Winch advice

[Ben Stratford]

dont think i will ever be one to search out the nearest bogs, but can envisage getting in a tricky situation as i start to go off road more often so want to understand what winch may be required.
The truck will be say 3 tonnes so do i need a 3 tonne winch? Or 6600lb. Everyone seems to have more than double the trucks weight. Is there a rule if thumb?
I may only use it once a year so if i do go for one dont want to get carried away
Many thanks in advance for any guidance

 

[David]

I know a few guys who have this one
http://winch-it.com/proddetail.php?prod=13500lb-Recovery-winch-with-Dyneema-SK75-synthetic-rope
Will get you out for not much money

 

[Chris]

Oooh this is a can of worms. It's been debated many times over, so I'm going to come right out and say it. For the requirements that you indicate, you don't need anything more than a 9500lb winch and 11mm Dyneema. 9mm would be enough to be fair. The problem is that there will now a be a long running debate answering the question that people think has been or should have been asked. This will lead to you needing to spend three times the sum on something designed by NASA with solid gold contacts housed in a custom built titanium cage.

I'd go with a TDS Goldfish From Goodwinch. Why? Because the winches are good, not too expensive, reliable and you can get every part as a spare virtually next day from David.

Winch-it are good suppliers of good kit too and I've used them many times, but I'd still favour the TDS I think

 

[moggy1968]

I went for a winchmax, 13000lbs and 24v, very well priced.
The guy that rebuilt my truck recommended it, he has one thats regularly used and abused and it's never let him down.
My needs are much like yours, just as insurance, and also to make my winch bar legal so didn't want to spend a fortune.
Used it a couple of times, it's slow, but thats where you save the money and I'm not doing challenge events so thats fine by me. Been very happy with it. Should you need spares the guy is based in suffolk, very nice guy and very helpful, never needed any for mine though. Comes with 2 remotes, which are handy (only used the plug in wander lead once when the battery in the remote was flat) and rope rather than wire.
http://www.winchmax.co.uk/categories/24v-electric-winches

 

[Gav missin]

dont think i will ever be one to search out the nearest bogs, but can envisage getting in a tricky situation as i start to go off road more often so want to understand what winch may be required.
The truck will be say 3 tonnes so do i need a 3 tonne winch? Or 6600lb. Everyone seems to have more than double the trucks weight. Is there a rule if thumb?
I may only use it once a year so if i do go for one dont want to get carried away
Many thanks in advance for any guidance

Winchmax 13500 lb are a good winch. Several mates of mine use them without any problems. I have a 17500lb model with 12mm rope but only because it came to me at the right price. Only dowside is there not the fastest. Thats why I got mine from a winch challenge truck used once but just too slow for that job. Under 300 quid for a 13500 lb model brand new off ebay and online parts shop for anything required. Add a few quid extra for dynema ripe if required. Cant fault mine for the money. Real stump puller.

 

[Dave_S]

I'm with Chris in term so spec - also a big fan of plasma (aka rope rather than wire). 9500 is plenty unless you're doing winch challenges.

To be honest in 6 years of having a winch on my Defender I only ever used it to rescue others. If its purely for insurance purposes I would be really tempted to just to buy a tirfor hand winch and leave it in your tool box...

Keep in mind that a bumper mounted electric winch will still need regular servicing, even if used once a year... else it probably won't work when you need it.

Just my 2p... ;-)

 

[moggy1968]

I'm with Chris in term so spec - also a big fan of plasma (aka rope rather than wire). 9500 is plenty unless you're doing winch challenges.

To be honest in 6 years of having a winch on my Defender I only ever used it to rescue others. If its purely for insurance purposes I would be really tempted to just to buy a tirfor hand winch and leave it in your tool box...

Keep in mind that a bumper mounted electric winch will still need regular servicing, even if used once a year... else it probably won't work when you need it.

Just my 2p... ;-)

What kind of maintenance do you do?

 

[Dave_S]

Run the winch cable out, check/clean, potentially check internals on the electrics, lubricate, etc - seen a few winches seize through lack of use... only discovered when they are called into use, of course LOL!

 

[moggy1968]

Run the winch cable out, check/clean, potentially check internals on the electrics, lubricate, etc - seen a few winches seize through lack of use... only discovered when they are called into use, of course LOL!

worth knowing, had mine three years and never done shag all with it!!! Best get on with it

 

[Dave_S]

Genuinely - worth parking your truck on a slight incline, run the wire/rope out 75% of the way and check it winds properly, dragging the truck. If it won't, then its bugger all use in the field and needs checking over.

 

[moggy1968]

Genuinely - worth parking your truck on a slight incline, run the wire/rope out 75% of the way and check it winds properly, dragging the truck. If it won't, then its bugger all use in the field and needs checking over.

I tend to give mine a run at least once a year by winching my car along the road, probably much to the amusement of the neighbours!! Thats as well as the use it gets properly once or twice a year.

 

[Richard Turner]

Goodwinch are not far from you Ben. Well, a little bit further now, near Barnstaple rather than Crediton, as David has retired.

 

[Chris]

Stick it in freespool every month and just run it for a minute in each direction. You don't have to actually winch with it. Keeps the grease mobile and distributed and the brushes clean. It's kinda like just checking your smoke alarm really.

 

[rob rule]

my 2c worth:
only use a synthetic rope - it doesn't rust...it doesn't weigh a ton..it doesn't tangle and sprouts small prickly wires, does not whip your head off and does not sink in water...Also does not do rocks...
the winch is only as good as your electrics that supply the winch.
plus the winch is only a part of a larger bag of tricks - Gloves, tree protectors, shackles, pulleys, wheel chocks
Now, if you decide to go down this road you need to wise up on winch education and safety...and... maintenance

have fun

 

[Josh Tagg]

I've got a winchmax 13500lb with synthetic rope, honestly can't say I've used it but the quality looks good and for the money I ain't too fussed if it's fast it's just to get me out of the sh1t If I really need it too. I beleive you can also buy parts for it too which is a bonus

 

[Ben Stratford]

Great info guys, many thanks.
My son has a goodwinch 9500 which he has used successfully and it has been totally reliable so this is one i have been looking at. A 24V version which are less common 2nd hand. But like the idea of a handwinch too as weight is a concern and i can leave it at home when not needed and wouldnt need a winchbar. Speed isnt an issue.
Certainly need all the other stuff Rob mentioned and have started collecting it in anticipation.
First thing is some recovery points I guess so at least someone else can yank me out while i fanny about deciding!

 

[flint]

+1 on the Tirfor idea. They have the advantage that you can pull from either end of the vehicle and are handy for other jobs (tree pulling etc.) in places where it's hard to get to in a 4x4. Not quick and quite bulky though, especially if you go for the larger models.

 

[moggy1968]

Great info guys, many thanks.
My son has a goodwinch 9500 which he has used successfully and it has been totally reliable so this is one i have been looking at. A 24V version which are less common 2nd hand. But like the idea of a handwinch too as weight is a concern and i can leave it at home when not needed and wouldnt need a winchbar. Speed isnt an issue.
Certainly need all the other stuff Rob mentioned and have started collecting it in anticipation.
First thing is some recovery points I guess so at least someone else can yank me out while i fanny about deciding!

I’ve got jate rings on the front bolted to the chassis and a 5ton Pintle on the rear. Hand winches seem a good idea but as above take up a lot of room especially in a large enough rating to be of some use. They aren’t a great shape so stowage is a pain. A high lift can be used as an 8000lbs handwinch with a couple of chains

 

[clivehorridge]

My 11 year old 9.5 Superwinch keeps going, I used it a lot in the first 8 years so it hasn't had an easy life.

I run it maybe once a month either in use or just for maintenance purposes, a bit like I do with the lockers, once a week to keep them mobile.

I had it apart once to re-grease, about 5 years ago (whether it needed it or not).

The dyneema gets a rince maybe twice a year, just run off the drum, coiled in a bucket of barely tepid water, and agitated by hand. Amazing how much abrasive grit comes out of it even when not used between rinses. Rewind onto the drum under load with the hook-end attached to a tree up at the top of the garden.

The wire rope that came with it is now a zip-line for Ana...

 

[Shayne]

I did lots of humming and harring over which winch and ultimately decided for the most part it will just be an ornament but i will only buy it once , and so i ended up paying considerable more than i wanted to (and considerably more that the price in the link) for one that ticked the most boxes while being compact enough to fit where i wanted to put it .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Superwinch-Tiger-Shark-9-5SR-12v-Winch-Synthetic-Rope-/291301423737?clk_rvr_id=1497398244086&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=twenga&utm_campaign=twenga&utm_param=eyJlcyI6MCwicyI6OTcyMDIzNywiY2kiOiIwM2NhNmVkMDE5N2FlNmM3YjUyMzEzODgzMTQ0MGY4ZSIsImkiOiIyOTEzMDE0MjM3MzciLCJ0cyI6MTUyMzU0ODk5MiwidiI6Mywic28iOjE1MDAsImMiOjM2NjMxfQ==&rmvSB=true

The only test its had is while mounted to my 90 it can drag the mrs 90 uphill on dry tarmac with her sat in it foot planted firmly on the brakes .