Badlands 2500 in winch cradle

So I’m thinking of getting a 2500lb atv winch and putting it an a small hitch mount.

I hunt alone and sometimes end up pretty far back on fire roads. So if I get a little too far into a snowy road and need a little bump back just to get going out. I’m not using it to pull up and over obstacles like a true recovery winch. I’m just thinking this is one step up from a come along when paired with traction boards.

Here’s my thinking;

1. It’s small and lightweight to just keep in the back of the truck.

2. It’s small and lightweight to mount/remove(saves my back).

3. I can also use it to drag stuff onto my trailer.

4. With a snatch block it can theoretically pull a good amount of weight. (Very slowly)

I’ve read mixed feelings about the side load forces a standard rear hitch receiver can handle. I would rather stress or break a $50 winch and remain stuck than damage my receiver and/or bumper with a full size winch.

 

If anything, when you're looking at a cheap-o harbor freight winch, you should OVER size the winch for your application, not under size it. People seem to do okay with a 12000 badlands.

Your hitch *should* be rated at 5000+ pounds for towing. It can handle the light duty pulling you plan on doing with it without breaking a sweat. You're not really saving *that much* weight/space with that tiny little winch.

Just get yourself a smitybilt 9500 winch. You can get them for under $300.

 

What he said.

I have a smitybilt 9500 and it’s never let me down.

 

Same about the smittybilt I’ve seen first hand a badlands winch fail outta the box with it misting outside just stopped pulling.

 

I had a XRC 9500 on my FJ and it did well, so you guys are correct that they’re a great value and up to the task.

So a Smittybuilt with a cradle is right at 100 lbs. The Badlands 2500 is less than 20 lbs. When it’s my back lifting and installing it 80 lbs is significant. So if you guys could humor me here, let’s forget about the badlands and assume I’m looking at a Smittybuilt XRC 3.0 or a Warn VRX 25 going forward.

 

No one in their right mind is going to recommend that you get an ATV winch that will be used on a pickup truck, even for "light" recovery. I don't care what brand it is. It's just not safe.

"needing" a rear winch is rare, and at most it is merely a convenience. Just get a permanent winch mounted on the front bumper, and you never have to lift it.

If you want to drag stuff into your trailer, bolt one of those small winches in the trailer.

You're not the first person to have this idea, and you won't be the last. That doesn't make it a good idea.

 

Can you elaborate about why it’s not safe? A winch has a stall rating, so the way I see it is that it just stalls and won’t pull me out if overloaded.

As far as placement goes, the few times in my life I’ve been stuck, going forward would have just got me more stuck. I’m talking about possibly getting into a snow drift that was a little deeper than expected. Or maybe a soft spot in the road that was a little too soft and needing to back out. Normal people outdoors stuff, not winching up and over obstacles stuff. I’ve had multiple front mounted winches and actually want a rear winch. I’m just trying to find a way to make it more practical than humping a 100lb winch in and out.

 

Simply put: it's not rated for that weight, and kiss any warranty goodby. None of the hardware, gears, the cable, hook, or anything else in that winch is going to hold up to the weight of your truck. I think you are severely underestimating how much force is required to yank you out of a snowbank or a ditch. Being stuck in mud or snow can easily exceed the weight of the vehicle (friction coefficient).

Sure, maybe it'll just stall. It'll also overload, and possiblly heat up the wiring (over amperage draw) and catch your truck on fire. But even if it does just stall, what's the point of even having it then? You are already envisioning a situation in which this winch would be nothing more than a paper weight.

"heavy duty" winches (ones rated for the weight of your vehicle aren't even "heavy duty") aren't just for winching while extreme rock crawling.

The general rule of thumb is that the MINIMUM winch you should get is one rated for 1.5x the max gross weight of your truck. For most Tacomas, that's an 8000 winch. You're looking at a winch rated for less than 40% of that.

People don't even use a 3000# winch to pull cars/trucks onto flatbed trailers, on flat solid ground.

You're trying to put convenience above safety, and IMO that's a recipe for disaster. You can do a proper rear winch. They're actually quite easy to install. All you need is a plate between the frame rails and bam, rear winch you never have to lift, and it doesn't take up space in the bed.

 

Thanks for the reply. It got me thinking about the weights more. I hadn’t really thought about the internal gearing on the winch giving out under the load of the truck. I guess like with any pulling device, it’s ability to hold is just as or more important than its ability to pull.

A little more looking and it looks like if I go higher end and synthetic I can get the winch itself somewhere in the 55lb range. Which is much more manageable than I was originally thinking.

 

Yeah synth line will save a lot of weight. I’m too cheap for that, lol.

Just keep in mind that synth line also breaks down, and should be replaced, usually every 3-5 years, or so I’ve heard...

Good luck!

Have you seen the thread on the front hitch mounts?

 

I work on tug boats so I have a very intimate relationship with synthetic lines. And unfortunately their cost. I like wire but once again it’s all a trade off. Keeping the winch unmounted and the line stored inside would probably make it last a very long time though. It’s the sun, heat and dirt that destroys them the most. Outside of actual abrasion and usage damage.

I have seen the front mounts and eventually would like to get the Mobtown one. The Reese version just hangs too low. I like the idea of the from too in case my bed is full I can stick it up there out of the way.