winch options

[SamsXE]

yeah for a truck you still drive on the street...a lower priced winch will suffice.

There was a great article somewhere on here regarding line speeds and duty cycle on low-end vs. high-end winches that has solid infomation on it. There IS a difference between the Harbor Freight models and the $500 plus ones.

Again it all comes back to how much you plan to use it...and how much money you have burning a hole in your wallet haha

[RebelChief]

Great words of advise guys. im not taking on any hard trails or nothing but as I have been stuck before I hate feeling helpless. Ill probably take a badlands winch. they have a light weight winch rated at 6k it weighs only 50lbs compared to the 80lbs the 9k weighs. worth a try? Or dont risk

[robcarync]

Good info, thanks guys.

I would use a winch VERY infrequently...not often at all-so duty cycle and running the risk of burning the motor out doesn't bother me much.

Makes me wonder if buying a cheaper/lighter winch but putting a heavier duty synthetic wire on it may be a good combo...strong and light cable, cheaper winch motor...but strong enough for my typical pull...as infrequent as I may use it, I wouldn't be too worried about...say...a 6000 lb winch that could potentially burn itself out in an extreme situation (motor fails before the line would fail)...also keeping in mind using a pulley at the anchor you can double your winch capacity

I guess the argument would be that you want your winch the most in extreme situations...but as Midget28 will atest...I am a wuss who isn't too cool to take the easy way out of a trail

LOL


Rebel: Looks like we saw the same 6k # winch at harbor freight. I hate cutting corners myself...am usually a "don't do anything unless you do it right" type of person...but I'm just trying to evaluate what I actually might need for what I do. For the level of terrain I am comfortable with myself, I won't be pulling much at all... I am not getting bogged down in huge mud or tackling huge rock gardens etc

[RebelChief]

Exactly id like to know whats out there. I know im not taking on trails I cant possibly do but I still get stuck sometimes. And those badlands winches seem alright for the buck.

[intender]

I have the badlands 12k winch. I have use it a couple of times when I was really deep in some mud. Apparently going through creeks and a marsh after 5 inches of rain is a bad idea.

as for the winch, I got it for 299 and got the 2 year service plan for $50. If it breaks I take it in and they give me another one off the shelf for free. Only complaints about it is that I was not able to rotate the side with the clutch like most other winches, and I have never had another winch, but as I was winching with it the first time the cable was spooling up on one side and popped the solenoid box off the top of the winch. I ended up buying some longer cable and mounting my solenoid box inside the engine bay. I would prefer that it were like the warns and the box mounted off to the side rather than on top of the spool. But for the price I paid i cant complain. If I had more disposable income and went off road more often I would have went for a warn or smitty, but they were out of my range.

[Xterror04]

plain and simple if you ever actually need to use the winch the 6k just won't cut it... like a said before take the vehicle weight time 1.5 to get the winch weight rating you minimally need,,

So Xterra is roughly 4700#
x 1.5
-------
= 7050
So getting a 8k would be well worth it

A 6k would maybe pull your truck up a hilly dry street

[RebelChief]

Originally Posted by Xterror04

plain and simple if you ever actually need to use the winch the 6k just won't cut it... like a said before take the vehicle weight time 1.5 to get the winch weight rating you minimally need,,

So Xterra is roughly 4700#
x 1.5
-------
= 7050
So getting a 8k would be well worth it

A 6k would maybe pull your truck up a hilly dry street

thanx Xterror that helps alot.

i found another bargain brand winch also for 300 bux and rated at 8k. Its from a brand called Desert Rat and this is what they claim

"Many bargain winches use low horsepower, “permanent magnet” motors. As soon as they get hot, they start to loose performance, permanently! The Desert Rat DRX Series winches use “series wound” motors for long life."

would this be something to take into consideration? they offer free shipping

[Xterror04]

Hmm never heard of them have a link

[Robert Bills]

Originally Posted by RebelChief

. . . I wanted to see everyone's opinion and advice on buying a winch. I have a 2wd and I can't take on hard trails but Iv been stuck and I can get stuck easier than a 4wd so I wanna get one to self recover. . . .

I mostly go camping and exploring the deserts of southern California but it's mostly with just my girlfriend so I need to have a method to get us out. . . . .

I am relatively new to this forum, but not to offroading. Although I've been doing it for 40 years, I do not consider myself an expert and am always learning. Even so, let me offer some grandfatherly advice:

1. Offroading with a single vehicle is a recipe for disaster. Yes, we've all done it, but we shouldn't. Always go with a buddy. Three vehicles is even better because in the event of a catastrophe, someone can stay with the broken rig and the other can go for parts/help, etc.

2. Never cheap out on recovery gear. Your life may depend on it. A winch that seizes from overheating or poor construction is useless. Placing your confidence in cheap gear can get you into worse trouble than if you didn't have it at all. Slow down, save your money, and buy quality gear.

3. A winch is not a panacea, especially in the Southern California deserts. What are you going attach the cable to? (See Rule #1.) Do you have recovery points on the front and rear of your rig? A shovel and some sand ladders (or even a couple of pieces of roofing shingles) can get you out of most spots. Also, with only 2wd, you are at a serious disadvantage when you get off the established hardpack trails. You may want to consider restricting the scope of your offroading somewhat until you can buy a 4wd rig.

4. You didn't mention what kind of recovery gear you have now. Shovel? Strap and shackles? Hi-Lift jack? (Which can serve as a come-along/manual winch.) Tools? Repair kit? Put a kit together and keep it in your rig. There are many lists on the Internet detailing the things you should always carry. Put that kit together before you buy a winch.

5. When you are ready to buy your winch, don't waste your money on anything less than one with an 8,000 Lb. capacity. Buy a reliable brand, and be sure to take into consideration the strength or weakness of your rig's battery and charging system. A winch without a proper source of electricity and adequate wiring will let you down when you need it most. (See Rule #2.)

I am not trying to discourage you, just give you some things to think about.

I'm also not ignoring your original question. I'm partial to Warn winches, and wish there was a way to mount my trusty Warn 8274 on my Xterra. Warn winches are well made, can be repaired or rebuilt, and Warn offers good customer service. Friends who have Ramsey and Superwinch report mixed results. No one I wheel with has much, if anything, good to say about Smittybilt or Harbor Freight.

[Xterror04]

Why can you not install your warn on your xterra?