To winch or not to winch .....

gday ross.
i picked up my nearly new 9500lb winch for $500.
i was going to sell it and make a quick buck.
after speaking to a customer about selling it he told me a story of a mate of his who got well and truley stuck down the bottom of a hill.
$2000 odd to get recovered .
didnt sell mine fitted it to my 4by.
ps aparently the guy could have got himself out if he had a winch.
you just never know.
cheersdue to duck season coming
ive decided to hide out
love jemima puddle duck
back after the season

" but vividly recall cranking the mongrel bastard for about 8 hours in Robinson George NP, up Cararvon George way about 13 years ago. Nearly bloody killed me then"

and your asking should you get one!?!? ;)

Personal opinion on the subject, many people coming back from there never need one, but all depends how keen you are, if you stick to the main 'easy' tracks, or wanna get off the beaten track.

I would have one..

Mine has saved me a couple of times now, same story as Diamond if I did not have it I would have had to get someone to get me out. Much $.

If you do a lot of off road work by yourself it might just be your saving grace.

It's got to be regarded as a form of additional insurance I guess.

I do not regret the money invested and would now not be without one.

Regards
John

Johnno and Truck

Pretty well covered it ...

A. We tend to go off on our pat

B. Certainly prefer the hardest route ... within reason

and

C. Diamond ... if you see another job, let me know.

Cheers blokesFidei defensor

Rosco

From an experienced 'Old Fart' to an apprentice 'Old Fart'...G'day Ross.......

You might as well have all the right gear. When I was living in the tropics my winches worked over time. I have used my 18month old Brawn twice but not in recovery. Once to winch a car off a trailer and on the other occassion to pull my front spring back to normal after it had inverted itself on a rock. Winches have many uses. Electric ones are easier to use. I have never had a battery die on me except when the winch cable short circuited in a creek. Have done some serious winching out of serious bogs. Now that I am an 'OF' I tend to steer away from trouble but one never knows when you need the thing. It is like a HF Radio. Most of the time you don't use it but it is a damn handy piece of equipment when things gp pear shaped!

Tirfors?......definitely for youngsters with big muscles and no savvy :-)))

Cheers,

Willem

PS Buy a new one for around $1300 to $1500 or scratch around for an oldie.
1958 Patrol Pretty flash eh?

Hi Ross

I think it is a bit like insurance, you never need it till you need it!

It was once put to me that by having a winch you are more incline to visit areas that you may have been reluctant to go to because you didn't have a one. I have found this to be correct, and rarely have had to use it in any case.

We'll be up there is July / August.

Regards
Landie (2001 extreme)

HI ROSS ,INSURANCE IS HOW I SEE IT, $$$$ FOR VEHICLE = $ FOR WINCH , I HAVE NOT HAD CHANCH 2 USE IT YET BUT I CANNOT WAIT CHEERS JTBrather be fishing

Rosco,
I was fortunate enough to get my winch free when I bought my GQ 4.2D 2nd hand (ex-Govt) back in 1995. It's a Warn 9000lb jobbie and when I sold the truck in 2000 and bought a new GU 4.2TD, I kept the winch and put it on the new ARB bar.
Like the others have said, it's like an insurance policy.......I've had to make a few "claims" over the last few years and was bloody glad to have it there. You'll need a decent dual battery system and I wouldn't recommend a Deep Cycle battery due to the "cranking" nature of the winches current draw. In any case I'm just about convinced Deep Cycle batteries are not really suited to the type of use most 4 wheel drivers/campers need anyway; but that's a story for another POST.
I did a trip to Cape York in 2002 towing my Ultimate Camper. On the way back we went along the Old Telegraph Track. Was following (but not accompanying) to vehicles without trailers. One was a GQ, the other a mid wheel base Tojo (maybe Bundera?). The Tojo was having all sorts of hassles getting out of some of the creek crossings. The first time I watched him struggle, I thought "how the bloody hell am I going to get up there with a trailer if he's having so much hassle without one?" Anyway, I gave it a go, knowing that I had the winch there if I got stuck (plenty of trees around). I didn't need to worry at all.......the combination of BFG Muddies plus Nissan's great LSD and an ARB Air Locker up front, saw me actually "idle" up those slippery river banks without so much as an iota of wheel slip. So, my conclusion from all that was that there are several things which affect your vehicle's off-road abilities:

1. choice of tyres (the toyota had fairly well worn all-terrains)
2.Wheel base (whilst a short or medium wheel base can have advantages with ramp over angles etc, they do compromise the vehicle's ability to manouvre over pot holes etc)
3. Traction Aids (I swear by my Locker and will get one for the back diff if the LSD ever lets me down; unlikely though that may be).

Notice I'm not slagging off at the Toyota......I'm not into that sort of thing. If it had been a shorty GQ or MQ I'm sure it would have had the same dramas as the Bundera.

In summary, the winch is not essential, but bloody worthwhile to have.

Cheers,

Roachie

Check www.outerlimits4x4.com forsale section, or trading post, theres always oodles in there, even highmounts going for $1000...($2500 new)

Forget about 10-15 mins winching, most times you would be lucky to get 5 actual minutes of winching under load.
But having had one on the front for 20 years the times you need it (rarely) it is worth its weight in gold.
If you are towing an off road camper I wouldn't be without one as the day will come when you will get stuck and there will be no one around, murphy's law.