Huang Shan Today

The key to safe winch operation is selecting a stout anchor point. Choose wisely, as winching can generate extreme mechanical forces; if the anchor breaks free—well, to put it in the vernacular all hell will break loose. Trees, large boulders, and other vehicles make good anchors. if you choose a tree, make sure that it’s alive (dead ones topple easily) and that the roots are deep (under towing stress, shallow roots may cause the tree to uproot).Trust me here; I learned both the hard way.
The two most common setups are the single-line pull and the double-line pull.
To rig for a single-line pull, remove the nylon tree strap protector from the winch accessory package. Position it flat and low against the anchor. Next, run the clevis through both loops of the protector and secure with the pin. Put the clutch in freespool, then pull out the wire rope from the drum. Insert the hook at the end of the wire rope into the clevis. (Never wrap the rope around an anchor and then hook it back onto itself. Doing so creates kinks that can cause the rope to break under a load. Wrapping the wire rope around a tree will also damage the tree.) Lay a blanket or tarp over the wire rope about halfway between the winch and the anchor. This helps direct the rope to the ground if it breaks under load.
Slowly take up the slack, then conduct a final inspection of the rigging before powering up to full load. Have your partner climb into the truck so he can steer the vehicle and apply throttle when needed. With a long remote cord, you can also operate the winch from the cab if necessary.
The double-line pull uses a snatch block (also known as a pulley block) to run the wire rope out to an anchor and then double it back to the vehicle, where the hook is attached to the frame—not the bumper, winch, or any part of the suspension. This rig gives you a two-to-one mechanical advantage over single-line pulling and is useful when the vehicle is really mired. Keep in mind that the anchor will bear the brunt of this double load, so pick a stout one.Also, doubling the power cuts the winch speed in half.