Ram 3500 2020 Owner's Manual

STARTING AND OPERATING269
30 feet (6 to 9 meters) between the vehicles
to allow for a safe recovery. If necessary join
two tow straps together using a 1.5 inch hard
wood dowel. This will keep the straps from
becoming knotted and is safer than using a
clevis pin if the strap breaks. Next have the
tow vehicle backup, leaving two to three feet
worth of slack in the strap. Then the tow
vehicle, using light throttle, should accelerate
tightening the strap providing the pulling
force needed to free the vehicle. The vehicle
being recovered should assist in the
recovery, at the time of the snap, by slowly
spinning the tires in the same direction as
the pulling vehicle. After the vehicle becomes
free, the driver of the previously stuck vehicle
should signal they are free and should hit
their brakes stopping both vehicles. The
driver of the pulling vehicle should let off the
throttle without using the brakes, once
signaled by the other driver. This sequence is
important to avoid having the recovered
vehicle hit the pulling vehicle.
Winching (Refer To “Winch Operation” For
Additional Information) – Winching is most
commonly used in the following situations:
there is no support vehicle available, a high
controlled force is required to recover the
vehicle, there is a high risk of environmental
or vehicle damage, or where nothing else
seems to work. A winch can deliver a high
pulling force with a great deal of control. It
allows you to walk the vehicle out of the situ -
ation in a slow controlled manner. This
control works well for avoiding further vehicle
damage. Once you decide it is time to use the
winch look for a good anchor point. It needs
to be strong enough to hold more than the vehicle's weight and provide a direction of
pull as straight as possible. Use block and
tackle if necessary to improve the angle of
pull or increase the winch's pulling force. If
the anchor point is a tree use a strap around
its base and hook the cable to the strap. If it
is another vehicle, then place that vehicle in
PARK and block the front tires. If you cannot
find an anchor point within reach try using
your spare tire by burying it. Once you have
determined an anchor point hook up the
cable, ensuring there are a least five wraps of
cable left on the drum, and place a floor mat
or something else over the strung out cable.
Placing something over the strung out cable
helps keep the cable on the ground if it
breaks. Next, place the vehicle in FIRST gear
and apply a very light throttle as you power
the winch in. Be careful not to allow slack in
the cable as you recover the vehicle. Do not
try to guide the cable into the drum. If it starts
to bunch up on one end, let it. You can
re-spool the cable afterwards. Never use a
winch cable as a tow strap and always stand
back while winching.
WARNING!
Never use tow straps with end hooks or link
two straps with a clevis pin. These heavy
metal objects could become projectiles if a
strap breaks, which could cause severe
injury. Never leave more than 2 to 3 feet
(0.60 to 1 meter) of slack in the strap. More
slack than this greatly increases the risk of
injury and vehicle damage. Always keep
everyone at least 30 feet (9 meters) away
from a strapping or winching situation.
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270STARTING AND OPERATING
AFTER DRIVING OFF-ROAD
Off-road operation puts more stress on your
vehicle than does most on-road driving. After
going off-road, it is always a good idea to check
for damage. That way you can get any problems
taken care of right away and have your vehicle
ready when you need it.
Completely inspect the underbody of your
vehicle. Check tires, body structure, steering,
suspension, and exhaust system for damage.
Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and
clean as required.
Check threaded fasteners for looseness,
particularly on the chassis, drivetrain compo -
nents, steering, and suspension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the values
specified in the Service Manual.
Check for accumulations of plants or brush.
These things could be a fire hazard. They
might hide damage to fuel lines, brake hoses,
axle pinion seals, and propeller shafts.
After extended operation in mud, sand,
water, or similar dirty conditions, have the
radiator, fan, brake rotors, wheels, brake
linings, and axle yokes inspected and
cleaned as soon as possible.
If you experience unusual vibration after
driving in mud, slush or similar conditions,
check the wheels for impacted material.
Impacted material can cause a wheel imbal-
ance and freeing the wheels of it will correct
the situation.
LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL
The limited-slip differential provides additional
traction on snow, ice, mud, sand and gravel,
particularly when there is a difference between
the traction characteristics of the surface under
the right and left rear wheels. During normal
driving and cornering, the limited-slip unit
performs similarly to a conventional differential.
On slippery surfaces, however, the differential
delivers more of the driving effort to the rear
wheel having the better traction.

The limited-slip differential is especially helpful
during slippery driving conditions. With both rear
wheels on a slippery surface, a slight application
of the accelerator will supply maximum traction.
When starting with only one rear wheel on an
excessively slippery surface, slight momentary
application of the parking brake may be
necessary to gain maximum traction.

WARNING!
Winch cables are under high tension when in
use and can become a projectile if they fail.
Never stand over or straddle the winch cable.
Never jerk or overload the winch cable. Never
stand in front of the vehicle while winching.
Failure to follow these instructions can result
in serious or fatal injury.
WARNING!
Abrasive material in any part of the brakes
may cause excessive wear or unpredictable
braking. You might not have full braking
power when you need it to prevent a collision.
If you have been operating your vehicle in
dirty conditions, get your brakes checked and
cleaned as necessary.
WARNING!
On vehicles equipped with a limited-slip
differential never run the engine with one rear
wheel off the ground since the vehicle may
drive through the rear wheel remaining on the
ground. You could lose control of the vehicle.

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STARTING AND OPERATING271
Care should be taken to avoid sudden
accelerations when both rear wheels are on a
slippery surface. This could cause both rear
wheels to spin, and allow the vehicle to slide
sideways on the crowned surface of a road or in
a turn.
WINCH USAGE — POWER WAGON ONLY
(IF EQUIPPED)
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE USING YOUR
W
INCH
General Winch Information
Your vehicle is equipped with an electric vehicle
recovery winch. This winch uses the electrical
power from the vehicle charging system to
power a motor that winds the winch rope onto
the winch drum via planetary gear reduction. By
nature, a winch is capable of generating very
high forces and should be used with care. Do
not operate the winch without reading and
understanding the complete winch owner's
manual.
Tensioning The Winch Rope
The winch rope must be properly tensioned
before use. Follow the instructions below to
tension the rope:

1. Un-spool the rope leaving five wraps of
rope on the winch drum.

2. Attach the hook to a suitable anchor point.
3. Apply at least 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of tension to the rope while winding the rope. Always
use care to ensure the rope does not pile up
on one side of the drum and is neatly wound
onto the drum.
Low Voltage Interrupt
Your winch is equipped with a device that will
interrupt winch function if the vehicle charging
system voltage drops to a low level. The winch
will not power-in or out for 30 seconds if this
device is tripped. If the interrupt is tripped, the
vehicle should be operated at high idle for a few
minutes to allow the vehicle charging system to
recover before continuing to winch.
UNDERSTANDING THE FEATURES OF
Y
OUR WINCH

Winch Components

1.
Motor:
The winch motor is powered by the
vehicle charging system.

CAUTION!
Be certain the anchor will withstand the load
required to tension the winch rope.
CAUTION!
The winch rope must spool on the winch
drum in the direction indicated on the drum
rotation decal on the winch.
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272STARTING AND OPERATING
2.Remote Socket: The remote socket (which
will be located on the bumper assembly)
allows the remote control to be attached to
the control pack to allow the winch to
function.
3. Winch Drum With Integral Brake: The winch
drum allows the rope to be stored on the
winch and transmits force to the rope. The
winch is equipped with an integral brake
that will stop rotation of the winch drum if
the winch motor is stopped.
4. Synthetic Rope: The synthetic rope allows
the winch to be connected to an anchor to
provide a pulling force. This synthetic rope is
highly flexible, lightweight, and it floats.
5. Clutch Lever: The clutch lever allows the
winch drum to be disconnected from the
winch motor to allow the rope to be pulled
from the winch by hand.
6. Remote Control: The remote control
provides the interface between the winch
operator and the winch. The remote control
provides the ability to power the winch in,
out, and stop the winch. To operate the
winch, the toggle switch is pressed down to power the winch in and up to power the
winch out. The winch will stop if the switch
is left in the neutral (center) position.
Fairlead: The hawse fairlead acts as a guide for
the synthetic rope and minimizes damage to the
rope.
WINCH ACCESSORIES
The following accessories are necessary to
attach the winch to anchors, change direction of
pull, and for safe winching.
Gloves: It is extremely important to
wear protective gloves while
operating the winch or handling the
winch rope. Avoid loose fitting clothes
or anything that could become entangled in the
rope and other moving parts.
Snatch/Block Pulley: Used properly,
the multi-purpose snatch block allows
you to (1) increase the winch's pulling power; and (2) change your pulling direction
without damaging the winch rope. Proper use of
the snatch block is covered in "Before You Pull."
Clevis/D-Shackles: The D-Shackle is
a safe means of connecting the
looped ends of cables, straps and
snatch blocks. The shackle's pin is
threaded to allow easy removal.
Tree Trunk Protector: Typically made
of tough, high-quality nylon, it
provides the operator an attachment
point for the winch rope to a wide
variety of anchor points and objects, as well as
protect living trees.
Abrasion Sleeve: The abrasion sleeve is
provided with the synthetic rope and must be
used with the synthetic rope at all times to
protect the rope from potential abrasion wear.
The sleeve has a loose fit so it can easily be
positioned along the synthetic rope to protect
from rough surfaces and sharp corners.
CAUTION!
If not installed, the hook strap must be
placed on the hook.

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(Continued)
(Continued)
OPERATING YOUR WINCH General Information
Practice using your winch before you get stuck.
Some key points to remember when using your
winch are:
Always take your time to assess the situation
and plan your pull carefully.
Always take your time when using a winch.
Use the right equipment for the situation.
Always wear leather gloves and do not allow
the synthetic rope to slip through your hands
when handling the rope.
Only the operator should handle the synthetic
rope and remote control.
Think safety at all times.
Vehicle Recovery Using The Winch
WARNING!
Failure to observe any of these warnings
regarding proper winch usage may result in
severe injury.
Always use supplied hook strap to hold the
hook when spooling wire rope in or out.
Never use as a hoist.
Never use to move persons.
Never exceed winch or synthetic rope rated
capacity.
Always wear heavy leather gloves when
handling the synthetic rope.
Never touch synthetic rope or hook while in
tension or under load.
Never engage or disengage clutch if winch
is under load, synthetic rope is in tension,
or rope drum is moving.
Always stand clear of synthetic rope and
load and keep others away during winching.
Always keep hands and clothing clear of the
synthetic rope, hook and fairlead opening
during operation and when spooling.
Never wrap synthetic rope back onto itself.
Always use a choker chain, wire choker
rope or tree trunk protector on the anchor.
Never attach a recovery strap to the winch
hook to increase the length of a pull.
Never attempt to tow a vehicle with the
recovery strap attached directly to the
winch hook.
Never use bungee or kinetic straps that
develop tremendous and potentially
dangerous amounts of force when
stretched.
Always disconnect the remote control when
not in use.
Never winch when there are less than
10 wraps of synthetic rope around the
winch drum.
Always pass remote control through a
window to avoid pinching lead in door,
when using remote inside a vehicle.
Never leave the remote control plugged
into the winch while free spooling, rigging or
sitting idle.
WARNING! (Continued)
CAUTION!
Always know your winch: Take the time to
fully read and understand the included
Installation and Operations Guide, and
Basic Guide to Winching Techniques, in
order to understand your winch and the
winching operation.
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274STARTING AND OPERATING

1. Inspect the winch, winch mount, and
synthetic rope for damage. Do not use the
winch if the mount is loose or rope shows
excessive wear, frays, or damage.

Winch Rope

2. Put on gloves.
3. Disengage the clutch to allow free spooling of the winch drum, rotate the clutch lever on
the winch to disengage. Freespooling
conserves battery power.
Free Spool Lever

4. Free the winch hook and attach the hook strap. Free the winch hook from its anchor
point. Attach the hook strap to the hook (if
not attached).

Hook Strap

Always inspect winch installation and
synthetic rope condition before operating
the winch. Frayed, kinked or damaged rope
must be replaced immediately. Loose or
damaged winch installation must be
corrected immediately.
Always be sure any element which can
interfere with safe winching operations is
removed prior to initiating winching.
Always keep remote control lead clear of
the drum, synthetic rope and rigging.
Inspect for cracks, pinches, frayed rope, or
loose connections. Replace if damaged.
Be careful not to pull the winch rope collar
through the rollers. Watch and listen to
winch for proper snugness.
Never power hook through fairlead. Could
cause damage.
CAUTION! (Continued)

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STARTING AND OPERATING275
5. Pull the wire to the anchor point. Pull out
enough wire rope to reach your anchor
point. To prevent losing the end, hold the
hook strap while you work.

Pulling Synthetic Rope

6. Secure to the anchor point. Once you have established your anchor point, secure the
tree-trunk protector or choker-chain around
the object.
Tree Trunk Protector

NOTE:
How to choose an anchor point: A secure
anchor is critical to winching operations. An
anchor must be strong enough to hold while
winching. Natural anchors include trees,
stumps and rocks. Hook the cable as low as
possible. If no natural anchors are available
when recovering another vehicle, your vehicle
becomes the anchor point. In this case, be sure
to put the transmission in NEUTRAL, apply the
hand brake and block its wheels to prevent your
vehicle from moving. Ideally, you'll want an
anchor point that will enable you to pull straight in the direction the vehicle will move. This
allows the synthetic rope to wind tightly and
evenly onto the spooling drum. An anchor point
as far away as possible will provide the winch
with its greatest pulling power.
7. Attach the Clevis/D-Shackle and Tree Trunk
Protector. Attach the shackle to the two
ends of the strap or chain and through the
hook, being careful not to over tighten
(tighten and back-off 1/2 turn).

Clevis/D-Shackles

8. Lock the clutch. Lock the winch drum by rotating the clutch lever on the winch to
engage.
NOTE:
Always ensure the clutch is fully engaged or
disengaged.
WARNING!
Never touch winch rope or hook while
someone else is at the control switch or
during winching operation.
Never touch winch rope or hook while
under tension or under load.
CAUTION!
Always be certain the anchor you select will
withstand the load.5

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276STARTING AND OPERATING
9. Connect the remote control to the winch
control box, located on the front bumper. Be
careful not to let the remote control cord
dangle in front of the winch. If you choose to
control the winch from inside your vehicle,
always pass the remote through a window
to avoid pinching the cord in the door.
Always disconnect the remote control when
not in use.

Winch Box Remote Control Connector

10. Put synthetic rope under tension. Using the remote control switch, slowly wind the rope
until no slack remains. Once the rope is
under tension, stand well clear of it and
never step over it.
Pulling Synthetic Rope Under Tension

11. Check your anchor. Make sure all connections are secured and free of debris
before continuing with the winching
procedure.
12. Check synthetic rope. The rope should be neatly wound around the spooling drum.
Improper winding can cause damage to the
synthetic rope.
Synthetic Rope Neatly Wound Around
The Spooling Drum
Heavy Blanket Over Rope

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STARTING AND OPERATING277
In certain situations you may decide to
throw a heavy blanket or similar object over
the rope. A heavy blanket can absorb ener -
gy should the synthetic rope break. Place it
on the rope midway between the winch and
the anchor point. Do this before the rope is
put under tension. Do not approach or move
the blanket once tension is applied. Do not
allow it to get pulled into the fairlead. If it is
necessary to move or remove the blanket,
slack the tension on the rope first.
13. Establish "no people" zones: Make your
intentions clear. Be sure that everyone in
the immediate vicinity surrounding the
winching operation is completely aware of
your intentions before you pull. Declare
where the spectators should not stand —
never behind or in front of the vehicle and
never near the synthetic rope or snatch
block. Your situation may have other "no
people" zones.
No People Zones

14. Begin winching. With the winching vehicles engine on and light tension already on the
synthetic rope, begin winching slowly and
steadily. Be sure that the rope is winding
evenly and tightly around the spooling
drum. For additional assistance, the
winched vehicle can be slowly driven while
being pulled by the winch. Continue pulling
until the vehicle is on stable ground. If you
are able to drive the vehicle, the winching
operation is complete.
Using The Remote Control

NOTE:
Avoid overheating the winch motor. For
extended winching, stop at reasonable inter -
vals to allow the winch motor to cool down.
What to look for under load: The synthetic
rope must always spool onto the drum as
indicated by the drum rotation decal on the
winch. As you power-in, make sure the
synthetic rope winds evenly and tightly on the
drum. This prevents the outer rope wraps
from drawing into the inner wraps, binding
and damaging the synthetic rope. Avoid
shock loads by using the control switch inter -
mittently to take up rope slack. Shock loads
can momentarily far exceed the winch and
synthetic rope ratings. During side pulls the
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278STARTING AND OPERATING
synthetic rope tends to stack up at one end of
the drum. This stack can become large
enough to cause serious damage to the
winch. So, line up pulls as straight ahead as
possible and stop winching if the synthetic
rope comes close to the tie rods or mounting
plate. To fix an uneven stack, spool out that
section of the rope and reposition it to the
opposite end of the drum, which will free up
space for continued winching.
15. Secure vehicle. Once recovery of the vehicle is complete, be sure to secure the vehicle's
brakes and shift the transmission to PARK.
Release tension in the synthetic rope.
16. Disconnect the synthetic rope, and disconnect from the anchor.
17. Rewind the synthetic rope. The person handling the synthetic rope should walk the
rope in and not let it slide through the hand,
control the winch at all times.
Rewinding The Synthetic Rope

NOTE:
How to spool under no load: Arrange the remote
control lead so it cannot be caught in the winch.
Arrange the synthetic rope so it will not kink or
tangle when spooled. Be sure any synthetic
rope already on the spooling drum is wound
tightly and evenly layered. Tighten and
straighten the layer if necessary. Keep the
synthetic rope under light tension and spool the
rope back and onto the winch drum in even
layers. Stop frequently to tighten and straighten
the layers as necessary. Repeat this process until the winch hook is the same distance as the
full length of the remote control from the winch.
Pinch the hook between your thumb and fore
-
finger and attach the hook strap. Hold the hook
strap between the thumb and forefinger to keep
tension on the synthetic rope. Walk the
synthetic rope towards the fairlead, carefully
spooling in the remaining rope by pulsing the
remote control switch.
18. Store the hook on the most outboard loop of
the hawse fairlead.

Hook In Stored Position

19. Disconnect the remote control. Disconnect the remote control cord from the control box
and store in a clean and dry place. Winching
operations are now complete. Put the cap
on the solenoid plug-in.
WARNING!
To prevent serious injury, NEVER put your
fingers inside the hook area as you are
powering-in.

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