Talk to me about rear mounted winches.

[RedlandRanger]

Rob, I was watching videos today on the HF 12,000 lb wireless Apex winch. There's really good reviews on it and yopou just can't beat it for the price. A few said they got theirs with the 20% off coupon which HF has on every item once in a while so now it's down to $480.00. I always try to buy American product but just can't see spending 3-4 times the amount when there are so many good reviews on this one. The link below has all the videos and I've only watched the first three. One video shows a complete tear down and another is an ex Warn employee and both are very impressed with this winch.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Apex+Badland+12,000+lb+Winch+

I ended up buying a 10,000 lb Warn Evo - it is still made in China (not the top of the line Warn ones) but it is a Warn - Warn is only about 15 miles from me, so I should have an easy time getting parts if needed.

If I had been able to get a 20% coupon I probably would have gone with the HF one. I had read good things about it as well.

I'm not doing hard core off roading - this is for if/when I get in bad situations when I'm out driving to remote trailheads - like last week when I got stuck in the snow just trying to get turned around (in about 2 feet of snow - I was high centered up to the frame). It was either a winch or replace my tires and I have a hard time replacing servicable tires. I will get better tires when the time comes to replace them.

Thanks for the advice - The winch will be here Wednesday. I don't know when I will get the receiver mount though so I'm not sure how much I'll get to play with it. I did end up getting synthetic rope instead of cable - it is more expensive but it is safer.

More toys to play with.... And learn about.

Sponsored

 

[D Fresh]

I ended up buying a 10,000 lb Warn Evo - it is still made in China (not the top of the line Warn ones) but it is a Warn - Warn is only about 15 miles from me, so I should have an easy time getting parts if needed.

If I had been able to get a 20% coupon I probably would have gone with the HF one. I had read good things about it as well.

I'm not doing hard core off roading - this is for if/when I get in bad situations when I'm out driving to remote trailheads - like last week when I got stuck in the snow just trying to get turned around (in about 2 feet of snow - I was high centered up to the frame). It was either a winch or replace my tires and I have a hard time replacing servicable tires. I will get better tires when the time comes to replace them.

Thanks for the advice - The winch will be here Wednesday. I don't know when I will get the receiver mount though so I'm not sure how much I'll get to play with it. I did end up getting synthetic rope instead of cable - it is more expensive but it is safer.

More toys to play with.... And learn about.

Really want some feedback on that front reciever when you get it.

I've searched and couldn't find one. Thought I'd have to get one custom made or beg 589 to mod a hidden winch mount to a front reciever.

Hope it works well.

 

[RedlandRanger]

Really want some feedback on that front reciever when you get it.

I've searched and couldn't find one. Thought I'd have to get one custom made or beg 589 to mod a hidden winch mount to a front reciever.

Hope it works well.

I haven't purchased this mount yet. See my previous posting for some additional details. I'm kind of thinking the mount will be fine as long as you aren't doing hard core winching with it. My biggest concern at this point is losing the FX4 skid plate

I've also seached for anyone making a front receiver mount and this is the only one I could find. Since it mounts to the recovery points, it seems like it should be pretty stout (assuming the receiver itself is strong enough).

Edit - sorry, I didn't realize that was in a different thread - here is the link to that post:

https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/thre...tow-hitch-for-the-ranger-yet.6548/post-229286

 

[D Fresh]

I haven't purchased this mount yet. See my previous posting for some additional details. I'm kind of thinking the mount will be fine as long as you aren't doing hard core winching with it. My biggest concern at this point is losing the FX4 skid plate

I've also seached for anyone making a front receiver mount and this is the only one I could find. Since it mounts to the recovery points, it seems like it should be pretty stout (assuming the receiver itself is strong enough).

Must've misread.

Ohh well, bookmarked for if/when I get serious.

 

[RedlandRanger]

Must've misread.

Ohh well, bookmarked for if/when I get serious.

I just edited my last post - I had forgotten there are two threads talking about similar things.

Still thinking about it however.

 

[Fawnbuster]

I'm still struggling with the correct direction for me. Like you, I'm not going to be using it to do any hard core stuff, but I've gotten stuck twice in the last two weeks (I really don't like the stock tires). Once in mud, once in snow. The mud I was able to get towed out of, the snow I was working with my comealong (which would have been a LOT of work) and a nice guy in a Jeep with a winch came along and drug me back to where I could keep going in about 5 mins. I was fine until I tried to turn around and then got stuck.

Anyway, I was originally thinking of this winch - a 12,000 lb beast:

https://www.harborfreight.com/apex-synthetic-12000-lb-wireless-winch-56385.html

But after your experience, and with the addition of the snatch block, I'm thinking maybe this would be more appropriate (not to mention a lot cheaper, smaller and lighter):

https://www.harborfreight.com/5000-lb-utvpowersport-12v-winch-56326.html

I wouldn't expect to use it much, but if needed, it can make life SO much better. I think I'm getting too old to use a comealong to pull my truck out....

The other thing I think about is that in both of these cases, a good set of traction boards would have probably gotten me out of trouble as well. So, in the interest of being prepared, I'm thinking I will get a winch and some traction boards.

So much to consider.....

I just looked at that same winch $599 here in Indy. I have other mods I wanna do and doubt I replace my front bumper so I am leaning towards a removable hitch mount for the rear. I would love to adapt a 2 inch front receiver that I can frame mount using existing bumper. I have about 25 4x4s in concrete I need to remove and a winch would make short work of that, especially since I would only be able to use my truck for half of them but a cable and straps would reach them all. Wrap it over a tire as a fulcrum.

 

[KNI]

Just crossed my mind (and it's not a digested idea, but worth the question I guess) ... isn't there a portable winch that you can attach to a recovery point with a strap or chain? It does not have to be a solid mount, the only issue I see is the massive winch floating in the air when the line gets tight - not that it would snap, but actually on a recovery when the direction is not perpendicular on the front bumper (it rarely is) the winch could hit the car, end up in mud ... stuff like that.

Don't know correct English term, but a "wire pulley" would be it. Local example in link.

https://www.puuilo.fi/vaijeritalja-4-ton

Takes minuscule amount of space and you can extend it with as much as you like. Only drawback is that you can move the car only about 3-6 meters with each pull. Need no setup and works without electricity.

 

[onobeka]

6m is usually more than enough! Good ideea, thanks!

 

[Ugly_Betty]

Like the idea of a rear mount winch also since I won't be using it a ton, at least not while I'm just getting into this. Been watching a bunch of videos about reverse winching using multiple snatchblocks to go forward, so I think, as Mando says....

 

[Ugly_Betty]

I have a hitch mounted winch setup

Got the hitch plate from Amazon

Winch from harbor Freight, shortened all the wires it came with, came with a wired remote long enough to reach the cab. I didn't want a huge heavy bulky one so I went with a compact setup with a snatch block if needed

Cables from Amazon (quick disconnect on the winch side with alligator clips on the battery side, 25ft so I can run to my battery. Also didn't want to hardwire anything, and with this setup its easy to use with any truck, say a friend who is stuck on the trail)

Circuit breaker and misc. electrical fittings from Amazon

Used a piece of angle iron and self tapping screws to mount all the electrical components

This is the path I’m looking to take, except with the 5000lb unit. Any chance you could post more detail about your whole setup?

 

[D Fresh]

Don't know correct English term, but a "wire pulley" would be it. Local example in link.

https://www.puuilo.fi/vaijeritalja-4-ton

Takes minuscule amount of space and you can extend it with as much as you like. Only drawback is that you can move the car only about 3-6 meters with each pull. Need no setup and works without electricity.

Not sure about proper English. But here in 'Merica we call that a come along.

They're a lot of work but they do the job. A Hi-Lift jack can perform the same function.

IMHO a come along or Hi-Lift is a minimum requirement for offroading. But a winch is SOOOO much easier.

 

[KNI]

Not sure about proper English. But here in 'Merica we call that a come along.

That's a definitely a local dialect / cultural thingy.

It seem that in UK this would be "Wire Rope Ratchet Puller Hoist" to differentiate it from "Wire puller" (bit larger, unlimited cable length) which is seems to be griphoist in US. In Finland the come along is a "vetotalja" (draw pulley) and wire puller / grip hoist is "lompakkotalja" (wallet pulley - assume it comes from the thing looking like a big wallet).

I prefer the come-along as it's light weight, movable and can be used to fell down trees without damaging the truck or from places where the truck can't go. I'd say benefit from which would come from it being just quicker.

 

[D Fresh]

That's a definitely a local dialect / cultural thingy.

It seem that in UK this would be "Wire Rope Ratchet Puller Hoist" to differentiate it from "Wire puller" (bit larger, unlimited cable length) which is seems to be griphoist in US. In Finland the come along is a "vetotalja" (draw pulley) and wire puller / grip hoist is "lompakkotalja" (wallet pulley - assume it comes from the thing looking like a big wallet).

I prefer the come-along as it's light weight, movable and can be used to fell down trees without damaging the truck or from places where the truck can't go. I'd say benefit from which would come from it being just quicker.

For sure. Quicker and easier on the body. That being said, winches are low are my priority list due to cost. And I carry a come along with my truck in one of my swingboxes.

Although if we had front reciever mounts available I might jump on a removable winch set up.

 

[Sheepdog]

I have a hitch mounted winch setup

Got the hitch plate from Amazon

Winch from harbor Freight, shortened all the wires it came with, came with a wired remote long enough to reach the cab. I didn't want a huge heavy bulky one so I went with a compact setup with a snatch block if needed

Cables from Amazon (quick disconnect on the winch side with alligator clips on the battery side, 25ft so I can run to my battery. Also didn't want to hardwire anything, and with this setup its easy to use with any truck, say a friend who is stuck on the trail)

Circuit breaker and misc. electrical fittings from Amazon

Used a piece of angle iron and self tapping screws to mount all the electrical components

That's an interesting choice of winches- we use a pair of those to operate the rear "drawbridge" door on our ex-Marine special forces armored gun truck MTVR motorhome, and we've got a third one to winch motorcycles up into the "garage" inside the back of our box:

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

I ended up buying a 10,000 lb Warn Evo - it is still made in China (not the top of the line Warn ones) but it is a Warn - Warn is only about 15 miles from me, so I should have an easy time getting parts if needed.

If I had been able to get a 20% coupon I probably would have gone with the HF one. I had read good things about it as well.

I'm not doing hard core off roading - this is for if/when I get in bad situations when I'm out driving to remote trailheads - like last week when I got stuck in the snow just trying to get turned around (in about 2 feet of snow - I was high centered up to the frame). It was either a winch or replace my tires and I have a hard time replacing servicable tires. I will get better tires when the time comes to replace them.

Thanks for the advice - The winch will be here Wednesday. I don't know when I will get the receiver mount though so I'm not sure how much I'll get to play with it. I did end up getting synthetic rope instead of cable - it is more expensive but it is safer.

More toys to play with.... And learn about.

Good choice. I would have gone with a 10K as well, but one truck I roll with is 3/4 Tonne monster, so I went to 12T.

This is my third Warn winch, never had a substantial fail from them (sold one with a truck, crashed one into a bus). I would happily buy Warn again, but they are not what they once were.

You don't say which you got, but I highly recommend synthetic line. Aside from the arguable safety benefit, the rope can be fixed on trail, or spliced to another synthetic rope. A broken steel cable is a PITA on trail dealing with the unwound cable, and not having a usable winch.

If you did get synthetic, the one mod you should make before needing it is a proper line attachment, like the Bubba Rope Grabber, these things are magical.

Different company, same product.

Sponsored