A wire rope winch of this type grips the rope between jaws and feeds it through the body, so the rope simply passes out the far side rather than winding onto a drum. That means unlimited travel, no drum capacity to run out of, and the same pull available at the beginning and end of the rope. The Viper VWRW covers 800 kg to 5,400 kg lifting and 1,250 kg to 8,400 kg pulling, with built-in overload protection and an extendable operating handle supplied as standard. Manufactured and marked to BS EN 13157.
Key Features
- Unlimited rope travel: The rope passes through the machine rather than winding onto a drum, so the working length is limited only by the rope you have. Pull distance is not a design constraint.
- Overload protection built in: The mechanism protects against overload rather than relying on the operator's judgement, which is the main safety feature of this design.
- Separate lifting and pulling ratings: Each machine quotes both. The pulling figure is higher because a horizontal pull is a less severe duty than suspending a load, and using the pulling rating for a lift is a serious error.
- Extendable handle supplied: Included as standard rather than an accessory, and sized so the machine cannot be overloaded by one operator.
- Four capacities: 800 kg, 1,600 kg, 3,200 kg and 5,400 kg lifting, using 8.3 mm, 11 mm, 16 mm and 20 mm rope respectively.
- Requires GT specification rope: Only the correctly specified wire rope will function in the jaws. This is not a preference, it is a condition of the machine working at all.
- 4:1 minimum breaking load: Based on the lifting capacity, marked to BS EN 13157.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
Lifting (kg) |
Pulling (kg) |
Rope Dia (mm) |
A (mm) |
B (mm) |
C (mm) |
d (mm) |
E (mm) |
Weight (kg) |
| VWRW0.8 |
800 |
1,250 |
8.3 |
426 |
235 |
168 |
60 |
64 |
6 |
| VWRW1.6 |
1,600 |
2,500 |
11 |
545 |
280 |
190 |
72 |
97 |
11 |
| VWRW3.2 |
3,200 |
5,000 |
16 |
660 |
325 |
230 |
91 |
116 |
22 |
| VWRW5.4 |
5,400 |
8,400 |
20 |
932 |
420 |
300 |
155 |
152 |
57 |
All dimensions in millimetres. Wire rope is not supplied with the machine and must be the correct GT specification for the model. Matching ropes are available separately.
BS EN 13157 | Overload Protection | 4:1 Break Load | LOLER Ready
Manufactured and marked in accordance with BS EN 13157, the standard for hand powered lifting equipment. Minimum breaking load is four times the Working Load Limit based on the lifting capacity. Overload protection is built into the mechanism. Supplied with test certification and an extendable operating handle. Under LOLER 1998, lifting equipment requires thorough examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Suitable Applications
The pass-through design makes this the tool for long pulls where a drum winch would run out of rope. It suits cable and line pulling in utilities and telecoms, vehicle and plant recovery, pulling structures into alignment during erection, forestry and land clearance, marine and dockside work, and lifting in locations with no power. It is genuinely portable: the 800 kg machine weighs 6 kg and the 5,400 kg unit 57 kg. Because it grips the rope rather than storing it, the rope can be any length you need and can be recovered and reused independently of the machine.
More About This Product
Material handling equipment solves the problem that most manual handling injuries come from: moving something heavy a short distance. Cranes handle the long lifts; the damage is done shifting a machine six metres across a workshop because it seemed too short a distance to be worth rigging.
The equipment is straightforward. The considerations that catch people out are the floor, the route and the momentum of something heavy once it is rolling.
The Route Is the Risk
A load on wheels behaves entirely differently from a load being lifted, and the risks move with it.
Point loading comes first. Wheel loads under a laden truck or skate concentrate onto small hard wheels, and the pressure at each contact patch is far higher than the load's own footprint would suggest. Slabs that carry the static load comfortably can crack, and floor coverings can be marked or cut.
Level changes are where control is lost. A multi-tonne load rolling at walking pace and stopping abruptly against a threshold, an expansion joint or a change in floor covering keeps trying to move. Anyone with a hand on it at that moment finds out how much energy is in it. The answer is to slow down before the change, not at it.
Gradients compound the same problem. Even a slight slope in a workshop floor will accelerate a heavy load on good wheels, and a load that gets away has no brakes.
Nobody walks alongside. The instinct is to have people at the sides steadying the load, and that is exactly where they should not be if it shifts or a wheel collapses. Push or pull from a position of control, keep feet clear of the wheels, and treat the route as part of the plan rather than as the bit between the lifting points.
How to Use the Wire Rope Winch
- Use the correct rope: Only the specified GT wire rope will function correctly in the jaws. Rope of the right diameter but wrong construction will slip or damage the mechanism.
- Choose lifting or pulling rating correctly: The pulling capacity is higher than the lifting capacity. If the load is suspended, use the lifting figure, without exception.
- Anchor both ends to rated points: The machine anchor and the load attachment must both suit the applied force.
- Feed the rope fully through: The rope must pass right through the machine and out the far side. Keep the tail clear and controlled.
- Operate with the supplied handle only: Never substitute or extend the handle beyond its designed length. It is sized so one operator cannot overload the machine.
- Watch the overload indicator: If the overload protection activates, stop and reassess. Do not attempt to work around it.
- Keep clear of the rope line: Stand out of the path of the rope, and never step over a tensioned line.
Warning: Use only the correct GT specification wire rope. Never use the pulling capacity figure for a suspended load. Never extend or substitute the operating handle. Never override the overload protection.
Safety Information
- Use only the wire rope specified for the machine.
- Never exceed the lifting capacity when the load is suspended.
- Never extend or replace the operating handle.
- Do not attempt to defeat the overload protection.
- Both anchor and load attachment points must be rated for the applied force.
- Inspect the wire rope for broken wires, birdcaging, kinks and corrosion before every use.
- Keep clear of the line of pull and never step over a tensioned rope.
- Thorough examination by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months under LOLER 1998.
Inspection and Maintenance
Two things determine whether this machine is safe: the condition of the jaws and the condition of the rope. The jaws grip the rope by friction and wear over time; a machine that slips under load has worn or contaminated jaws and must be withdrawn. Keep them clean and free of grease, which is the fastest way to make a winch slip. The rope needs inspecting for broken wires, particularly at the points that repeatedly pass through the jaws, along with kinks, birdcaging and corrosion. Because the rope is a separate consumable, it will usually need replacing several times over the machine's life. Check the overload mechanism functions at each thorough examination and confirm the handle is straight and undamaged.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are the lifting and pulling capacities different?
A horizontal pull along the ground is a less severe duty than holding a load in the air, where a failure drops it. The lifting figure carries the greater safety margin and is the one that applies whenever the load is suspended. Using the pulling figure for a lift removes that margin.
Q: Can I use any wire rope of the right diameter?
No. The jaws grip by friction and are designed around a specific rope construction as well as diameter. The wrong rope will slip under load or damage the mechanism. Matching rope is available separately and it is not an area to economise.
Q: How long a pull can I do?
As long as your rope. The rope passes through the machine rather than winding onto a drum, so there is no drum capacity to exhaust and no loss of pull as a drum fills. That is the main advantage over a conventional winch.
Q: Is the wire rope included?
No, the machine is supplied with the operating handle but not the rope, since the length required varies entirely with the job. We supply the matching GT specification rope separately in the length you need.
Q: What does the overload protection actually do?
It prevents the machine developing more force than it is rated for, protecting both the operator and the equipment. If it activates, the load is heavier than you thought or something is fouled. Stop and reassess rather than looking for a way around it.
