Harleybullet,
I remember when you got the winch bumper a few years ago in a mass buy.
There are basically two kinds of 4 hole winch attachment patterns. One is for the consumer winch with a not-so-wide fairlead and tall, narrow drum. This is what most people on here have. Then there is the commercial winch carrier. Much more rare. Sturdier with a wider 4-hole pattern with a wider mouth at the fairlead (rollers). It helps keep the amount of winds fewer and hence more pulling power. I bought one of these by mistake from Warn and it still languishes out behind the shed.
Alex made his own for his 17,500 pound capy winch. This one is not going to fall off and adds the least amount of weight to the front as there is no winch bumper. D-ring holes, yes. Powder coated: yes. This is the narrow drum design.
Attached to frame rails sturdily. Warn uses a wide drum on their high capacity commercial winches. So, measure the holes, if any, in your winch bumper and make an accurate card stock template for comparing to winches that are in the running. One last thing. The commonly held belief with off-roaders is the winch capacity should be at least 1.5 times the weight of the vehicle. For me, @10K pounds, a 15K pound winch is enough. Yet another thing. Some winches attach the 4 holes to the front plate, some to the base plate. The front plate attachment is the sturdiest.
I've seen some 18,600 pound capacity Chinese winches of late and if you can put up with the snails pace speed, it should be enough overage to tackle anything you might pull against.
jefe
I remember when you got the winch bumper a few years ago in a mass buy.
There are basically two kinds of 4 hole winch attachment patterns. One is for the consumer winch with a not-so-wide fairlead and tall, narrow drum. This is what most people on here have. Then there is the commercial winch carrier. Much more rare. Sturdier with a wider 4-hole pattern with a wider mouth at the fairlead (rollers). It helps keep the amount of winds fewer and hence more pulling power. I bought one of these by mistake from Warn and it still languishes out behind the shed.
Alex made his own for his 17,500 pound capy winch. This one is not going to fall off and adds the least amount of weight to the front as there is no winch bumper. D-ring holes, yes. Powder coated: yes. This is the narrow drum design.
Attached to frame rails sturdily. Warn uses a wide drum on their high capacity commercial winches. So, measure the holes, if any, in your winch bumper and make an accurate card stock template for comparing to winches that are in the running. One last thing. The commonly held belief with off-roaders is the winch capacity should be at least 1.5 times the weight of the vehicle. For me, @10K pounds, a 15K pound winch is enough. Yet another thing. Some winches attach the 4 holes to the front plate, some to the base plate. The front plate attachment is the sturdiest.
I've seen some 18,600 pound capacity Chinese winches of late and if you can put up with the snails pace speed, it should be enough overage to tackle anything you might pull against.
jefe
For an offroad Jeep that would see many long pulls definitely go with a Warn Winch. The 110V AC winches I've seen have all been very light duty. For an AC winch to be useful at heavy loads it would probably need at least 220v.
For very rare use on a vehicle the Smittybilt would probably be ok. Tow trucks using Hydraulics makes sense. Hydraulics on a vehicle that may never actually use the winch doesn't make sense. To use the Milemarker Hydraulic winch I would definitely use a second power steering pump. I would not connect the Milemarker to the factory hydraulics.
The top of the line 12k Smittybilt with wireless remote and synthetic line is $649. Still need the mount location, winch plate and recovery kit. Only connect to the top battery studs, never the side connection.
Quadratec for Smittybilt winch
For very rare use on a vehicle the Smittybilt would probably be ok. Tow trucks using Hydraulics makes sense. Hydraulics on a vehicle that may never actually use the winch doesn't make sense. To use the Milemarker Hydraulic winch I would definitely use a second power steering pump. I would not connect the Milemarker to the factory hydraulics.
The top of the line 12k Smittybilt with wireless remote and synthetic line is $649. Still need the mount location, winch plate and recovery kit. Only connect to the top battery studs, never the side connection.
Quadratec for Smittybilt winch
I used to haul heavy equipment using 8000 lb cheap 12V winch.
If you have good size battery, you will really like 12V over 120V.
Having 2 batteries with Powerstroke, I did not have to bother about having engine running.
I could pull 9000 lb forklift up the ramps at 45 degree angle, even when front of the forklift had wheels in the air at the angle and I was dragging front plate on concrete.
That was done with doubling the cable on 8000 lb winch.
Bottom line, Harbor Freight winches work well and work long.
Than I was religious about proper cable spooling when the job was done.
Bare in mind that winch pulling power change with the row of the cable on drum.
What is 8000 lb on first row, becomes 6000 lb on second and maybe 4000 lb on third.
Still couple of pulleys will get everything done.
If you have good size battery, you will really like 12V over 120V.
Having 2 batteries with Powerstroke, I did not have to bother about having engine running.
I could pull 9000 lb forklift up the ramps at 45 degree angle, even when front of the forklift had wheels in the air at the angle and I was dragging front plate on concrete.
That was done with doubling the cable on 8000 lb winch.
Bottom line, Harbor Freight winches work well and work long.
Than I was religious about proper cable spooling when the job was done.
Bare in mind that winch pulling power change with the row of the cable on drum.
What is 8000 lb on first row, becomes 6000 lb on second and maybe 4000 lb on third.
Still couple of pulleys will get everything done.
