jerry, just remember the lower the winch. the higher you're going to have to jack the trailer front so the cable doesn't scrape at the rear floor. i'm sure there's got to be a happy medium though.
I've got one of the portable winchs, I attach it with a short chain to the top rail on the front of the trailer. Sits about 1 foot above the floor. I always have to put a block of wood or a piece of pipe on the floor of the trailer at the back to keep the cable from digging in.
Here how I did mine. I have a hitch receiver welded vertically at the front of my trailer. I had a hole cut in the floor, slid the receiver in the hole and welded to the top of the trailer frame. The winch is mounted on a mount that goes into ther receiver. The winch sets up nice and high and the cable never touches the trailer. Plus...the winch is removable so it never gets rained on or stolen.
I Have Both Of Mine Mounted Right To The Floor And Don't Have Any Problem With Loading Or Unloading. Since The Winches Never Go Very Fast And Unless The Floor Is Wood Then The Cable Rubbing The Floor Should Not Be A Problem, Mine Only Touches If A Low Car Is Being Hauled And Works Very Well. Jmo
Mine is similiar to Craig's, except the receiver is welded to the trailer frame horizontaly and then the winch is on a piece of 10x10 plate welded to a male hitch tube with pin. Sits about 8in high above the floor. Also use a 10ft remote chord and swith that plugs onto a mating receptical on the winch. Long chord allows me to stand clear of the cable and also it can be unplugged and stored in the tool box on the tongue. I use a single block hook to double the cable and pulling strength(using a ATV winch that works very well and pulls a dead weight Mav with little trouble, WARN brand winch) Thinking about using a Ford starter and fabricating a trailer tongue jack in place of that hand crank. Could weld a nut on the screw and use a good battery powered impact or drill motor. So many projects and so little time or ambition.
I have mine bolted directly to the floor. The cable does touch the floor,but like waynesford said....the cable doesn't move fast enough to do any major harm. Most of the time the car is able to drive on the trailer
I have seen guys mount one of those metal boxes on the tongue and stuff a winch inside with a slot cut out the back for the cable. I'd like to do something like that so I would also have storage for my chains and tie downs.
Here are a couple of pictures with the winch "in action". #4500 lb winch. It will pull a non roller Maverick right up on the trailer with all 4 wheels a squelin' like a pig!! I have the pulley and hook on there for when I get home I can run the cable under the car, hook the pulley to a sturdy pole (like a basketball goal post or a telephone pole) and run the cable back to the cars rear axle. That way....without moving the winch....I can now pull a car OFF the trailer. 50' of cable on the winch. About a 12' hand held winch control (it is laying on the fender of the trailer).
