Good Come Along

[Lucid Moments]

I am looking for a decent come along. To be used mostly for loading non running cars onto a trailer and other general pulling uses. Will never be used for suspending a load. Would love to have at least 20 feet of pulling with it.

Any suggestions?

 

[P7M8]

I use this in my tree care business. Get the synthetic rope instead of wire rope. It is a quality tool.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/

 

[matt_i]

If you are talking about a "lever chain hoist" with inching, stationary braking and down-braking, then I think the finest are Coffing LSB series, there's a 3/4 ton, 1-1/2 ton and a 3 ton for sure.

The 3/4 ton is good for most uses. But it will be a workout pulling up 20 feet of chain. I would look at electric winches personally.

 

[sberry]

50$ 4t wire cumalong from the box store, take the 2 part block off. You might have to use it 2 stage to get that long pull but it has a heavy wire compared to a 2T and a lot more power.

 

[IndyGarage]

I use this in my tree care business. Get the synthetic rope instead of wire rope. It is a quality tool.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/

Those look real nice. I've had one of the relatively cheap ones that will pull an engine and do general work. They aren't built all that sturdy.

A few years ago I wanted a better one and I bought one of these tuf-tug ones that I bought at tractor supply. It works well and is plenty stout for what I need.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tuf-tug-cable-hoist-puller-6-000-lb-pull-double-line

 

[tymbo]

I use this in my tree care business. Get the synthetic rope instead of wire rope. It is a quality tool.

https://www.wyeth-scott.com/

I have one of these too.(wire rope) Built like a tank. All cast Iron.

 

[shawhite]

For the price of a decent come along you could buy a small winch. Warn 910500 or 885000/1. 20 ft is a long way to inch something up with a hoist.

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I've done a lot of industrial rigging over the years,I like chain ones. I dislike even quality cable ones, I have one , Turfors are OK as winches but not as come-a-longs, and truly hate those fence stretchers. I'm retired now and had to buy my own when I had to move some machinery.Here is where Harbor Freight comes in. I picked up a couple of 3/4 ton ones from Princess Auto, a Canadian HF type place for $80 each. They are pretty good. You need two come-a-longs to fly things.

Winches are not nearly as handy as come-a-longs, but for pulling cars on to a trailer, think about a big Champion from Costco. The four wheelers can tell you how to make them reliable.

 

[larry_g]

I have had two of the cheaper ones split the hub and lock up during use. So pay attention to the winding hub. Get one with two pawls and has the ratchet wheels welded solid to the hub. Or like P7M8 linked to, a single piece.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[trackwelder]

Lug- All is the wire rope brand I prefer. I like a chain come along for small pulling and squaring projects.

 

[GaryM909]

If you are talking about a "lever chain hoist" with inching, stationary braking and down-braking, then I think the finest are Coffing LSB series, there's a 3/4 ton, 1-1/2 ton and a 3 ton for sure.

The 3/4 ton is good for most uses. But it will be a workout pulling up 20 feet of chain. I would look at electric winches personally.

My friend borrowed one of my ¾ Ton lever hoist when his winch quit on his car trailer. He said it took him forever to load the car. Made him get the winch fixed real quick.

 

[shawhite]

another thing you may want to consider is how long it will take you too load and unload with a manual lever hoist/come along. So at 8ft that is roughly 96 clicks (rotation of the handle) to load and the same to unload. This is assuming 1in per click which could vary by manufacture. If you trailer is 10 feet this moved to 120. Coming from a guy that uses a chain hoist daily for a living this does not sound like the way I want to load and unload my trailer. If it was a once in a blue moon thing then that is different. Lug-all, coffin/Columbus mckinnon, chance, and Lincoln all make good hoist can’t go wrong with any of them.

 

[454ragtop]

How about a manual boat trailer winch? Can usually be found used for next to nothing.

 

[nh_yota]

Come-a-longs are good for when you need to move something a little bit, not 20 feet. Get a manual or powered winch.

 

[sberry]

I am with the guy who asks how often this is the case,,,, after all,,, hurry up I aint got all minute,,, or 5. I am a rigger too,,, what I carry and use may be different than the best. I have chain drives,, I use them when they are needed, havnt pulled one out in 10 years as a simple one has really done what was needed when needed. Its what I carry in my pickup. Different in a heavy service truck on real jobsites.

 

[AZ Pete]

I have one of these too.(wire rope) Built like a tank. All cast Iron.

I have used the wire rope version since 1977. It has never let me down.


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[ebonyswan]

Regardless of what is mentioned above, I think a Tirfor is what you are after. I can't fathom the logic of "are OK as winches but not as come-a-longs"...

I have used my tirfor multiple times to pull non-running cars onto trailer. Takes a while, but gets it done.

This is what I am talking about:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tbQjzy6MIJQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[Downwindtracker 2]

I guess I should read the links, too. I have one of those come-a-long that P7M8 linked to. In construction, the German Tirfor was much handier. I have used both of them a great deal. The reason I said that, even for the 8000#, which was the smallest one we used, is almost 2 feet long.

 

[sberry]

A 3/4 chain is really for rigging stuff. It would pull a car on wheels ok but for other stuff simply doesn't have the power. That's the only reason I don't carry it on the pickup where there are space constraints.

 

[sberry]

Sometimes I consider the type of thing and the specific when I suggest an item,,, one being that if a guy doesn't already have this he probably should. People don't always have the ability to have everything, its nice when a tool will do several things. If I was winching cars like a bat out of hell would have the right tool. For an occasional breakdown I would look at it different and be more tolerant of make do for one off.
There is a temptation to do something once or twice and think it will be a regular adventure, not the same as going to the demo derby every week, the track etc.

 

[Nor'Easter]

We use these exclusively when assembling timber frames. I have my own for pulling trucks onto a deckover. Made in PA.

https://lug-all.com/

 

[Tennessee Cattleman]

I prefer a chain lever hoist, less trouble and maintenance than a cable come along.

 

[trackwelder]

I prefer a chain lever hoist, less trouble and maintenance than a cable come along.

They **** for loading cars on trailers and Dolly’s. A wire rope can be pulled over a trailer frame end with a piece of wood or hard plastic to protect the wire. A chain link snags every time.

 

[pbon]

If you pull cars into the same trailer, put a $300 12,000 lb winch on it like the xbull on eBay or the HF on sale.

 

[sberry]

This whole thread lacked basic information,,, trailer type, and frequency etc.

 

[Lucid Moments]

It would mostly be used on a steel deck flat bed trailer. Reason I want to use a come along instead of a winch is that I don't need to do it very often and a come along has a lot less maintenance.

I also thought I could get an adequate come along for a lot less money than a winch but considering the prices of some of the examples that have been posted in this thread I am no longer sure that is the case.

 

[sberry]

50$, 4T wire. This is a gift and one of my special picks of the most for the least. I agree about the winch, fuggin with battery etc and not useful for much else. Been down this road a long time, been to the school, did the apprenticeship. Done it every way it can be done.

 

[kctyphoon]

Dude - get a winch..

 

[mikehaugen]

I too don't care too much for the cable ones, but I like the strap ones. I feel they are better than even the chain ones for what you want to do. The chain ones are good for abrasion-resistance but for pulling a car a on a trailer the ones with the webbing would be great. I got a deal on some made by salisbury before they went under and a guy got a boatload of them and sold me 7 from craigslist. I think they also made the ones under the name "little giant" a while back. Very similar to the tuff-tug ones listed here. They are cast aluminum and 1.5 ton (though iirc that is with the strap doubled up) and they are made in USA!

I would probably be willing to let one go, I still have a few brand new in box. If you are interested I could get some pics and more info when I get home as I am at work right now.

If you were set on a cable type, Home Depot used to sell (probably still do) the maasdam power-pull and after looking at it, it seemed the best value for that type... especially considering it is at least partially US made.

 

[mikehaugen]

I too don't care too much for the cable ones, but I like the strap ones. I feel they are better than even the chain ones for what you want to do. The chain ones are good for not abrasion-resistant but for pulling a car a on a trailer the ones with the webbing would be great. I got a deal on some made by salisbury before they went under and a guy got a boatload of them and sold me 7 from craigslist. I think they also made the ones under the name "little giant" a while back. Very similar to the tuff-tug ones listed here. They are cast aluminum and 1.5 ton (though iirc that is with the strap doubled up) and they are made in USA!

I would probably be willing to let one go, I still have a few brand new in box. If you are interested I could get some pics and more info when I get home as I am at work right now.

If you were set on a cable type, Home Depot used to sell (probably still do) the maasdam power-pull and after looking at it, it seemed the best value for that type... especially considering it is at least partially US made.

I was wrong, it's little mule, not little giant. I believe they are the same as this

https://www.cmworks.com/ProductDetail.aspx?id=7997

 

[Maui]

Mike, is this the one you mentioned in your post?

https://www.jharlen.com/p-10140-lit...bIo7hBT-nZ3QLj2t-Qhm1g1U06j9CBcxoCwbIQAvD_BwE

Maui

 

[mikehaugen]

Mike, is this the one you mentioned in your post?

https://www.jharlen.com/p-10140-lit...bIo7hBT-nZ3QLj2t-Qhm1g1U06j9CBcxoCwbIQAvD_BwE

Maui

I believe so... mine are labeled as Salisbury, but they look identical. I'm home now and looked at the label, the model is 300lmh.

I don't know the exact story but the guy I got it from said he got them when they closed down a plant or warehouse in the Chicagoland area. Maybe someone familiar with the local history can elaborate on that one, but anyway he gave me a great deal on 7 of them new in boxes. I obviously didn't need 7 but couldn't pass it up figuring I'd sell a few... but that was about 3 years ago and most are sitting my shelf still lol.

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[shawhite]

To my knowledge Salisbury never made hoist. They are big in rubber goods (gloves, sleeves, line hoses etc). The model number you listed is a coffing/little mule hoist number. They make a great product. Have a couple on my bucket. All that said would still prefer a winch over a hoist for loading and unloading cars onto a trailer. Another option is the pulleyman. http://www.pulleymanusa.com/features.html

 

[ekimneirbo]

The heavy duty harbor freight chain unit works good for that. All lever type comealongs are slow. Get an extra length of chain as you will have to stop once and rehook, but the chain units work good. If you do it very often, you need one of their big Badland winches.