Winches you are using and your opinions ( winch )

[ponq]

I am new to winches so I'm looking for some guidance as far as what works, what doesn't , what accessories are recommended, what to look for, and what to avoid.

I have an Allpro bumper if that helps in my selection.

I've looked at the Summit winches, and I was wondering if the Warn name was worth it.

"I put ( winch ) in the title just in case someone searches under the word winch."

TIA

[screeber]

Since I just mounted up my winch, I can give you my recent experience. I chose Warn for a few reasons: made in USA, lifetime mechanical warranty, field proven reputation. Is it worth spending more on a Warn? - good question. Kind of like asking if it is worth paying a bit more for a Toyota Tacoma versus a Frontier, Colorado, etc. I opted for the quality reputation and relevant experience, and was willing to pay a bit more for it.

I went with the M8000, and replaced the wire rope with Viking synth line. If you opt for the synth line, you'll need to make sure you have a hawse fairlead, or use Delrin rollers with your roller fairlead to protect the rope. It adds another $150 - $250 to the cost of your setup, but the safety and performance gains are worth it. The M8000 is a good sized winch for a Tacoma, and for me the right balance of size, weight, and performance. The 9500 models (or 9.5) are also nice, and you get some added features and performance there (plus more size and $$). There was a field comparison I read a month ago or so that evaluated several winches. I can't remember if it was a magazine or an on-line post. But I recall that Warn and one other maker ended up on top as the best all around performer. If I can find it, I'll pass the info along.

Other accessories to own: tree strap, snatch block, gloves, extra shackles.

One other tidbit for others who have the ARB bumper already mounted, and are considering a winch. The M8000 can actually be mounted to the ARB without removing it from the truck. If you remove the ARB skid plate, then the winch will actually fit from below between the bumper and cross brace. You need a second set of hands to hold it in place while you screw in the bolts, but other than that, it's a fairly simple job. I was pleasantly surprised (Ok, ecstatic) when I determined that I could leave the bumper on the truck.

[Adventure North]

This is a can of worms as there is a mountain of info and things to know and consider when choosing and using a winch.

What are you using it for? How often? Amp draw? Is durability important? Terrain used, mud, hills, wet, dry? Weight of vehicle? Line speed?

All things considered I also chose a Warn M8000 for my truck. I equiped it with synthetic line and delrin rollers. Why?

1) Weight- It's very light, in the 50 lb range when equiped with synthetic line.
2) Fast- Especially with syn. line.
3) Reliable- One of the best built winches going, last thing you want to deal with when trying to extract your vehicle is a faulty winch.
4) Low amp draw and heat build up. Allows for longer smoother pulls with less drain on your battery.
5) Consistency- Still pulls strong after each successive layer. Many winches experience dramitc drops in pulling power after the very first layer of rope is layed down on the drum.
6) Cost- IMO one of the the best bangs for your buck you'll find.


As screeber said if you get a winch you'll also need a good winch kit to go with it. A tree truck protector is a must. 1 or 2 greasable pulley blocks for double lines, awkward/difficult situations, and angled pulls. A few D-rings, and a pair of gloves.

[6shooter]

which allpro do you have? you like it? any pics?

[ponq]

Thanks for the responses.

I have billbrasky's old allpro tube bumper, I don't have any pics of it on mine yet, but maybe this weekend.

[BillBrasky]

I vote for Warn, too. I have a Mile Marker, and it has been fine, but not trouble-free. I'm stuck with what I have, and it beats nothing, but if I were to spend the money again, I'd go Warn or T-Max.

I have already replaced the solenoid on it (which is a job compared to other designs), and the first time I spooled it out to 85 feet, the remaining 15 feet came off the spool and the rope came undone from the arbor. Not 30 minutes after, if even that long, another MM in our group did the exact same thing. Not to mention the speed of the Warn over the MM. The Warn M8 is almost twice as fast as a PE8000.

[skidmike]

Another Warn user here. Mine's gone now, still attached to the Jeep Rubicon I sold, but I used to have a 9500Ti. Great winch, trouble-free and there when I needed it. It was pretty well waterproofed, because it got dunked a cople of times in water crossings, then used not more than 2 hrs later.

The only drawback was the weight (about 90 lbs).

-- mike

[Jaime]

I had a warn x8000i on my jeep and it was awesome. I feel like you can't go wrong with a warn