Under Frame Mounted Spare

[cariboocreek]

Just checking on stuff today and noticed that my under frame mounted spare had a little "wiggle". I cranked it tight but the manual says to tighten until you feel two separate "breaks". Never felt them. Question is do I keep cranking until I feel the breaks and can they be over tightened?

[huronwoods]

There is a friction clutch in the winch assembly, and the handle should be tightened until you feel the clutch release. It takes a lot of force to make this happen. The system is then tensioned correctly. The winch assembly is a standard automotive component that has been used on pickup trucks for years.