WHAT WINCH TO BUY.

cobberdog · Senior Member

WHAT WINCH TO BUY.

dabbler · Guru

Winches are a minefield. I suggest you take a look a 4x4Earth. They have a few long threads on the topic. The podcast on winch choice is worth a listen. FWIW, i decided to pass on mounting a winch and carry a handwinch. I make my decisions on adventures accordingly.

Mike Harding · Guru

Think very long and hard before you do.

I am not a fan of electric winches; they are used once every four? years and then won't work because they haven't been properly maintained and/or the electrical connections have corroded and/or the battery is not up to supporting them.

Additionally because of the front mounting they can, usually, only winch you further into the mud.

Avoid cheap electric winches like the corona virus - buy a quality one or none.

if you intend to use it when towing a caravan... forget it.

I always carried a hand winch during many years of serious 4WDing in the Victorian High Country. They are hard work but can winch in and from any direction and a snatch block and some plasma rope extensions make them very versatile.

Now that I am a full time nomad and no longer do the serious 4WDing and am normally towing a caravan I no longer carry the hand winch (weight), I considered that the caravan is by far the main determinant in where I can drive and the chances of me becoming stuck in such places are low. So far, so good.... :)

Edit:

I do still carry all my shackles, snatch block, straps and plasma rope in the hope that I if I do become stuck I can persuade some kind person with a 4WD to tow me out.

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Tuesday 22nd of September 2020 06:45:41 AM

cobberdog · Senior Member

thanks, have looked at most , some costly and some not. im pretty handy so ill go for a cheap one and service it often myself and hope for the best.

Mike Harding · Guru

I hope you have an excess of hope.

cobberdog · Senior Member

thanks dabbler, i looked on 4x4 earth and was amazed to find out the most expensive was not the best.

dabbler · Guru

The warranty stories were scary too. Amazing that so few manufacturers cover water ingress, even on a winch that might be straight from the factory.

cobberdog · Senior Member

the fact that one reasonably cheap brand did cover water ingress i my mind was a winner for me , in fact thats the one i decided to purchase.

-- Edited by cobberdog on Tuesday 29th of September 2020 09:32:38 AM

dabbler · Guru

Runva ? Now the second challenge awaits. Which model to choose.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
I always carried a hand winch during many years of serious 4WDing in the Victorian High Country. They are hard work but can winch in and from any direction and a snatch block and some plasma rope extensions make them very versatile.

An electric winch can also be rigged to winch in and from any direction.

Remote winch operation.jpg

Cheers,

Peter

dogbox · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:

Think very long and hard before you do.
I am not a fan of electric winches; they are used once every four? years and then won't work because they haven't been properly maintained and/or the electrical connections have corroded and/or the battery is not up to supporting them.
Additionally because of the front mounting they can, usually, only winch you further into the mud.
Avoid cheap electric winches like the corona virus - buy a quality one or none.
if you intend to use it when towing a caravan... forget it.
I always carried a hand winch during many years of serious 4WDing in the Victorian High Country. They are hard work but can winch in and from any direction and a snatch block and some plasma rope extensions make them very versatile.
Now that I am a full time nomad and no longer do the serious 4WDing and am normally towing a caravan I no longer carry the hand winch (weight), I considered that the caravan is by far the main determinant in where I can drive and the chances of me becoming stuck in such places are low. So far, so good.... :)
Edit:
I do still carry all my shackles, snatch block, straps and plasma rope in the hope that I if I do become stuck I can persuade some kind person with a 4WD to tow me out.

-- Edited by Mike Harding on Tuesday 22nd of September 2020 06:45:41 AM

i have fitted winches to all my vehicles , an to date i have never had to use one to recover myself but have used them to assist others that are in a bit pickle

dabbler · Guru

Someone has stolen your fourby Peter.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

dabbler wrote:
Someone has stolen your fourby Peter.

What is a "fourby"?

I thought it referred to a "four wheel drive vehicle"?

It is. biggrin

Cheers,

Peter

Mike Harding · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
An electric winch can also be rigged to winch in and from any direction.

Indeed they can but the cradles required to so do usually cost almost as much as the winch and the very long cables required are a major issue and on top of that whilst they look great in demonstrations, such as your photograph, the reality is that when one is up to one's knees in mud and it's raining it's quite different.

And, of course, 99.9% of owners fit them to the front bullbar so their only option is to winch further into the mud.

12V electrical winches are a great idea on internet forums but not so good in the field.

dabbler · Guru

Plenty of people successfully use bull bar mounted winches. They aren't only used to free vehicles stuck in bogholes. They can also assist with traversing awkward terrain. Unless you're winching between a vehicle and a ground point, your almost certainly winching upwards not downwards. My own decision was based on costs and likely need but I've owned a few vehicles with mounted winches and used them on company vehicles to retrieve vehicles and trailers from bogs and to assist the climb up dry rocky creek banks. Just like to any bit of kit, learn how to use in the circumstances you encounter, carry an assortment of straps and recovery aids, maintain your winch and all is well.

cobberdog · Senior Member

ive got an old TIRFER hand that goes everywhere i go and it has gotten us out of trouble many times in the victorian high country, i got it when they first come on the market here in melbourne. ive gone places many others wouldnt/couldnt go without some type of winch and another vehicle over the last
45 years but my body is a little fragile these days. i do sometimes tow a small off-road van now and would feel a little more secure with a 12 volt winch when on the high country tracks or free camping in the KIMBERLY. CHEERS.ps-- I do carry snatch and extension straps etc.

-- Edited by cobberdog on Wednesday 30th of September 2020 08:12:41 PM

Whenarewethere · Guru

I have a tow rope & extension & 4 sand tracks, never used them but I would not have gone to some places without them, a bit of insurance at a modest price.

Have never used the following product but it is probably a better option than a winch as you can use it either end of the car. Make sure you have enough clearance. I only have 4.4mm between the rear struts.

https://www.bogout.com

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hi cobberdog,
I "looked you up" & noted you're 11 years younger than I am. I think you need to ask yourself some questions -
1. Can I afford the extra weight in/on the car that a winch adds.
2. Do I really need to go up that track alone or with friends?
3. If I had a winch how much further could I drive up the track before being forced to stop?
4. Is there an alternative way?
5. Can I safely handle, use a winch in xyz situation?
6. Am I as fit as I was 30 years ago?
7. What else do I need to make the winch useable? For example, snatch blocks, HD "D" shackles, tree protectors, etc.
8. Good insurance? Perhaps, perhaps not.

Don't get me wrong - I carried a Tirfor TU16 hand winch for a number of years & used it once - at a 4x4 club training day on "Recovery methods".
We heard a group of campers behind us when we did the Cape York trip in 1992. They were determined to do Gunshot Creek & then, it was impossible!! It was that close to being vertical, it didn't matter! So they drove around it, leaving two 4x4s at the top & winched one of those down using two winches (one at the top, one at the bottom). They still damaged that car when the roof rack slipped forward.

Possum3 · Guru

I'm a fan of the Tirfor or Hand winch as it is multipurpose and multidirectional.

When serious off roading (not much nowdays) I have 3 tonne wire rope Tirfor, Heavy and cumbersome but will ensure recovery in most situations.

When caravanning we carry a small ratchet "Come a long" winch from SuperCheap, it will do most light work we ask of it.

Always carry a snatch strap.

I've used the heavy Tirfor, several times to pull large trees to ensure fall direction, when felling large trees (on our property).

Like Mike, I haven't used either to get myself out of sticky situations, but to date; I've rolled two cars and one Camper back onto wheels after they were rolled, Recovered three cars gone over the side on Wombeyan Caves Rd, Pulled many trees off road to allow vehicles to pass.

cobberdog · Senior Member

gday to all, i bought the cheap ( $500 )winch, from OCAM ,and they fitted it as well. spent a few days in the VIC HIGH COUNTRY to test it out. it free spools out easy , speed seems ok, winched mates defender up a slight hill, but nothing serios yet. RATED AT 17500lb, 6.6 motor, im hoping with a little routine maintenance it will see me out . PS-- its has two names -- FIERY RED/ RANGER SOMETHING. happy travells to all. ill keep you updated if or when it fails me., we are heading up BUTCHER COUNTRY track to MACALLISTER RIVER soon so with a bit of rain predicted , the winch may get a workout

Whenarewethere · Guru

Warren-Pat_01 wrote:
I think you need to ask yourself some questions -
1. Can I afford the extra weight in/on the car that a winch adds.

I'm at my payload limit without a bullbar, let alone a winch.

Just increasing the tyre size on my car added 6 (2 spares) x 3kg. That's 18kg I have to get rid of elsewhere!

cobberdog · Senior Member

hi, after fitting winch and bullbar i had the front suspension upgraded with a 40mm lift ( toughdog )to match the rear that was done a year or so ago to tow offroad trailer through outback AUST.