Now I'm convinced, Superwinches are POS

[General Lee]

You deal bums me out, I hope I don't run into that. I just went out to look at mine and that black part feels like plastic to me. What I can't figure out is why it would get chewed up. What would be rubbing it like that other than the rope?

What's getting chewed up is a rubber seal inside the winch on the gear box side, the side with the engage/free spool knob is. When the drum and gear turns, this seal is getting chewed up and spit out from inside the winch. Its basically happened immediately on both winches. It ticks me off because now I have to undo all the wiring I ran in order to return it.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've got an old one... maybe 25 years old... seems to work OK

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

seems like the winch is getting over worked and the heat is melting the seal. do you hold the button down and just pull..pull..pull or do you bump it and use short burst to pull? i repaired a few winchs for a buddy and that is what he does he just uses the winch to pull and doesn't give it a break .another thing is never use the power out to spool out line always free spool it . if you power out the winch then you done already heated it up and when you put a load on it to pull your just burning things up. i have a warn that is over 6 years old and is still goin strong i also have a 3k gorrila winch that is going good after 3 years . you can burn a winch up if you pull for more than a minute without resting it.

 

[hawkeye08]

You should look closely at yours. Yes it was me that pulled with the E-brake on. It was in the woods on top of leaves. It slid across the leaves no problem. I did not use a snatch block. The winch is supposed to be rated at 4500lbs, the RTV is 1500, I shouldn't have to use a snatch block for just pulling the machine under its own weight. This particular time, the RTV bottomed out on a log so I winched it 3 feet to get unstuck. Upon finishing, I noticed this issue again. If you count winding the rope on, this second winch has 2 uses, unacceptable. Yes, I will be getting something better. I hope you have better luck with yours.

I bet the fine print says 4500lbs rolling weight, not lifting. If it is on level ground able to roll, then it will handle the published weight, otherwise it is dangerously overloaded often (this I know from personal experience)... I have no idea of what the actual failure on your winch is, but I doubt that it had anything to do with how it was used from your description...

 

[SpudHauler]

Have you called the winch company?

And the pull rating is usually on the first or second wrap, after that the pull rate drops.

But like you said, 1500lbs should be a snap for that winch.

Seals or whatever should not be popping out like the pic shows.

Phone time!

 

[General Lee]

seems like the winch is getting over worked and the heat is melting the seal. do you hold the button down and just pull..pull..pull or do you bump it and use short burst to pull? i repaired a few winchs for a buddy and that is what he does he just uses the winch to pull and doesn't give it a break .another thing is never use the power out to spool out line always free spool it . if you power out the winch then you done already heated it up and when you put a load on it to pull your just burning things up. i have a warn that is over 6 years old and is still goin strong i also have a 3k gorrila winch that is going good after 3 years . you can burn a winch up if you pull for more than a minute without resting it.

I give the winch time cool, although my uses of these winches have been basically none. Winding rope on and one short 3 foot pull.

 

[General Lee]

Have you called the winch company?

And the pull rating is usually on the first or second wrap, after that the pull rate drops.

But like you said, 1500lbs should be a snap for that winch.

Seals or whatever should not be popping out like the pic shows.

Phone time!

I emailed Superwinch, no reply yet. The first time I spoke with them, they said to call Amazon since I bought it from them. Then Superwinch emailed me back saying to send the winch in to get the seal replaced. I told them I already have a new one on the way from Amazon. Now a second time, I emailed them and told them I didn't think their winches are the quality they claim to be and sent them more pics.

 

[Topkicker]

I do alot of off-roading with my Jeep. I like the Smittybilt winches. I have seen these pull many Jeeps and trucks out of some serious mud. They're hard to beat for the money. I've got a Smittybilt XRC-8 comp winch with 94ft of synthetic line rated at 8'000lb. It was around 400 bucks. http://www.smittybilt.com/xrc_winches.htm All the XRC series winches come with a lifetime warranty on mechanical and one year on electrical. They offer a XRC-3 for ATV's.

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

them smittybilt winchs looks really nice and heavy duty . may give them a try when i upgrade to a bigger winch.i like the specs on that 3k winch.

 

[Topkicker]

them smittybilt winchs looks really nice and heavy duty . may give them a try when i upgrade to a bigger winch.i like the specs on that 3k winch.

It's almost hard to believe the quality of these winches for the price. With the comp series, you get an aluminum fairhead and synthetic line. The line alone can cost 300 bucks. Amazon sells the Smittybilt 8000lb comp series for $443.00. Amazon.com: Smittybilt 98281 XRC 8 Comp Series Black Winch with Synthetic Rope and Aluminum Fairlead: Automotive The upside to running the synthetic rope is the weight difference. My winch weighs a little over 60lbs vs a steel line at 90+lbs. The less weight on the nose of my Jeep, the less sag in my front coils. A comparable Superwinch is over a grand. Amazon.com: Superwinch 09034SR EPi9.0S Series Master Winch: Automotive. The Smttybilt has almost 1 full HP more than the Superwinch. For a heavier UTV, (Kubota, Gator XUV etc..) You might be interested in the Smittybilt 4000lb winch. http://www.smittybilt.com/product/index/156.htm