Winch Selection?

[chaossd]

I'm thinking of making the investment in a winch. Primarily for use if I get stuck in soft sand in the desert. Otherwise it will sit inside my new steel bumper I'm having fabricated.

I hear CSI winches are pretty good? Any opinions out there? Recommendations on size? Could I get away with a 3500 lb? I'd like to keep it as light and inexpensive as possible as it will hardly ever, ever get used.

Also, nylon or steel cable? I hear good things about nylon...

Thanks!

 

[chaz]

id say for ur needs nylon would be good & a bit lighter. mile marker is nice, Mile Marker X Series Electric Winches so is smittybuilt. XRC 8 Winch - Smittybilt allthough warn probably outs sells them.

 

[gaterose]

I'm not sure 3,500 lb is enough, you prolly want at least 6000, I would get 8000 minimum personally, but I don't know if sand is that much easier... The sand I've been stuck in has snapped my line on the M8000 before, but that was in a fullsize truck.
I switched my M8000 to nylon rope a couple of years ago and I would never turn back. The nylon is lighter and stronger than the steel cable (which I broke twice) plus it won't cut up your hands. It also won't break your windshield or dent your truck if it snaps. The rope I have is rated at 14,000 lbs and the cable was only around 10000 or so, maybe less. The nylon also looks cooler in my opinion

 

[kylebacc]

I've got a warn m8000 on my truck and I question weather it's enough for every situation. I probably would say don't get less than an 8000lb. Also, as mentioned earlier, so many people buy warn, seems like you can't go wrong. I would also recommend synthetic line, although I am yet to switch, I think just from a safety standpoint it's well worth the money.

 

[kylebacc]

Also, if you do end up going with a smaller winch like you were talking about (although I wouldn't recommend it because you'll probably burn it out trying to pull so much more than it's supposed to), I would look into ATV winches, because I think they make them in that size and they are much, much cheaper. Again though, I wouldn't go with a 3,500lb winch on a 5000+lb truck.

 

[gaterose]

so many people buy warn, seems like you can't go wrong.

Warn is a VERY reliable brand and even if they break, they have good warranty service. I burned the M8000 up on my Z which, now that I looked it up, is only a few hundred pounds heavier than than a 4runner.
I was pretty stuck though:


Warn replaced the motor and had the winch back to me within a few weeks free of charge. I just had to buy a new cable because I also snapped that. Took a bulldozer and 1/2" grade 70 chain to get me out eventually...

 

[kylebacc]

Warn is a VERY reliable brand and even if they break, they have good warranty service. I burned the M8000 up on my Z which, now that I looked it up, is only a few hundred pounds heavier than than a 4runner.
I was pretty stuck though:


Warn replaced the motor and had the winch back to me within a few weeks free of charge. I just had to buy a new cable because I also snapped that. Took a bulldozer and 1/2" grade 70 chain to get me out eventually...

Holy crap you were stuck! A little off topic sorry, but what did you have to do in order to get the warranty service? Did you have to send in a receipt and stuff? Just wondering, just in case

 

[gaterose]

Holy crap you were stuck! A little off topic sorry, but what did you have to do in order to get the warranty service? Did you have to send in a receipt and stuff? Just wondering, just in case

Yeah, that was after the winch burned up and we broke the cable trying to pull it out with a big pad foot vibratory packer (which I got stuck even worse).
I actually bought it from a friend who had a auto business. I took it back to them, and I assume you could take it back to whatever dealer you got it from; thats what Warn told me to do. My friend sent it off and got it back a few weeks later with a new motor and solenoid pack, had to take the cable off or warn would've kept it though.
I'm not certain about the receipt thing, I didn't have one, but my friends dad owned the business I bought it from so they may have told warn it was legit. Their non-warranty service isn't too pricey either though (compared to a new winch), I had a friend get a new motor put in an M8000 out of warranty and it wasn't too bad, can't remember how much though.

 

[teampwr2]

I have a 9000 on mine and its not enough sometimes

 

[manhunter]

You need to get a winch that rates 1.5 the weight of your vehicle. DO NOT INSTALL AN ATV WINCH. If your runner weighs 5000 for example, then you need a minimum of 7500 rating on the winch. With most 4runners, you will need to have at least 8000 rating, which should be ok for sand and light pull applications. I have the Smittybilt XRC8 nylon line. Runs around $450-500. I have used it for self-recovery as well as pulling out some Jeeps (LOL), and would highly recommend it for the cost. If you want to spend a little more then you can't go wrong with WARN, MileMarker, Ramsey, and Superwinch.

 

[kylebacc]

You need to get a winch that rates 1.5 the weight of your vehicle. DO NOT INSTALL AN ATV WINCH. If your runner weighs 5000 for example, then you need a minimum of 7500 rating on the winch. With most 4runners, you will need to have at least 8000 rating, which should be ok for sand and light pull applications. I have the Smittybilt XRC8 nylon line. Runs around $450-500. I have used it for self-recovery as well as pulling out some Jeeps (LOL), and would highly recommend it for the cost. If you want to spend a little more then you can't go wrong with WARN, MileMarker, Ramsey, and Superwinch.

:iagree: