4000 lbs winch enough?

[Dieselchessy]

How they rate winches is not by a metric anyone would envision looking at the specs.
A 4000# winch will not hang your 3800# 4runner in a tree. Not even close.
An 8000# winch won’t either. Not without some snatch blocks.

Where you get into trouble with the small winches is their cable, structure, and mounting hardware. They just aren’t built stout enough for a 4000# vehicle.

You put a 2500# on a medium to small 4 wheeler.
You put a 3500# on a large 4 wheeler or smaller side by side.
You put a 4000# or 5000# on the larger side by sides and Mini trucks, maybe a Samari.
You put a 8000# on small rigs like 2 door Tacoma, wrangler, ect...

You want 2x the gross weight or more.

I don’t know anyone that’s owned and used an 8k Winch that would consider going smaller.

 

[sleepydad]

Why Snatch Blocks are AWESOME (How Pulleys Work) - Smarter Every Day 228 - YouTube

This video should clear it up. This guy's really good.

snatch blocks are minimally useful for direction changes. block and tackle are where it's at if you really really want to do stuff.

I raised all of these timbers alone, by hand with just rigging. I also cut them but... that is a different story.

<a href="https://imgur.com/8DwMcg3"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8DwMcg3l.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/keKjh1w"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/keKjh1wl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/UHmulPo"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UHmulPol.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

 

[ArmArak]

snatch blocks are minimally useful for direction changes. block and tackle are where it's at if you really really want to do stuff.

I raised all of these timbers alone, by hand with just rigging. I also cut them but... that is a different story.

<a href="https://imgur.com/8DwMcg3"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/8DwMcg3l.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/keKjh1w"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/keKjh1wl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

<a href="https://imgur.com/UHmulPo"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/UHmulPol.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Nice work, that looks awesome!

Ya pulleys are super powerful if you know how to use them. This is why I was wondering if a low power winch with some pulleys can replace a high power one. Looks like most people say that just getting a high powered winch will be easier in the long run.

 

[Bumbo]

Unless you have the extras already, I'm sure that a 4k winch + snatch block + line extender is going to cost more than just a simple 8k winch...

That's a really good point... if not for cost, then for storage space. Our truck tend to fill up pretty fast.

 

[phattyduck]

Nice work, that looks awesome!

Ya pulleys are super powerful if you know how to use them. This is why I was wondering if a low power winch with some pulleys can replace a high power one. Looks like most people say that just getting a high powered winch will be easier in the long run.

Don't forget that a lot of the smaller winches also carry much less line. With rigging you are giving up speed - and pulling more line to make up for it.... with a shorter line available! (you can't run through a pulley with your line extension joint) Also, don't forget that you loose pulling power as the line spools up on the winch. All things are working against you here...

-Charlie

 

[ArmArak]

Unless you have the extras already, I'm sure that a 4k winch + snatch block + line extender is going to cost more than just a simple 8k winch...

That's a really good point... if not for cost, then for storage space. Our truck tend to fill up pretty fast.

For sure the extras are pretty expensive. I already have the snatch blocks. Do you guys know whats a good line extender I can get? It seems useful regardless of the winch I get.

 

[ArmArak]

Don't forget that a lot of the smaller winches also carry much less line. With rigging you are giving up speed - and pulling more line to make up for it.... with a shorter line available! (you can't run through a pulley with your line extension joint) Also, don't forget that you loose pulling power as the line spools up on the winch. All things are working against you here...

-Charlie

Good Points! What is a good length for a winch line that I should look for? Are there any disadvantages to having too long of a line?

 

[sleepydad]

Nice work, that looks awesome!

Ya pulleys are super powerful if you know how to use them. This is why I was wondering if a low power winch with some pulleys can replace a high power one. Looks like most people say that just getting a high powered winch will be easier in the long run.

it really depends. most of the time people who get stuck just need a little pull and they can drive out. it's those times when they are bogged down and pulling them out also brings the stump that is hooked onto the rear axle assembly. These are the times when that capacity is the difference between getting them out or not.

I used to fish in very remote places where spending 8+ hours on logging roads was no uncommon. we used our winches to pull out boats/trailers that were stuck in boggy lake shores. you would have to rest the winch or it would overheat and pop the thermal.

that is why I think it depends on how hard you expect to use it. if your just doing trails on the weekends? it might be OK to get an underrated winch.

 

[ArmArak]

it really depends. most of the time people who get stuck just need a little pull and they can drive out. it's those times when they are bogged down and pulling them out also brings the stump that is hooked onto the rear axle assembly. These are the times when that capacity is the difference between getting them out or not.

I used to fish in very remote places where spending 8+ hours on logging roads was no uncommon. we used our winches to pull out boats/trailers that were stuck in boggy lake shores. you would have to rest the winch or it would overheat and pop the thermal.

that is why I think it depends on how hard you expect to use it. if your just doing trails on the weekends? it might be OK to get an underrated winch.

Thanks. I expect to use it for mostly "utilitarian" stuff like that and the occasional weekend trail.