winch question

mcgovski

Adventurer
I have a winch question, and yes I have read the current issue of OJ. Great review by the way. My question comes after being stuck in the snow and reading the great review on winches...
Is there a rating or a weight variable I should be looking for on the winches for a 1 ton truck with a cab over camper. After being stuck in snow without a winch I am looking at putting one on my truck.
I had a massive Ponderosa Pine tree 30 feet in front of me that I think I could have used to easily pull myself out with if I had proper recovery gear. I did not even have a shovel with me ): I used a snowshoe to dig out. My bad!
What are you guys running on your 3/4 - 1 ton trucks (or larger) if size / weight of the truck matters...
thanks
 

RocKrawler

Supporting Sponsor
general rule of thumb is minimum of 1.5X the weight of your truck - so if your truck weighs 10K loaded, you want a minimum of 15K pulling strength to pull not only the vehicle weight, but also the resistance or suction of what the truck is stuck on or in. I personally plan on going with the 16.5K because I want to try and contract out some light recovery work for the local area that traditional tow trucks cant access and make a few bucks toward the buildup - have the mod pay for itself more or less.
 

Over The Edge

New member
What Winch (s) do I have?

I run a 1999 Ford Superduty (weight- 9k+ lbs.) I currently have a Warn 15,000 lb. on the front and a 16.5 Ti on the rear. Basically…, the bigger the better! Not only will you have to deal with the weight of your vehicle, you're going to have deal with additional resistance (implied weight) from whatever media you're in or on (snow, sand, mud, rocks etc.). Something else to remember, your pull rating will go down depending on the number of wraps of cable on your winches spool.
 

mcgovski

Adventurer
Great information. I really appreciate your insight.
thanks
one more question:
metal cable or synthetic line?

I have had a warn w/ metal cable on my old montero...it kinked/binded on the spool and snapped. Most likely operator error, but the synthetic looks like it would be easier to manage???

thanks
 

warrpath4x4

Adventurer
i have a warn 8274 on the front of my 3/4 and a MM 9500 on the rear. remember using a good snatch block doubles the pulling power of your winch. the stated winch pulling weight is only the for the first wrap. if your going from wire to rope, you need a new spool and fairlead.
 

98dango

Expedition Leader
Synthetic is worth every penny, and buy the optional anti-abrasion sheaths that protect the rope


I will mostly agree with this. You need to rember there is care that comes with synthetic. You need to keep the UV off and clean it on ocasion. I drive in the woods/muddy roads alot. I must un spool and rinse and respool at least every 2 weeks to clean small twigs and road debree that wil chafe your line to the point it is no longer usable.
 

akfj40

Observer
I have a 01 f-250. I got a super smoking deal on a 12000. it hasnt had no problems yet, but i also carry a snatch block if need be. i agree with the others the bigger the better!
 

Guinness44

Adventurer
We only use a 10.5 winch with 80 feet of Amsteel, and an extension. Planning on using a snatchblock. The shorter line, gives more power as more needs to be unspooled. The Amsteel (or whatever syn.) is soo much lighter, saves almost 40 pounds. The "borderline" winch size, also saves that much weight up front. Ropesplicing, at least read about it, so youre ready, and it can be done.
 

mcgovski

Adventurer
Thanks guys.

I am going to do a little shopping I think!

Rope Splicing eh? I did that in the boy scouts a million years ago...
 

Paul 3

Adventurer, Overland Certified OC0011
You can never have too much winch! :sombrero: As mentioned above 1.5 x vehicle weight is the rule of thumb for selecting a minimum winch rating. Personally I recommend the biggest winch your budget will allow with the rule of thumb being the bare minimum.

Steel cable v. Synthetic rope both have pro's and con's but IMO the pro's of rope far outweigh steel cable.

Pro's:
1. rope weighs much less than steel cable
2. pound for pound synthetic winch line is much stronger than steel cable (20% - 40% depending on manufacturer)
3. less energy stored in rope during winching means extremely minimal chance of rope becoming a deadly projectile if indeed it does break during heavy winching.
4. most quality ropes are manufactured to be highly resistant to UV damage.
5. rope don't rust
6. you can sell your unused steel cable
7. rope doesn't kink and spools in much more easily.
8. quality synthetic line is readily available and can even be spliced if need be...try that with a steel cable!

Con's:
1. rope can be damaged if winching over rocks (solution: buy the rope sleeve when you purchase your rope)
2. few winches (I only know of two) come with synthetic winch line so it is an investment above and beyond the cost of the winch itself.
3. synthetic line can be susceptible to hi temps. Warn says their spool can reach temps in excess of 200 deg F under heavy winching. Several quality synthetic lines available are capable of handling temps up to 400 deg F (solution: make sure you get a quality line)

Unless the spool on your winch is damaged, particularly with sharp edges or burrs, there is no need to buy a new spool for synthetic rope. You can use the 'standard' winch fairlead but I would highly recommend one of the many fairleads made specifically for synthetic rope.
 

I Leak Oil

Expedition Leader
I agree with going to as high a capacity as possible, but price and weight of the winch are big factors also. With a truck that size you're really looking at a large electric or a hydraulic unit.
Why larger than 1.5 times capacity? A winch rated at 12K is going to work much less and last a lot longer than an 8K winch on the same truck. Plus, when the gumbo grabs your chassis, the suction can be quite a bit more than the weight of the truck! I've stalled my 9K winch on my 4000# Rover so even a larger winch isn't always the answer.
Rope or steel wire? Lots of opinions and facts on each. That really is a personal choice.
Jason T.
 

mcgovski

Adventurer
I just want to say thanks for all the feedback. This forum and its members are brilliant.
I really appreciate the honest / tested information I get here. no one seems to be pushing what they have to a fault, just relaying good solid facts and things to consider.
I feel like every poster is honestly concerned that I get the best winch for my needs.

I still dont know what I am going to do, I have an idea...and I will post when I know for more feedback

Thanks!
 

Ironduff

Observer
Just remember to budget something for whatever front suspension mods are needed to carry the weight. I've had 5 winches spanning the past ~28 years (tho' that's only two Toyota pickups ;)). The '80 p'up didn't need much mods, since it had an add-a-leaf lift.

My current '95 pre-Tacoma is a mostly street-driven stock height errand-chaser, with an older Warn 8K on it that came off the old one. I upgraded the front sway bar with poly bushings, and cranked the torsion bars up a bit. I tried the stock shocks, locally available Monroes, ordered Rancho 3000's, and finally wound up putting Bilsteins on the front. I carry two snatch blocks, mostly because I've got them from clearing a piece of steep land I used to own... you can do a lot of tree-moving with the right rigging.

I'm not planning to do a winch on the Tiger (19' RV on a 4x4 Silverado), partly because I don't want the extra weight, and partly because I don't off-road much in my old age... 8^)
 

mrstang01

Adventurer
I have a 01 f-250. I got a super smoking deal on a 12000. it hasnt had no problems yet, but i also carry a snatch block if need be. i agree with the others the bigger the better!

Where did you get this deal if you don't mind?

Michael
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,527
Messages
2,875,534
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top