Winch or not....

Definitely agree. I don't carry a winch, mainly because I mostly travel outback and in deserts. There are not many anchor points. If I were to go into the high country then I'd consider one.

If you have already run the question by the group and got their opinions, why are you asking it again?

I was certainly grateful some kind soul had a winch on Fraser. MaxTrax, and an hour on the shovels, and we were still going nowhere. Mind you, there was nearly two tonnes of camper trailer on the back.

Why ask what others think , you know where you go .

( if you are stuck then you certainly don't want to move forward but rather backward ) no that's garbage I have winched myself out of trouble by going forward plenty of times .

I have probably help others more than myself .

I have always had a front mounted winch , it doesn't get used very much but when it's needed Im glad it there

( More important is a good recovery kit ) you should have a kit anyway winch or no winch

Yep they cost a few $$$$ and its extra weight .

Hi Hiener,

These friends you were discussing with, do any of them have a winch? My guess is that they don’t.

I have used my my winch to get me out of trouble in sand by using another vehicle as an anchor, and winching forward off them on more than one occasion, and with a 1.5 Tonne camper trailer on the back. Just because as one person has put it “you are mainly in the desert so not many anchor points”, another vehicle makes a great anchor point.

Don’t second guess yourself once you have made a decision based on all the facts and figures, pros and cons. Yes a good basic recovery kit is also a must, and should include things like gloves, Maxtrax/Tredd Boards, rated shackles, snatch strap, winch extension strap/rope, snatch block, tyre plug repair kit, spare tyre valves and valve inserts, an air compressor, tyre deflater, a quality tyre pressure gauge. A winch also forms part of the recovery kit.

Macca.

Sometimes nature throws something at you that you carn't predict. We where at a remote camp in a N P and had a wind wild storm overnight. Went to check rd out and a tree had come down over the rd. Yes we could have spent hrs chainsawing it but one winch pull got it out of the way much quicker.
I would say if you can afford it go for it.
It is another tool in you recovery kit. You won't need it until you need it. It can be used for a lot of other things other than recovery, like draging trees for firewood.

I've got a Bogout wheel winch for when I'm stuck and nobody is around. It weighs the same as a snatch strap. I've been all over the place, deserts, beaches, high country, all solo. I couldn't be bothered carting either a bullbar or a winch everywhere, they add weight and add fuel expense. After 30 years I see no reason to change. Many people disagree with me though.

Thank you for your constructive responses.

I decided to buy the winch thanks to my gut feeling and your answers.
In my ARB Bullbar the mounts fits most winches.

Since I will be alone on the road I find it important to secure me as far as possible / necessary.
The purchase is made and the installation follows. (DIY!!!???).

For all those who consider the contribution superfluous: Sorry to have robbed your time.

Heiner

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

I have carried a winch around for many years on the front of My vehicle and only ever helped one or two others and often thought why bother, particularly at change overtime. Last year alone in the backblocks of Currawinya NP managed to get horribly bogged. Now I know that the effort of maintaining and carrying it around was worthwhile.
Regards,
Mike P.

If you do a DIY install make sure you run all your cabling to the rear and side, not across the front, of the engine bay then, if you have a crash, you don’t have all that 12v cabling fractured or chafed, trying to cause a fire.