UTV Winch?

[5030]

My Taco Wagon ( Ram 2500 Power Wagon ) comes, standard, with a WARN 12K electric winch. I wish I could show, via picture, how much heavier the wiring is in the engine compartment because of this winch. I got the Taco Wagon, new, in 2019 and have yet to need the winch. If I were to do SERIOUS 4 wheeling - a double fluke boat anchor would be stashed away on the pickup. There seldom seems to be a good anchor point when you really need one. A boat anchor was standard equipment when four wheeling in Alaska. The scrawny birch and spruce trees were NEVER good anchor points.
View attachment 760966

Knowing the build quality of those trucks like I do, when you do use it, be careful as you might cause severe wheel misalignment due to front frame failure...

 

[chim]

......................... I got the Taco Wagon, new, in 2019 and have yet to need the winch. ..........................

I've had winches since around 1975 and haven't used one to get myself unstuck once. Have rescued a tractor, cars, Jeeps, etc. over the years. Probably used them more often to yank out shrubs, tension trees while falling them, move stuff, lifted a large cast steel valve, dragged logs, rigged to get BIL's chainsaw out of a leaner tree, and lots of other stuff. Have a project in the works now for a spare 3500# cheapie winch that was gathering dust.

Like many things, if I'd never had a winch maybe it wouldn't be missed. However, after having the first one it would be hard to NOT have one now. Back when I sold a winch along with a vehicle, it didn't take long to get another. Felt like a cowboy without a horse for a couple months.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

The rule of thumb for a self extraction winch is at least 1.5 times the weight of vehicle. So for most ATV or SUVs a 3000-lb winch works. Tiny truck weighs 2500 fully loaded, so I fitted a 4500-lb winch.

For a recovery winch you need about twice the weight of the vehicle you want to recover. You can go with less if you have the gear to set up a couple of turning pulleys. And recovering a heavy vehicle with a lighter vehicle will probably require anchoring the light vehicle to something, or you’ll just drag it around.

 

[5030]

I carry one of those 'Made in USA' chainsaw powerhead winches in the truck when we go camping off road. Fits in the receiver hitch on the back or the one I added on the front. Think I used it maybe once but I do use the chainsaw a lot for cutting campfire wood. Only takes a couple minutes to remove the guide bar and secure the powerhead on the winch chassis and no heavy duty wiring or anything else needed under the hood. Stows in the cross over toolbox if needed. Depending on the chainsaw powerhead power, it will flat pull up to 12K pounds, single line.

 

[deserteagle71]

I've had winches since around 1975 and haven't used one to get myself unstuck once. Have rescued a tractor, cars, Jeeps, etc. over the years. Probably used them more often to yank out shrubs, tension trees while falling them, move stuff, lifted a large cast steel valve, dragged logs, rigged

^This is me!

The ONLY time I got stuck (broke through the ice) and needed to winch myself out, there wasn't anything to anchor to within 200 yards. It was 10 degrees out, ground was frozen rock solid. Most of the time I use my winch to move fallen trees off the road.

 

[Xfaxman]

Did the Massey Ferguson 240's backhoe hold the truck in place?

No the backhoe wasn't on then.
There was a chain from the truck to the tractor.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Had 3 Warns (old Belleview 8K, 8274 and now a XD9000i on a multimount. Pleased with all of them with the small exception that the old Belleview was power-in only. However, after watching many vids of Matt, Fabrats, Casey and others I wouldn't hesitate to get a Harbor Freight 12K. Can't beat the price and it looks like they work fine.

Connections are via 2/0 welding cable with crimp lugs and 300A Anderson type plugs.

I also have numerous winches from 3K to 25K, including a Warn 12,000 and a HF 12,000.

Look up the duty cycle of the HF winch, it does work fine, but you really have to take your time with it, if you want it to last.

My Warn 12K, it has made some amazing long pulls, pulling my loaded PU and it puts the HF winch to shame in every way, except price! lol

SR

 

[bcp]

Who is going to make the first water-cooled electric winch with a lithium battery?

Why are these winches still old technology?

I want one I can carry in my pocket!



Bruce

 

[jaxs]

Discussion of tools on TBN ultimately leads to Harbor Freight as the go to source. On the other hand I don't see professionals in the field using Harbor Freight tools. You would think pros that have to replace tools often because daily use wears them out would wise up and stop paying 3 and 4 times what they would at HF.

 

[Smokeydog]

Mile marker two speed 10,500# hydraulic winch off the power steering pump. Continuous duty. High speed quickly deploys or retrieves cable. Use mainly to control the fall of trees off fences, property lines and around buildings.