The frozen sliding winch track blues......

My fontain trailer has the single rail that runs down the middle of the winches and never seem to freeze up.

I had no idea this was a problem on other trailers.

 

My East had the double L channel...I wouldn't recommend diesel...the dust and grime is just as bad as frozen crap and ice...yes I tried it, and regretted it.
I used methyl hydrate/air brake alcohol...if you drill a small hole in the middle of a cap you can use that bottle to directionally squirt it where you want it. It doesn't attract and hold the road grime. I still do this with my booster pin on my big trailer...I go through lots of it, but hardly any in the air brake system!
I also used a wire brush to clean the track works good and is about the quickest...I carried several and several kinds, BBQ brushes work surprisingly well. I also had an ice scraper/chipper for sidewalks that I cut the handle short on to carry if it was really bad to get it to wire brush stage.
Hope some of these ideas help...

Sliding winches are awesome...sliding winches with frozen road crap, not awesome!

 

Maybe just pull a van in the winter months?? LOL

 

When I drove flatbed i would use rubbing alcohol i would pour on my straps and wenches when frozen solid i guess you could put it in a spray bottle as well, old trick that was taught to me form an old driver when i first started out

 

You'd only have the "whites" because you couldn't afford the dye for the "blues"