westslope Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Just quickly read this thread on Doctor Bill's homemade winch ideas with interest Rear-bumper-mounted winch thread Don't have a winch. Am not sufficiently adventurous to justify the expense, weight, maintenance, etc. But I do own a come-along and a towing strap which I have yet to use but carry in the vehicle at all times. Not sure I could haul the pathie out of a prairie ditch with it but I should be able to remove fallen trees and pull the pathie off a slippery grade. I suppose I can always lend it to the 3/4 tonne 4X4 to pull me out if I really get stuck (if one is handy). Experiences? Thoughts? Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87pathy Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 there is no replacement for a winch. I know, not what you wanted to here. I have tried to use come alongs, and yes, they work but are slow, dangerous..etc. its pretty hard to work the come along while your trying to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I'll have to agree. This is my first winch, everything else has been done with a come-along and I look forward to mine collecting dust now. Winches don't have to be that expensive, and I got mine attached to the used bumper I really wanted. Keep your eyes out for deals/sales and you may be suprised... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwipete Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 There is another method of winching too. You can use a Hi Lift Jack as a hand winch with a simple winching kit. Many people I know use this if they have no winch on the truck. It is a very controlled winch system and can be used for pulling up an incline or lowering down an incline just as easily. Here is a simple demonstration I found on Youtube about it. Yes it is very slow, but it is also very controlled. We demonstrate its use at every training day as well as the use of a Tirfur and winch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshellis Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 X2 the hi-lift conversion is a fantastic method when used w safety. You can also use chain instead of wire. Inch by inch, as kingman said in Bill's post, sometimes only a little nudge is all you need. A conventional hand winch is probably the closest to an electric winch as a direct alternative, though, no? You could get a HD hand winch for under half the price of a Warn9000lb I would think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshellis Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Also the aussies have an out of it method for recovering vehicles, some balloon pump operated by exhaust gas that jacks the whole side of the truck up. Cant say I have or intended to try this method. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magregor Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Also the aussies have an out of it method for recovering vehicles, some balloon pump operated by exhaust gas that jacks the whole side of the truck up. Cant say I have or intended to try this method. They are actually pretty cool, if controlled... Airbag Recovery link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Also the aussies have an out of it method for recovering vehicles, some balloon pump operated by exhaust gas that jacks the whole side of the truck up. Cant say I have or intended to try this method. Seen it online, seen people who own them, not impressed, and they strike me as something that one wrong footing and they slip out from under it and down comes the truck... I have a few buddies with sick rigs and winches, and a couple buds with light rigs and winches, and although it may seem like a lot of money, and something you can substitute easily, there really is NO substitution for a simple electric winch.....they are MADE to do the work, and have the correct safety features to insure they do it safely, and correctly.... Instead of wasting 50 dollars here, 50 dollars there, 100 dollars there.....you can get a decent used winch for under 200 bucks, and a brand new GREAT winch for 300....... Just do it!!!!! It will make a world of difference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magregor Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I do agree with you oldslowreliable...a nice set of tires, maybe a 2 inch lift, some extra armor...then a few hundred bucks for a winch. I guess it is what is important first... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 there really is NO substitution for a simple electric winch.....they are MADE to do the work, and have the correct safety features to insure they do it safely, and correctly.... Instead of wasting 50 dollars here, 50 dollars there, 100 dollars there.....you can get a decent used winch for under 200 bucks, and a brand new GREAT winch for 300....... Agreed. It's not the best there is, but is rated well enough. $300, that's hard to argue with... http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jee...mp;partID=40271 B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Just quickly read this thread on Doctor Bill's homemade winch ideas with interest Rear-bumper-mounted winch thread Don't have a winch. Am not sufficiently adventurous to justify the expense, weight, maintenance, etc. But I do own a come-along and a towing strap which I have yet to use but carry in the vehicle at all times. Not sure I could haul the pathie out of a prairie ditch with it but I should be able to remove fallen trees and pull the pathie off a slippery grade. I suppose I can always lend it to the 3/4 tonne 4X4 to pull me out if I really get stuck (if one is handy). Experiences? Thoughts? Suggestions? Try this website. He's local to me, and his website sucks REALLY badly. However, he supports his product, and has done a lot of work re-engineering a basically cheap chinese made winch to create a reliable, and very strong winch, in a low budget range. There are champion winches available at Costco that are junk. They are slow, and have almost no seals in them. These winches are in the same price range, but offer a lot more for your money. They have a 5-6hp motor, which means less gear reduction, which equals more speed. I've had mine on for 3 seasons, and aside from the solenoid crapping out on me (replaced for free BTW) I have had no issues whatsoever. http://www.titanwinches.com/ I have a T10000 which is the older version of the tw10000. It appears he's put stronger motors (6.6hp) in his latest models. Mine is a 5hp motor, and it's VERY strong, and fast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 Oh, and I'll 2nd (or 3rd) the idea of the high-lift recovery kit. It's an amazing tool. We pulled SkinnyPedal's rig out of a lake once with it, when we only had one winch on the trail, (Pezzy's) which had snapped the line 3-4 times. If you have a high lift, definitely look into the recovery kit. That kit works so well, I bought one for Pezzy last year even though we both have winches. You can't have enough recovery gear, IMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted September 19, 2009 Author Share Posted September 19, 2009 There is another method of winching too. You can use a Hi Lift Jack as a hand winch with a simple winching kit. Many people I know use this if they have no winch on the truck. It is a very controlled winch system and can be used for pulling up an incline or lowering down an incline just as easily.Here is a simple demonstration I found on Youtube about it. Yes it is very slow, but it is also very controlled. We demonstrate its use at every training day as well as the use of a Tirfur and winch. The Hi Lift Jack looks like a heavy-duty come-along. The Tirfor also looks interesting. Think I have seen those on job sites: Thanks kiwipete. Thanks all for the comments and suggestions; much appreciated. OK. If I am registering correctly, nothing beats an electric winch for power, safety, weight, and convenience. Understood. Haven't used one in the last 10 years and am unlikely to use one for the next 20 years. The Hi Lift Jack looks like a more powerful and safer alternative to what I have now. Wonder what the weight and volume increment would be..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87pathy Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 I've used the tirofos before. .they scare me, they work only on friction. Just don't ever lift with one. and there is nothing wrong with those smitty built winches. I know a few guys running them and have nothing bad to say about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoPathyGo Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 x3 or x4 on no substitute for a winch. They scare the bejeesus out of me, though, so I got a synthetic rope line from a dude on Craigslist who couldn't afford his rig anymore. Synthetic line was literally new. It kinda pi**es me off to see the prices people charge for winches, synthetic rope and the like. After all, we all know the margins are huge and a $650 Warn Tabor is fundamentally the same as a $900 Warn 9.5i. There's also no way the rope cost that much to manufacture. Then I ask myself,"Is my life worth $900 ?" There are many questions in life for which I have no answers. This is not one of those questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSlowReliable Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 agreed on the smittybuilt, the xrc8 is a highly used winch, I really haven't heard anything bad about em, and 300 for a 8k winch is a terrific deal......plus there are enough of them out there that there are ppl selling them that are moving to bigger better things, so you can probably get a used one for 160 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 If you can afford one, I agree with the no substitute for a winch statement. If you can't then look at a HiLift with appropriate trail support gear If that is not an option, then a come-a-long is FAR better than nothing! I have always carried one (along with straps and a big heavy chain) and until my original one rusted to the point that I would no longer trust it, I carried two of them. The second one is in the back of the Pathy right now Had a friend bury his truck in an old military tank trap around here known as "Steadmans Hole" it took him 6hrs with a light chain, a short strap, a come-a-long and a 1500lbs ATV winch to get out, but he made it home for dinner that night! *he went to conquer Steadmans Hole by himself... a mistake several have made Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 One other thing as well... towing strap Get "Recovery Straps" not tow straps, there is a difference and the extra spend on a quality recovery straps is well worth it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwipete Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 I've used the tirofos before. .they scare me, they work only on friction. Just don't ever lift with one. and there is nothing wrong with those smitty built winches. I know a few guys running them and have nothing bad to say about them. Yes I agree here about not using a Tirfor for lifting, but they are a safe option. They will not let go as the jaws lock on the special rope used with them. There is a shear pin that will break when they are overloaded. There is more risk with a Hi Lift jack letting go and you have to watch the handle dosent wack you. A Tirfor handle will not release under load either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westslope Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 One other thing as well...Get "Recovery Straps" not tow straps, there is a difference and the extra spend on a quality recovery straps is well worth it Now that I recall, it is a 'recovery strap'. It is in excellent condition; it has never been used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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