Winches: real world experience with cheap winches

I have been working to outfit my two-wheel drive 2003 TRD with some precautionary off-road gear, I've already decided I want to use a receiver style winch since I prefer to keep the truck looking and weighing stock for a 99.9% of the miles traveled, but will mount the winch when I'm out galavanting.

Anyway, when you search for winches you get 99 people telling you to spend a couple g's on a warn, And the other one person is advocating a cheaper option like smittybilt etc. I was pretty set on getting a x20 or XRC comp with synthetic rope, and they are almost the same price at about $600, the closest price point from Warn is about $850, and in either case, it's a made in China situation, with the smittybilt being a "higher value" option, meaning higher feature to price ratio.

Enter: Amazon. There are about 500 clearly Chinese branded winch companies Hocking winches at half the price of even Smittybilt or Harbor freight badlands... So much about it seems wrong, but then I come across the Xbull.

X-BULL Winch 10000 lb. Load Capacity Electric Winch Kit 12V Synthetic Rope

https://www.amazon.com/X-BULL-Synth...&qid=1622291377&sprefix=x20+comp&sr=8-14&th=1

Anyone have experience with this specific winch? Have you used it a lot, has it performed well? Has it failed? It seems like it has really good reviews on Amazon, and I found a few threads and a different off-road forums saying that they were good, not seeing too many negative reviews. Would love to hear your experience if you have it! Obviously, reliability is paramount with any brand winch, and the last thing I want to do is spend half the price of a smittybilt (which is half the price of a warn winch), only to be left stranded and needing to then invest in the more expensive winch to appease my irrational fears - and perhaps that is the marketing strategy that warn Relies on - but I've also found a lot of posts where warn winches have let their users down/left stranded... So what to do?

Thanks for reading

 

Having used winches for a bit, I’ll give you one observation. You get what you pay for.

I have never had a winch fail. Haven’t ever had a line break. Why? Because I buy quality products and maintain them.

 

Didn’t read your entire post, I zone out at 140 characters. Regardless; you are going receiver mount, synthetic lines are lighter. I’ve had to use my winch about once a year, it’s an enabler to try stuff I would not otherwise try. Most of the time it’s easier and quicker to get a friend to pull you out. I’m happy with my economy model (Engo 10000).

 

I have a 13000lb from Amazon in my truck currently. I haven’t used it more than 5 times yet. But so far it’s been okay. Before I had a synthetic 12000lb from harbor freight. I used it quite a bit. And I loved it. I pulled 2 Tacoma’s up a pretty good hill while it was raining and snowing, really slick hill. It did really good.

 

I've had the Smitty X20 synthetic for three years now. Used it multiple times to save my ass. Hasn't let me down yet. Now I know it isn't as good as a Warn, but for my uses I feel content. If I was doing a solo trip through South American and my entire life and well being rested on it, then yes I'd buy a Warn. But for wheeling in the woods with your buddies, where there's always a solution, I'm totally satisfied. If this winch ever fails then lesson learned, Warn here I come.

 

Harborfreight or name brand. Test frequently.

Line speed & load is what you pay for.

 

Theres warns that are decently priced. Not everyone needs a x-ps or a zeon

15 years on my warn vr, I've took it apart once.

 

Everyone dogs on the Harbor Freight winches but mine has never not worked for me. I have the 12k Badlands with synthetic line. Even though it has never failed, you can buy a couple of these before you break even with a Warn winch.

 

I agree with your thinking that you could buy a couple for the price of a Warn, but if the harbor freight breaks and you need another one, it will break when you need it leaving you SOL.

 

Thanks for that, The x20 model is that I've had a hard look at as well, but the 10,000 option is almost the same price I still warn VR equivalent, which only makes the decision harder.

When I initially posted this, I was strongly considering getting that very inexpensive Xbull brand, but I have since been vacillating between the inexpensive warn VR options, and the smittybilt x20, which are very similar in price (~$120ish). Probably in the next month or so I'm going to make a decision, and I think it's going to be between Warren and smittybilt. I need to do some real comparison of the x20 and VR series to truly understand the difference, is anyone already done researching able to give me the comparison and after? Really appreciate all your guys's help

 

I had the same dilemma, went with a VR EVO 8 ($500). Same setup that you are talking about. I have put it to the test and it works. I am a bit leary about pulling too hard on the front curt receiver. I have been working on cutting and clearing trees; I hook the Evo onto the rear receiver and work it for hours at a time. The cable is getting little kinks in it (normal??). Probably will go to a rope eventually.

There was an Amazon comment that the Evo remote doesn't work well. I think of that comment every time I am 50 feet away from the truck using the remote without any issue.

 

How are you connecting to the trees? Not by connecting the hook back to the cable I hope. This will kink a cable faster than you can imagine.

 

If the price is that close buy a Warn. Back when I bought my SB I don’t think that option existed.

 

That's what I did. Last Monday, 4wp was doing the "we pay tax on warn" discount which makes a big difference in my county, but unfortunately I missed it... But checked just now and they had the same deal going again, so I pounced

Now I've got an evo-8s on the way, with a couple of quick 2ga disconnects and a receiver cradle on the way. I have nothing, what else should I get? I know I'll want to put together a wiring set up for the back of the truck at some point but I'm going to wait on that initially... But what do y'all carry? Snatch block? Pull strap? Looking for your suggestions of "minimal and complete", and I'll make a grab and go type bag.

Thanks again for helping me spend my money

 

Thanks for the reply. The cable goes through a snatch block attached to a live tree with a tree saver. The cable then goes out to the downed tree log at a more or less than 90-degree angle. The hook attaches to a choker cable and tow strap attached to the log.

When I am done with the Evo I spool it neatly and apply Blaster silicone winch cable lube. I think it must be kinking while spooling during pulls.

There are about 10-15 kinks in the line. It has probably been through 200-300 cycles. For the most part, reasonably light pulls. Pic:


OP: I had good luck/value with these.

$75 FIERYRED 1 Gauge 30 FT Quick Connect Jumper Cables, 1500A Heavy Duty Booster Cables with Travel Bag， Battery Jumper Cable for Truck, Diesel Trucks, SUV and Car

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GD8V653/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8

$17 Ruikarhop 175A 600V Battery Connector AWG 1/0 Quick Connect Battery Modular Power Connectors for Winch Auto Car Trailer Driver Electrical Devices 1-2 Gauge

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TVB1DFX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8

I also bought the Ecotric cradle on Amazon and had to modify it a bit to fit the Evo 8.

 

When I’m stranded the last thing I want to worry about is having a cheap winch break on me.

1 use of a winch will more than pay for itself. I like steel cable because I’ve seen too many synthetic cables break.

 

I've seen good and bad out of both Name Brand and off brand winches. A lot of it depends on how you take care of it. Plenty of Warn with dead solenoids, a waterproof smitty x2o(?) that the controller box was a fishbowl.

@HrBrad8 has used an Xbulll 13k(?) winch without issue

 

Get yourself a tree saver (or two), a snatch block, 50' tow strap, and some D rings. That's a solid basic recovery setup

 

and don't forget your 500 ft of cable because an 8000lb winch is undersized for our trucks ... damn I can't find that thread, it would be enlightening for a winch newb

 

First off you ought to get a 10k winch for a Tacoma. Secondly that's what a snatch block is for - doubling your pulling power. And I don't quite understand how a longer cable is going to get you any more power.