2011 Dodge Ram 1500 Crew Cab Owner Manual - Page 367

366 STARTING AND OPERATING WINCH USAGE (POWER WAGON ONLY) - IF EQUIPPED Things To Know Before Using Your Winch 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 wire rope into 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 Wire Rope The winch rope must be properly tensioned before use. Follow the instructions below to tension the rope: 1. Un-spool the wire rope leaving five wraps of rope on the winch drum. 2. Attach the hook to a suitable anchor point. CAUTION! Be certain the anchor will withstand the load required to tension the wire rope. 3. Apply at least 500 lbs (227 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. CAUTION! Wire rope must spool on the winch drum in the direction indicated on the drum rotation decal on the winch.