I know a winch is better but is it worth getting a heavy-duty come along for extraction purposes? I really want a winch with a shrockworks bumper but I have a baby coming so that isn't happening. Should I think about getting a CA or just rely on others to pull me out until I can afford a winch/bumper combo?

I know a winch is better but is it worth getting a heavy-duty come along for extraction purposes? I really want a winch with a shrockworks bumper but I have a baby coming so that isn't happening. Should I think about getting a CA or just rely on others to pull me out until I can afford a winch/bumper combo?

The Black Rat, etc...work, but make YOU work.

:D

Most come a longs (@ HF etc) are too weak, and rated for ROLLING LOAD rather than pull weights...but, ARE better than nothing at all.

You can also use a hi-lift jack as a manual winch...but, its a tedious process...and you need a recovery strap that doesn't stretch, to do it.

:D

Essentially, if you get stuck...and you just need to be able to do one relatively light short yank to get free, its in its element....like to get off a high center, etc...

If you have to do a long recovery from sucking mud, well, your day is shot...but it would ALSO HAVE BEEN SHOT w/o the come a long.

:D

Agreed with TJ....

Get a winch....just start saving pennies for now if you have to....it'll do you good in the long run....

x3 on the winch

You won't regret it if you need it. Plus you can make some money one pulling idiots who are stuck out. I made like $200 bucks last year here at school when al the rednecks would get their chebbys, fords, an dodges stuck in the local mudhole. lol

Now thats something I should start thinking about doing....charge for offroad recovery...hmmm.....good idea Ian lol

Haha best part was I would only tell them I wanted money after 11 pm usually they would offer me like $20 to $50 bucks and two guys even paid for a car wash to get any mud that got on my X off. I don't live @ school anymore though so peopledon't call me anymore. On guy gave me $75 bucks cause I came down when it was pooring rain at 10:30 at night.

Thanks for the info. I'll start saving some dough and will make a decision farther down the road. The Black Rat thing looks pretty cool put pushing a button sure does sound easier. :)

just keep checking your local craigslist. got a 10,000 warn for $300. patience pays off. just put aside 100-200 and wait it out. till then get a yank strap (20,000lb rating and NO HOOKS) and a 7/8 clevis shackle and just wheel with another truck.

The trouble with most of the hand winches is that they are nearly the cost of an entry level winch. I have a winch that is made for basically loading vehicles up into a trailer and while I think it would be useful in a few situations for the most part it'd just be better to sell it and put the money towards a 'real' off-road winch that can handle the weight of my rig, stuck.

I thought about all kinds of mickey mouse operations to try to save some money (like carrying a hi-lift for use as a hand winch) but in the end I think the guys on here are right. Get some good recovery points on your rig, a heavy duty recovery strap and just let others yank or winch you out until you can afford the right gear. ...and don't wheel alone until you get properly geared for self recovery.

x3 on the winch

You won't regret it if you need it. Plus you can make some money one pulling idiots who are stuck out. I made like $200 bucks last year here at school when al the rednecks would get their chebbys, fords, an dodges stuck in the local mudhole. lol

Extortionist:biggrin: thats cool I never thought of charging people.

watch 4wheelparts.com...they run a lot of specials on smittybilt equipment...

over the summer, they were doing 10% off ALL purchases and free shipping on smittybilt products...snagged an XRC8 for $265 shipped

Before jumping on the winch, get a hi-lift first! Regardless of whether or not you use it as a "winch", it is an essential tool to have on the trail. You may think it's overkill and that your jack is just fine but remember... it may not be your rig that needs help.

I got a come along for $10 on CL and it's more than paid itself off.... Get a winch but it's also nice to have a come along for back-up, I say get a come along first then get a winch. BTW Craigslist is your friend when it comes to winches, hi-lifts, and come alongs....

Extortionist:biggrin: thats cool I never thought of charging people.

Umm you better watch out doing this it is ILLEGAL to charge someone without having the proper liscense to preform recoveries... HOWEVER you are allowed to take money if its offered. A friend of mine had a state trooper pull up and inform him during a snow storm pullin a lil car outta a ditch. I would never charge people personally but I dont blame people that do.

I typically wouldn't ask for money. I just usually said they owe me or they better make it worth my while. and money is usually how it was made worth my while.

Get a hi-lift as a backup. I got stuck, then the fellow trying to help dug his back end in. A quick lift with hi-lift and a few blocks of wood and he was clear. Me I was still stuck but then I never did get stuck 1/2 way.

As an alternative to a winch, how about a Hi-Lift (48" or 60") with a Hi-Lift Jack Off-Road Kit? Looks to be a nice setup that is within my budget.

You can winch that way, and I have. But make sure you have lots of water you will sweat up a storm.

Also lots of recovery straps, chain and shackles. They should all be rated at 8000 lbs or better. That makes your hi-lift the weakest link. Then practice on a nice flat surface, where you can control everything. About 1 or 2 hours and you will good if you ever need to do it.

I will post some photos of my setup later this week.

Thanks rgallant. I would appreciate that.

yah i would lke to see that. i love the highlift jacks, they have so many uses:
winch
jack
spreader


well i guess i only know three but still great tool

i would love a how to for winch ops w/ a highlift

I've been watching some YouTube videos posted by hiliftjacks. I'm completely sold now.

You'll really be happy if you are like me and run two sets of wheels (trail and street). It's nice to just jack up one whole side and swap two tires at once instead of jack jockeying all around your garage/driveway. It only gets worse if you begin adding lifts too.

Ok,

Here is everything I carry for recovery with my hi-lift

http://www.gallantent.com/4x4/hilift1.jpg

1) 3in 30ft long tow strap rated at 30000 lbs, note not recovery strap this has minimal stretch.

2) Tree saver

3) (Just here for show) A 12000 pound rated ratchet strap, the old one was tossed due to damage new one has not arrived yet.

4) Receiver Eye

5) 20' of grade 70 3/8" chain rated at 6600 lbs

6-8) The Hi-Lift recovery Kit gear and wrenches for tightening up

9) A bunch of shackles rated 8000 lbs +

10) Work Gloves

11) Washers to go with number 6

12) The bag to keep it all the little stuff in


I will post a short how to on how to rig it all up this weekend, but it is pretty easy. I am short a few things a pulley,snatch block and ground anchor, but in BC they are not generally required, there lots of stumps and stuff to attach to.

The pulley allows you to change the angle of your pull very handy.

A snatch Block allows you to increase the force of your pull also handy

Both of these devices require good wire or synthetic rope in addition to the tools above.

A ground anchor is simply something that goes into the ground and acts as an anchor point for your recovery effort.

HI-Lifts are AWESOME! I was out wheeling yesterday and got stuck a few times. My friend only came out in his quad so he couldn't pull my X out of basically anything. So I just kept finding trees nearby to "winch" myself out. I got the HI-Lift extreme with the spreader, winch attachment a couple months ago and it definitely paid for itself yesterday. Word of caution!!!! I did snap a tow strap yesterday on the 5th pull of the day and the hi-lift really hurts when it disengages and flies into your leg.

HI-Lifts are AWESOME! I was out wheeling yesterday and got stuck a few times. My friend only came out in his quad so he couldn't pull my X out of basically anything. So I just kept finding trees nearby to "winch" myself out. I got the HI-Lift extreme with the spreader, winch attachment a couple months ago and it definitely paid for itself yesterday. Word of caution!!!! I did snap a tow strap yesterday on the 5th pull of the day and the hi-lift really hurts when it disengages and flies into your leg.

ow

You need some better tow straps.

:D

I get the 3" x 30' ones.

A newbie alert note: IF using a hi-lift to PULL YOU with a strap...DO NOT use a snatch strap, use a tow strap.

Snatch straps are designed to stretch, and then yank you out...which softens the shock loads when using one truck to yank out another, and also adds a ballistic boost when the strap contracts, adding to the pull forces.

If you try to use a snatch strap with a hi-lift, the hi-lift typically STRETCHES the strap, but, then, when you try to disengage the strap to make a new pull, the strap just contracts back again, and you are in the same place.

:D

If you use a TOW strap, it won't stretch out like that, and when you disengage to pull again, the strap cooperates.

:D

Very good tip TJ! That's probably something we need to highlight more. BIG difference!

Hi lift jacks are awesome. Last fall I got stuck while wheeling completely alone. I swore to myself that would never a) go wheeling alone and b) get recovery equipment. After doing a bunch of research I went and picked up a 48 inch hi lift extreme, the winching kit and the lift mate. On that same day, going up to a friend's cottage, my over confident buddy stuck his GMC 3500 in a muddy ditch. Checking the door sticker revealed the 9900 lb GVWR! I tried, but there was no way the X could pull him out. So I took out my bran spankin new jack and winching kit and started reading the instructions. I made sure everything was safe and we started pulling. We pulled that truck out of the ditch and back up onto the road uphill! I couldn't believe it... Anyways, just make sure you have lots of water and a bit of stretching before wouldn't hurt either.

Nice. Now I'm double sold. My birthday is right around the corner. :)

I ordered up a 48" X-Treme along with the Off-Road Kit and the Lift-Mate. I needed this anyway and once I have more pennies, I'll start looking into a winch, especially after seeing the hidden winch mount like roninjiro did. That would be sweet. Thanks for all the input y'all!