Winch advice

[wsr4x4]

Ok do just after some opinions/advice on purchasing a winch. It's to go on a fairly serious surf (picture on my profile but cant figure how to come up on the left)what I want to is set the winch up on a tow hitch reciver and big jumper style electrical plug so I can simply take winch on and off truck and from front to back. Has anyone you know done this? Is there any pitfalls I need to consider? So considering this I want a winch that is fairly light but fairly capable , although I cirtainly arnt planning on entering any winch challenges !so any ideas on a reasonably priced quality reliable winch that's available in nz and would suit my needs?

[crazyclark31]

as far as a winch is concerned go for a runva. For the price they are fantastic value. i'd be getting a 9500lb min one for your surf.
As far as a reciver hitch for it i personally wouldn't. As all the load is on a single attachment if you winch on an angle it can easily bend or roll the attachment. Also it would stick out a long way either end.

If you think about it most of the time you get stuck either end is usually buried in something.very hard to put it in the hole when that happens.

[Ralfie]

Warn have a portable winch set up just for this purpose on a hitch mount. Has mount system and and options for size of winch. Link show a 9000lb portable.
http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/x ... ount.shtml
Have been selling them for years so guess they know what they are doing.

[crazyclark31]

yep warn is a quaility product but my god they are expensive
was going to cost near on 2grand to replace the old mans xd9000. Replaced it with a runva with synthetic rope for 900 at the door.

[Drurban]

you can try Runva or Tigerz 11 I know both who sell these winches and they are great to deal with.

Cheers

[Bush Chef]

I had the same idea for my surf and spent weeks researching pros and cons

Pro* can rear mount if needed , can take of for security and less weight during the week

Con* weak power connections , weaker mounting relying on 1 locking pin to hold , they tend to stick out giving little impact protection and less approach angle

for me in the end I decided to protect my investment by putting it behind some good custom bars so I cant smash it .
And I always have my trusty block n tackle to pull me back or sideways if I need

Good luck

[drive it ...]

x2 what Crazyclark said about when you get stuck. I bought my truck already set up like you say but am changing it to normal front mount. When you're deep in mud or a river you dont want to be opening doors and trying to pull out a 40kg winch and set it up, you just want to pull cable and get outa there. You cant drive with it on 'cause it sticks out too far.
It's a good set up if you do a lot of driving on your own and get crossed up or hung up in a rut or on a rock with no one around. But a hi lift and a shovel will get you out most times.

[Sadam_Husain]

[wsr4x4]

OK so im sure I can engineer my way around the packaging and strength no problems,still undecided though. but about this plug power setup limiting current flow is this an issue people have suffered from?
So these runva and tigerz winches are chinese I would imagine- but they are good eh? I mean im not one to shy away from spending reasonable money on top quality gear ie warn or whatever, but one thing that ##### me off is paying good money for some brand name stuff and its the same made in china stuff just with a known name on it- the americans are shocking for that.Though im sure the warn stuff is tops and I know some china stuff is sweet as too. I just hate really shit quality stuff with a vengance! hence asking . thanks

[crazyclark31]

fear not .those runvas esp are some very well made pieces of kit. After pulling down dads warn and my runva the runva is as good as if not better made and as for sealing against water,mud etc the runva is light years ahead.
As far as attaching to truck am sure you could make it strong enough but would almost garranttee after the first couple of jams trying to get it off truck or trying to change from the front to the back while door deep in mud you'll change it.

[kbushnz]

One of the guys in our club made a removable winch. Instead of one hitch in the center it uses two.. One at each end...
And come to think of it I have never seen him use it...

[Clint]

I had a Warn M6000SDP on my Suzuki. It worked really well, run fat cables & get the proper big plugs & there'll be no probs on the electrical side. Make sure the mounts are strong. Put a strong bracket inside for it - you don't want it smacking you in the back of the head in a roll.

But... not sure I'd do it with a full size winch on a bigger vehicle. The short-drum Warn was at about the limit of what you'd want to try carrying around on a slippery track or in a mudhole, and it's always when you're in the shit that you need it of course.

Cheers
Clint

[fullthrottle]

WARN make a few portable options that may suit.

---1 option---
http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/x ... ount.shtml

If you know a WARN model you prefer, let me know the price you have. I'm looking at bringing one back from Malaysia and am curious if the price difference would make it worth while.

Cheers

[Gnarly Dude]

What if for attaching you ran straps back to your recovery hooks so you could run it on angles? Couldn't find a picture with an electric winch but this is as close as I could find.

[bigstu]

What if for attaching you ran straps back to your recovery hooks so you could run it on angles? Couldn't find a picture with an electric winch but this is as close as I could find.

Wouldnt the winch try to twist it self around the straps?

[WRNGLR]

as far as a winch is concerned go for a runva. For the price they are fantastic value. i'd be getting a 9500lb min one for your surf.
As far as a reciver hitch for it i personally wouldn't. As all the load is on a single attachment if you winch on an angle it can easily bend or roll the attachment. Also it would stick out a long way either end.

If you think about it most of the time you get stuck either end is usually buried in something.very hard to put it in the hole when that happens.

you don't want to end up like this guy, take note the dog shit comment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtgHufVArag
and perhaps if he didn't carry so much shit he may have driven out

[kbushnz]

That was painful.....

[89pajero]

Thats guys an idiot, I cant believe he actualy wants to put that stuff on the net. By the way is that the guy who made a snorkel to come out inside the car?

[WRNGLR]

Thats guys an idiot, I cant believe he actualy wants to put that stuff on the net. By the way is that the guy who made a snorkel to come out inside the car?

possibly, can't be sure, the time it took him to piss around set up winch etc , he's lucky water wasn't any deeper and filling up his way too flash for 4x4ing, overloaded car.

[keithal]

Thats guys an idiot, I cant believe he actualy wants to put that stuff on the net. By the way is that the guy who made a snorkel to come out inside the car?

yup its the same guy

[89pajero]

Thought so, that explains everything. Im no expert but even I could tell hes an idiot.