The Winch Thread 2012

[Mooons]

Hey Chopper
How do you tell the difference between the warn winches (ie are the badges different)
I may be wrong but I think people fall into the trap of just expecting their winch to work
My 9,000 warn let me down in the regard that it would not go into free spool
It still worked but put a lot more stress on the battery
Found it was full of water from the high country trip
Regular maintainence it the tip

[borngeek]

I will get mine hot and wet and see what happens...

For the record I have a ALDI winch like Perko's, have only used it once but it went ok. Admittedly I mainly do day trips with other prepared vehicles so the risk of it failing is not a issue for me. I am not suggesting the ALDI winch is of good quality, likely it is not.

These guys make avenger/mako
These look like your Warn winches....
These look like your ALDI/ebay supercrap etc
Ironman and others?
other mfg.. Looks like TJM & ARB winches......

That is 5 chinese manufacturers in a cursory search, I am sure there are others. Point is they are ALL made in china. If you find the good MFG's you can have a bland name of the same thing.. You just have to work out which chinese MFG is the best of them.. The safe bet is kingone?

KingOne (china) won the 4wdaction roundup. (not that 4wd action is the authority, but it looked like a thorough test?)
So I could just go to this alibaba site order 500, whack a geek sticker on it, and tell everyone they are as good as avenger/mako? They are, after all.... Same confidence, same reliability, half the price with my sticker.

I am happy to pay a lot extra if it can be demonstrated that a particular brand has a far higher level of engineering and reliability. Especially if I was going into remote areas, by myself. That is when I WANT confidence in my equipment.

I am not willing to pay extra for a sticker is all...

[Homer]

My thoughts on it is that nearly all of them are quite fallible to the elements and require regular maintenance or they all fail.

So none of them are really great if you want to be sure that they will work when you need them - particularly if you have some water crossings or significant mud/puddles on your trip.

[borngeek]

A walk through of maintenance tasks would be fantastic. Good idea, Homer. You volunteering?
You have a winch in your garage, so I have heard

[jop]

Step 1 - check if winch has drain holes - if so are they blocked by debri or installed on top of winch?

[chopper]

Hey Chopper
How do you tell the difference between the warn winches (ie are the badges different)
I may be wrong but I think people fall into the trap of just expecting their winch to work
My 9,000 warn let me down in the regard that it would not go into free spool
It still worked but put a lot more stress on the battery
Found it was full of water from the high country trip
Regular maintainence it the tip

Sure, there are Warn winches, just labelled as Warn, in both High and Low Mount.

Then there is the Magnum range (labelled something like "Magnum, by Warn")

Then there is their new range, can't remember the marketing name, built to a price point to compete with the Avenger/Tigerz playing field.

[chopper]

Maybe I should do a blog series on winches and their maintenance


I did this one on changing to Synthetic, more just to try out the Posterous Spaces Blog Platform...

http://p7offroad.posterous.com/out-with ... the-yellow

(it's a long way from being a definitive guide )

[Homer]

Maybe I should do a blog series on winches and their maintenance


I did this one on changing to Synthetic, more just to try out the Posterous Spaces Blog Platform...

http://p7offroad.posterous.com/out-with ... the-yellow

(it's a long way from being a definitive guide )

Good idea Dave

[Cowboy Dave]

I think the non warn warns if you know what I mean are the VRS branded winches. OL told me when I was looking that they were made by the same people as make Warn's winches.

[chopper]

I think the non warn warns if you know what I mean are the VRS branded winches. OL told me when I was looking that they were made by the same people as make Warn's winches.

Quite possibly, but there are three Warn branded winch ranges.... just can't remember the marketing name for their new cheap range.

[Howie763]

Has anyone heard about the Americal brand Hammerhead 12000 winches.... Tomahawk USA? Selling on Ebay for $289.00 RRP $1490. 12 months warranty, If the majority of winches are all coming out of China, is this one any different???

[bill65]

i have had one motor seized on 9000 Warn 4hp For $500 you can get 6.5hp motor. on ebay if you can get one not working its a good way to fix it

[tukadafoonday]

Everything is made in China these days however this does not mean equal products are made to the exact specifications or follow the same quality control even if they are replicas.

Yeh you pay for the name but in that they also built a name from a solid product... And that name can be tarnished quicker than anything should it not live up to the premium price tag.

In saying that... Everything starts somewhere I'm sure even 'geeks' premium winches would have to start at a competitive rate to get place in the market before cranking out with the top of the range winches... So who knows the Aldi winches might be the start of the new Warns

I would just understand that if buying a budget winch that if it does fail then accept it with a grain of salt, learn from your mistakes and try something else.

[c-dale]

Hey team,

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but I am keen for a winch but dont want a bullbar. Does anyone now if there are any legal issues mounting a winch like Valerio has? I cant see it causing issues as it is not protruding past the bumper??

Hopefully a 10000pd tigerz11 will fit.

[andyj]

Get in touch with the members from the Uk they have tighter laws in regards to winches or bullbars.....

[jester]

That is 5 chinese manufacturers in a cursory search, I am sure there are others. Point is they are ALL made in china. If you find the good MFG's you can have a bland name of the same thing.. You just have to work out which chinese MFG is the best of them.. The safe bet is kingone?

KingOne (china) won the 4wdaction roundup. (not that 4wd action is the authority, but it looked like a thorough test?)
So I could just go to this alibaba site order 500, whack a geek sticker on it, and tell everyone they are as good as avenger/mako? They are, after all.... Same confidence, same reliability, half the price with my sticker.

I am happy to pay a lot extra if it can be demonstrated that a particular brand has a far higher level of engineering and reliability. Especially if I was going into remote areas, by myself. That is when I WANT confidence in my equipment.

I am not willing to pay extra for a sticker is all...

I am ready to place my order for a Geek Winch, willing to give it a shot if you say it is as good as it is

[Sky Miner]

What are people's veiws on a hydraulic winch ?
pro's con's
Im looking for a winch atm, so im looking at everything.

[Josh_Triton]

I don't have a bullbar only stock nudge bar. Is it worth buying the warn heavy duty hand winch for 200?

[chopper]

What are people's veiws on a hydraulic winch ?
pro's con's
Im looking for a winch atm, so im looking at everything.

I have a hydraulic winch and think it is great.
Pro... They go and go and go.
Con... Sloooooooow

[jos89h]

EDITED:
Might be off topic but what is the difference between a 'sliding ring gear' and a 'key cam' clutch on a winch and which is better ?

[Tony81]

What are people's veiws on a hydraulic winch ?
pro's con's
Im looking for a winch atm, so im looking at everything.

Bump....

I've been quoted $440.00 for a single 12,000lb Runva Hydraulic Winch

or $420.00 for a bulk buy of 10...

Not including install..

http://www.runva-winch.com/4x4-Hydrauli ... s-134.html

[Kegsy]

Hydraulic would be the most reliable but they are slower.

Also we have no pto so you will need a pump or get tricky with the power steering.

[Tony81]

The TJM Hydraulic winch plumbs into the power steering & I've read (on Prado Point i think it was) that these plumb straight into the power steering system as well. You can add a fluid cooler for extral volume, & also a dump valve so that when you are winching you can also steer without the winch cutting out.

[motoz]

From experience check your PS hose on the rack if you have an MN. Would suck to lose steering and winch if it dumped its fluid.

[Sky Miner]

Took the easy/safe option' went electric. just didn't know enought about the Hydraulic winch.