best from craigslist

[punisher1130]

Ok so I found a shop to make a nice bumper for me but it seems that without a winch to give him things will get tricky so I figured I would make his job easier and look for a used winch on craigslist but the only brand I know of for under $400 is Smittybuilt so I was wondering if I could get some opinions of the most reliable from the list.

I found 2 Smittybuilt winches, one being a 12500ld and the other 9500lb
Chicago 10lb winch that comes with a mounting plate, mile marker winch but they don't say the capacity its just a picture of it on the nose of a old jeep
2 badland winches both rated at 12000lb
and the last is a road shock 10000lb.

Which one of these would be the safest and most reliable bet?

 

[emtmark]

All are made overseas and none will even have a warranty. Harbor freight makes the badlands and for 400$ you can get one brand new.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[punisher1130]

Didn't think id get a warranty with them since I am buying them second hand but based on the pictures most are still in the box and the couple that aren't seem to be in good shape. I don't know why I didn't do this from the start but here are the links for them and I was wrong on that Smittybuilt 12500lb, its actually a 15500lb.
https://orlando.craigslist.org/pts/5569019242.html
https://orlando.craigslist.org/tls/5565692075.html
https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/pts/5551018057.html
https://orlando.craigslist.org/pts/5525484639.html
https://ocala.craigslist.org/hvo/5548437792.html
https://lakeland.craigslist.org/hvo/5546688579.html
https://tampa.craigslist.org/hdo/tls/5560654121.html

 

[Martinjmpr]

You can order a brand new Smittybilt from Amazon and avoid sales taxes. Given the cost, shipping is free (kind of a big deal with an item that weighs ~80lbs.)

 

[brushogger]

I got my Superwinch 9.5 Talon from Amazon for $500 with free shipping. It had a full warranty but never needed it. Waterproof and fast.

 

[1stDeuce]

You can get a NEW WARN VR8000 on ebay for just under $400, with free shipping. Here's a link to make your life even easier!! http://www.ebay.com/itm/WARN-86245-...ash=item28126c437b:g:tKUAAOSwhRxXKy3x&vxp=mtr

Just go this route and never look back.

PS, love your name, Punisher!

 

[punisher1130]

I am looking for a 10,000lb minimum winch but I think its safe to assume those winches would not serve me well based on the avoidance lol. Thanks 1stDeuce its a old nickname of mine that I never really let go of lol. Well I better hit up amazon and see what I can dig up, hopefully I can get something before the fab guy is ready for my truck.

 

[1stDeuce]

What kind of truck are you putting it on? If you're just using it to unstick yourself from mild offroading, or drag the occasional tree out of the way, and you're not flopping recklessly into every mud hole you see to impress your buddies, 8 or 9k is likely more than sufficient. I've run an old 8274 on my 3/4 ton trucks for quite a while, and though it's different than the planetary winches, it's still only 8000lb rated, and it has yet to fail me. I did have to double line once to drag a 20,000lb crane truck through the sand dead, but it got the job done.

I might suggest that an 8000lb Warn may be better than a heavier winch from the Land of China, though I know several people with Badlands 9k or 12k winches that have performed flawlessly for several years now... I cannot say the same for Smittybilt winches, though my experience with them is based on winches from 4 or 5 years ago. (Run away from the spring loaded flip lever style of freespool, used on Mile Marker and Smittybilt winches at least several years ago, it will pop out and let you down (Literally!) at the worst possible time...

I see someone grabbed that VR off fleabay... I wonder if it was mis-priced, since that seller hasn't put another one up...

The Harbs is offering the 12k winch for $400 right now. That's a decent deal. I think I've seen the 9k winch for $250 or so, but it is $300 right now... Take 20% off, and those winches worth considering.

Good luck in your search!!

 

[punisher1130]

I am running a 99 Dakota that is lifted ( the one in my profile picture, its old but that is her) and basically I just need one for getting unstuck, pulling away obstacles and general use of it, no I'm not the show off type I do know my limits since it is a daily driver lol.

I am wanting a 10k winch because here in the south we have a lot of the mud type that sucks you down so I trying to compensate for my trucks weight plus gear and my newbie-ness but I'm sure once I gain more experience I may go for a smaller winch. I just went on amazon last night and found a 10k Superwinch with a coupon and matching mounting plate, all for $397.82. I could have gotten that winch cover but I never really liked seeing those on the nose of truck, I know they have a use but they are ugly looking plus that would have put me over my $400 limit lol.

 

[underdrive]

Regarding the 12k Badland winches, we'd never buy one off CL for anything over $200 even if it's NIB. Reasoning is they go on sale for $299 fairly regularly (normal sale, not one that calls for a coupon), and if you slap a 20% off coupon on top of that you just got a brand new winch with a warranty for under $250. The person selling one for $285 is misguided - even full retail of 399 with a 25% holiday coupon gets you the same exact thing with full warranty for marginally more money. What many people on CL seem to not understand is that it doesn't make a bit of difference how much they paid for the product way back when, all that matters is the current retail prices, especially when it comes to something that doesn't have a proven decades-long track record like an older Warn or a Ramsey/Pierce. Don't take me wrong, we have a 12k Badlands winch and it works great for the occasional pulls we do with it, but being what they are you can't really expect that to always be the case, which is where the warranty comes in.

 

[punisher1130]

Damn didn't realize they were that cheap, I have been in harbor freight only 1 time to get a engine cradle tool ( that failed after its 2nd use) but I had no clue they work like that.

 

[underdrive]

Yeah they're not bad in price at all. The one I mentioned we actually bought NIB for 200 methinks, but since it was from a good friend who bought it new at the store we technically did have warranty on it. Seem to recall us buying one on sale with a coupon straight from the store as well, I think it lives on the front of the Jeep but it's been a few years and I have a bad case of CRS, and both said Jeep and its owner are currently away - regardless, they are decent winches for quite appealing price if you can wait and play your cards right. If you must have one ASAP, use the Mother's day 25% off coupon on Sunday.

That said the 15k one you found on CL is enticing, assuming you can order repair parts from the manufacturer if something isn't quite right. The primary on our do-it-all work truck is "only" 10k screw-drive Ramsey, it's pretty old and it still cost us more than a new 12k Badlands, but we bought it from the original owner and it's proven to be money well spent, plus it was nice to know that tractor we were extracting first thing after the install wasn't hanging by some brake setup with semi questionable design.

 

[punisher1130]

Sounds like you got pretty good luck with them but I already bought a 10k Superwinch with the matching mount plat for a little over $300 according to the email I just got saying it shipped. It came with a $75 off coupon so with everything said and done I felt it was a pretty good deal, especially since Superwinch was one of the top 3 on the winch shoot out list 4 wheel mag did on winches so I didn't have any major concerns on getting it.

 

[underdrive]

Well as long as you got a decent deal on what you consider a decent winch then all is good 10k ought to be more than enough for a Dakota.

 

[punisher1130]

I think $397 for a winch and matching winch plate is a decent deal, haven't found anything to beat that price on both things. I haven't found anything major against Superwinch as far as failing points like the lock giving out or something, a lot of what I found is more or less basic ware and tear like what Warn deals with, well except the solenoids, those weren't mentioned on Superwinch faults that I saw. I think so too as long as my math is right, I have taken the truck out a couple times and it doesn't seem to get stuck real easy so I don't think if have to use the winch all that much compared to other rigs, but I could be wrong since I haven't don't anything with it loaded so that is the wild card.