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My oldest child. My youngest child Sent from my SM-S737TL using Tapatalk

Lost Coast

I pretty much don't trust Autozone's testing these days. I've had them test multiple batteries/alternators lately that were actually bad that they called good. A bad battery will kill an alternator for sure. I had that happen recently after Autozone told me that the battery was fine. I took it elsewhere after the alternator died, and sure enough the battery had bad cells in it. My guess is that you had a bad battery or alternator in the beginning, and every time you replaced one that died completely, the "working" older one degraded the replacement until it died. I would take your alternator to a local rebuilder to get an expert to test it.

Depending on what you define as affordable, you can typically find 8K-10K winches in the $250-$350 USD range that would likely do fine with short and occasional use. Every major brand tends to have an "import"/"economy" version, and stores like Harbor Freight and Tractor Supply have their own lineup, but I'm not sure if those options exist in CAN. The general rule is fair, but can't account for every "stuck". Naturally, a 2-ton vehicle can exert far more resistance than that when stuck, and winch ratings are for rolling weight. You should also be aware that a winch's max rating is only applicable for the first wrap of wire on the spool/drum, and each wrap layer lowers the rating; the final wrap rating may be closer to 25%-33% of the winch rating. So if you're in short-proximity pulling scenarios, your winch is working harder than in long-proximity pulls. A snatch block will double your working rating.

There's nothing overly problematic about using a winch on a hitch, but the same precautions exist regardless where you mount it. Main thing is to know the weight ratings of your equipment, know the weakest link, and do everything with safety in mind. For a rear winch setup, the hitch itself—Class III hitches, like the ones commonly found on our trucks—may be the weak link, since they are usually only rated up to 6K. More importantly, that rating is for a straight pull; if winching on an incline, the winch pull could generate tongue weight, for which hitches have a significantly lower rating (maybe 600 lbs). It would likely be a fine setup for the scenarios you described, provided the vehicle is stationary and the pull is as straight-on as possible. That said, you should never drive the vehicle when the winch is operation, nor if there is a load on the line, unless it is to reduce/remove load on the line (and you're confident the movement will not inadvertently create tension, such as if the vehicle rolls back). The dynamic load created can be destructive, possibly deadly. Other factors: Remote wiring can be a little costly (low gauge wires run the full length of the vehicle, plus suitable quick-connects) In-vehicle secured storage (presuming you take it on a trip and don't want to leave it in the hitch for any reason; leaving it installed will reduce departure angle) Since you mentioned snow/ice pulls, you may also want to carry some chocks. Again, the vehicle should be stationary when pulling. Otherwise, a snatch/kinetic strap/rope is warranted.