Smittybilt X20 winch opinions

I have a smittybilt xrc 9500. Not sure what differences there are between the x20.

It came with a sheet instructing the buyer to spool it out and pull it back in something like once a month. I didn't, and now it's nearly impossible to free spool. It feels like the grease in the planetary has turned into chewing gum so I'm in the process of researching what sort of grease I should replace it with to keep it from happening again.
I'd use moly. It probably just needs to be cleaned out. The 9500 isn't waterproof, when you take it apart you'll probably find that out. I re-spool my cable once a season, that's normally enough to circulate the grease. Most people bolt on the winch and forget about it, they don't like that.
 
I'd use moly. It probably just needs to be cleaned out. The 9500 isn't waterproof, when you take it apart you'll probably find that out. I re-spool my cable once a season, that's normally enough to circulate the grease. Most people bolt on the winch and forget about it, they don't like that.

Yeah, Warn recommends a 5% moly aerospace grease called Aeroshell 17 which has been replaced by Aeroshell 33MS. I figure Warn knows what they're doing so even though it's not a Warn winch I'll go with something equivalent...Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Offroad Grease seems to be close enough and 1/3 the price.

Lesson learned; at least now I have a 180' long uphill driveway instead of the 30' one I had before so I can pull my pickup up the driveway every now and then to keep my winch happy.
 
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One of the major weaknesses of Chinese machinery is the crap grease they use. Some days I think it's left over peanut butter from Chinese military rations. I've made it a habit to disassemble everything from a hydraulic jack down to a ratchet, clean it out and use a high quality grease. In some cases it transforms a single use item into a pretty reliable piece of equipment.
 
Yeah, Warn recommends a 5% moly aerospace grease called Aeroshell 17 which has been replaced by Aeroshell 33MS. I figure Warn knows what they're doing so even though it's not a Warn winch I'll go with something equivalent...Amsoil Synthetic Polymeric Offroad Grease seems to be close enough and 1/3 the price.

Lesson learned; at least now I have a 180' long uphill driveway instead of the 30' one I had before so I can pull my pickup up the driveway every now and then to keep my winch happy.
One of the major differences is in the Av version, they monitor the amount of moisture in the grease.
 
I'd use moly. It probably just needs to be cleaned out. The 9500 isn't waterproof, when you take it apart you'll probably find that out. I re-spool my cable once a season, that's normally enough to circulate the grease. Most people bolt on the winch and forget about it, they don't like that.
The XRC9500 is IP67 rated.
 
The XRC9500 is IP67 rated.
As opposed to the H20 series which is IP68. Companies like Warn and MileMarker both use the term waterproof to refer to IP68. Either way works for me, I guess I could have said the motor is less waterproof or not perfectly waterproof or something like that.
 
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As opposed to the H20 series which is IP68. Companies like Warn and MileMarker both use the term waterproof to refer to IP68. Either way works for me, I guess I could have said the motor is less waterproof or not perfectly waterproof or something like that.
Do you have a link to what Warn tests their winch’s to? My understanding is 68 is manufacture developed. 67 is up to 1m.
 
I think this has a good description.

IP Code

I think 67 means large sections can be open to water if they claim the device will still operate wet. Electronics are sealed but the motor might not be. I don't really know how they work it, it isn't just a simple answer like everything. Even 68 can allow water in the device depending on how they interpret what it means.
 
I have a couple year old X20 10K and it has served me well. Here is the deal though. When I "go wheeling" I'm with people and we're in parks, mostly. I don't have the luxury of BLM land and the vast openess out west. So, I went with the Smittybilt because if it DOES fail, I can depend on others, if for nothing more than a ride.

If I lived out west I would have a Warn Zeon. Its that simple for me.
I think right now in MI it's illegal to go outside to wash your jeep, I always thought us in CA were fucked but I think your governor has topped Gavin Newsome. They are tossing her name in the hat for VP holly crap. Just think when Biden goes into full dementia she could become POTUS 🤬
 
Chinese worker #1: What IP67 mean?
Chinese worker #2: Don't know but if we put sticker on it sell more.
Chinese worker #1: Okay.
More like Smittybuilt in the US saying " we need our winches to be IP67 rated can you do this " to the Chinese Mgf.

Engineer #1 from the Chinese Mgf saying " sure no problem we can make them IP67 " later that day back in china how you say " what the fuck is IP67 ? "

Engineer #2 " No worries once we put on the sticker it now becomes IP67 rated, who will ever know the difference " end of story.
 
I think right now in MI it's illegal to go outside to wash your jeep, I always thought us in CA were fucked but I think your governor has topped Gavin Newsome. They are tossing her name in the hat for VP holly crap. Just think when Biden goes into full dementia she could become POTUS 🤬
Not to get political outside the "off-topic" forum space...Yeah, Whitmer (or, as I call her, Whitless) is bat shit crazy. She wanted 70 days of quarantine. She got voted down, and now she's using executive power to extend it week by week. I don't think she's going to quit until the courts rule her unconstitutional or she ends up with her 70 days. Its nuts here right now...people jeopardizing our 2nd amendment rights to protest the violation of our 1st amendment rights...then the people that support her are breaking their quarantine to counter protest the idiots that are carrying guns into the capital.

I'm staying home because of the crazy, not because I'm scared of Covid...the cure, in this case, is going to be FAR worse than the disease.