pull that is 50 to 100 percent greater than straight dozer pull. The winch is used for uprooting trees and stumps, hoisting  and  skidding  felled  trees,  freeing  mired equipment, and supporting amphibious construction operations. Some  limitations  to  consider  when  performing winch operations are the pulling capacity of the winch and the size and weight of the dozer. Also, the terrain may  affect  maneuverability  of  the  dozer. WARNING The breakage of the wire rope is a serious hazard to both the operator and the helpers. Wire  rope  stretches  under  strain;  and  if  it breaks, it whips with great force. The danger to the operator is greatest if the operator and dozer are in direct line with the wire rope when it is under strain. When the wire rope is under strain, everybody in the area should stand clear of the full length of the paid-out wire rope. When rewinding the wire rope back onto the winch drum, ensure riggers hands are clear of the winch drum by at least 3 feet. Be safety conscious and ensure the wire rope used is of the best quality and meets the manufacturers’ specifications  and  is  properly  inspected  before use. Always wear leather-palmed gloves when handling the wire rope. A good practice is to work a winch at less than its maximum capacity and to avoid anchoring the dozer unless  absolutely  necessary.  Moderate  loads  give  long life to the wire rope and winch parts and avoid severe catching on the drum. If the work is heavy, strain can be reduced by the use of pulleys and multiple lines. When pulling from the winch, always be sure to pull straight off the winch. When wire rope is pulled from an angle, it slips sideways, possibly causing damage to both the wire and winch. OPERATING TECHNIQUES The dozer blade is hydraulically controlled by a lever  in  the  operator’s  cab.  Before  starting,  raise  and lower  the  blade  several  times  to  get  a  feel  of  the hydraulic  control.  Start  all  jobs,  if  possible,  from relatively level ground. If necessary, level an area large enough  to  provide  sufficient  working  space  for  the dozer. This prevents back-and-forth pitching of the dozer and results in better blade control. Avoid track spinning whenever possible; this wastes effort and only converts a relatively smooth working area into ruts and piles of material that pitch and tilt a tractor. In cold weather, ruts and piles freeze and cause additional difficulty the following workday. If it rains, the ruts hold the water, resulting in wet, muddy material. Ditches, ridges, rocks, or logs should be crossed slowly and, impossible, at an angle. his procedure slows the fall, lessens the danger of upsetting the dozer, and reduces the jolt of the fall that can be harmful to both the operator and the dozer. When dozing, shift the dozer into low gear and feed the  blade  into  the  ground  gradually  until  the  desired depth of the cut is obtained. When you feel an increase in resistance as the load increases, start raising the blade in small increments, about one-quarter inch at a time. If you raise and lower the blade as much as 2 or 3 inches at a time while operating, the blade cuts an uneven surface over which the dozer must travel. The uneven surface will cause the dozer to nose up and down. This causes the blade to cut still more unevenly, thereby increasing the up-and-down movement of the dozer. To carry the load with the blade, you must anticipate and compensate for the up-and-down movement of the front of the dozer. When the front of the dozer starts to nose  up,  you  should  move  the  control  lever  in  the direction that will lower the blade. When the dozer starts to nose down, raise the blade high enough to compensate for the lowering of the front of the dozer. Do not over control.  Raise  and  lower  the  blade  only  enough  to compensate for the raising and lowering of the front of the tractor. Through experience, you will be able to raise and lower the blade automatically without giving it much thought or special attention. Clearing Clearing consists of removing brush, trees, and rubbish from a designated area. Surface boulders and other material that may be embedded in the ground should also be removed as well as any material that may interfere  with  the  construction  project. BRUSH AND TREES.— To clear brush and small trees with a dozer, travel forward at a slow speed with the blade lowered several inches below grade, as shown in figure 11-22. When cleared in this manner, make one pass to knock over small trees and brush, then make another pass to clear them away. Medium trees are 4 to 10 inches in diameter. To push trees of this size, raise the blade as high as possible 11-10