Our cross-drum winches

Frequently asked questions about the cross-drum winch

• What is a cross-drum winch (Q)?

  The Q series is a cross-drum winch — an electro-hydraulic chain winch with the drum crosswise to the winch blade. Clean winding in the pulling direction — otherwise an advantage of expensive gear-drive winches — is thus achievable at the significantly lower chain-winch price. Ideal for winch-assisted felling with long ropes.

• Is the Q series a gear-drive winch?

  No — the Q series has a bevel gear (90° deflection), the clutch is driven by a drive chain. The practical difference: chain winches are lower-maintenance and more robust in continuous operation. The Q series’ cross-mounted drum still achieves the even rope winding you know from gear-drive winches — but with the advantages of chain technology.

• What does the cross-mounted drum shaft give me?

  On conventional forestry winches, the rope-pulley shaft runs lengthwise to the direction of travel — the rope doesn’t coil cleanly. On the cross-drum winch the drum shaft runs crosswise: the rope is wound evenly, no matter which angle you pull from. This means less rope damage, less wear on rope guide and drum, and cleaner winding even with the rope hanging at an angle. This design is rare — KGD is one of the few manufacturers to implement it in the chain-winch class.

• Q series or SA series — when which?

  Both are electro-hydraulic chain winches with rope unwinding and remote — but for different uses: The Q series (cross-drum winch, drum crosswise to the winch blade) is the right choice for winch-assisted felling, in selection forests and everywhere the rope can come from various directions. The SA series (longitudinal-drum winch with rope unwinding + in-feed brake) is designed for standard forestry: straight skidding angle, recurring workflows. In short: angled pull, selection, felling → Q. Straight skid route, routine operation → SA.

• What is the difference between EH, SA and Q?

  EH and SA are both longitudinal-drum winches (drum parallel to the winch blade) — the difference: on the EH you pull the rope out by hand, on the SA it is actively unwound by remote, plus an in-feed brake for clean winding quality and SBS. Q is the cross-drum winch — the drum lies crosswise to the winch blade, giving winding quality like a gear-drive winch at the price of a chain winch. All three are electro-hydraulic. EH suits you if you pull your rope out by hand but still want the winch remote-retrofittable. SA is the choice for one-man operation: unwind the rope by remote, lead it to the log, pull in. Q is built for winch-assisted felling and clean winding.

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• What is the SBS brake system?

  SBS stands for special brake system. It allows the braking force to be reduced in stages by remote instead of releasing it abruptly. Available in the SA and Q series.

• What is SBS on a forestry winch?

  SBS stands for special brake system. It is a hydraulic brake function on Königswieser forestry winches of the SA and Q series. The SBS allows the braking force to be reduced in stages so heavy loads can be released gently, without an abrupt relief of the tensioned pulling rope.