Thread: Which winch is the right winch for me ?

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  1. #1 Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    So with my tax return this year i decided to get a winch and bumper, My friend is making me the bumper but im torn on which winch i should get. I dont have alot of money so a warn is out of the picture. so 4 wheel parts has this milemarker http://www.4wheelparts.com/PPT6420T100702.aspx
    or
    http://www.4wheelparts.com/PPT6426T100702.aspx
    or
    http://gorillawinches.com/gorilla-winches-10000lb-vehicle-recovery-series.htm
    and finally
    http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=SUM%2D930002&N=70 0+400304+115&autoview=sku
    I read alot of the posts on here but theres just too many to search through some times
    Last edited by hkszx2; 01-23-2008 at 01:29 AM.
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  2. #2 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    i would get a warn 8000lb one there only like 500 which isnt too much of a price difference and is a quality winch
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  3. #3 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
    Senior Member Lifetime Supporter 5.9 ANDY's Avatar
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    if i were on a budget, i would get the 10K winch from harbor freight,
    i read some where also that mile markers and harbor freights are made in the same factory some where in china.
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  4. #4 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
    Senior Member tywilson88's Avatar
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    mile marker sucks... dont get it... and dont get harbor freight... spend some coin on a winch
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  5. #5 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
    Senior Member Lifetime Supporter 5.9 ANDY's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tywilson88 View Post
    mile marker sucks... dont get it... and dont get harbor freight... spend some coin on a winch
    i agree as well... thats why im not getting either.
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  6. #6 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
    Senior Member MUDDTRACKS's Avatar
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    I have superwinch 9.0 epi was around 550 it has a fast line speed plus really strong and I have been running it for 2 years now with lots of pulling. Never lets me down nock on wood lol

    If you buy a winch get a good one the price diference is worth it.
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  7. #7 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    For a ZJ, I would want one at least 9000 lbs.

    I believe the Summit is a T-Max brand winch but I'm not sure.

    Also, check out winchdepot.com. They seem to have some really good prices.

    For me personally, I would look for a Warn or Ramsey.
    Ben
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  8. #8 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Go to winch deot get the warn 8000 for $550 delivered. I got this one mounted on my rig and haven't had any issues with it. Even pulled out a yj that buried to its frame in the mud with no trouble.
    93ish zj, d60s, 38.5 maxxis, and a bunch of other expensive parts to make them work.

    Truck stacks, for when your trucks nuts are just not gay enough anymore.
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  9. #9 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
    Previously "Maatt" Matt's Avatar
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    Warn M8000
    Tabor 9000
    Superwinch EPI 9.0

    Any cheaper than those, you just as well spend your money on something else.
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  10. #10 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    I have a t-max 9000#, it is the same as the summit winch

    great quality winch, 6.6hp , fast as hell, I wouldn't buy a warn over it, a local guy did tons of research/testing on them vs warn and the results were impressive.
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  11. #11 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    I have seen "cheap" winches fail at the worst possible moment. Also, all winches require maintenance over time. Be sure the winch you choose is a quality item and that replacement parts will be available. Also, be sure that you have adequate capacity. IMO, an 8,000 lb. winch is the absolute minimum you need for the weight of a ZJ, WJ, etc., especially when loaded with trail gear. A 10,000 lb. capacity would be optimal, but I understand you are on a budget.

    I am partial to Warn winches, and have them on my CJ and on my ZJ. Ramsay is OK, and a decent bang for the buck. Stay away from Harbor Freight and "no name" winches. T-Max is getting some good reviews, but I have never seen one in action. I have a friend with a Superwinch on his CJ, and he has had good service from it. As for Milemarker, their hydraulic winches have received a lot of flak over the years because they run off the power steering pump rather than a dedicated pump and are slow. Their electric winches may be OK, but no one I know has one due to the "bad press" on their hydraulic product.

    Keep in mind that in addition to your winch, you need straps, shackles, snatch block, strong tow points and other gear to make it work. You should also explore upgrading your battery (or batteries), alternator, etc. Factor the cost of these into your budget. It will be worth saving a few more $$ to get a quality system that will always work when you need it.
    Robert Bills KG6LMV
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    '97 ZJ tsi, lifted, ARB bumper, winch, Conferr rack, offroad lights, etc. [SOLD]
    '83 CJ-7, lifted, locked and loaded
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  12. #12 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDBillsJr View Post
    As for Milemarker, their hydraulic winches have received a lot of flak over the years because they run off the power steering pump rather than a dedicated pump and are slow. Their electric winches may be OK, but no one I know has one due to the "bad press" on their hydraulic product.

    I would say that most people who bad mouth the Mile Marker hydraulic winches have never used one. They have 2 speeds, and yes, the "low gear" is kinda slow, but the high speed is pretty damn fast...faster than most electrics. Very handy for when you just need a little help over an obstacle or something, and you're not genuinely stuck and need all of the "grunt" of the slower speed. Also, the line speed may be slower, but as a practical matter of use, it doesn't mean that you can't get unstuck faster than an electric.

    If you're really stuck, in a position where you're going to have to do some serious winching, then most electrics can't just run fully loaded for 20 minutes straight with out frying themselves, tripping out on an over-temp safety, or just overtaxing the electrical system to the point where the battery dies and the engine stalls. Keep in mind that a fully loaded electric winch is drawing 300-400 amps, and that's a limitation when winching. It means that 20 minutes of heavy "winch time" actually might take you over an hour since you're pausing to let the winch cool and to let the alternator charge the battery back up. If you have been in that "we got stuck and it took us 2 hours to winch out" situation, then you know what I'm talking about.

    But, the hydraulic can just run all day....just put a power steering cooler on it to keep the fluid temp in check, and all the sudden that slower line speed isn't as big of a deal as many people make it out to be.

    The only practical advantage an electric has is that it still works if the engine is off, so long as the battery can power it....which won't be that long if you're back into that "heavy use" category.

    A buddy of mine has the hydraulic and loves it, for the above reasons. Also, and as a cool side effect, in operation, the hydraulic is almost silent, where as most electrics will wake the dead. Not that you're thinking of that sort of thing if you need the winch, but it's still kinda cool.

    EDIT: Another practical matter....keep in mind that a 10k pound winch only pulls with that amount of force on the last warp of the drum, when you have almost all of the cable out. If you're bad stuck but you only have 20' of cable out and are trying to get out, you may only be getting 2000-3000 lbs worth of pull out of your 10,000 pound winch.
    Last edited by J B; 01-23-2008 at 02:52 PM.
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  13. #13 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by J B View Post
    I would say that most people who bad mouth the Mile Marker hydraulic winches have never used one. <snip> [T]he hydraulic can just run all day....just put a power steering cooler on it to keep the fluid temp in check, and all the sudden that slower line speed isn't as big of a deal as many people make it out to be.

    The only practical advantage an electric has is that it still works if the engine is off, so long as the battery can power it....which won't be that long if you're back into that "heavy use" category. . . .

    Hydraulic winches do have their advantages, particularly when the winch is on a vehicle that must make a long pull or multiple pulls in a relatively short time such as a rig pulling a string of other rigs through/over an obstacle. The primary problem with the Milemarker hydraulic winch is that the stock Jeep power steering pump/fluid capacity is really too small for the task of running a winch and gets very hot, which can be solved with an upgraded pump and inline cooler, but which adds to the expense of the system.

    I agree that a hydraulic winch will run strong all day so long as the pump/fluid doesn't get too hot. But seize the pump on a system that runs off the power steering pump and not only do you lose your power steering, you may not be able to even run your engine unless you have a means to bypass the seized power steering pump, which will be unlikely on rigs with a serpentine belt). That may make it tough to get home.

    Statistically, the majority of winch usage on a Jeep is "self recovery" rather than recovery of other vehicles. Hence, the ability to use the winch without engine power may be essential. That is why the common wisdom in jeeping applications is to use an electric winch. Also, if an electric winch fails all you lose is the ability to use the winch (assuming the battery hasn't been run down to nothing - easily cured with jumper cables or the temporary swap of battery from one rig to another).

    My two cents.
    Robert Bills KG6LMV
    Orange County CA
    '97 ZJ tsi, lifted, ARB bumper, winch, Conferr rack, offroad lights, etc. [SOLD]
    '83 CJ-7, lifted, locked and loaded
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  14. #14 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDBillsJr View Post

    Keep in mind that in addition to your winch, you need straps, shackles, snatch block, strong tow points and other gear to make it work. You should also explore upgrading your battery (or batteries), alternator, etc. Factor the cost of these into your budget. It will be worth saving a few more $$ to get a quality system that will always work when you need it.
    I have a good strap, and a yellow top and a decent ( not mean green but good ) alternator, the bumper will have d shackles front ( i already have kevins rad support ) and i have the d shackle reciever in the rear. I just dont have the extra for the warn or ramsey units. Im thinking about going with the smittybilt one its 300 bucks, plus 30 bucks for an unlimited life time warranty and one of the guys on my local board has one and hasnt had any problems in his with his toyota.
    "Say fuck you to Mother Nature, and kick her in the face! "
    94 Limited- 4.5" ghetto lift, Ghetto 33x12.50 Mud Kings, Ghetto wheels, Crappy stickers, some dents, custom front bumper(too be mounted), Kevins rad. support.
    Looking for 1980s VW Rabbit truck
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  15. #15 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by hkszx2 View Post
    Im thinking about going with the smittybilt one its 300 bucks, plus 30 bucks for an unlimited life time warranty and one of the guys on my local board has one and hasnt had any problems in his with his toyota.
    You can be our guinea pig. Smittybilt isn't manufacturing these; they are purchased from an importer and relabeled. I don't have a clue who really makes them.

    As for a "lifetime" guarantee, you should know that Smittybilt filed for bankruptcy a few years ago and all but disappeared. A lifetime guarantee can only last as long as the company that offers it. Even though Smittybilt has been restructured, my suspicion is that you will outlive the company.
    Robert Bills KG6LMV
    Orange County CA
    '97 ZJ tsi, lifted, ARB bumper, winch, Conferr rack, offroad lights, etc. [SOLD]
    '83 CJ-7, lifted, locked and loaded
    '46 Bantam T3-C trailer
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  16. #16 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDBillsJr View Post
    Hydraulic winches do have their advantages, particularly when the winch is on a vehicle that must make a long pull or multiple pulls in a relatively short time such as a rig pulling a string of other rigs through/over an obstacle. The primary problem with the Milemarker hydraulic winch is that the stock Jeep power steering pump/fluid capacity is really too small for the task of running a winch and gets very hot, which can be solved with an upgraded pump and inline cooler, but which adds to the expense of the system.
    I agree that the pump capacity is a shortfall, but it's not necessary to upgrade the pump by any means. And you can get a HUGE power steering cooler for $40 or so, so keeping the fluid cool shouldn't be too much of an issue. But I DO think you need to add a cooler. Too many people have been using those winches heavily, and then cooked the fluid and caused all kinds of havoc with the pump AND the winch that could have been prevented with a relatively cheap cooler.

    I agree that a hydraulic winch will run strong all day so long as the pump/fluid doesn't get too hot. But seize the pump on a system that runs off the power steering pump and not only do you lose your power steering, you may not be able to even run your engine unless you have a means to bypass the seized power steering pump, which will be unlikely on rigs with a serpentine belt). That may make it tough to get home.
    Didn't think about seizing the pump...has that been a big issue with running a hydraulic winch? But that is a good point. But unfortunately with today's serpentine drives, you're screwed if any particular accessory (or even an idler or tensioner pulley) decides to seize. Ahhhh, the glory days of multiple V belts....at least there was a little redundancy. Oh, who am I kidding....80% of the time if one belt flew off or broke, it would take at least one of the others with it, leaving you stranded.



    Statistically, the majority of winch usage on a Jeep is "self recovery" rather than recovery of other vehicles. Hence, the ability to use the winch without engine power may be essential. That is why the common wisdom in jeeping applications is to use an electric winch. Also, if an electric winch fails all you lose is the ability to use the winch (assuming the battery hasn't been run down to nothing - easily cured with jumper cables or the temporary swap of battery from one rig to another).

    My two cents.
    Possibly. You know what the #1 reason for me NOT buying a winch is? I always wheel with someone who has one!!! And not that I wheel every weekend, but I haven't been in a situation where me having a winch instead of someone else would have been any better if I needed a quick tug. But I'm a pretty conservative wheeler when it comes to getting myself in trouble....and so are the people I wheel with.
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  17. #17 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDBillsJr View Post
    You can be our guinea pig. Smittybilt isn't manufacturing these; they are purchased from an importer and relabeled. I don't have a clue who really makes them.

    As for a "lifetime" guarantee, you should know that Smittybilt filed for bankruptcy a few years ago and all but disappeared. A lifetime guarantee can only last as long as the company that offers it. Even though Smittybilt has been restructured, my suspicion is that you will outlive the company.
    And who cares about a lifetime guarantee if it's not reliable? It's not like they'll deliver one to the middle of nowhere on a trail when yours breaks down and you need it to get out of a sticky situation.

    I can buy cheapass Chiwanese tools that have a lifetime warranty....but I don't.
    Last edited by J B; 01-23-2008 at 10:44 PM. Reason: cain't speel
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  18. #18 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Quote Originally Posted by J B View Post
    And who cares about a lifetime guarantee if it's not reliable? It's not like they'll deliver one to the middle of nowhere on a trail when yours breaks down and you need it to get out of a sticky situation.

    I can buy cheapass Chiwanese tools that have a lifetime warranty....but I don't.
    that is a VERY imprtiant thing to keep in mind, i had a 3/8" drive harbor freight socket wrench strip out on me when i was up in the snow, i would have been screwed if my buddy didnt have his craftsmen tool set.
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  19. #19 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    Good point.... And smittybilt isnt offering the warranty 4wd parts is. After further thinking I decided to go with the summit 9000lb one since its made by the same people that make the tmax and the tmax has good reviews here.
    "Say fuck you to Mother Nature, and kick her in the face! "
    94 Limited- 4.5" ghetto lift, Ghetto 33x12.50 Mud Kings, Ghetto wheels, Crappy stickers, some dents, custom front bumper(too be mounted), Kevins rad. support.
    Looking for 1980s VW Rabbit truck
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  20. #20 Re: Which winch is the right winch for me ? 
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    On a final note, I ordered the summit/tmax 10000lb one and it was only 526 with shipping.
    "Say fuck you to Mother Nature, and kick her in the face! "
    94 Limited- 4.5" ghetto lift, Ghetto 33x12.50 Mud Kings, Ghetto wheels, Crappy stickers, some dents, custom front bumper(too be mounted), Kevins rad. support.
    Looking for 1980s VW Rabbit truck
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