30 kN Self-Contained Air-Cooled Diesel Winch
30 kN Self-Contained Air-Cooled Diesel Winch
A one-off 30 kN self-contained diesel-hydraulic winch on a lightweight skid frame, engineered and built in Yatala for telecommunication tower installation in remote areas of Australia.
Diesel Winch Project Overview
A custom-built 30 kN diesel winch for telecommunication tower installation in remote areas
A one-off 30 kN winch fitted with an air-cooled diesel hydraulic powerpack on a compact skid frame, built for a telecommunications contractor installing towers across remote north-west Australia. The brief was simple and demanding: the machine had to be light enough to move between sites easily, run reliably in hot, dusty conditions and need as little maintenance as possible. An air-cooled diesel engine was chosen over a water-cooled unit to remove the radiator, coolant and the servicing that goes with them. The winch was engineered, manufactured and load tested at our Yatala, Queensland facility before heading north.
Key Project Highlights
Exceptional performance, precision and reliability
This 30 kN self-contained air-cooled diesel winch was sized for tower erection and guy-wire tensioning where there is no site power and no workshop nearby. Headline specifications:
30 kN
Rated Capacity
150m
Rope Storage
Construction
Industry
Telecom Towers
Application
Design & Manufacturing Considerations
Built for durability and efficiency in demanding environments
Specified for remote, hot-climate tower sites and assembled in-house at Yatala. Key design considerations:
Heavy-Duty
Steel Frame
Material Choice
Diesel
Self-Contained
Power System
30 kN
Rated Line Pull
Drive System
Manual
Standard Control
Control / Brake
Operational & Technical Breakdown
An in-depth look at the 30 kN self-contained air-cooled diesel winch's performance and technical capabilities
The winch drum, gearbox and brake are mounted on a welded steel skid frame with certified lifting points, so the whole package can be lifted onto a tray or trailer as one unit. Line pull is rated at 30 kN on the first layer with 150 m of rope storage, and the rope path, drum grooving and anchor point were checked against AS 1418 for the tower-erection duty.
Power comes from an air-cooled diesel engine driving a hydraulic pump. The engine has no radiator or coolant to manage, which suits dusty sites and long periods between services, and the hydraulic circuit gives smooth, variable line speed with a counterbalance valve holding the load whenever the control is released. Fuel tank, hydraulic reservoir and filters sit inside the skid footprint, with the control station positioned so the operator stands clear of the rope and can see the load.
Other Winch Applications
Versatile winching solutions across multiple industries.
Beyond telecommunications, a self-contained diesel hydraulic winch of this size suits any remote job where line pull is needed and mains power is not available.
Mining
Underground recovery, longwall seam-moves, conveyor take-up and survey work — built to MDG33 for NSW coal mines.
Marine
Anchor handling, slipway hauling and mooring duties — designed for marine corrosion and certified to Lloyd’s, ABS or DNV where required.
Project Conclusion
The 30 kN self-contained air-cooled diesel winch shows how ACW tailors a winch package to the site rather than the other way around: lightweight, low maintenance and built for the heat of north-west Australia. Designed, built and tested in Yatala by Australian Certified Winches.
Like every winch we build, it was designed to AS 1418, the Australian Standard for cranes, hoists and winches, and signed off by our RPEQ-registered engineers before load testing in Yatala.
Get in Touch
Need Help?
- [email protected]
- 2/14 Freight Street, Yatala, QLD 4207
See What Our Clients Say
Get in Touch
Email Us
Contact
Address
2/14 Freight Street, Yatala, QLD 4207
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about self-contained diesel winches for tower and remote-site work.
Why choose an air-cooled diesel engine for a winch?
An air-cooled engine has no radiator, hoses or coolant, so there is less to damage in transport and less to service on site. For remote tower work in hot, dusty country that reliability outweighs the slightly higher noise level, and the engine still delivers ample power for a 30 kN hydraulic winch.
How much does the complete skid weigh and how is it moved?
The winch, powerpack, fuel and hydraulic tanks all sit on one welded skid with certified lifting points. The complete package is light enough to load onto a tray truck or plant trailer with a small crane or forklift, which is what the telecommunications contractor needed for moving between tower sites.
Can the winch hold a load when the engine is stopped?
Yes. A counterbalance valve in the hydraulic circuit and a spring-applied brake on the drum hold the rated load whenever the control lever is released or the engine stops, so a tower section or guy wire is never dependent on the engine running.
What rope capacity and line pull does it give?
This unit is rated at 30 kN line pull and stores 150 m of wire rope. Other drum sizes, rope diameters and line pulls are available, and ACW will match the drum and gearing to your tower heights and rigging arrangement.
Is the winch certified for lifting and hauling?
The winch was designed and load tested to AS 1418 at Yatala and supplied with test certificates and a full manual. ACW’s RPEQ engineers sign off the design, so the machine can go straight to work on sites that require certified lifting equipment.
Still Weighing It Up?
Tell us the site, the loads and the rope length. Our RPEQ engineers will come back with a certified diesel winch solution.