Winch: recommendations?

[Johnstra]

I've never owned a winch and I need to buy one now. I'll use it primarily around my home for cleanup and whatnot. I have a good deal of downed green trees and deadfall on my property and I'm tired of chopping them up just to move them. I want to be able to limb the trees and pull them out. I can chain up and haul them out, but a winch seems a better approach so I figure I should buy a good all-purpose winch. Since I live a 9500', I'm sure I'll need it on occaision to pull my self out of the snow.



Suggestions?

 

[Sregorb]

My Warn 12k got quite a workout last spring with a couple heavy snowfalls. I'll have to get a rubber stamp for the door shaped like a car/truck for every one of those I pull out with it. The icing on the cake was a chevy outfitted with a plow that got stuck until I came along

So, based on my experiences and nothing really to compare it to (my first winch too) I can at least say that it was up to the task and performed exactly as I needed it to... .

Having the 12k is enough to overcome the vehicle weight PLUS the stuck factor which made all the difference between doing and trying. While pulling out the snowplow it was actually pulling the back end straight at my truck while the front end dug trenches sideways in the ditch on the side of the road until it popped up and out.



I was happy. So were the retrieved



Brian

 

[Sticks]

It seems to me there was a thread back towards January about winches. What stuck in my mind was the general consensus to go for the 15k and be done with it. All the better if you can get the hydraulic one that runs off the power steering pump.

 

[Xgunfighter]

I have a Warn 8274 which I have had long enough that it says made in Kent WA. Its been on five trucks and I love it. It has a very fast retrieve which is nice. Warn rates it at 8000 lb straight pull.



Never had a problem. service oil every two years. Keep cable well oiled.



Now I might buy a lower profile warn only as better selection of mountings.

 

[y-knot]

On your winch issue, I have owned both WARN and SUPERWINCH. Both are good winchs, in the superwinch line I have had two, a 3500lb and a 4500lb, both were mounted in trailers, and only saw light duty. However they both performed as advertised. The WARN winches I had were larger more rugged, probally what you need. I have a 6000lb, and a 9000lb model. The 6000lb'r I have had since about 1989, and it has never failed to work. Presently I have it mounted in my bed (inside alm bed box, secured by special mount) and I use it to load and unload our atv's. Of the two i'd go for the WARN, it has been around for a very long time, and is dead reliable.

The hyd unit mentioned, seems be be a nice option, but it does limit you in mounting locations, and optional use. I'm not sure what you have planed? But I would think a front mounted reciever hitch, and a winch attached to a portable cradle, with quick disconects on each end would be slick. I have setup several of my trucks that way, and it worked out great. When you don't want the winch on (great way to prevent thift) remove it. And you could attach to eighter end, for your pulls.

 

[HillCountrykid]

I have the Warn 15k winch. It's a little more $$ than the 12k, but my truck weighs a little over 8000 lbs, so I figured why not go BIG. Most 4x4 guys say to use the 1. 5 multiplier rule. Take the truck wieght and multiply it by 1. 5 to come up with the size you need. 8000 x 1. 5 = 12,000, but sometimes it may be pulling the truck plus a trailer, so I went with the 15k. The main differences between the 12k and 15k Warns is the 15k has a beffier case, lower (slower) gearing, and 7/16 vs. 3/8 wire rope. I'm happy with mine and would most definately go with it again if I had to.



I looked at both electric and hyd. when I was searching for winches, but decided on electric in the end. Unless you're going to run the winch continously for a long period of time, the electric will probably suit you purposes better. Some of the downsides of hyd. are 1)truck has to be running when winching, 2)when winching, you loose alot of the power steering, 3)might be streesing the power streering pump, although this is debatable, and 4)you run this chance of having leaks. And since our trucks (with the exception of the 1st Gens) have 2 batteries it's not really putting too much drain on the electrical system.



Just my opinions, but hope they help.



Brian

 

[Johnstra]

Great feedback. Thanks all. I had planned to front-mount and I've already decided on going with a WARN. Main thing I was interested in was what size I'd need for my use. It sounds like a 12k will work fine for me.



y-knot - I do like the idea of the quick disconnect mounts on both ends. Can you give me an idea what the additional cost will be for that option?

 

[merryman]

When I bought my 1984 Ford, I bought a new 8K pound Warn.

When I bought my '93 Dodge, I transferred the winch to it.

When I bought my '01 Dodge, I transferred the winch to it.



It has done a fair amount of pulling stuff in these 19 years, and it is still doing fine.



Vaughn

 

[jkern]

what about Ramsey???

hey guys... what about Ramsey winches??? i have the worm drive 12k winch and have yet to stall it or have a problem. yeah it is a little bigger and heavier than the planetary drive winches, but i think it is much more heavy duty too. i have pulled a 17k pound back-hoe, and retrived my self and a trailer a few times too. the only complaint i have with it, is that its line speed is on the slow side. but, for never stalling it even with over-weight loads i won't complain about that!!!

 

[dresslered]

Warn M15000

I also went for the Warn M15000. This thing looks like it will take much more than I'll ever give it but I like it that way.

 

[y-knot]

On the quick disconects, I went to GRAINGER, they are a Industrial Supply store, and got some of there battery & cable connectors. There are three sizes, you will need eighter the 175A or the 350A. I used the 175A and # 2 welding cable. You can go up to 1/0 cable with these 175'ers. Just run the cable (only need one) along the frame rail, and t-ee it up to the battery. At each end of the truck, mount your connector, there the positive (+) end and a small peice of cable (-) negative will be crimped to it. Make sure you use a good quality 1 or 2 hole lug for the negative cable, when you bolt it to the frame, and also grind a the spot for a good ground. Then just attach a connector to the winch, and you will be set. I also made a heavey set of jumper cables and on the one end I used these connectors. That way I could jump someone off, from the front of rear , and not lift the hood, works realy nice. Also is a conversation starter. Warn sells these connectors also, but they are about three times more. I would thou buy there covers, they are the only source I know of, they cover-up the connectors when not in use, keep them clean. Granger sells the connectors in GRAY, BLUE, and RED, they are all the same, just you can choose the color you like. The catalog price at GRAINGER is $ 11. 67 for the 175A, and $ 18. 85 for the 350A. I think you could get by with the 175's, but thats up two you? I have done this with the last several trucks I have owned, and it works nice. Also WARN sells a portable cradle, that plugs into a reciever hitch. www.grainger.com

Also use welding cable, it's very flexible, and has a heavey cover, just go to a nerby welding center.

 

[HillCountrykid]

Not all Ramsey's are worm drive. That being said, worm drive is slower, but can be stronger and hold a load in place better(planetaries use a brake in the drum). Ramsey is also the only manufacturer that I know of that has a wireless controller. So if you don't need to be in the truck while winching, you can stay clear of the cable if it breaks.

 

[John]

I owned one of the first Ramsey REP8000 winches... what a POS! This particular winch is planetary drive... not that this drive arrangement is bad (Warn uses it with great success), it's just that Ramsey made a loser of a product!



I had always been a Warn man, having purchased several before the Ramsey. It's just that a friend of mine ran across a deal when both of us were interested in purchasing winches and winch mount bumpers... I decided to go for the deal. ( ) As it turned out, both of our REP8000 winches died (water intrusion) and warranty was extremely hard to negotiate with Ramsey. In the end, we both had our winches replaced... he kept his, I sold mine the day after I received my new replacement from Ramsey! I then went out and purchased a Warn 12,000 lb. winch and Enforcer bumper (one of the original ones that was fabricated with chrome plating over aluminum... not steel).



If you purchase a Ramsey RE series winch it will be a worm drive winch. I have had several friends that have owned these without one single problem.



Personally I would still go with a Warn... probably the 15k unit on my heavy Ram although, the 12k unit would work pretty well too. The largest MileMarker hydraulic winch would be very, very tempting too.

 

[Johnstra]

Now what about a winch bumper. I like the buckstop products, but they're pretty $$$ ($1300 or so). It looks like the Enforcer can't be used w/ an 03 RAM. I'm not too crazy about the Trans4mer. What do ya'll think?

 

[dresslered]

Now what about a winch bumper. I like the buckstop products, but they're pretty $$$ ($1300 or so).

That's what I first thought when I ordered the Buckstop, but after seeing the product, I don't see how he makes them for that! Every bracket, door, light flange, license plate holder, etc. was beautifully finished and all double powder coated to match. Also, how many bumpers do you know of that carry a full 15,000-lb winch rating? The bumper brackets are designed like the mopar tow hook brackets (though much larger) to handle lateral forces as well as head-on forces. Pull out the VISA card... .

 

[stevek]

Sams Off Road has the ARB Sahara bull bar which can carry the M15000 for 890 and change... dont seem too bad a deal to me!

 

[dresslered]

That's a very good price on the ARB Bull Bar. I know that the winch will fit (same mounting pattern), but I thought that I had read that it was only rated up to 9000-lbs. Could be wrong. Don't forget that the M15000 wants to be mounted on its face.

 

[Crazy Horse]

I would also say the old Warn 8274 is hard to beat. This ones been on two trucks so far, and as soon as I find a suitable bumper it'll be going on the 2002 QC,

 

[hammersley]

Don't make a choice till you check out the

Milemarker Hydraulic! And No they won't hurt your power steering pump. This is one of those items that really is bulletproof.



Check out



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=67497&highlight=milemarker



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57157&highlight=milemarker



http://www.automotiveforums.com/t11889.html



And don't forget that the US Army switched from electrics on their Humvees to guess what - the Milemarker - Nuff Said -



check out their site - http://www.milemarker.com/