Let's talk winches

[CDN_S4]

I'm in the market to buy a decent winch and have been doing a fair bit of research. What I haven't decided on yet is whether to go with steel cable or synthetic rope?

 

I have selected a few winches that I'm considering:

 

Rugged Ridge: (synthetic)

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-Winch-Accessories/Performance-Winch.aspx?t_c=18&t_s=300&t_pt=100702&t_pn=RUG15100.11

 

Rugged Ridge: (Steel)

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-Winch-Accessories/Performance-Winch.aspx?t_c=18&t_s=300&t_pt=100702&t_pn=RUG15100.10

 

Mile Marker:

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-Winch-Accessories/SEC8-Scout-Winch.aspx?t_c=18&t_s=300&t_pt=100702&t_pn=MIL77-53141

 

Smittybilt:

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-Winch-Accessories/XRC-9-5K-Winch-Synthetic-Rope-Gen2-With-Aluminum-Fairlead.aspx?t_c=18&t_s=300&t_pt=100702&t_pn=S%2fB98495

 

Warn:

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-Winch-Accessories/VR8000-Winch.aspx?t_c=18&t_s=300&t_pt=100702&t_pn=WAR86245

 

 

I haven't picked anything over $1000. Ideally I'd like to be between $4-800. I'm definitely looking for reliability, longevity and capacity. Our pathfinders aren't that heavy, but does anyone have any idea what the minimum recommended rating should be? I was thinking no less than 8000lbs, and only that low on high end brands like Warn or Mile Marker.

 

Let's hear what the NPORA community has to say and help me make a decision. *the list is not exclusive! - open to recommendations*

 

[RedPath88]

hmm Link did not work but if you do an advanced search of all forums for Winches and set the Match to titles only, you'll get more than 10 results of similar threads, that's a good start

Edited April 25, 2015 by RedPath88
removed link

[Slartibartfast]

I know squat about winches, but I did ask my cousin a while back (he's a Jeeper) about lines and he said he prefers steel lines because he can drag them over stuff and not worry about abrasion.

[Rebelord]

Weigh your truck loaded down like you are for a off road trip. Then at a minimum 1.5x that. Thats your rating. For example, my 99 weighs 4900lbs loaded. 8000lbs would be my ideal winch. Which your probably about the same.

So a 8k should be fine. Remember the rating is for a certain amount of wraps on the drum. When that changes, so does its rating.

 

Of those, Rugged Ridge, Smittybilt, Mile Marker all use the same manufacture for their winches. Just do a few changes to liking and market them different. Warn is proprietary with their products.

 

If you need a cheap disposable winch, I have seen the Harbor Freight 8k work wonders! Wait for the coupon in the mail, bamn $200 for a winch. Pay $50 for the 3yr replacement warranty. It breaks, swap it out at a store. The only issue with them is build a better relay box and water proof it. Tend to overheat the relays.

 

Whether you use synthetic line for steel, both need maintenance on em. Keep the grime out. Keep em dry etc. Steel is very heavy. Synthetic can save you 100lbs on the front. May be cheaper to buy a winch with steel and swap to synthetic after.

[CDN_S4]

 

Whether you use synthetic line for steel, both need maintenance on em. Keep the grime out. Keep em dry etc. Steel is very heavy. Synthetic can save you 100lbs on the front. May be cheaper to buy a winch with steel and swap to synthetic after.

 

This is a good idea I hadn't considered yet. I'll look into that and see price diff in buying rope and Hawse fairlead separate.

[RedPath88]

The max capacity of a winch is on the first wrap on the drum, when the cable has the lease amount of possible leverage on it, with every additional wrap it gains more leverage over the drum so the pull capacity of the winch is reduced. Also remember that the first wrap (from fully extended) is also the smallest wrap you will have available because you need to leave a couple winds on the drum so your putting the pressure on the drum and not on the cable attachment bolt.

 

Here is the layer capacity of a Warn M8000 from their product page

https://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/M8000.shtml

Pull by layer
layer/Lbs(Kgs.)
1/8000 (3629)
2/7280 (3302)
3/6670 (3026)
4/6230 (2826)

 

You can overcome this and/or get away with a smaller winch by using a snatch block. But remember if your winch is rated lower than your needs, then you will always have to use the snatch bock, or you risk damaging your winch.

 

HF winches seem to be pretty well respected for what they are, but one thing that many have said is that they are noticeably slower than brand names (Warn/Superwinch/T-Max) If your ok with that, which many people are, then they seem to be a great cost effective alternative.

 

 

 

Something else to remember when your building a recovery setup, it is only as strong as the LOWEST capacity item in the system. 12K Winch? Does not matter when your using 6K shackles.

Edited April 26, 2015 by RedPath88
added warn specs/link - cleaned up text

[Pav]

I agree with going the synthetic route. Save on the weight and just use it within its limits. I saw this video a little while back on Winch Recovery Setups I found informative.

 

 

 

[CDN_S4]

Yes weight savings is my main reason for going synthetic. It can save between 30-40lbs depending on length. That on top of a bumper IMO is well worth it as our measly 3.3's aren't exactly power houses and with all the other stuff and 33's I'm already feeling the effects very noticeably. Too bad they only ever made super charged Xterras with the 3.3 and not pathys.

[fleurys]

If you want reliability, in my opinion, there is only one way to go... Milemarker 10500 lbs hydraulic... http://milemarker.com/product_type/hydraulic-winch/

http://www.truckspring.com/video/mile-marker/winch-comparison.aspx

 

I have seen way too many different brand of electric winch fail during heavy off road... Not to mention failure of alternators too...

 

You can winch all day long with hydraulic... I guess it comes back to the kind of usage you will need from it...

Edited April 26, 2015 by fleurys

[CDN_S4]

^^^ True, and if money wasn't an issue, I would without a doubt get one of those. Right now, I am very strongly leaning towards the Smittybilt 9500 XRC (synthetic) for just under $600.

[toughroad]

I just bought this from 4wheelonline. And I'm pretty impress and content with it.

Smittybilt:

http://www.4wheelpar...2&t_pn=S/B98495

Edited May 5, 2015 by toughroad

[CDN_S4]

I bought the same one. But after some advice from my local club members I went with the steel cable. Our very wet and heavily wooded environment is more suited for cable as it requires less maintenance. The synthetic ropes need to be cleaned off and kept dry for the most part. They also easily snag on branches and debris often found in woods. As long as I keep the cable well doused in WD40, I should have no issues.

Now if I lived in a warmer, more arid region I would do synthetic for sure.

 

 

This is the only picture I currently have.

[ahardb0dy]

Talking about winches, I saw a Toyota pickup couple weeks ago at Home dept, it had one of those 1500lb winches bolted directly to the stock Toyota bumper !, Wonder how long that will stay on if used !!

[toughroad]

I bought the same one. But after some advice from my local club members I went with the steel cable. Our very wet and heavily wooded environment is more suited for cable as it requires less maintenance. The synthetic ropes need to be cleaned off and kept dry for the most part. They also easily snag on branches and debris often found in woods. As long as I keep the cable well doused in WD40, I should have no issues.

Now if I lived in a warmer, more arid region I would do synthetic for sure.

 

 

This is the only picture I currently have.

Very nice looking winch and bumper. Is that a Smittybilt bumper you have there?

Edited May 6, 2015 by toughroad

[CDN_S4]

No, it's Rough Country bumper. Winch is Smittybilt.

Thanks. Looking forward to have it mounted.

[XSrcing]

You have got to do something extremely stupid to damage Amsteel-Blue. If you get a synthetic line make sure it is Amsteel-Blue manufactured by Samson Rope. Don't worry about abrasion. The stuff is designed some of it to happen. It actually protects the Dyneema fibers.

 

Source: Good friend is an engineer for Samson Rope and another friend owns a Bering Sea fishing boat and uses nothing else. Something else will break before this line.

 

That said, the Captain uses a 12k Harbor Freight winch on his '78 CJ-5 AMC 360. I plan on using the same on my Frontier.