FAQs About Come-A-Longs
When you need a reliable tool for pulling and hoisting heavy objects, United Rentals carries an assortment of come along rentals with load capacities ranging from 1,500 pounds to 9 tons. Come along tools are essentially a ratchet, winch and hoist all in one compact tool. From construction and automotive to fire and rescue, come along winch rentals are helpful for extracting, lifting or moving heavy machinery or parts on the jobsite or rescue scene. Browse our selection of available tools, including a cable model with an open frame design and a lightweight model with a free-chaining feature and 360-degree rotating handle.
Learn more about come-a-longs in our FAQ section below.
Both come alongs and chain hoists are tools for manually pulling and lifting heavy objects. The key difference between the two is that come alongs are primarily used for horizontal pulling while chain hoists are helpful for vertical lifting. For example, come along winches are helpful for pulling a vehicle out of a ditch while chain hoists would be helpful for lifting an engine out of a vehicle.
The technical terms for this tool are ratchet puller or lever hoist, but the term come along is the most common way to describe it. The name describes the action that occurs with its use–it makes things move along to where you want them. The name can be spelled a variety of ways, including come-a-long, come along and comealong.
Yes, you can pull a car with a come-along, provided it has sufficient tonnage capacity for the vehicle and the conditions that you need to pull it from. Always ensure you have a strong, immovable anchor point and attach the come-along to a structural part of the car, like a dedicated tow hook or frame. Prioritize safety by clearing the area, using a dampener on the cable, and wearing gloves to prevent injury. While effective for short, controlled pulls, be aware of the come-along's limited reach.