Superwinch Winch2Go - Winch-in-a-Box

[subquark]

I did a search and found fantastic threads on hitch-mounted winches but didn't find any on a "portable tackle box winch".

https://www.superwinch.com/en/produ...synthetic-rope-portable-utility-winch-1140232

I really, really like this post and solution:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/talk-to-me-about-rear-mounted-winches.11440/post-368276

But I'm no longer doing heavy off-road action. I did all that in my youth with my FJ40 and it's power take-off 1962 Ramsey winch. That pulled me across rivers, out of big holes, and pulled fallen trees out of the way.

I just want a little piece of mind and maybe not only rely on my old, but very well proven come-along (three days of it to get out of a swamp way back in 1977 or so).

I know it's not a big winch, this would be for a mud puddle on a decent forest road, and like my onboard tool box, it will likely never be used. It certainly is more power than me pushing and Kate flooring it. Plus, Cheech is only 20 pounds and hooking him up would be useless! =D

What I like - fairly small and not too heavy, easy option
Don't like - crappy plastic box, low pull power, limited use

Now I don't mind assembling my own with a fabricated rear hitch mount and a smaller winch, weight is a big deal, I have to be able to handle it alone, so no 80 pound action but a rear-hitch winch makes a lot of sense for me.

Anyone have any experience in using this Winch2Go?

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[RedlandRanger]

Interesting idea but the biggest drawback (other than the limited pulling capacity) I can see is that the anchor point needs to be really close to the truck since the power leads are only 10' long.

 

[subquark]

Interesting idea but the biggest drawback (other than the limited pulling capacity) I can see is that the anchor point needs to be really close to the truck since the power leads are only 10' long.

Yeah very good point, many on Amazon use jumper cables as extension cords.

One person actually says he uses a battery jumper! That's an interesting idea.
If I "build" my own, I was also wondering if an ATV winch could work - it has more capacity but still somewhat lighter and could use a receiver hitch.

But again - easy versus better ...

https://www.warn.com/warn-industries-101045

4,500 pound vs. 2,000 of the in-the-box winch

 

[RedlandRanger]

10 feet won't go far at all when you have to anchor to something solid. I'd be concerned that a jump pack wouldn't have enough juice to do much pulling, but maybe they would be fine for small pulls. It would suck to run out of juice while pulling.....

Like you, I hoped I'd never need to use mine, however I did end up using it earlier this year. It was a stupid thing (aren't they all?) - but I was glad I had it - took all of 5 minutes to get me unstuck. I could have gotten out without it, but it would have taken a LOT longer - and it would have taken a LOT more exertion.

I'd guess that for what you want, the 4,500 lb ATV winch would be sufficient. I did mine overkill with a 10,000 lb winch. I also have 3 snatch blocks and can mount the winch in front or in the back as needed, so there are options.

 

[Wes Siler]

You want a winch to offer 1.5x GVWR if you hope to use it safely/effectively. Definitely an upfront cost attached to the real deal, but they last forever, so you'll be able to move them across multiple vehicles. The Warn VR Evo 10-S on my current Ranger was originally installed on my first Ranger, for example.

If you don't want to deal with cost/install/upgrading suspension to support weight, etc etc etc, just grab a set of Maxtrax. They'll be plenty for getting you out of that occasional mud hole.

 

[PltFX4]

I have never been an off-roader so don't have an appreciation of what level of "pull" is generally needed... guessing, the more the merrier (within the constraints budget, vehicle size, and how big a hole you want to get out of). But @subquark said his heavy off road days are in the past and he did not say how much pull he considers for his current needs; I toss this out there:

PullzAll Cordless 1000 lb Portable Winch

I have always thought this would be a useful option to carry and use in the garage (for the occasional lifting of trans, engines and such). Not sure if stuck in a snow bank at the side of the road or other similar situations; if this would save the day or be ineffectual.... could not hurt but may not help.

 

[subquark]

I have never been an off-roader so don't have an appreciation of what level of "pull" is generally needed... guessing, the more the merrier (within the constraints budget, vehicle size, and how big a hole you want to get out of). But @subquark said his heavy off road days are in the past and he did not say how much pull he considers for his current needs; I toss this out there:

PullzAll Cordless 1000 lb Portable Winch

I have always thought this would be a useful option to carry and use in the garage (for the occasional lifting of trans, engines and such). Not sure if stuck in a snow bank at the side of the road or other similar situations; if this would save the day or be ineffectual.... could not hurt but may not help.

You nailed it, my winching days are over. I basically need to power of four beer buddies pushing it free. =D

I think my old Ramsey is rated to 8-10,000 pounds but it probably could do whatever the steel cable could handle!

Thanks for that link, unless I forgot the lessons of my youth, that might be an option.

 

[subquark]

You want a winch to offer 1.5x GVWR if you hope to use it safely/effectively. Definitely an upfront cost attached to the real deal, but they last forever, so you'll be able to move them across multiple vehicles. The Warn VR Evo 10-S on my current Ranger was originally installed on my first Ranger, for example.

If you don't want to deal with cost/install/upgrading suspension to support weight, etc etc etc, just grab a set of Maxtrax. They'll be plenty for getting you out of that occasional mud hole.

You're 100% right, if I ever need it, I may be stuck augmenting it with the come-along!

I'd probably toss the snow chains on too! =D

PS - I do like Warn quality.

 

[9zero1790]

I did a search and found fantastic threads on hitch-mounted winches but didn't find any on a "portable tackle box winch".

https://www.superwinch.com/en/produ...synthetic-rope-portable-utility-winch-1140232

I really, really like this post and solution:
https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/talk-to-me-about-rear-mounted-winches.11440/post-368276

But I'm no longer doing heavy off-road action. I did all that in my youth with my FJ40 and it's power take-off 1962 Ramsey winch. That pulled me across rivers, out of big holes, and pulled fallen trees out of the way.

I just want a little piece of mind and maybe not only rely on my old, but very well proven come-along (three days of it to get out of a swamp way back in 1977 or so).

I know it's not a big winch, this would be for a mud puddle on a decent forest road, and like my onboard tool box, it will likely never be used. It certainly is more power than me pushing and Kate flooring it. Plus, Cheech is only 20 pounds and hooking him up would be useless! =D

What I like - fairly small and not too heavy, easy option
Don't like - crappy plastic box, low pull power, limited use

Now I don't mind assembling my own with a fabricated rear hitch mount and a smaller winch, weight is a big deal, I have to be able to handle it alone, so no 80 pound action but a rear-hitch winch makes a lot of sense for me.

Anyone have any experience in using this Winch2Go?

this is a neat idea. I have used Superwinch in the past. It was ok. I will not say that it was bad, when the winch worked it was great. However, mine had issues with switches and the control box. Westin was fair about taking care of it. More to the point for the needs you described, I would not suggest a Superwinch or one of Westin's winches as the times the control box went south or the switch stopped could have been the times you, kate, and cheech really need the winch to work. Anything can have issues of course. I may have gotten the one box off the line out of a thousand that worked perfectly.

 

[Wes Siler]

I have never been an off-roader so don't have an appreciation of what level of "pull" is generally needed... guessing, the more the merrier (within the constraints budget, vehicle size, and how big a hole you want to get out of). But @subquark said his heavy off road days are in the past and he did not say how much pull he considers for his current needs; I toss this out there:

PullzAll Cordless 1000 lb Portable Winch

I have always thought this would be a useful option to carry and use in the garage (for the occasional lifting of trans, engines and such). Not sure if stuck in a snow bank at the side of the road or other similar situations; if this would save the day or be ineffectual.... could not hurt but may not help.

You need to be able to pull the weight of a fully loaded truck, plus the resistance of anything it's stuck in, plus a safety margin. 1.5x GVWR = 9,075 lbs for our Rangers.

Winching improperly, or with inadequate equipment, can and does kill people. It's really important that we all participate in a responsible discussion as a result. Anyone who hasn't already taken a course in winching should.

 

[9zero1790]

You nailed it, my winching days are over. I basically need to power of four beer buddies pushing it free. =D

I think my old Ramsey is rated to 8-10,000 pounds but it probably could do whatever the steel cable could handle!

Thanks for that link, unless I forgot the lessons of my youth, that might be an option.

now that is winch!
RAMSEY
Years ago I worked for company that handled heavy duty recovery and towing. Almost all the trucks had ramsey equipment on them.

 

[subquark]

this is a neat idea. I have used Superwinch in the past. It was ok. I will not say that it was bad, when the winch worked it was great. However, mine had issues with switches and the control box. Westin was fair about taking care of it. More to the point for the needs you described, I would not suggest a Superwinch or one of Westin's winches as the times the control box went south or the switch stopped could have been the times you, kate, and cheech really need the winch to work. Anything can have issues of course. I may have gotten the one box off the line out of a thousand that worked perfectly.

Very good point and I feel the same about SuperWinch. So maybe the Warn or just my old come-along is good enough and I need to stop thinking about "what if" situations.

Once I got stuck in a rising tide way south on Padre Island. Nose facing the gulf, engine running because the starter was going under the salt water and nothing within 300 feet to attach a winch to (and no under chassis pulley system to pull backward).

I thought I was going to lose the Tojo that day. I had a CB but was too far from anything or anyone.

Well, within a few minutes, a CJ-5 and some 4x4 pickup snatched me out. I had laid out rope and chain in case anyone came, and ... phew ... someone was smiling down on me that day!

I'll never be in that remote of a situation again plus we have cell phones these days.

 

[subquark]

now that is winch!
RAMSEY
Years ago I worked for company that handled heavy duty recovery and towing. Almost all the trucks had ramsey equipment on them.

It's a good one, the cable rusted enough after 30 years that I pulled it off, but my daughter's hoping we get it all squared away. It'll start and idle but the rear of the body is rotted and the brakes have always been an issue. Plus I need to get her a new gas tank (I've fiber-glassed this one twice_). I'm hoping the auxiliary tank is still okay (I added one and upped the capacity to 40 gallons).

Poor things been neglected for the lat 18 years ... so lots of those types of issues.

I'd like to get a newer front axle (like a '78" because those have disk brakes). The '72 is all drum, which will hold it on any grade, but hitting the brakes hard at over 40 mph is a thrill!

I don't know what that winch was from, I think it was on our fire departments Deuce and a Half!

 

[9zero1790]

Very good point and I feel the same about SuperWinch. So maybe the Warn or just my old come-along is good enough and I need to stop thinking about "what if" situations.

Once I got stuck in a rising tide way south on Padre Island. Nose facing the gulf, engine running because the starter was going under the salt water and nothing within 300 feet to attach a winch to (and no under chassis pulley system to pull backward).

I thought I was going to lose the Tojo that day. I had a CB but was too far from anything or anyone.

Well, within a few minutes, a CJ-5 and some 4x4 pickup snatched me out. I had laid out rope and chain in case anyone came, and ... phew ... someone was smiling down on me that day!

I'll never be in that remote of a situation again plus we have cell phones these days.

Amen! still better to never use it vs. need it and be without. I hear a lot of good about the badlands winch. project farm had a winch episode recently and recommended a china winch. I keep a come along in the truck just in case my china winch decides to poop out at the wrong time.

 

[subquark]

You need to be able to pull the weight of a fully loaded truck, plus the resistance of anything it's stuck in, plus a safety margin. 1.5x GVWR = 9,075 lbs for our Rangers.

Winching improperly, or with inadequate equipment, can and does kill people. It's really important that we all participate in a responsible discussion as a result. Anyone who hasn't already taken a course in winching should.

You're correct and it's so easy to make a fatal error.

Let alone start with under-rated gear. I think you may have just talked me into sticking with my old come-along, it's served me well. And I'll think twice about getting in over my head, cranking on that thing in my 60s probably won't be like in my late teens - just a feeling I have. =D

And it's probably best if I just to steer clear of those shenanigans, after all, my truck thrills are going to the dump and doing graphene, life's pretty good for me!

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