Winch design

One for the mechanically minded out there.

Our club is currently constructing a double drum winch. More accurately
I should say - re-constructing as said winch is based on, and uses the
major components of an old single drum winch.

The design is of the trailer with a V8 vehicle transmission attached type.
Ford 352W (2V) engine
3 Speed automatic transmission
Modified differential feeding power to drums attached to the half shafts.
Drums are steel units with the large base diameter and narrow aperture
suitable for our 2.75mm single strand medium carbon spring steel cable.

Having become involved in resurrecting the project after it's
originators left the club and the winch lay derelict for some years I am
not at all confident that the power transmission mechanism is safe,
durable or desirable.

Current design has a crude castellated gear (I would not glorify it to
refer to it as a dog clutch)
This slides from side to side so that it is completely disengaged in the
centre and engages one or the other half shaft when moved to either side.
There is an interconnected disk brake that locks the undriven half shaft.

One problem is that this leaves the diff spinning one way or the other
on every launch. Now Borg-Warner make a good product but I doubt the
engineers had his treatment in mind...
Another problem is the poorly supported axle to the drum.

There is no way we can afford a modern commercial winch, but this does
not mean we should not make a better attempt at out homebuilt. Would
appreciate the opportunity to learn from the experience out there. We
need input on transmission paths, materials, controls and probably many
things we have not thought of yet.

The engine and gearbox are standard , reliable and have been competently
overhauled. For the rest, the only decently engineered parts of the
project are the drums , which are solid, accurately made and balanced.
The rest would be very familiar to Messrs Heath and Robinson...

Any help gladly received.