Any decent priced light weight winches out there? how about using a 6k winch?

[stioc]

OK so I've been offroading for a few years now and have never needed a winch and probably won't in the future either. While the Warn 8ks are nice it'll just be a dead weight on my bumper 99.9% of the time. I'm thinking more along the lines of Engo and Superwinch type of winches but my next challenge is finding the lightest model out there- beyond the synthetic line savings. I had this crazy idea of finding a 6k rated winch since my truck weighs 6k fully loaded. Chances are it'll never need to be dead pulled or hung like a slaughtered pig so long as the line pull rating is 6k I should be OK right? not to mention using a pulley block I can double the capacity if needed. Difference in weight? 35-ish lbs vs. 75lbs and cost? even better. Only problem is I haven't actually found a 6k winch yet, only a 5k ATV winch at HF (33lbs).

I know most people will scream blasphemy but thought I'd ask anyway and perhaps get some ideas on any other winches that might be lighter?

 

[unseenone]

I doubt anyone is going to endorse that. Keep in mind how winches are rated. Pulling on a flat dry surface. Stick a 6k vehicle like mine to the body in the much and it could take a LOT more to pull it out. That's why winch lines are often rated for 21,000lbs or more for a 9k winch.

Yes, you could improve your odds with snatch blocks.

I would note I pulled a jeep out with no snatch blocks and it was all the Warn 9500 I have could do to get it out. Only because I didn't have any snatch blocks with me at the time.
,
You are not going to notice the extra weight, and I doubt it will make a difference in MPG, mine did not.

The TJM 9000 stealth winch weights 70lbs.

I think the warns are a bit beefier, at around 100lbs for a 9500 approx. Probably for a reason.. You'll cut some weight with good synthetic, think http://www.masterpull.com/ line and a decent fairlead.

Maybe a happy medium would be to get a portable unit, that you can leave in the garage when you do not need it. Set it up so you can use it in front, rear, etc. This is typically done on a hitch receiver. http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/xd9i_multimount.shtml 104lbs

 

[CodyY]

TJM 9k has been tough as nails for us.

 

[Presto88]

That "portable" unit still weighs over 100 lbs! If you were traveling alone and were stuck in some muck, it might be tough for one guy to get the thing out and mounted on the correct bumper.

Or am I just being a wimp?

 

[AFBronco235]

You should look into the Smittybilt XRC8. Its an 8K lb. winch, but it only costs around $300 last I checked. The only complaint I'd have is that the control box wasn't as well sealed against water as it could have been, but a little RTV takes care of that.

 

[tarditi]

Couple options to go lighter:

1) Put a winch in a cradle and mount it when you need... negative is approach angle, you have to lug it around yourself
2) Lighten the winch - use synthetic line, or could even go with a hydraulic model like mile marker + synth line

As stated, 1.5x GVW is the recommended winch size - don't recommend any shortcut there - not worth the weight savings...

 

[unseenone]

That "portable" unit still weighs over 100 lbs! If you were traveling alone and were stuck in some muck, it might be tough for one guy to get the thing out and mounted on the correct bumper.

Or am I just being a wimp?

Mine is permanently mounted. Lugging a winch through the muck would be the perfect time for Murphy to show up and sprain an ankle, send a snake over, etc. I can't say lugging 100lbs+ is on my list on clean / dry surface if it can be avoided.

It sounds like TJM has a couple of votes.

The smittybilt is 94lbs So for 6-10 more lbs you could do the warn.

 

[AFBronco235]

Mine is permanently mounted. Lugging a winch through the muck would be the perfect time for Murphy to show up and sprain an ankle, send a snake over, etc. I can't say lugging 100lbs+ is on my list on clean / dry surface if it can be avoided.

It sounds like TJM has a couple of votes.

The smittybilt is 94lbs So for 6-10 more lbs you could do the warn.

I think he was more worried about price than weight. The Smittybilt also features steel orbital gears so its not exactly wimpy. Pull speed is decent. The only downside I've found, as I mentioned earlier, is the control box isn't well sealed, but that's an easy thing to fix.

I should point out that I keep mine mounted behind my stock bumper. Keeps it nice and safe and I keep it covered all the time. Most people wouldn't eve notice its there, except for the fairlead and hook out the front. I did have to move my bumper out about 2 inches, but again, its barely noticeable with the body lines.

Regardless of the price or quality or choice of synthetic or steel line, you still need to maintain your winch, even if you don't use it much. Mostly that means unspooling the line and checking it for damage. It also means that on steel, you have to oil it and on synthetic, that you have to clean it of dust and any debris. Then you spool it back onto the drum under tension (I usually have it pull my truck along in neutral on a very slight incline.) to make sure that the line won't pinch itself during a more rigorous pull.

About the only way you'll really save money is not buying as much accessories to go with your winch as the rest of us. The bare basics would be one snatch block rated at 4 times your vehicle weight (all of mine are +20Klbs.) 2 or 3 shackles, a tree saver strap and some leather gloves. That should be more than enough to get you out of any bind you'll encounter, especially if you go wheeling with buddies who also have winches and you can borrow from them anything else you need.

Other than that, attend a class, if possible, on recovery winch use. If you can't, look up "BSF recovery team" on youtube. Lots of good info and safety tips there.

 

[Lecoq]

I have a friend running the TJM 9k and it does really good. I would definitely run something 8k and above on your R50. You definitely won't notice the winch weight on the front.

 

[stioc]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm leaning towards Superwinch or Engo to keep the cost lower. Superwinch supposedly (from their FAQ) have a different drum to accomodate synthetic lines which can 'bust' traditional wire drums. Costs about the same as the Smitty but I need to do more research - I'm not in a rush.

AFBronco, do you have a close up of how you mounted the winch plate to the frame? is it just bolted in from the bottom of the frame horns? I like the stock/hidden option, well I go back and forth. But I already ordered parts to start my custom bumper so I guess it'll be a custom bumper for me.

 

[goodtimes]

I have a friend who uses a small 5K or 6K winch on his Tacoma. For the places he goes & the gear he carries, it has worked well for him. To my knowledge, he has never needed more than what the small winch would provide.

If the choice is between no winch and a 5K pound winch - the 5K pound winch will be more help than no winch.

It's not like the 5K pound winch will magically sense that it is mounted on a 5K pound vehicle & determine that it isn't rated for the "expo approved" 1.5X vehicle weight & decide that it won't get you un-stuck. It'll just provide the 5K pounds of pull that it's rated for. That will either get you out of your predicament, or it won't.

People have a variety of criteria when selecting gear. While many people choose the "1.5x vehicle weight or nothing" rule, that doesn't mean you shouldn't consider something that will fit all of your criteria (weight, physical dimensions, etc). It's not like we're talking about safety gear (jack stands when working under a vehicle, wheel chocks, parachute when intentionally jumping out of a plane, life jacket on that river trip down the Colorado, etc), - we're talking about recovery gear. As long as your attachment points, snatch blocks, cable/rope, etc are all rated to hold the load that the winch will pull, you're fine. If the winch you choose doesn't develop enough force to get you out, then you resort to other methods - just like you would if you didn't have a winch at all.

I'd be more concerned about the length of cable that fit on the drum of the smaller winches more than the actual weight rating of the winch.

 

[stioc]

^ those were my thoughts too. I realize the limitations of a smaller winch. I've seen even 8k winches not being enough at times if you're pulling a dead truck over a 7ft boulder but most of the time your truck just need a little help.

Having said that I'm leaning towards a 8k winch, the cost and weight difference is small enough that I'll just bite the bullet and not think about it again. It's kind of like buying the LX vs. the EX, just get the EX and never look back and say 'man I wish I had spent another 2k for that sunroof/leather/navigation' etc. Buy once and be done with it...within reason of course (I still won't pay $1k for a winch)

 

[Lecoq]

If most of the wheeling you do is dry, just get a basic winch, you won't have to worry about the solenoid crapping out from corrosion. I believe you can buy Smittybilt and the likes with synthetic cable for under $500. I would just bypass the 5k winches, not because they're not adequate enough, just because it would save you from having to do it twice.

My friends and I went for a winter run and on the way home there was a Land Rover stuck in a few feet of snow in the ditch. There was no cell service in the area and the lady had a few kids with her. One of the guys in our group has a 9k TJM winch, so we anchored his Jeep to another friend's 4Runner and pulled her out slowly with the winch. A 5k winch would've been far from enough.

In my opinion, you're better off buying Maxtrax than a cheap 5k winch. Chances are that it'll take care of your needs. If you're building a bumper I'm not sure if the footprint of the 5k and the 8k are the same if you ever decided to upgrade.

At the end of the day it's your truck and your money. You also know what your needs are.

 

[Thirty-Nine]

Also remember that the winch's weight rating is based on the having one wrap of rope on the drum.

 

[AndrewP]

The winch and truck question is an easy one.

1-If you can fit it on your truck, always run an 8274.

2-If you can't run an 8274, and don't want to spend a ton of $$, get a Warn M8000. I've seen used ones fairly inexpensive and not a bad way to go. An M8000 with synthetic winch rope is not that heavy.

3-If you own a Land Rover, you must run a Superwinch Husky

Remember Warn is a stand up company, with excellent customer service and a deep parts inventory.

Chinese winches all work ok at first, and then fail. No parts. There is a reason they cost $299.