3 bar winches

Yes I have, and they work great. Especially in freezing ice or packing mud situations.

 

Yes, they are really nice.

 

Thats what was on the Western Trailers brand products. Work good. No problems.

 

3 bar are made for when the straps are always removed. When there is a slit in the roller usually the belts are made to stay on the roller permanently

 

That all depends. For lack of better terms, the winches with slits come in a shallow version and a deep version. We have the shallow ones and they're permanently welded to the trailer. They probably couldn't even roll up 10' of strap. I have no problems with them in freezing weather, but the three bar winches are definitely easier.

 

The hook end of a strap will also grab on to the winch allowing you to tighten both ends of the same strap for "springy" things that tend to get pulled towards a normal winch.
After you use them you will cuss at every normal winch for the rest of your life! Not kidding.

 

You can do the same with a regular winch to. I do it on wider loads to get both sides tight.

 

You mean pull the strap 30' through the lil bitty slot?
I'd never get the b@stard off till spring.

 

No, just hook the hook in the slot and put a few wraps of strap around it.