Winch options

[boehml]

No cable, strap, or rope of any kind should ever be deployed without weights installed in at least one, preferably two locations on said tether. Do not trust marketing, synthetic can also snap back in the right situations.

Still much safer than cable if it does. Plus, like Exped North mentioned its easy to clean and maintain. If I ever make the purchase on the Zeon 10 it will be with synthetic rope for those reasons.

 

[maktruk]

Still much safer than cable if it does. Plus, like Exped North mentioned its easy to clean and maintain. If I ever make the purchase on the Zeon 10 it will be with synthetic rope for those reasons.

Keep your duty cycle low. When winch brakes have to do their job, the drum gets hot. Synthetic can also melt.

 

[Scott]

I run a bulldog 12k lb winch on my truck, only because I got the winch as a christmas gift. Its never let me down, but it is a little on the slow side. I also have steel cable on it currently, but will eventually look into replacing the cable with synthetic rope and something like a Factor 55 closed loop winching hook. Safety is paramount in recovering vehicles.

 

[ElGuapo]

I am picking up my winch mount from the powder coat shop today, won't be installing for awhile but when I do I'll photo document as much as I can.

When all is said and done and we get the M8000 wired up it should look something like this...

Don't want to hijack the thread but where did you get the winch mount? I drive a frontier as well and that looks pretty sweet! Is that custom?

Sent from my SM-G930V using OB Talk mobile app

 

[maktruk]

My powdercoater ended up dropping the ball and goofing the coat, and I'm a little particular, so I ended up selling it. It's mounted on a fellow CF members rig though, and they work well. The original designer no longer produces them but I think one or two companies picked up the ball and started producing something similar. Look at P&P Engineering, they might be one of them.

 

[ElGuapo]

My powdercoater ended up dropping the ball and goofing the coat, and I'm a little particular, so I ended up selling it. It's mounted on a fellow CF members rig though, and they work well. The original designer no longer produces them but I think one or two companies picked up the ball and started producing something similar. Look at P&P Engineering, they might be one of them.

Thank you!

Sent from my SM-G930V using OB Talk mobile app

 

[ArkansasDon]

Nothing serious, I drive 2000 GMC Z71 1\2 ton Extend Cab stock 5.3 L w\ performance built 4L60E transmission, rear end ratio 3.73. Warn Trans4mer Brush Guard Winch Mount w\ Badlands 12,000lb winch with 75ft. 7\16" Master Pull synthetic winch rope & Factor 55 fairlead.

I run Tuff Stuff High Output Alternator, starter\deep AGM single battery w\top post & side connections

You'll have some that will bash the Badland winch, much as they bash Smittybilt RTT's. I own both & never had any issue with either of them. The winch has served me well in all aspects of my life as farm & overland as well as the Smittybilt 2783 RTT has performed flawlessly on our adventure trailer. less dangerous when in use snap or break, zero burr's spooling it in, 80% lighter in weight, no kinks, spools cleanly on the drum of the winch w\o bird nesting & spools out very easy on free spool.
Since this photo I removed the cable tensioner from the winch.

 

[Desert Runner]

if you want to be able to unplug it, get this:

if you want a switch style disconnect, get this:

I did the switch. Had it installed into the top of my bumper. Now i can cut off currant without opening my hood. It is a weather proof type switch. Less chance of a battery drain when not in use.....piece of mind when using the winch.

 

[PAFJC]

I run a ComeUp 9.5rs on my Fj, synthetic rope with a wireless remote and I run a 250amp circuit breaker on my winch even though the winch draws 380 amps at full load. The circuit breaker is time delayed based on the aml draw. 380amps it will break connection after 30 seconds which will help protect the winch since it has an overall duty cycle of 45seconds at full load. This gives me a safety factor and an indicator if I’m loading up my winch real hard. The winch itself also has a thermal sensor and will tell you when it doesn’t like the temp it’s at. ComeUp also uses a cone brake that is not inside the drum so it runs cooler as well.

 

[Boostpowered]

If a cable or syn rope snaps while doing recovery on anything but flat ground you probably are going to have bigger problems worried about than line snapping. Go bigger than you need and dont worry so much about it snapping, as you can see in these pics your not saving anything but 1 lb in weight by choosing 9500lb vs 13000lb just 10ft extra cable on 9500lb.

 

[MidOH]

I was just listening to a podcast about winches, apparently, most winch companies (including Warn) include a "water clause" in the warranty. Essentially, if you do any kind of water crossing you void your warranty. Also, apparently Warn doesn't even attempt to waterproof their casings, they are left open so water and condensation can drain out - but that also means mud and grit can get washed in. It's just common sense cleaning. I think I cleaned out the motor with silicone spray once.

Some brands that don't have a water exclusion clause:

• Runva (Chinese company, couldn't find their warranty info online)
• T-Max (5 year mechanical, 2 year electrical warranty)
• Ironman (3 year warranty)
• Roadrunner (5 year)

I will be designing my MkII bumper that will have a winch mount. I'd like to keep the package as small as possible to keep as much air going into the radiator and to keep a good approach angle. Based on what I've learned about Warn and most the larger makes, I think I will actually avoid them, the cost is part of it, but if I'm going to spend that kind of money on a piece of gear, I want to know that the warranty will be there if it fails.

I'd love some feedback from the community on this. I know that Warn has been the gold standard for years, but I have found that going with the company that has something to prove is often the best product and at a better price than the established brands.

Also, I weigh in at about 5,400 lb with a full tank of fuel and my recovery gear (but no camping gear or spare fuel). What weight winch should I aim for?

Winch's are just a starter motor, planetary gear, clutch, and couple solenoids or a darn lighting contactor.

You need to regularly remove the winch, disassemble, clean, and grease it. Whether or not you decide to seal it up with some RTV is up to you. Lucas Marine grease should take care of any water in the planetaries, I'll just RTV the solenoid box. Dielectric grease the controller plugs.

Electric motors off gas ozone or whatever, that has to go somewhere. I don't recall seeing one sealed up any more than your trucks starter motor. Just clean them out good every year or two. I suppose you could seal the motor cover, drill and tap it for a breather hose.......

Generally, good starter and alternator shops can repair the motor. Usually just a brush replacement and comm cleaning. Replacemnt Warn motors might be $200+, other brands......I just scrap the winch.

I love Warn, but my next winch will be a 12000# Smitty. I'm not rich. Rope, I'll never use cable ever again.

Winch size is up to you. Wheelers go big, overlanders might not have to. Contractors with 11000# F350's most often use the Warn Xd9000. Shovel, jack, rock, log, etc. If you apply 12000# of force to anything in the back country, then you're about to lose an eye. Generally, I'm stuck in slick clay mud not even 3" deep. Not exactly a challenge for any winch.

I'm sticking with a Hilift jack for winching until a slide in camper eats up all of my bed space. Then a winch bumper makes sense to me. A Hilift under my rear seat won't rust, fill with snow, need regreased, need corroded solenoids replaced, etc. etc.

To heck with switches and fuses. False sense of security. Been there, done that. Grab a wrench and just disco the winch cable at the battery terminal. Simple, clean, easy. Make sure to put plastic loom over your wire to prevent chaffing, check it regularly. Same goes for your starter cable.

 

[DoggMan1163]

This spring i will be installing a Winch bumper on my WJ, any "Budget-Friendly" brands of winches out there? I know some people frown on the Harbor Frieght/Badlands winches but, I have also seen where people LOVE them.

So,
Brands?
Models?
What weight rating should i get?
Any other info i should know prior to install?
Bigger alternator?
Dual Batteries?

Well I don't drive a jeep but I have a honey badger winch bumper on my taco and am using a 9500 barracad winch with a 16000 lb. 100 ft. Synthetic rope the 2 times I used it
worked really well

 

[DoggMan1163]

If a cable or syn rope snaps while doing recovery on anything but flat ground you probably are going to have bigger problems worried about than line snapping. Go bigger than you need and dont worry so much about it snapping, as you can see in these pics your not saving anything but 1 lb in weight by choosing 9500lb vs 13000lb just 10ft extra cable on 9500lb.View attachment 110594View attachment 110595

9500 lb. Winch and 16,000 100 ft synthetic rope

 

[DoggMan1163]

I used my Smitty x2o 10k wireless for the first time yesterday when the inlaws got buried pretty bad in my yard.
I had never wired up my winch but just had the cable rolled up and zip tied behind my bumper, but when their 4 door F250 got a little too far off my driveway in the pouring rain we've been having, they just slid down the hill and went hub deep :( that heavy thing was dead in the water and was no help on its own. So in the pouring rain I pulled into the garage and hooked up the hot cable....would have thought there would have been a Neg cable but theres not....and gave it a quick test before going out and hooking up. I had to tie off my hitch to a large oak because it was trying to pull my 2000 Tundra off the hill with it. It was about a 70' pull up hill with a ton of deep suction mud on their tires, but I was pretty happy with how the winch worked. Their truck was probably 3k lbs heavier than my truck once you factor in their loooong wheel base and camper top full of christmas presents lol. I had my truck running the whole time and it would dim the headlights when I started pulling. I eventually want to get a stronger battery and probably do a dual battery setup plus a bigger atlernator.

I run 2 900 cranking amp deep cycle truck/marine batteries one for accessory one for winch and motor

 

[Boostpowered]

9500 lb. Winch and 16,000 100 ft synthetic rope

You should be good until the sun gets to the syn rope or winch fails. I run 13000lb winch with 3/8 cable on a front hitch mount rated at 9500lb so thats my weak point, i expect the winch to seperate from the truck when it fails. Probably next month ill be installing a hidden winch center skid and will have to figure out where the new weak point is.

 

[DoggMan1163]

No cable, strap, or rope of any kind should ever be deployed without weights installed in at least one, preferably two locations on said tether. Do not trust marketing, synthetic can also snap back in the right situations.

I've never seen a winch line that snapped that didn't recoil to some extent or another

 

[Boostpowered]

Whats more common than lines or cables snapping is people improperly attach them and they slip off the connection under load or hooking to a tow ball and the ball snaps off and it and the hook come flying at you. If your winch line does break your either abusing it or not maintaining it or both. Alot of folks dont take into account how much weight the winch sees when your stuck door deep in mud or trying to winch uphill or think the winch can pull that weight along the whole length of the line.

 

[Brewbud]

I have a hand throttle I can use to set my idle speed up to help with winching. The extra idle speed and short pulls between rests helps a lot.

This thread has reminded me I still need to add a quick disconnect to mine. I like to keep it disconnected but I sometimes forget. I will add the disconnect near the battery and will connect the winch when needed. It is not to protect my winch but to protect my Jeep. I inspect my cables often, but if the cable gets wear on it without me noticing it, I don't want it to short out and burn my jeep to the ground. I have heard of vehicles burning up due to a cable that was neglected or damaged in a front end accident.

With regards to drum heat for synthetic line. Heat on the drum is a concern. Most winches will not generate excessive drum heat with short pulls under load if the drum brake is adjusted correctly from the factory. However, when the cable/line is reversed out with power temps can get very high fast. I try to never reverse out under power. If needed, I do it sparingly and let it cool.

 

[Desert Runner]

I run 2 900 cranking amp deep cycle truck/marine batteries one for accessory one for winch and motor

(A) Brand please, as most deep cycle batteries have lower CCA numbers than that. Having a 6.6 Duramax Diesel, the recommended minimum is at 800 CCA in my application. I once had to put in a set rated at 700 CCA, as that was all they had at the time. They lasted about as long as the 800 CCA rated ones. So when I see a 900 rated battery, and it is not a...starter battery, I was wondering.....mmm

When you say truck/marine, was this a hybrid like the Optima YELLOW TOP?????(red=starter/blue=deep cycle).
(B) Price?

 

[DoggMan1163]

Tre

(A) Brand please, as most deep cycle batteries have lower CCA numbers than that. Having a 6.6 Duramax Diesel, the recommended minimum is at 800 CCA in my application. I once had to put in a set rated at 700 CCA, as that was all they had at the time. They lasted about as long as the 800 CCA rated ones. So when I see a 900 rated battery, and it is not a...starter battery, I was wondering.....mmm

When you say truck/marine, was this a hybrid like the Optima YELLOW TOP?????(red=starter/blue=deep cycle).
(B) Price?

They were batteries I had from a Simi truck I owned and repurposed them