All our ratchet hoists are tried and tested and conform to the necessary regulations. Therefore you can rest assured that you can purchase any of our pull winch offerings with peace of mind they are up to the task.
£84.48
More about the LGD Lever hoist Whether you need to lift and lower, add tension ..
£172.85
Key Features of the Yale UNOplus-A Series Lever HoistThe UNO plus A series ratc..
£93.24
About the Tractel Bravo Pull Winch The Bravo lever hoist comes in a good ..
£103.29
About the Yale Handy Lever Hoist At just 240mm tall this handy ratc..
POA
About the Yale ATEX Uno Plus Ratchet Lever Hoist The ATEX Uno plus lever hoist ..
£107.04
About the Raptor LW Lever HoistThe LW medium duty lever hoist is great for lif..
£142.79
About the Hacketts Heavy Duty L4 Pull Winch The design and specifications of th..
POA
About the Yale C85 Pul-lift This lever hoist incorporates an enclosed cover, le..
POA
Size of the L4 Compact Lever Hoist The L4 compact lever hoist by William Hack..
POA
About the Yale D85 Pul-lift With a housing cover, lever and bottom block made f..
POA
About the Kito LX Pull Winch The LX lever hoist is great for more delicate posi..
£160.32
About the Tractel Bravo AC Aluminium Pull Winch Due to the fact that the main b..
These hoists are also referred to as a ratchet hoist, and less commonly a pull winch, chain winch, “come along” or pull lift. A ratchet hoist is a small, portable devices which can be used for pulling, lifting, tension and lowering operations, in a precise manner. Pull winches are probably one of the most versatile and cost efficient piece of lifting equipment available. They can be found in various sizes and capacities, and with no limit to chain length, they can also be easily re-chained. Small versions can often be lifted with one hand. They can be very easily transported in a large tool box or in your van/truck and no maintenance worker should be without one.
These hoists have a ratchet and pawl system in place hence the term ratchet hoist; this allows the gear to be rotated to move the load by means of the lever/handle being cranked up and down. The hoist incorporates a hook to fix it to a suitable fixing point, and the chain will have some sort of fastener at the end, often a hook with safety catch, to attach to the load.
The handle / lever to operate the hoist also has a pawl system and may have extra gears to increase the power and also the speed of the lever hoist. Every time the lever is cranked forwards and backwards the gear will turn allowing the chain to pass over it to either bring in the chain or advance the chain out, i.e. to lift or lower the load. As soon as you let go of the lever the brake will be applied. This means that the load will stay exactly where it is. The handle of the ratchet hoist may also comprise of a release mechanism.
Most models will incorporate a free chaining device. This enables the load chain to be freely pulled out by hand so the load can be reached quickly for attachment.
Ratchet hoists are simple manual lifting devices that require no power supply to operate. They require minimal maintenance to keep them operating smoothly, and what's more they are really easy to operate. The operation of a pull winch requires minimum effort because the ratchet and gears do all the hard work. All you have to do is repeatedly crank the handle back and forth. Loads of up to around 10000kg can be handled with a lever hoist, but check out the spectrum of models carefully to ensure the specifications meet your needs.
Due to the fact that this type of hoist requires no power they can practically be used in any location. In fact they make a great tool box companion, especially if you choose one of the smaller models like the Yale handy, Raptor mini or Kito LX pull winch. Because a pull lift can be used in any direction they are useful in confined spaces. They are also very good at cargo tie down applications or just a simple lifting task that needs precise positioning.
A pull winch is often used for positioning heavy plant machinery, tensioning utility lines, down manholes, setting pipe work and also holding objects in place for welding for instance, and even for pulling tree stumps from the ground; they are commonly seen in car garages and are used in most industrial areas for maintenance of machinery and also forestry etc.
Lifting Gear Direct can supply a wide variety of pull winches from some of the most recognisable brand names. We can also now supply our own Lifting Gear Direct heavy duty pull winch which offers a more cost effective alternative.
Our top branded products include Tractel and Kito. All have a range of models to choose from. The range of Yale hoists are amongst our best sellers. Their model range includes the compact Handy ratchet hoist which is great for site work and small workshops. Then you have UNO plus with safe working loads up to 6000kg and also comes in an ATEX model.
The latest addition the the Yale model range is the ERGO 360. The 360 pull winch has an innovative design making it great in tight spaces. It also operates much faster then many other models on the market. This is due to the complete 360 degree rotation of the lever. So the operation action is winding rather then ratcheting/cranking. This alleviates much stress on the arms, particularly the elbows and wrists. In addition this winch can be operated in any position.
Another popular pull winch worth mentioning here is the Kito LX ratchet hoist. Compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand, transportation is easy. A perfect companion to your everyday tool box. You can lift, pull and tension loads up to 500kg with this great little hoist.
While they may seem fairly simple on a mechanical level, contemporary ratchet lever hoist models have a lot to offer operators in the way of safety that might not be apparent at first glance.
A good example of this is the anti-lock braking systems that are found on some examples. These prevent the kind of jarring lock-ups that could otherwise limit control in emergencies. Other safety solutions focusing on the brakes will limit the chances of unwanted freewheeling and keep cargo and employees out of harm’s way.
Always follow manufacturer’s instructions, inspect regularly and always check the brake system prior to each use. Always check that the bottom hook will reach the lowest point without the chain reaching the stop. Never extend the lever/handle. Keep the brake free from oil and grease etc, but keep the chain well lubricated. Never replace a chain for a longer one before consulting your supplier. If any wear or damage to hooks and fittings is noticed then do not use until thoroughly inspected by a competent person.
Check for things like; bent, stretched or cracked chain links, damaged suspension hooks, illegible markings and also damaged, bent or cracked operating lever. Always store the hoists correctly, by hanging them with the hook clear of the ground. As well as your regular check you also need to have all types of lifting gear thoroughly inspected by a qualified person to comply with LOLER regulations. We have our own team of trained engineers who can carry out inspections, do load tests and carry out maintenance and repairs as needed.
There are a few varieties of ratchet hoists that have been designed for special applications. For example an ATEX rated hoist will be altered to limit the likelihood of sparks being generated during its operation. This is essential when working in environments with explosive atmospheres, since even the smallest spark can cause a disaster.
In order to achieve an ATEX appropriate rating, these hoists can feature internal components and external connections which are specially coated to prevent excess friction. For typical use, such extras will not be necessary, but in atmospheres that feature combustible gases in significant volumes, they will be vital.
We also stock other ATEX lifting equipment, including Yale chain blocks like the YLLHP/G. Use our search service to pinpoint products that fall into this category, or use our contact details below to ask more information.
The other type of specialised ratchet hoist that is worth looking into is that which is designed for subsea use, like the Tiger ssII. Such hoists need to be especially durable and resistant to corrosion, since exposure to moisture and complete immersion are part and parcel of a typical use case. These high end hoists can cope with a variety of loads, with capacities topping out at 20 tonnes in the most sizeable examples.
Of course corrosion resistance is something which many standard ratchet hoists provide, but this tends to be limited to the external surfaces and components. In the case of a true subsea hoist, like the SS L5 from Hacketts, protection from rust will be provided internally as well. The type of lubricant used must also be suited to a maritime environment, so there are lots of reasons to choose a specialist hoist when appropriate.
Lifting Gear Direct also manufacture jib cranes and mobile gantry systems to your own specifications. These are a great way to provide a lifting frame for your hoisting equipment.
Lifting slings are also made to order and our range includes web slings, round slings and of course chain slings.
Lifting shackles, eye bolts and swivel eye bolts are also readily available to provide easy connections from hoist to sling to load.
Browse our full selection of hoists from all the major manufacturers below for full technical details and call our team on 01384 76961 to discuss any requirements; or you can email us your requirements here. We are always happy to offer advice when required to ensure you get the most suitable equipment for your needs. Remember we also supply all your loose lifting tackle like slings and shackles so you can purchase all you need from one trusted supplier.
A ratchet hoist is a type of manual lifting hoist which can lift or pull loads by means of cranking a lever or handle.
These hoists are adaptable in that they can be used to lift, pull or tension loads. They can be used and operated in any direction, not just vertically like most other hoists.
Our own LGD ratchet hoist comes in at around the £85 mark for handling up to 750kg loads.
