Come Along vs. Winch

This. My Grandpa has always been a bit wild and told me a story about wheeling by himself in the 1980s in a FJ40 out in the middle of Nevada somewhere in 100 plus heat. He thought he was playing it cool and somehow didn't notice a small boulder in the sand while cruising in 4 lo in a wash. Transfer case skid just kissed it and somehow rolled it under and lifted him off the ground. Nothing to hook the winch up to. It was so hot his shoe soles were separating. He would have to work for 10 minutes then sit in the shade for 30. He finally got himself unstuck by lifting the FJ40 off the boulder with a hi-lift. He buried a spare just enough to use as an anchor point to pull the boulder out from under the rig with a come along. He said if he didn't have that come along he would still be in that wash.

 

$434 3 Ton Ratchet Puller With 35' Of 5/16" Amsteel Blue

AmazonSmile: 3 Ton Ratchet Puller With 35' Of 5/16" Amsteel Blue: Home Improvement

This what I have, it isn't the same as a harbor freight come-along. It's still a workout though, but it'll do it. 6,000lb deadlift/12,000 pull. With the block and and long handle its a decent option. Winch is always belter if you don't mind the extra weight. as mentioned both are ideal. If you have to winch with the truck on an off-camber slope with trees, cliffs etc both can be used simultaneously to keep the pull going in the right direction. I have a high-lift but no sliders on my Taco yet so its uses are limited.

 

If you do decide to get a come along type puller in lieu of a winch, this is the only one to get.

 

Shop around too. I ordered mine with the extension handle and additional snatch block from a forestry company for about $360. I've used it for a lot of different applications where a winch on the truck would not have done me any good because a vehicle wouldn't fit where I needed the mechanical advantage. With the handles removed and separated it fits in a tool bag pretty well. I have pulled boat docks, plucked posts out of the ground, pull trees off paths, lift deer for processing etc etc.

 

6 Ton Come Along with a couple of quality snatch blocks does wonders (3:1) below. It's slow but effective. I've used this method a couple of times using a combination of tree savers, tow straps, and bubba rope. I have an old bath mat cut into three pieces that is used to drape over the line. All fits in a tote. Lots of trees where I venture, so there's always good anchor points.

 

Just get out and push.




/s

 

Long story

 

We call those red devils around the mine and I wouldn't want to be knee deep in mud using one to pull my f-ing truck out . It's ok as a back up or some help but a winch is the way to go . Better yet let someone pull you out .

 

Always better to have another vehicle to pull you out, or better yet spot so you don't bury your truck in the knee deep mud. I don't drive through mud bogs typically. A winch is a better way to go, if you want a winch. As mentioned this tool does a lot of things a winch cannot do. Either choice requires a suitable anchor point, which can also be a problem that only shovels and traction materials (boards, rocks etc etc) can provide for recovery.

 

Suck it up and go with Warn. Both my Warns are over a decade old and still going strong.

 

This. A winch isn't something I cheap out on. Warn has proven time and again that when you need it, it will work. It may cost more but until I get burned by them, Warn has my business.

This is exactly my point earlier. A come-a-long is a great tool that supplements a great winch. I wouldn't want to be stuck and my only recovery tool be a come-a-long. I usually have a bag with multiple straps, shackles, gloves, a couple snatch blocks, a line dampener, etc in it that I take with me wether I'm going out in my truck or out in my rzr. Many times a strap is all that's needed, but that doesn't mean I don't want to have the other tools as well.

 

All the people saying come alongs aren’t recovery tools give me the impression they’ve only used one of the little fisher price sized ones made for yard work to try and recover a truck.

Yes they’re a pain to use and are slow but they will get you out. We had a buddy in college with a lifted ram 2500 that just couldn’t understand that it wasn’t as capable as a Jeep Wrangler and he got stuck a lot. Can’t count how many times we recovered that thing with an appropriately sized come along.

worst was one time he drove off the edge of a shelf road and was about to roll down the mountainside. we spent the whole night winching it out with 2 come alongs but we got it out eventually.

Are winches faster? Yes. Are they easier? Yes. But a come along can/will get you out and in my opinion is better to have than nothing. especially if you can’t afford a winch or as a just in case piece of gear. I don’t have a winch but I carry a hilift jack with the recovery kit so I can use it to pull myself out if I do get stuck solo. It’s not to casually winch through obstacles and keep going but for if I’m stuck and need to get unstuck to get home.

I’m starting to think about getting a winch because now that my truck is built up, armored, and much more capable I find myself eyeing up trails that I can run most of but have 1 obstacle or spot I’d need to winch through to finish the trail and I’m not playing that game with a hilift.

 

One thing I see from time to time are diagrams showing the use of sheaves to increase the mechanical advantage. Yea, it works pretty well. But please be aware that the line on the winch has a maximum rating. The straps or what have you that you connected the sheave to an anchor point has a maximum rating. The sheave has a maximum rating. Exceed any of these and pieces can move with great rapidity in unintended directions. If you are in the way, you wont be for long.

 

Has @TomHGZ posted in here yet? He's got some good recovery suggestions.

 

I always wanted a Warn anyway.

 

There are two options Synthetic and Steel Wire. this is a HUGE debate and comes to personal preference, they each have pros and cons

I personally prefer Steel Wire.

 

is this an actual warn winch or is this a knock off thing?

 

Looks legit and has a link to the WARN store. I do however recommend a 10k winch for the Taco. 8k will work and can always bring a snatch but with how heavy our trucks get I typically would go a bit more.

 

Did you put this here to confound us? I only see a 2:1 reduction, and disappointment in results. Or is it just my OCD messing with me.

 

I worked 14 hours today and a bit inebriated. But I'm pretty sure that's 16:1