Offroad-Express

I came across Bush Winch while browsing for other stuff, see
http://www.bushwinch.com.au/

Does anybody know anything about it? Is it too good to be true? Or too expensive for what it is? The reviews and videos posted on their own site look pretty impressive.

Its not a new idea.
My old man got a set with a series 1 landrover he bought in the 70s
I dont think he ever used them
A mate tells a story of being stuck and using rope round his tyres

I believe the army used something similar to quickly skip across wide, deep rivers... two suspended wire ropes across the river, and one of those thingys on each wheel, drive across on top of the wires ez pz...

seems odd to use it as a "winch".....

how often do you get bogged down, yet are still able to access the rear wheels to take off the wheel nuts and attach the damn things...? I mean you would hardly drive around with them sticking out the side like that?? you'd either smash it to pieces or it would get you stuck where you wouldn't have without it...

by the time you get to the back wheels with your spade and jack it up enough to get at the nuts, you might as well just shove some manuka branches and rocks under it and get yourself out the usual way

if you want a cheap, simple, non-electric, non attached winch look at "rope-climbers"... sorta like an endless chain but you can use it on almost any kind of rope, on any angle, from any point on the vehicle you can think of...

The wheel Nuts dont look too big
and i think you just clip them on by the looks of it dont have to change them over when you get stuck


i guess in combination with a normal winch they could be pretty handy if your really stuck but looks more suited to aus terrain

You would be better off spending your money on a good tirfor hand winch .
Directional angle of pull is going to be a major issue with a winch attached to a rear wheel

UBZ wrote:You would be better off spending your money on a good tirfor hand winch .
Directional angle of pull is going to be a major issue with a winch attached to a rear wheel

thats true, this "bush winch" can only go forwards or backwards.... pretty major limitation right there...

dont have to worry about corners in aussie

We looked at them in 2009, a really great idea. Couple of the reasons we didn't brnig them in is because with the wheel bogged you can't fit them without a lot of digging, you have to winch with both sides, the front wheel mounted guide is extra and they're also likely to get damaged on trees when on sidlings etc.
Otherwise an excellent idea and not too expensive, although more than some of the current cheapy electric winches.