accessories, the company expects an expansion of their loyal customer base in connection with the expansion of their product offerings in the offroad industry.

As a tribute to the enormous influence that their customers have had in the evolution of Gorilla Winches into PROMARK OFFROAD, Ostman says, “We thank our loyal customers, and we look forward to the wild ride ahead.”

For the latest updates on Gorilla Winches’ transformation into PROMARK OFFROAD, visit the Gorilla Winches News and Announcements page.

See the official news release on PRWeb.

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Posted in ProMark Offroad News | 2 Comments »

Gorilla Winches In Transition To PROMARK OFFROAD

Written By: Esther
September 15th, 2009 | Filed under ProMark Offroad News | No Comments »Tags: ,

Have you heard the big news?

Gorilla Winch fans have been eagerly awaiting the big news we’ve been hinting at since the first of September. Now is the time to reveal the future of Gorilla Winches!

We’re proud to announce our new brand name:

PROMARK OFFROAD logo

Why PROMARK OFFROAD? It’s what we stand for: PRO-fessional OFFROAD products. We’ve been providing high quality, durable winches for ATVs, trucks, and Jeeps for 5 years, and we’re not going to stop now. In fact, we’re expanding our product base to include a broader range of offroad products, including wheels, tires, bumpers/brush guards, Jeep accessories, and more.

You count on us for outstanding value and durable offroad winches. Now you can find that same quality and value in products beyond just our winches.

We’ll continue to manufacture our Gorilla winches under the name PROMARK OFFROAD. You can expect to start seeing our new brand name on our products as soon as late September 2009!

A big thanks to all our customers for your loyal support of Gorilla Winches! We look forward to working with you under our new PROMARK OFFROAD name.

For the latest updates on what’s happening with Gorilla Winches / PROMARK OFFROAD, visit the News and Announcements page.

Questions about the PROMARK OFFROAD transformation? Let us know! You can speak to a customer service representative by email or by calling our service line at (888) 657-9997 (8am-5pm Central).

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On Sale Now at PROMARK OFFROAD (formerly Gorilla Winches)!

Written By: Esther
September 11th, 2009 | Filed under ProMark Offroad News | No Comments »Tags: ,

UPDATE: Offer has ended.

3 Great Steals from PROMARK OFFROAD (formerly Gorilla Winches)!

  1. Winch Accessory Kit

    2. Winch Accessory KitSale Price: $24.99 (Regular Price $109.00)
    - 2 tree straps (2-foot and 8-foot)
    - 2 shackles
    - 1 snatch block
    - 1 pair of thick leather gloves
    - 1 handy dandy carry bag to keep it all in one place

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  2. ATV Cargo Rack

    3. ATV rear rackSale Price: $99.99 (Regular Price $299.99)
    - Drop rack / tailgate for easy loading and unloading
    - Coated steel frame
    - Mounting hardware included

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  3. ATV Shock Covers

    4. Sale Price: $9.99 (Regular Price $49.99)
    - Includes 3 shock covers
    - Available in red, blue, or black
    - Fit most sport quads

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