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hand winch instead of power winch?

Discussion in 'Off-Roading & Trails' started by TheMrGExperience, Mar 11, 2012.

  1. Mar 11, 2012 at 12:44 PM
    #1
    TheMrGExperience

    TheMrGExperience [OP] Because Tacos are too mainstream...and Im poor.

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  2. Mar 11, 2012 at 1:37 PM
    #2
    valon5150

    valon5150 Well-Known Member

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    You can get a Smittybuilt XRC8 for bucks more. It's a decent winch, not the best but if you arn't wheeling hardcore it should be fine. and a whole hell of a lot more useful then that come a long. If i could have that come a long i would grab it without hesitation, but for the money i would choose an electric winch. Get some snatch blocks and you can pull anything out with an 8k winch

    http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-...8&t_s=300&t_pt=100702&t_pl=6426&t_pn=S/B97281
     
  3. Mar 11, 2012 at 8:41 PM
    #3
    TheMrGExperience

    TheMrGExperience [OP] Because Tacos are too mainstream...and Im poor.

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    one of the things with a winch tho is how much it weights and the come-a-long pictured is like 70 bucks less and 25lbs lighter. how reliable would a cheapy electrice winch be anyways? i have 4x4 and a locker so when im stuck IM STUCK and i need the power
     
  4. Mar 11, 2012 at 8:59 PM
    #4
    valon5150

    valon5150 Well-Known Member

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    To be exact the come along is only 10 dollars cheaper. an XRC is on the cheaper end but i would not exactly call it a "cheapy" winch you will still find some hardcore rigs with basic XRC's that USE them without problems. Go to harbor freight for a true cheapy.

    I've gotten pretty well stuck before in my 4x4 with rear locker. and this is what i use.
    http://www.uscargocontrol.com/Towin...Cable-Puller?gclid=CO-A2ru64K4CFQJ9hwodZRxGbA

    http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-...18&t_s=190&t_pt=8394&t_pl=9617&t_pn=H/LHL-604

    if you dont have the mindset that you are going to NEED a real winch then a simple come along, not a nearly 300 dollar one along with hi lift will probably do perfectly fine for you
     
  5. Mar 11, 2012 at 9:05 PM
    #5
    907taco

    907taco Alaskan Assassin

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    Personally I would not buy the hand powered one, I mean for a few bucks more your gonna be extremely happy your holding a control switch versus a handle that requires a little muscle. I wouldn't even have one as a back up, I expect my electric winch to be trouble free forever (knocking on wood)
     
  6. Mar 11, 2012 at 9:17 PM
    #6
    valon5150

    valon5150 Well-Known Member

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    :eek: no back up? you should hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
     
  7. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:01 PM
    #7
    TheMrGExperience

    TheMrGExperience [OP] Because Tacos are too mainstream...and Im poor.

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    decisions decisions
     
  8. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:08 PM
    #8
    907taco

    907taco Alaskan Assassin

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    True, but I carry a strap too and never wheel alone, I do how ever have smaller come along winch too.
     
  9. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:12 PM
    #9
    Twistedfreedom

    Twistedfreedom welcome to the incredibuild

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    Having used a come-a-long to get a truck out of a tick situation GET the XRC; Either way a decent winch is less than the cost of an professional off road recovery bill. Ask me how I know.
     
  10. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:15 PM
    #10
    TheMrGExperience

    TheMrGExperience [OP] Because Tacos are too mainstream...and Im poor.

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    ha what was the damage?
     
  11. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:18 PM
    #11
    CVYota

    CVYota Damaged goods

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    A high lift can be used as a come-along its a lot of work but better than nothing. having a winch is great but also requires additional modification and dollars
     
  12. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:22 PM
    #12
    Twistedfreedom

    Twistedfreedom welcome to the incredibuild

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    modded the F*ck out
    I wasn't the stuck, but my buddy was it set him back about 350 bucks.

    We got 2 trucks stuck on the trail and had to get a wrecker to come get them off. He was stuck in about 2' of snow and we couldn't get it back onto the hard pack. The other rig was about 6" from sliding off a 100' cliff. The road in winds up the north side of the mountain and had about 3" of ice cover it.

    I was the only one who made it out that night. I had to drive about 30 mins to get Cell service to get someone else to come pick everybody up and get them home. It took two 30ft straps two 20ft straps and 125ft of winch cable to reach his truck and get it out. The wrecker almost got stuck too.
     
  13. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:23 PM
    #13
    TheMrGExperience

    TheMrGExperience [OP] Because Tacos are too mainstream...and Im poor.

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    yea thats the thing. the mount and all the wiring is going to cost money because im 4 months out of knee surgery and will have to get someone to do it for me. eff it im getting the Wyeth Scott winch deuces haters
     
  14. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:33 PM
    #14
    CVYota

    CVYota Damaged goods

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    lol I'm glad we were here to help with the whole justification thing
     
  15. Mar 11, 2012 at 10:53 PM
    #15
    MonkeyProof

    MonkeyProof Power Top

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    so what are you going to do if you are in a stuck situation with just a hand winch? it takes work to operate a hand winch that is under load. all that work will just take out your knees. get a regular winch and use a hi-lift which you should be carrying anyways to use has a backup come-a-long if necessary.
     
  16. Mar 12, 2012 at 2:51 AM
    #16
    wolftree

    wolftree Well-Known Member

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    TheMrGE,

    I think you made a wise choice on the Weyth-Scott power puller. They are made locally to me and I have seen several in action. With it being portable, you are not limited as to where you can use it, nor do you need a battery/running vehicle.
     
  17. Mar 12, 2012 at 5:11 AM
    #17
    1980

    1980 Well-Known Member

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    The Dust Bowl
    I've pulled many a truck out with a come-along. They take a longer but do the job but work and are much less weight to carry around than a winch.

    That's not to say that you will always have an easy time of it. For some idiotic reason I once thought I'd like to drive my 2WD truck across a dry riverbed of deep sand, only to get stuck in the middle. Fortunately, I had a 200 ft climbing rope with me that would just reach a cottonwood on the other bank. I spent the next six hours hand-cranking my truck across that river.

    A few years later I ran across a family in a motor home who had done the same thing. I had a hi-lift with me then too -- it helped but we still spent the rest of the day cranking that motor home across the river.

    I prefer electric or PTO winches though but these won't get you out of everything. When I was a kid we were out hunting when my grandpa slid his jeep off into a deep muddy ditch. We hooked the winch to a telephone pole... and started to pull down the telephone pole. A guy in a gas truck then came by so we hooked onto him... and pulled him into the ditch. My dad then hiked to a friend's farm and came back with a front-loader tractor to pull both trucks out of the ditch and straightened up the telephone pole.

    In the Army, I once snapped a cable trying to winch one of these:

    [​IMG]

    out of a river with one of these:

    [​IMG]
     
    NC Rick and crabshackint like this.
  18. Mar 12, 2012 at 5:49 PM
    #18
    TheMrGExperience

    TheMrGExperience [OP] Because Tacos are too mainstream...and Im poor.

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    Im not worried about the work I'm worried about having reliability and safety for myself, the people i'm with and my truck while being on a budget. i almost always have a buddy riding with me the smallest of which is about 6'2" 225lb.

    thats defiantly a plus I didnt even think about. I was actually in a situation the other day where the only tree was behind me haha. Thats great that you have experience with it i had a hard time finding anyone with hands on experience

    thats awesome haha. My trucks a bit lighter then a tank so i think i'll be fine.

    Thank you for your service by the way.
     
  19. Mar 13, 2012 at 4:59 AM
    #19
    wolftree

    wolftree Well-Known Member

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    TheMrGE,

    Most of the Weyth-Scott power pullers I have used or saw in action were 50 years old and stilll working fine. All of the parts that can break or wear out are replaceable and kept in stock. This is a great investment in a lifelong tool. Check out their website for more information.
     
  20. Mar 23, 2012 at 8:08 PM
    #20
    big sky

    big sky Well-Known Member

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    I have a W-S power puller in my truck and one in my work truck, they've come in handy several times :) Granted it's not nearly as efficient as a bumper winch, but it's certainly cheaper and they aren't overly large so they stow away pretty well

    if you plan on needing a winch a lot than a bumper winch is clearly the better option, if the need is very infrequently then the W-S is a viable alternative imo
     
    NC Rick likes this.

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