That >8,000 lb. winch is a waste of money.

Do you even overland if you don't have trained spiders to help with recovery?

 

Mmmm, 3rd gen 4runner.

 

22. The plan was to run it up to where you and I turned off last time, but it’s pretty impassable now. Huge rut/water hole. Only way through it would be to drag your passenger side against that dirt wall the whole way around the corner.

 

Most don’t worry about synthetic line anymore as it loses kinetic energy very fast but when metal breaks it still flies as fast as usual. We’ve just taken to moving the line weight closer to the shackle on the vehicle being recovered.

 

Who has actually had a winch line fail on them during a recovery? Did you have a blanket and was it heavy enough/in the right position to prevent damage?

 

Closest thing I’ve had was a syn line failing during the initial spooling under a slight load. The bumper was chafing the line causing it to fail, and it dropped right to the floor.

 

Wire rope is only prone to failure when the preventive maintenance isn’t done. I have seen one failure and that was corrosion related.

Synthetic line is more prone to abrasion.

Both need to be kept clean to het the maximum life span.

 

Yeah I heard. I've gotta get back out there want to run up to the far other side of the park and run up to the look outs where the devil's elbow trail is forget the name of that area.

 

Are the harbor freight models holding up ok?

Who makes the light weight winch that is still strong enough for a taco to save a Jeep

 

I like mine so far, it is a tight fit shoving a 12k winch in there, but it's a lot lighter than my previous SuperWinch 8.5k

 

Are there off brands that are known to be junk?

 

Old saying, “you get what you pay for”. My Warn is over thirty years old. Still going strong. I also have a smaller Rule that’s almost as old.

Why two. Because sometimes you need to lend one. And once or twice I used one on each end of my Jeep.

 

There are formerly premium brands that have fallen off like Superwinch. They left Connecticut for Oregon and now all of their winches are made in SEA.

 

I've had my badLands 12,000 lbs winch for just over three years, don't use it a lot, but it has worked flawlessly everytime I've needed it.

 

Man, I saw this the day it was posted and thought it was done! I just read all 22 pages looking for the damned video!

I've done several recoveries using come-alongs and pulley systems (no need for even an ATV winch!) They've always taken me several hours and made my right arm look like my wife had left me 6 months prior.

The proper tool for the job would have had me out and on my way in 30 minutes (normally just stuck the snow....in my own driveway on a mountain in rural vermont ). The right tool is a properly rated winch!

 

All you who think synthetic line wont store energy and can't hurt you are just plain wrong. Yes, there are videos of synthetic winch line failing under load, and it does snap back. it does not "just fall down" Ignore at your own risk

 

Note that the recovery guy, Matt, uses wire rope cable. Also watch how he winds a tow rope around the cable.

Some guys who do this stuff for a living get sloppy and dangerous over time. This guy is either smarter than the average bear or gotten bit and learned.

 

Who makes the lightest winch that can pull 9500?

 

10k is a more common size so I looked at a few major brands. And this is all with synthetic line.

Superwinch Tiger Shark 9.5k - 59 lbs
Engo 10k - 64 lbs
Smittybilt X20 10k - 67 lbs
Warn Evo 10s - 72 lbs

 

Thanks for the info

Is super winch considered decent quality anymore?