Advice on Warn vs. Barricade winch

[mgroeger]

Just last week I had a conversation with the local Warn dealer who steered me away from VR winches. His negative opinion of the entire VR series was based upon his own experience with customer service issues and warranty returns. He suggested the M8 or M8-S over the VR-8 or VR-8S.

I know budget is a concern here. Have you looked at Engo winches? Yes, they are of overseas manufacture. However, the company offers good customer service unlike Extreme Terrain, Sh*ttybilt and other vendors. Engo founders and management include the sons of the former Milemarker CEO - they have been in the winch business much longer than Engo has been in existence.

Just trying to expand your options beyond only two choices.

http://store.engousa.com/

Hah! Funny you should mention this because I was just thinking about the Engo.

https://www.extremeterrain.com/engo-srseries-10000lb-winch-syntheticrope-jeep.html
Regarding the other two posts...
It was 70 degrees out.
Don't know what backlash is but I wound the rope as directed. I have a RC 9500 on my wife's Jeep and say what you will about RC but that winch has performed prefectly on three tough pull outs. It unspools with ease and has yet to let us down.

 

[Gollywomper]

Hah! Funny you should mention this because I was just thinking about the Engo.

https://www.extremeterrain.com/engo-srseries-10000lb-winch-syntheticrope-jeep.html
Regarding the other two posts...
It was 70 degrees out.
Don't know what backlash is but I wound the rope as directed. I have a RC 9500 on my wife's Jeep and say what you will about RC but that winch has performed prefectly on three tough pull outs. It unspools with ease and has yet to let us down.

The rope was installed so it spoils from the bottom correct? I ask cause recently I had a friend having trouble unspooling his line. We looked and He had it wound backwards, over the top. Causing a lot of drag.

 

[mgroeger]

Yep, on there correctly. The drum just will not unspool by hand the way it should and this is the second one to be like this.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

So even though this is Warn's low end (at $700) you would go with the Warn?

I definitely would. Warn's quality control in their Chinese plant is very thorough plus it was manufactured to Warn's specifications. Not to mention Warn will still be around in 20 years so you won't have to worry about them being around to provide support for it. No matter how old their products are they carry spares for them, not so with Smittybilt.

 

[mgroeger]

I definitely would. Warn's quality control in their Chinese plant is very thorough plus it was manufactured to Warn's specifications. Not to mention Warn will still be around in 20 years so you won't have to worry about them being around to provide support for it. No matter how old their products are they carry spares for them, not so with Smittybilt.

The more I dig on this specific Warn model I am finding disheartening news. The bolts holding the top rails rust and since the fairlead is cast iron (thought that was odd) as soon as the rope pulls against it and the paint comes off it rusts too. That one actually really concerns me and the guy had pics to prove it. Other review talked about the rope spooling up on one side and cracking the cast iron upper bars. Don't understand why there is so much cast iron on this thing. Couple that with an actual Warn guy saying stay away from the low end ones.
I am leaning towards the Engo after doing more research. I'm hearing good things and even though they are newer people are getting good pulls with no issues.

 

[mrblaine]

I do plan on getting use out of it, the trails we run can easily have a need for it. The thing that is wrong with the Smittybilt is the unspooling. I have it disengaged and it is near impossible to turn that barrel. I was literally pulling the Jeep towards me in my garage as I was trying to unspool it. This is the second one to be like that.
You should be able to walk a line out, when disengaged, with relative ease.

I once lost a 50 dollar bet on that shit. I have several Warn winches and although you can easily free spool them, it isn't what you would call effortless. I mentioned that in a thread and a guy said his was so easy he could unspool it in 45 seconds. Of course, knowing how all of mine are, I called bullshit. He posted up a video. Pretty healthy sized feller and he whipped that line off that winch like casting a fishing reel with 6 lb test and a 2 ounce weight. I sent him the money and learnt too not assume to much based on how yours acts.

 

[Blackjack]

More info, turns out this Warn winch isn't made in the US and on another thread a guy was saying the quality on this is less than the US Warns.

Well I would suggest the Warn. There customer support is top notch, in my experiences with them. My guess would be that they outsourced the VR series to cut costs and compete with the other Chinese winches in that price range. Lots of them running around and working properly.

What about a Warn m8000( steel cable) use it until funds for synthetic are available?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000182DYM/?tag=wranglerorg-20

The VR series from Warn is the replacement for the Tabor line which was buit domestically. One of the complaints of the Tabor was that it did not carry the same warranty that the rest of the Warn line did. So in response Warn brought the VR series out. It is made overseas but carries the same warranty as the rest of the Warn line and a lower prie point.

 

[mgroeger]

I once lost a 50 dollar bet on that shit. I have several Warn winches and although you can easily free spool them, it isn't what you would call effortless. I mentioned that in a thread and a guy said his was so easy he could unspool it in 45 seconds. Of course, knowing how all of mine are, I called bullshit. He posted up a video. Pretty healthy sized feller and he whipped that line off that winch like casting a fishing reel with 6 lb test and a 2 ounce weight. I sent him the money and learnt to not assume to much based on how yours acts.

I can show you a video of me pulling my Jeep while "unspooling" the $hittybilt for $50

 

[Blackjack]

Just last week I had a conversation with the local Warn dealer who steered me away from VR winches. His negative opinion of the entire VR series was based upon his own experience with customer service issues and warranty returns. He suggested the M8 or M8-S over the VR-8 or VR-8S.

I know budget is a concern here. Have you looked at Engo winches? Yes, they are of overseas manufacture. However, the company offers good customer service unlike Extreme Terrain, Sh*ttybilt and other vendors. Engo founders and management include the sons of the former Milemarker CEO - they have been in the winch business much longer than Engo has been in existence.

Just trying to expand your options beyond only two choices.

SR9S - $480
SR10S - $520

View attachment 81654

http://store.engousa.com/

Not sure why your dealer has issues with the VR winches as they have the same warranty as the rest of the warn line.

 

[mgroeger]

Not sure why your dealer has issues with the VR winches as they have the same warranty as the rest of the warn line.

It's a quality issue on the VR from the few posts I found. Warranties are great but if I've got issues keeping me from using it, they don't help me on the trail.

 

[Blackjack]

It's a quality issue on the VR from the few posts I found. Warranties are great but if I've got issues keeping me from using it, they don't help me on the trail.

How hard do you plan on using your winch? What were the issues you found? Warn sells thousands of those winches so if there is a real issue I am pretty sure they would address it.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Not sure why your dealer has issues with the VR winches as they have the same warranty as the rest of the warn line.

Its not the terms of the VR warranty - Its the number of warranty claims, customer complaints and returns compared to Warn's other winches that formed the dealer's negative opinion of the VR series.

To add to the mix, an acquaintance of mine does a relatively brisk business locating and reselling "used but not abused" Warn winches. He won't touch Warn VR winches, not even as bumper candy on the jeeps he flips.

 

[mgroeger]

I plan on using it a fair amount. A cast iron fairlead boggles my mind. As soon as the paint comes off it rusts and you are dragging a rope across rust.

 

[Blackjack]

Its not the terms of the VR warranty - Its the number of warranty claims, customer complaints and returns compared to Warn's other winches that formed the dealer's negative opinion of the VR series.

To add to the mix, an acquaintance of mine does a relatively brisk business locating and reselling "used but not abused" Warn winches. He won't touch Warn VR winches, not even as bumper candy on the jeeps he flips.

Well as someone who sells and services a lot winches my experience with the VR has been quite good. Most of the problems I see with any winch regardless of brand are user created anyway.

 

[Mr. Bills]

I'm just reporting the information about the Warn VR series that I received from my local dealer and another individual who regularly buys and sells winches.

I have always owned Warn winches, but after spending time researching the VR series and speaking with a number of individuals, my preference if I were on a budget would be to patiently search for a good used U.S. made Warn rather than purchase a new Warn VR.