Polaris SPORTSMAN 850 HIGH LIFTER EDITION 2020 Owner's Manual page 69

A "tow strap" is NOT intended to stretch. A "recovery strap" is designed to
Never use a recovery strap when winching due to the excessive energy that
can be released if the winch cable breaks. This can result in SEVERE INJURY
or DEATH. See the Shock Loading section on page 71.
• Never hook the winch cable back onto itself. This will damage the winch
cable and may result in winch cable failure.
Replace the winch cable at the first sign of damage to prevent SEVERE
INJURY or DEATH in the event of failure. For your safety, always replace
POLARIS winch parts (including the cable) with genuine POLARIS
replacement parts available at your authorized POLARIS dealer, or other
• If possible, keep the winch cable aligned with the centerline of the
winching vehicle. This will help the spooling of the winch cable and reduce
the load on the fairlead.
• If freeing a stuck vehicle by attaching to a tree, use an item such as a tow
strap to avoid damaging the tree during winch operation. Sharp cables and
chains can damage and even kill trees. Please remember to
TreadLightly® (treadlightly.org).
• Before operating the winch, be sure that the safety latch on the winch
cable hook is fully seated when the load is attached.
• Never operate your winch with a damaged hook or latch. Always replace
damaged parts before using the winch.
TIP
stretch.
WARNING
WARNING
qualified dealer.
WINCH GUIDE
67