winches

[AKbigsub]

I have been wondering about winch use in the "lower 48." Up here, about 3/4 of the people I wheel with (sometimes more but rarely less) have a functional winch and recovery gear. We have to be self relient (read group relient, since we never wheel alone ) because of the isolation and lack of services sometimes for 200 miles. If we get stuck or break, nobody but ourselves is going to help.

I really enjoy reading everyone's trip reports here on CK5. The pictures are great and everyone is always having fun (even if it is in retrospect). However, I see over and over again pics and vids of groups with one, two, or no winch equipped vehicles. How do you guys do it? Do you just not get stuck? There comes a point when snatch straps and shovels just don't cut it and a winch is needed.

Give me some insight as to the recovery techniques in different parts of the country.

Thanks.
Brian

 

[runamok151]

mud wheeling in s. NJ usually only takes a strap or 2. for the really bad stucks we have a few guys with deuces or 5 tons that are pretty much guaranteed to pull anything out. sometimes in pieces. when we go on wheeling trips, there's always at least 1 person with a winch. i runa a warn xd9000i on my blazer. i haven't decided what i'm going to put on the s10 i just got.

 

[Hossbaby50]

I am assuming fullsize vehicle. For a fullsize truck in the lower 48 I would recommend a 8000-9500lb winch. They usually are plenty strong for most recovery. For survival oriented wheeling & amp; with the bigger rigs in AK I would recommend something bigger. 9500-15K depending on how heavy & how stuck you normally get. A Warn 9500 will pull most anything out. I have seen a Warn 9500 drag 2 K5's strapped together with there brakes locked, & then in reverse. These were no small K5's both were 1 ton's with 37 & 38" tires. There were trying to pull a K5 stuck to the frame out of the mud. The ended up double lining it and with the double line it pulled out no problem. I personally run a 12K Warn. It is a great winch that will pull a house but it is SLOW. 12K+ winches tend to be slower. 9500's are a great compromise since they pull hard & are fast. If you are in need of speed & power get a Warn 9500. If you are in need of just pure power Warn 12K. I recommend Warn above all other brands. They are the most proven and reliable winch out there. I used to like Ramsey until my buddy snapped 2 Ramsey 9500 cases into pieces. Warn's are not cheap but they are worth every penny especially in a more severe area like AK. Harley

 

[Hossbaby50]

The other equipment you will need is a couple straps, snatch block, shackles, etc to do effective safe self recovery. Synthetic winch cable is a huge step up in safety also.Harley

 

[AKbigsub]

Anyone else having anything to add?

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I have a winch, and I agree that I wish more people in our wheelin' groups had them.

BUUUUUUUUT...





We usually wheel in groups, and usually in the rocks (here in CO). Its tougher to get "stuck" in the rocks than it is in mud. Even if you can't get over something, its likely you can back up. Maybe someone else can make it and they can strap or winch you up. And sometimes there are bypasses.

More people should have winches higher on thier mod list than they do.

 

[AKbigsub]

More people should have winches higher on thier mod list than they do.

Winches are at the top of the mod list in Alaska (except for Mall Wheelers). I don't think I have ever been on a run that didn't require winching. Too many people go large (tires, lift, etc.) before getting a winch and lockers. However, a Hi-Lift is a very good alternative and a little research as to some alternative recovery methods is a good idea.

Good input everyone. Keep it coming.

 

[AKbigsub]

Here is a link with a weath of information on recovery. I have it saved as a favorite and read it a couple times a year to refresh my memory.
http://www.landyonline.co.za/techtalk/vehicle_recovery.htm

 

[Leper]

I was the first guy in our group to have a winch. I was the only guy for a while. I got one so that I could help a few people out. I was never the balls out wheeler myself, so I let others try the harder stuff. Now that I have a winch, and a few of my buddies do, and I have access to a trailer, I wheel a little harder.


FYI....There have been times when I used my winch 15 times in an evening. But we all made it through.

 

[MuddinManny]

Hi,

Name's Manny. MuddinManny. I love MUD. Deep MUD. MUD that will bury your rig up to the roof top if you're not careful. I am just completing my build up. I wanted a winch. There was NO OTHER. WARN. Lemme stress that again:

​

This is my first full size rig. I have no idea how much trouble I can get into with her, but I've built her the best I can, the strongest I can, to tackle the MUD. She prolly weighs in at 3 tons or a lil more. So I wanted the best of the best. I went with the Warn Thermomatic 16.5Ti. 16.K pounds of raw pulling power!

This winch can bring me up to 49.5 pounds of pulling power with dual snatch blocks. That's extreme, but I play hard and don't want to worry. If you are gonna spend the dough, shop around for the best buy and get this bad boy for your Burb. You won't regret it.

All nice and comfy ready for duty in my Buckstop Truckware Bumper:

Hope this helps! I'd love to come up AK way and wheel with ya!

Manny

 

[Hossbaby50]

Its pounds, not tons. That is the big boy winch for sure. That should take care of the nastiest of the nasty right there. Just be careful because that winch has the power to tweek framerails & such from the immense power it can pack. Harley

 

[MuddinManny]

Its pounds, not tons. That is the big boy winch for sure. That should take care of the nastiest of the nasty right there. Just be careful because that winch has the power to tweek framerails & such from the immense power it can pack. Harley

Thanks Harley for bringing that to my attention. I corrected it. Haha, yeah, I'm going to have the frame ends reinforced to help out. You will see my truck buried to the hood. I can guarantee it.

Manny

 

[Hossbaby50]

I am talking about the whole frame not just the ends. When I put a 12K winch on my truck Tim @ 4x4 Iron informed me that a 12K winch can pull the frame hard enough to tweek the frame where is bends down to go under the cab. Reinforcing around the winchmount is a good idea too along with a burly mount. A winch that heavy is going to do everything it can to rip itself off whatever it is bolted to.Harley

 

[Clod_King]

Is that why people usually mount large capacity winches like that in rear bed??

 

[AKbigsub]

Hi,

shop around for the best buy and get this bad boy for your Burb. You won't regret it.

Hope this helps! I'd love to come up AK way and wheel with ya!

Manny

I have had a 16.5TI since March of last year. It has gotten a workout for sure. I love it (except that it is slow and the cable is VERY heavy - my wife is the one who pulls cable ). I built the bumper. Here is my build thread http://alaska4x4network.com/showthread.php?t=14873 .

If you look at my first post, I'm not looking for ideas for my rig, I'm just trying to find out what everyone down there is doing for recovery. I see very few winches in the pictures posted here and am curious. The whole rock wheeling thing makes sense. But I have lived and wheeled the NW and have first-hand experience at being stuck.

This has been a great discussion so far! Let's keep it up.

Manny, come up any time and I would take you wheelin', fishing, camping (I don't share a sleeping bag with anyone but my wife). Drive your rig up here or fly up and I'll pick you up at the landing strip.

 

[MuddinManny]

I have had a 16.5TI since March of last year. It has gotten a workout for sure. I love it (except that it is slow and the cable is VERY heavy - my wife is the one who pulls cable ). I built the bumper. Here is my build thread http://alaska4x4network.com/showthread.php?t=14873 .

If you look at my first post, I'm not looking for ideas for my rig, I'm just trying to find out what everyone down there is doing for recovery. I see very few winches in the pictures posted here and am curious. The whole rock wheeling thing makes sense. But I have lived and wheeled the NW and have first-hand experience at being stuck.

This has been a great discussion so far! Let's keep it up.

Manny, come up any time and I would take you wheelin', fishing, camping (I don't share a sleeping bag with anyone but my wife). Drive your rig up here or fly up and I'll pick you up at the landing strip.

Well, I HOPE you don't sleep in your sleepin' bag with anyone else but your wife! You certainly won't see me in there! Heck ya, I'm game for some fishin', campin' and good ole AK MUD! Sounds great. I will have to finish my rig first, phase I anyway, and then see what my schedule is like. I'd love to see AK. I hear it's beautiful!

Manny

 

[AKbigsub]

If you are serious, I would recommend coming for the Meet and Greet in June. You have a full year to plan.

 

[MuddinManny]

If you are serious, I would recommend coming for the Meet and Greet in June. You have a full year to plan.

Can you PM me info on this "Meet and Greet"? Thanks! Yes I'm serious!

Manny

 

[smalltruckbigcid]

The Aussie's seem to like these winches as well www.t-maxwinches.com
Jegs has them at a good price too.
George

 

[W7NB]

I have run several types of 4X4 ranging from old Heep Wagoneers to scouts to Blazers and 1/2 ton z71's. Keep comming back to Blazers and think I'll stay.

Even before the lift or any other additions, the FIRST mod I did after repacing the bald rubber on my rig was this


I carry the usual tools/spare parts/first aid kit/fire extenguisher plus 4 radios (Hey, I'm a ham, OK?).

I also carry 2 shovels (shost and long handled) a 60 inch Hi-jack, several lengths of chain, two 50 foot 16k lb tow straps, a tree strap, several shackles of different sizes and one or two of those $9.95 6000lb sorry tow ropes with the missle type hooks on the ends - I give them away to stuck ricers. I refuse to pull them out because I know I'll break them in pieces so I give em the rope and sit back and watch the fun start!

I also have front tow hooks and welded up a pintle type hook for my rear receiver so I can use it as a tow point.