Winch for 2017 Tacoma Off Road 4x4

Hello fellow Tacoma buddies and buddettes. I have a 2017 Tacoma Off Road 4x4. I want to purchase an winch. Can any of you experts in this regard provide me with a winch that will have enough pull power and electrical capacity to get me out of a jam if necessary to use winch for this purpose. You are all so kind. Thank you.

 

http://4wheelonline.com/warn-xd9000i-xd900i-multi-mount-winches.230344.0

 

Thank you so much for the web site. I will check it out.

 

What are your plans to mount it

 

You are welcome

 

Hello Diablo. Nothing solid yet for the mounting. My Toyota dealer has a handle on a front support that will accommodate a winch. The dealer has ordered it and requests that I look at it. They also have a winch. I am waiting to see the front support and what they say about the mount. Certainly, if you have further thoughts on this or know of a front mount/support for the Tacoma, please let me know if you have the time. Thank you

 

Thats my exact winch.

Good rule of thumb is get a winch capacity that is 1.5 times vehicle weight so you want ideally atleast 9000lb capacity.

There are two modern winch types that usilize synthetic rope and steel wire rope. I have only used steel wire rope. The reason is because its more rugged and can handle adverse elements. Synthetic rope can burn up in a winch and constant exposure to weather and sun light will ruin it. That said synthetic rope is safer if it breaks, you will need a blanket for steel rope (the blanket prevents the steel wire from wiping around). A good snatch block will double pulling capacity so its good to have one of those as well.

Warn is probably the most popular and well known. Both my Warn winches are over 10 years old and still going strong. Other good brands include Milemarker. I would steer away from companies like Smittybuilt. You get what you pay for.

There are 3 different types of fairleads. Roller Fairleads are for steel wire, I don't like these because they are big bulky and are a bad pinch point. Hawse fairleads are metal slits basically, they are aluminium and steel. Aluminium hawse fairleads are for synthetic rope and steel hawse fairleads are for steel wire rope.

Something to consider as well is solenoid location. Some winches have a fixed solenoid winch can limit some installations. Others allow for the solenoid to be mounted differently.

 

I went with the Smittybilt X20 Comp this time around. Fits most of the aftermarket bumpers and with the aluminum fairlead and synthetic line , is about 32 lbs lighter than the equivalent steel line and heavier roller fairlead. Also the wireless remote comes in handy with the low pro bumpers. Thats quite a bit less weight hanging out over my front suspension. On previous trucks I have always had Ramsey's and Warns.

http://www.winchline.com/faq/

http://4wheelonline.com/Smittybilt_X20_10K_Gen2_Waterproof_Winch_Synthetic.243847.0

 

It sounds like you are doing a hiding mount, and not a full bumper. CBI has a pretty nice one, along with a few other vendors. I was going to go with it, but then I decided to go with their full replacement bumper.

https://www.cbioffroadfab.com/?wpsc-product=t3-tacoma-winch-mount

I run cheap winches on my Rock Buggy, two different Mile Markers, and my buddies run Harbor Freight. Never seen one fail. But if one did fail, we have the ability to pull them apart and fix them. Ideally Warn ZEON, or XD9000.

I've got a Warn VR12000 ($699) on my Cummins, and I've beat the hell out of it pulling trees and broke down cars and trucks up hills, it's been a good winch.


Mile Marker 12000 ($500)

 

I am so impressed with the members of this site. You are all so knowledgeable and so kind to pass this knowledge on to me. I appreciate it. I will now proceed with the info and web sites you all passed on to me. thanks again.

 

I know I'm 3 years late to this discussion but I'm also thinking about getting a winch. Unfortunately all I can find for 2019 Tacos is hidden winch mounts. I'm looking online but I'm not sure what winches are easy to use when you can't even get to it without removing your bumper.

 

There must be a way to get at the clutch lever without removing the bumper.

I have a Warn VR EVO10S, and it seems solid. I have tested it, but not used it for a recovery. It has a wireless remote (standard) so you don't have to get at it other than to release and engage the clutch lever.

 

Yeah unfortunately there's no good way to get at the clutch lever. I suppose I'd have to unspool the line the slow way with the remote. I've been trying to find another mounting method for 2016+ Tacoma's but everything is a hidden winch mounted behind the front bumper under the radiator and ac condenser.

 

What about a low profile winch bumper? It's more expensive than the hidden mount, but it would make access better.

Like this:

https://sosoffroadconcepts.com/2016-tacoma-streamline-front-winch-bumper/

 

Yeah I looked at those, still a hidden winch mount since the winch is in the same place behind the bumper under the radiator and ac condensor.

 

I wanted something that did not involve cutting...
The Warn Semi-hidden was the only one that I found that fit that bill.
I was worried about the location because even if I relocated the solenoid pack I'd have to reach the clutch lever...

Warn has a winch with a remote controlled clutch but it was too expensive for the occasional use that I have for a winch. (Warn Zeon Platinum approx $2400.00)
I figured for 2400US I'd pop the hood, make a hole or make an adapter...

Installed a Smittybuilt X20 in the Warn bumper and once it was installed,


I realized it was no trouble to pop the hood and reach down and turn the clutch lever,
I did relocate the solenoid pack up near the battery to make it easier to get to and to keep the solenoid out of water and elements a bit more.

You have to pop the hood to turn on the remote power or plug in the remote anyways...



I thought about adding access holes so I would not have to pop the hood but figured it would let in all the snow and salt we get up here in Canada....

 

That is a good idea for the solenoid, although I might try to find a way to wire a switch in the cab that negates the need to open the hood. I know there are other winches that have wireless remotes as well. I'm just not sold on spending 600 for a replacement bumper when the mounts are around 300. I was really just hoping to find an external mount so I wouldn't have to remove the crash bar on the front bumper.

 

I guess it depends on what you want. The nice thing about the SOS bumper is that you have access to the clutch lever through the opening in the bumper. You also can reach the plug if you want to used the wired control.

 

How about putting a 2" receiver on the front, and hanging your winch off of that only when you need it...
https://mobtownoffroad.com/product/toyota-tacoma-front-recovery-bar/

 

I have the SOS slimline and its a great bumper, and reasonably easy to access the winch controls. The cutout on the left is for the wireless on/off controls or to plug in the wired controller, and the right cutout allows access to the clutch lever (smittybilt x20).