The GMP SideWinder Trailer-Mounted Fiber Optic Puller (70605) has been designed to exceed the requirements for installing underground telecommunication cables, employing a 32-inch diameter single capstan to provide a controlled force to the pulling rope or tape. The single capstan allows the winch to be placed at the midpoint of a section to assist in the pull, enabling longer pulls overall.

Unlike other pullers that must be assembled and broken down before and after every operation, the SideWinder Puller is always ready for the job. Mounted on a sturdy all-steel fabricated chassis, it is equipped with torsion suspension axles, stabilizing prop legs, a front telescopic jockey wheel and a tow bar with a Lunette Ring. All you have to do is tow it behind your vehicle to the job site.

Thanks to the SideWinder’s storage reel, it will pull the line off the capstan and store it as you are pulling. You might even be able to reuse your pulling line instead of disposing of it after the operation is finished. The Sidewinder’s capstan can also be angled at 45 degrees in order to figure eight the cable.

The controls are operator-friendly and very simple to use. A spring-centered lever controls the direction of rotation of the capstan, while a detent lever engages the take-up drum drive. A control knob is used to limit the maximum rope/cable tension based on readings from the panel-mounted tension indicator.

In an effort to ensure efficient installation of the fastest broadband network speeds possible in the city of Winker in the Canadian province of Manitoba, Valley Fiber Limited relied heavily on cable placing equipment from GMP—including the SideWinder. Valley Fiber used the SideWinder to pull round micro cable during the installation. The large width of the SideWinder’s capstan allowed Valley Fiber to pull both rope/muletape and the cable itself. To learn more about Valley Fiber’s use of the SideWinder and other GMP tools, click here.

The GMP SideWinder winch pulling fiber cable into Dura-Line standard 1 1/2” SDR 13.5 during Valley Fiber’s operation in Manitoba.

 

The Figure-8 method of keeping cable untangled during a GMP SideWinder pull, used by Valley Fiber during cable placement in Manitoba. By flipping over the ‘Figure-8’ of cable, you can then access the cable end to continue blowing or pulling from this point forward.

Alternatively, GMP offers the Enhanced Electric Start SideWinder (70607), which is equipped with a host of additional features.

When operating a conventional SideWinder, you have to walk over to another part of the machine to set the choke and pull the recoil start to get the engine started. The Electric Start SideWinder eliminates the need for all of that. With an electric key start GX390 Honda engine and the choke and throttle all conveniently located at the operator’s control panel, you can stay in one place over the full course of the operation.

The hydraulics of the machine provide for optional operations on the Enhanced SideWinder. You can disconnect the output to the capstan and use that to power a hydraulic dewatering pump. If you have one of our Tornado Cable Blowing Machines (89000), you can also use the SideWinder hydraulics to power the Tornado in a pinch.

Since 1936, General Machine Products has been a leader in supplying the telecom industry. Visit us today at www.gmptools.com or call us at 215-357-5500 to learn more about our product offerings.