Which Winch?

Whatever brand you get, buy the biggest that you can afford and maintain it regularly. Nothing like burning out the winch because it won't pull the skin off a rice pudding !

Hello JD,
If I was in the market for a new winch I'd be seriously looking at the Ox Hydraulic from TJM.
Some will say the hydraulic won't work without the engine, this is true. The bottom line for electric is the same, you really need the engine running to put a small percentage of what you are taking out back into the battery.
Years ago I had a couple of different Landcruisers with Toyota genuine PTO winches, terrific winch.
Every time I've used one in anger its been for what I'd call long periods of time (anything greater than 30 minutes to me is a long time), something the electric winches are somewhat allergic too.
I remember one memorable weekend in Barrington Tops back before it was tightened down, we'd gone into a very remote area on the Saturday. It bucketed down on Saturday night.
We sent 9 hours on the Sunday winching six vehicles out!
Had a couple of electrics that where gone in the first hour. They recovered Ok after a cool down and battery charge period.
They really are horses for courses. If someone else chooses something different to my opinion and it works, I say go for it.

Geoff.

Warn high mount .
You can pull everything apart and put it back together .
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/8274/

I went down the cheap (Repco - $800 at the time, but cheaper $700 now I think) winch route. Before I installed it, I sent it off to S & G Leslie in West Heidelberg in Melbourne and they waterproofed it etc. for $100. If it breaks I am sure that I can send it back to them and they will be capable of fixing it for me. I have used it a couple of times mainly just testing it and it has performed well.

You will get lots of different comments on this forum but I am happy with this set up for $800 - $900.

The Punter.

Ox for sure... they don't need serviceing...unlike warn

This One looks good.....
If you beleive the blurb, it is the one that TJM is flogging at the moment. It is 24v, but I see in the specs that 12v is mentioned as well. Might be worth a look, as the specs are spot on IMO.

If you get one, please give it a really good workout, and post results here. I want to get a good/cheap one as well. :)

Let me say upfront I sell winches and recovery gear.

I would say it depends on what you need it for. For the average urban warrior, an electric unit would be fine. Most of us would be lucky to use a winch more than 5 or 6 times a year.

A hydraulic would set you back, i would say $2500. I don't think you can get a PTO for a patrol. A decent hand winch would be about $600 (i think).

I'm not saying anything about my company name, but we sell 12000lb electric units, with rollers, remote, mounting plate and a dust cover for $770. Add a 9M extension / tree trunk protector, a snatch block and a drag chain and the cost is $880.

The prices have dropped dramatically in the past couple of years, so much so that a winch is no longer one of those magical pieces of equipment urban warriors (ermmm...i mean city based 4WDer's) aimed to one day own......(like ARB Air Lockers, or a huge Engel fridge, etc....)

Cheers,

Chump

Hi Chump_boy,
OK,you own a promising side line,nothing derogative was ment by it,so true only I know what sort of driving I do.and make no mistake I have no misconceptions about the ability or the lack of ability of winch of a winch to get you out of trouble..as i have seen less capable truck go where more capable truck cant go because of operator inexperience..and I to will have to learn how to use it properly..and I have experienced the draw to more challeging stuff because of experience..but common sence keeps me safe..I once bumped into this bloke who had his truck setup for hard core and I said to him you could probably go anywere in that ..and he replyed to me no just takes me further to get stuck...I thought OK must had been a stupid thing I said to him..but now I no why...he said that..anyway Chump_boy thanks for your input..interesting.
JD

Theres quite a few winches in the trading post .
http://www.trading-post.com.au/

I have 10000lb ox winch on patrol biggest problem is anchoring the patrol,with a short roll out no snatch block it drags the patrol across concrete with all wheels locked my mates electric warn wont move his on the same driveway,water hasent effected it yet,and it works first time every time.Safety is the priority not speed.

Most winches are just a macho accessory. It is akin to the fabled Toorac Tractors.

As someone has said...they don't like winches because .......... But as you may need one then get one

I have a Brawn 9500(Chinese jobby) and have used it three times in three years getting other people out of the mire. This year I successfully winched my mates fully laden GU out of a swamp. The GU was down to its chassis. So the Brawn is quite capable of winching 3000kg+ dead weight.

The Brawn is supposed to be sealed. I test it once a month to see if it is operating OK. In the past I have had issues with Warn winches, especially the Low Mount ones, but the High Mount ones are virtually indestructable.

The older one gets the more an electric winch seems to be the answer as a Tirfor or like is out of the question.

G'day JD,

I know others poo poo them as being the poor relation but we have a Black Rat hand winch and are very happy with it. We are not 'hard core' four wheel drivers or Duco Sensitive softies, but as we often go exploring solo, found there were tracks and obstacles that were scaring us off and cutting our days short. We decided that for the number of times we would actually have to winch out that the cost of an electric was not really justified.
Now when we come to a bog hole, as long as there is a tree and enough hours left in the day we are able to proceed. Most times the hole or ruts or rock step we are able to drive over anyway but it's nice to know the hand winch is in the back just in case. We still drive so as to avoid getting stuck!
They're harder work than the demonstration at the 4B shows would like you to think, heavy, slow and not compact. Ours was originally sold to us without a snatch block which made winching an empty 80 almost impossible. Granted. But we have actually winched backwards out of bogs etc more often than dragging ourselves further into them. This is usually more of a problem with an electric winch. And we have never drained our battery or burn't anything out. It would be great to have the room and money to take both on every trip but that's not for us just yet.
If you have the room and don't plan to need to winch too often then don't write off the hand winch.

Dave

PS Yes I know that if we winched out backwards then we probably didn't need to go that way in the first place, but sometimes the challenge is too tempting!!!