The compact Greenlee G1 Versi-Tugger 1,000-lb wire puller is an excellent wire pulling tool for jobs of 1,000-lbs or less. When it first showed up, most of the crew was surprised by its size. If this diminutive puller could get the job done, it’d be superior to the bigger and heavier one we usually use. In the end, it did an excellent job and even had a couple of helpful tricks up its sleeve!
Pros
- Compact design for one-man operation
- Powered by your own drill
- Pull rope, mule tape, or poly line by capstanning and pulling with the opposite hand or spooling with anchor hole in capstan
- Dramatically tapered capstan allows quick rope/line/tape unloading
- Adjustable boom for pulling up, down, or sideways
- Extend the boom and create a monopod support with your own 1-inch rigid conduit
Cons
- A bit pricey
Recommendation
For pulling jobs requiring a 1,000 pounds of force or less, it doesn’t get any more convenient than the compact Greenlee Versi-Tugger. But it’s not just the size that makes it shine. We like its ability to quickly anchor and spool line, spool mule tape between the capstan and capstan wall, and the dramatically tapered capstan itself which allows quick unloading. You can pull thicker rope by capstanning the traditional way and pulling it with your left hand. The adjustable puller head sheave allows you to pull from any direction. Plus, with your own 1-inch rigid conduit, you can extend it and even create your own monopod for support. The price may seem a little steep, but if you consider the time saved and convenience over much larger tuggers, it’s a deal!Greenlee G1 Versi-Tugger Wire Puller Performance
You’re Pulling My Leg—A Puller This Small?
We’re so accustomed to bigger, more cumbersome pullers that some of the crew thought the Greenlee Versi-Tugger 1,000-lb Puller’s box was only a piece of the tool. Nope. One fairly small box contained the Makita drill, battery, charger, and tugger with its gearbox, capstan, and adjustable boom. The only optional pieces not included are 1-inch rigid conduit you can supply yourself if you’d like to extend the boom and create a monopod stand for the tool.
We needed to put the finishing touches on an impressive building at Southeastern University where we also reviewed the Greenlee adjustable cable stripper. The job involved pulling wire back to the panel through several long, underground runs. We had the mule tape vacuumed through the conduit when we broke out the Greenlee G1 Versi-Tugger 1000-lb Puller for testing.
I Guess Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks
Even before the first trigger pull, we noticed a few impressive features of the Versi-Tugger—besides the size. First, you can use just about any drill in your toolbox. The Makita XPH07 hammer drill that came in our kit more than sufficed. Next, the capstan is tapered dramatically which makes quick work of unloading the line, tape, or rope. Also, the puller head sheave adjusts to pull from any direction the wire comes from—down, up, and sideways.
The crew was so eager to test out the Greenlee 1000-lb puller that we didn’t realize it was about to teach us some new tricks. Our first couple of attempts at pulling the mule tape resulted in the tape getting snagged as it slide down the steeply-tapered capstan. Something wasn’t right. When we consulted the directions (imagine that!) we found that you’re supposed to pinch the mule tape between the capstan and capstan wall. To do this, loosen the capstan wall knob to create some separation between it and the capstan and insert the mule tape. Then, you tighten the knob. After that, we experienced no more snagging and we successfully pulled the mule tape. The tape will quickly spool around the capstan.
Using the Greenlee Wire Puller Capstan
But that’s not the only hack the capstan of the Greenlee G1 puller has up its sleeve. You can also spool line by anchoring it through the large hole in the capstan. Spooling both mule tape and line like this makes the pulling process even simpler.
Of course, the tugger pulls rope, too. With the G1 Versi-Tugger, you operate the drill with your right hand and pull the rope through as the capstan feeds it to you. For those jobs of 1,000 pounds and under, it doesn’t get much easier than that.
Price
You can pick up the Greenlee Versi-Tugger 1,000-lb Puller for $1,175. It’s perhaps the only thing about this excellent tool that might make you wince. Southwire offers the only true direct competition in this category with its Maxis Extreme Duty Circuit Puller XD1 which will set you back $1,569.
The Bottom Line
The compact Greenlee Versi-Tugger 1,000-lb Puller is an excellent tool for all those wire pulling jobs of 1,000 pounds or less. It easily spools mule tape and wire and easily capstans rope. The dramatic taper of the capstan allows for quick unloading of the tape, wire, or rope, too. This is also a very versatile tool. You can use just about any drill; the adjustable puller head sheave moves for up, down, and side-pulling; and you can even extend the boom and make a monopod stand with your own 1-inch rigid conduit. It seems a bit pricey until you survey its competition. It’s the least expensive tool of its kind, and it gets the job done. At least for smaller jobs, it’s time to consider keeping that more cumbersome tugger in the truck!
Greenlee G1 Versi-Tugger 1000-lb Puller Specifications
- Model Number: G1
- Cable Size #14 – 1/0
- Capacity 1/2″ – 4″ Conduit
- Load 1,000 lb Peak Pulling Force
- Voltage Rating Compatible with most cordless drills up to 20V
- Mounting Handheld
- Construction Aluminum & Steel
- Price: $1,175
