Winch Outs in Wichita Falls, TX

Winch outs in Wichita Falls are what happens when a truck leaves the road without being damaged enough to need a full wreck recovery. A trailer drifts onto a soft shoulder. A dump truck backs off a pad edge. A bus gets stuck at a gravel entrance. The unit may be undamaged, but it cannot move under its own power. A winch out gets it back onto firm ground, usually with heavy winch lines from a wrecker positioned on the pavement. Call (940) 283-6645.

Why this area is soft

Wichita Falls averages about 27.89 inches of rain a year, and the wet spells are heavy. May 2015 set the city's wettest month on record, with 17.00 inches. The Wichita River runs through the city, and flooding has been part of its history since a flood in 1886 destroyed the original falls. When shoulders and field edges are saturated, a loaded truck can sink where it would normally be fine.

Winch out or full recovery?

A winch out is a straight pull. A recovery is more involved: the unit may be tipped, jackknifed, down a steep bank, or damaged enough that rigging has to be planned. If your truck is on its side or off the pavement far enough that a pull could damage it, tell dispatch. We will tell you which one it sounds like.

Call (940) 283-6645

What helps before we arrive

Stay away from the traffic lane. Do not keep spinning the wheels, which digs the truck in deeper. Do not unhook the trailer unless you have to. Take photos of the position before anything moves, particularly if an insurer is involved. Tell dispatch whether the ground is mud, sand, gravel or a slope, and how far the unit is from the pavement.

Winch lines and anchor points

A heavy wrecker winch can pull a stuck rig only if it has a solid angle and anchor. On a clean pull, the wrecker sits on firm ground with the line running straight. When the angle is bad, a snatch block redirects the pull. Chains and straps attach to rated points on the frame, not to bumpers or axles. We rig for the unit, not just for the pull.

Field edges, pastures and construction sites

Trucks in this region leave pavement for ranch gates, pastures, construction staging areas and farm roads all the time. Archer County has long been ranch country, and drivers servicing those properties find soft ground quickly after a storm. We can reach most of these spots with winch line and, when needed, matting.