Recovery Gear - Basics

[shansonpac]

I will disagree coming from a professional recover background… the only winch I have never had fail me is a Mile-Marker hydraulic winch… they are also the only 100% serviceable winch on the market.

I totally get it Mike. I'm not a recovery person. I don't take crazy chances or do trails above the capability of my rig, trailer and experience or expertise. My goal is to never uncover my winch because of my stupidity. :-)

It is nice when with a group, to have to tools to facilitate recovery of others who may be less prepared. I never hit the dirt without a full array of recovery gear.

 

[M Rose]

My response above is not disparaging of any brand except Warn. Definitely struck me, because I typically think of Warn as a trusted standby, but I can tell you, after having a winch kick out under load, or after spending 15 minutes setting up a good pull and having the winch just not work, I don’t care about reputation at that point. Both Warn winches on site did not work. I had to be directly in the line of fire holding the clutch in the lock position.

This isn’t just a Warn problem… it’s a problem with any modern day electric winch.

I’ll check into the prices of the cast come-a-long’s, but last I checked the cost of a winch came with a new bumper. Lol. Which is why I’m looking at a come-a-long. Lol.

Thanks for your insight, it’s much appreciated.

For our 4Runner I made a hidden winch mount and use the OEM bumper. The cost of the mount was close to $100 in materials.

 

[trail_runn4r]

If you decide to go with a winch, stay away from cheap brands (Smittybuilt, Badlands, and low cost Warn). The best winch on the market is anything made by Mile-Marker (especially the military series winches) and high end Warn. Badlands, Smittybuilt and low end Warn winches have poor wiring from the solenoid packs to the winch motor, inferior clutches, and are prone to dirt and water contamination from prolonged periods of unuse.

Never heard of Mile-Marker so I can't speak to that, but the one I listed are decent winches, used by thousands of people. I personally never experienced any issue you listed above with mine and it has been trough mud, water, dust and snow. It's "only" 2 years old but I also haven't read anything bad about them.
I think for a "casual" user they are more than enough.

 

[grubworm]

good portable lighting...i got jammed up twice and both times were at night.

also some strong sedatives for accompanying wives/girlfriends. recovery is a lot more faster and efficient when they are not awake...

 

[M Rose]

Never heard of Mile-Marker so I can't speak to that, but the one I listed are decent winches, used by thousands of people. I personally never experienced any issue you listed above with mine and it has been trough mud, water, dust and snow. It's "only" 2 years old but I also haven't read anything bad about them.
I think for a "casual" user they are more than enough.

That’s the problem with Smittybuilt… they need to be used… a lot… just having it sit there is what destroys them.

You never heard of MM? They have been in the winch game for over 30 years, they are the only winch supplier for the US military in official capacity. Mile-Marker is also the only manufacturer of industrial recovery winches that brings the technology to the recreational winch product line. Mike-Marker winches are made in the United States and are built with materials 100% sourced from within the United States.

In comparison, Smittybuilt winches are rebranded low quality Chinese winches. Smittybuilt doesn’t build any of their own products, the out source from other Chinese companies and put their own brand on them. The Smittybuilt X20 series winch is the same winch as the Harbor Freight Badlands winch, just with a different outer shell. Smittybuilt is the house brand of 4wheelThey use all the same electronics, motors, drums, clutches, and brakes.

You want a decent budget winch, the Rough Country (know for their budget suspension systems) has a really good line of winches. The 12,000 Pro Series Synthetic is assembled in the United States (some parts come from Mexico and China), boast similar features to the Smittybuilt X20 series at a fraction of the cost. The biggest difference between the Smittybuilt and the RC Pro Series Winch is the way the motor is wound, and the lack of clutches. Biggest downside to the RC winch… it’s not end user serviceable, the winch has to be sent back to the manufacturer for repairs; which is the case for most electric winches.

 

[D4R4x4]

My response above is not disparaging of any brand except Warn. Definitely struck me, because I typically think of Warn as a trusted standby, but I can tell you, after having a winch kick out under load, or after spending 15 minutes setting up a good pull and having the winch just not work, I don’t care about reputation at that point. Both Warn winches on site did not work. I had to be directly in the line of fire holding the clutch in the lock position.

This isn’t just a Warn problem… it’s a problem with any modern day electric winch.

I’ll check into the prices of the cast come-a-long’s, but last I checked the cost of a winch came with a new bumper. Lol. Which is why I’m looking at a come-a-long. Lol.

Thanks for your insight, it’s much appreciated.

For our 4Runner I made a hidden winch mount and use the OEM bumper. The cost of the mount was close to $100 in materials.

Do you have any pics of the mount you made? I am looking for ideas.

 

[M Rose]

Do you have any pics of the mount you made? I am looking for ideas.

I do not… it was just a 3/16”” plate that was 14” deep by the width of the frame rails… it bolts to the same place as the bumper and fits between the plastic bumper and the frame rails.

 

[D4R4x4]

Do you have any pics of the mount you made? I am looking for ideas.

I do not… it was just a 3/16”” plate that was 14” deep by the width of the frame rails… it bolts to the same place as the bumper and fits between the plastic bumper and the frame rails.

No worries. Thanks for the description.

 

[OTH Overland]

There are many factors that can kill a winch either name brand or budget. Heat and water are the two biggest enemies. I spent many years running heavy wrecker recovering semi trucks and in a 4x4 SAR group recovering vehicles in the woods. Both overuse (long heavy pulls without cool down breaks) or complete lack of use have always caused the most damage. getting a winch hot then splashing it into a creek or puddle will cause it to quickly cool and suck water in thru seals that are normally water tight. A lot of winches are located tucked away in a bumper or other confined space and do not get the air they need, they get hot just from the nearby engine heat and attract condensation when cooling. Running a winch line in and out during routine maintenance will help keep the grease properly spread around and in good condition and activates the electrical contactor helping prevent any corrosion building up. (if you have used the winch on a trip, take a couple of minutes at camp or a stop to pull out the cable/rope and wind it back on the drum evenly with light tension, this will keep the line in good condition and ready to work while helping to purge any moisture built up within the case). I apply dielectric grease to exposed terminals and check for loose or corroded connections. I have run Warn winches on my rigs since I was 18 and purchased my first CJ5, never had a failure to date (knocking on wood..lol) That being said, I will not buy the platinum version or the VR series winches from Warn, the platinums are all electronic control and you can not even operate free spool manually, the VR is just a more expensive import. There are plenty of other good winch manufacturers out there (Mile Marker, Sherpa, Comeup and others) and I have seen some really good performance from the newer Badland winch, they are inexpensive and watching the youtubers beat the heck out of them, seem to hold their own however with my HF experiences I am not going to trust one for as far off highway as i go solo. We have a Smitty 10k on the front of the WJ, and so far it has worked well. There is a reason wreckers use hydraulic winches, they will run hard all day long. The old PTO winches were real workhorses until your engine died then useless. Not a bad idea to plug in the controller before each trip and make sure it powers in / out and free spools, reducing the chance that you leave with an already defective winch.

Remember a winch is a tool that needs to be maintained so it can possible save your hide, similar to first aid kits etc.

 

[madcratebuilder]

What brand of come-a-long do you use? I’m looking for a good one for my 4Runner? What type of winch rope, cable, synthetic, does it matter?

I would go to You Tube and watch some video on the different come-a-longs and how peeps are using them. I use a 6tn unit that was fairly cheap, imported. Synthetic rope is the way to go, you can find cheap import, good import that cost a bit more or hi dollar made in USA. I've opted for middle of the road import stuff mostly, had good luck so far.

I did go higher end with a winch, Warn Zeon 12-s. Been trouble free for over 5 years, not bad for something in the elements 24/7. Lot of users with the lower cost winches are doing just fine. Amazon has a ton of venders you can look at, pick your poison.

 

[KAIONE]

My response above is not disparaging of any brand except Warn. Definitely struck me, because I typically think of Warn as a trusted standby, but I can tell you, after having a winch kick out under load, or after spending 15 minutes setting up a good pull and having the winch just not work, I don’t care about reputation at that point. Both Warn winches on site did not work. I had to be directly in the line of fire holding the clutch in the lock position.

This isn’t just a Warn problem… it’s a problem with any modern day electric winch.

I’ll check into the prices of the cast come-a-long’s, but last I checked the cost of a winch came with a new bumper. Lol. Which is why I’m looking at a come-a-long. Lol.

Thanks for your insight, it’s much appreciated.

For our 4Runner I made a hidden winch mount and use the OEM bumper. The cost of the mount was close to $100 in materials.

That’s great. Want to make one for me and come install it???? Lol, jk

 

[M Rose]

That’s great. Want to make one for me and come install it???? Lol, jk

I barely work on my Bronco these days.

 

[OTH Overland]

That’s great. Want to make one for me and come install it???? Lol, jk

Harbor Freight makes a bent metal winch mounting plate out of 1/4" steel has standard winch mounting holes, and a place to mount fairlead. Assuming its imported steel, but a great price and long enough to span most frame rails, I have built a couple of mounts with them, and yet to bend one during winching with a 10k winch so far. easy enough to cut and modify to suite your needs

 

[KAIONE]

That’s great. Want to make one for me and come install it???? Lol, jk

Harbor Freight makes a bent metal winch mounting plate out of 1/4" steel has standard winch mounting holes, and a place to mount fairlead. Assuming its imported steel, but a great price and long enough to span most frame rails, I have built a couple of mounts with them, and yet to bend one during winching with a 10k winch so far. easy enough to cut and modify to suite your needs

This is exactly what I was thinking. I have friends in Vegas that can fab up a plate to mount a winch. I just don’t know about placement and cutting my bumper to make it work. I have to keep researching. I could get some solid steel, better than HF has, but I’ll definitely go down there to see if I can get my hands on one. Thank you very much for this, I agree 100%!

 

[Akicita]

Solo without a winch I would look at a come-a-long or a Hi-Lift jack for uses as a manual winch, come-a-long is the least cost. 100ft winch rope, pair of soft shackles, tree saver. I have a winch and carry a come-a-long in the event I need to anchor one end. Snatch block would be nice to have.

Traction boards, 2 sets if possible. Shovel.

Shop around, there are a lot of sellers and pricing is competitive.

^^^^ Agreed!!!!^^^^ I only carried a hi-lift, rope and chains for decades in every remote area of the Rockies until I could afford more expensive and lucrative recovery devices. madcratebuilder's advice is good and sound advice if you can gather those items together on your budget. In all my years of off-road adventure I can share that humility and situational awareness will keep you out of far more trouble than the blind confidence of expensive recovery gear will carried as a security blanket.

 

[Amanda C]

Hi Chris, Thanks for greating a new thread in the new tool section, it looks like you have started something here and I hope that you and other OB guests and members learn something, I will take some time to read everyones posts and I am sure it will be a succesful thread.

Best wishes

Amanda

 

[RedHawk]

Hi Chris, Thanks for greating a new thread in the new tool section, it looks like you have started something here and I hope that you and other OB guests and members learn something, I will take some time to read everyones posts and I am sure it will be a succesful thread.

Best wishes

Amanda

Definitely - I totally agree.... At some point I'd like to summarize all the awesome feedback and "PinIt"... I'm about to search "Airing up my Tires" advice (i.e. what Air Compressor)... :)

 

[FishFam_logs]

Back on track with gear. I lean much more towards rock crawling but much of the gear is similar. One significant difference I see a lot of today straps vs rope. A kinetic rope is a great tool when space and distance is available. In the world of rock crawling, that is rarely a possibility, hence a 3" strap is my go to. While the ropes can be used to tug similarly its just awkward dealing with all that stored energy in the rocks.

- Warn Powerplant - synthetic
- 3" x 30' recovery strap
- 6" tree saver
- Snatch Block
- Factory55 Recovery Receiver
- Hard Shackles
- Soft Shackles
- 8ton Bottle Jack with extensions

FYI, I gave up on the highlift. Couple reasons. Almost impossible to use in the rocks safely and the higlifts max out before my suspension does. The two times needing to use a lift to recover a stuck vehicle (rocks) the highlift was of no help. But stick a bottle jack in there, jack it up and drove off with no consequence.

The single best recovery tool? Another vehicle, don't go alone if possible, or stop when it gets iffy.