Ratchet style brake on a winch

[Lennyknox11]

The owner recently did some equipment upgrade and now I'm working with a ratchet style brake on the winch rather than the belt one before. It feels a bit jerky on engaging or releasing, but the guy that's monitoring my work didn't mention anything, so I'm guessing I'm doing something wrong and I don't want to sound stupid and ask him, so I'm asking you guys. What can I do about this?

 

[FakePinkGuy]

The mech lockup of a ratchet brake can feel abrupt compared to a belt system. A certain amt of jerky feel is inherent in a pawl and gear design. However, an improperly adjusted or poorly lubricated brake can make the action much worse. What's the make and model? A convo with your supervisor about proper operation for the new machine is always a smart move for safety.

 

[3choccake]

The owner recently did some equipment upgrade and now I'm working with a ratchet style brake on the winch rather than the belt one before. It feels a bit jerky on engaging or releasing, but the guy that's monitoring my work didn't mention anything, so I'm guessing I'm doing something wrong and I don't want to sound stupid and ask him, so I'm asking you guys. What can I do about this?

A ratchet brake works differently from a belt. The jerky feeling is because you're releasing tension from the ratchet teeth.
To make it smooth, you have to pre-tension the winch. Before you release the brake, crank the handle in the 'up' direction just enough to take the weight off the pawl. Then, while holding that tension, use the other hand to flip the lever. This will give you a much smoother release.

 

[outbackLN]

New ratchet brakes can feel stiff at first. They'll get smoother as you use them.

 

[TmK.logger]

Anyone else in this situation should make sure they’re easing the load off slowly and controlling the handle on release instead of letting it snap