Do you have a winch? How often do you use it?
- Thread starter AdventurePig
- Start date
I just happened upon this thread and skimmed through it.
My $.02
Personally I don’t like hitting the trails with anyone that doesn’t have a winch. More important than lift, lights and lockers.
My $.02
Personally I don’t like hitting the trails with anyone that doesn’t have a winch. More important than lift, lights and lockers.
Or possibly worse...folks who have a winch but never use it or function check it...and then they get stuck and it doesn't work.
And my favorite party foul...no tree saver strap. No, no you're not going to girdle that tree while I watch.
-Mac
bond...vagabond
New Member
Yup, rust not rocks, hah. Ill take a lot of body rust over any frame rust. Jeeps are so easy to weld in new sheet metal, with the flat panels or worst case simple curves, compound curves take a ton of time, but i replaced about 30% of the body on my 47 cj2a with sheetmetal off free appliances, washing machine and dishwasher to be exact, hah.
bond...vagabond
New Member
Well, the town plow truck driver got tired of just hitting my mailbox like a civilized person, and decended from his lofty perch to tell me my jeep is too close to the road, im like its farther away from the road than that street sign you keep hitting... but decided to move it anyway, mid clutch job (waiting on pivot ball clip) jack it up extra high, slide trans and xfer case out to protect them ,down off the jack stands, go to use mt 12k hf winch on back of my f550, no love! Narry a click, so prob solenoid, have a spare new pack i picked up at our amazing thrift store for $10 last summer, will pull that, and get it working, but didnt want to be rushed on that, so i just used my crappy almost dead 2 ton come along. Had it 25 years, i really need to replace it, its looking sketchy, hah. I cleverly tack welded mounting bolt nuts on the winch to the flat bed on my gin pole truck, for anti theft, so now get to slither under there in the snow to grind off the tack welds, hah. Poor winch, wife had some medical problems so it just sat on my winch truck for 3 years maybe, without a winch cover to keep it worm at night. Weighed my only other winch, a ramsey worm gear, 160lb vs like 87 for a hf12k, or 79 i believe for an m8000. Sorry for ramble, hopefuly winch related enough to at least be a cautionary tale, hah.
I'm happy with the Harbor Freight tree saver.
https://www.harborfreight.com/4-in-x-8-ft-tree-trunk-protector-strap-56415.html
-Mac
I replaced 100% of my 55 3B sheetmetal with fiberglass and aluminum. The glass tub went on 52 years ago and I have zero regrets. That tub was a 12" to the foot plastic car kit with separate shell, floor, and firewall, along with being a 2A/3A version (couldn't find a 3B glass tub) that I needed to add 4.5" to the cowl and firewall. I took the opportunity to make quite a few other changes in it when I put it all together. Still on there today, complete with the pin strips, a little rock rash, and 100% functionality.
Back to winches: Last September was the first time since 1964 I went trail riding without a winch. I didn't have time to get one installed before the ride which occurred the week after I brought the 2006 TJ home. But I was with a group so it worked out ok-and winches were used.
I don't wheel anywhere without a winch. More often than not, I'm solo or with maybe one other rig, and, as often as not, the winch ends up getting used. I'm of the opinion a winch needs to function perfect each and every time needed, no exceptions. To me, that equals Warn, period. Not betting my health or a very long hike on a Badcountry winch to save a few hundred bucks.
This all gets back to use as does everything Jeep. If your use is primarily to visit the mall, yep, a HF version will suffice to augment the cosmetics. If you are actually wheeling, get a real one.
Still have a few things to sort out but this is the last iteration, and it is no doubt close to the final edition for my ownership. The 3B sort of treads water in never-never land between a hot rod and a rock crawler. That said, I built the current engine from a clean sheet of paper just for low end torque. The only GM parts are the valve covers which I purchased new 51 years back for the warmed over 1970 LT1 that resided in it for a couple of years.
I am putting another Dana 18 together for it with a 5.07:1 gear set but no plans for anything further.
The winch was a "freebie" 8274 that I probably have $800 invested in. It didn't really need the 9.5XP motor but what a difference. 120' Amsteel 3/8's rope.
Thanks man ! Your high hood is so cool ! I appreciate the effort to drag it out into the snow for the photos !