OP
That one would be just fine. I prefer the TRE stuff though as @Garza is a forum member and the synthetic stuff is really good.
What is the best winch for my Jeep Wrangler TJ?
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
I wouldn't bother with winch kits. Depending on your setup, you really only need a strap and possibly a soft shackle. The kits are expensive for what you get. My winch gear only includes a couple soft shackles, a tree saver, a strap, and a snatch block. You could get away with a lot less depending on your uses.
OP
My job may help offsetting the cost of a Warn winch in a few months. They give cash for time spent(10 years).
With where we wheel @Chris , How often have you found the need for one ? I ask as it's a chunk of change that could be spent on other needed upgrades.
Just another excuse to pimp my bumper.
With where we wheel @Chris , How often have you found the need for one ? I ask as it's a chunk of change that could be spent on other needed upgrades.
Just another excuse to pimp my bumper.
OP
I haven’t had to use it yet, but at the same time I suspect I’ll need to in the future, especially as the trails get more difficult.
You don't need a winch, until you do. And that is the precise moment you'll wish you'd spent the money on a good one.
Yep. That's why I got one. Frankly, the chances of my needing it are slim to none, but the peace of mind of having it makes it worth it. I got a well used Warn - had to go through it, blah, blah - but worth it. I tend to buy "better grade" equipment used, and make repairs as needed rather than buying "new but cheap" stuff. B, b, bu, bu, but it has a warranty! That's nice, but if you think you'll need the warranty, you probably should buy something better - never mind that said warranty will be expired by the time you use the winch the first time, much less break it.
This philosophy is why I drive a 36 year old car. Buy something good, buy it ONCE, maintain it well, and repair it when it breaks. Cheaper in the long run and more reliable too. YMMV and all that.
Whether you need a winch or not depends on what terrain you wheel in and do you go by yourself or with others. For example if you play in the dunes in a group then waffles, good recovery points and a Bubba Rope would be the way to go. Come up here to AK and a winch needs to be one of the first things you do. Everything else is in between. Wheeling with a group can allow you to not rush out and buy a winch, but eventually you could become "that guy" if the terrain you tackle requires a fair amount of winching.
One thing I will say about winches, they should be a one time investment. So buy once, cry once applies here. Also make sure that you are putting enough winch on for what you may be doing in the future as well. While Chris's recommendation of the M8000 is a very good one, in some areas like northern Canada and AK you will want to step up some in pulling power. DC electric winches are not the most efficient machines and one thing a lot of folks do not realize is that an 8k winch only pulls at full pull when are down to the first layer on the drum. If you only are pulling 25 feet off of a drum with 100 feet on it you will be lucky if you get 3k of pull out of your 8k winch. This is when a snatch block becomes your friend. Yes it can double the line pull (not really but for field math purposes we will run with it) but it allows you to get more line off the drum to get more power from the winch.
This should be etched in stone. First real use of mine was in a situation where I’d have been royally fucked had I not had it or it not worked.
I’ve used it several times now for myself and for others.
A winch is an early must.
I like the buy once cry once. As I'll be subsidized by my job.
If more took that approach to a lot of things in life we would have a lot less garbage in the landfill. I understand for a lot of people a winch is something they never want to use and that they can be expensive. Heck a new m8274 is $2400 now the same as buying 7 Harbor freight 9k. But a winch is a tool and just like buying tools from the tool truck they will last a lifetime if taken care of. All to often I hear stories of brand "W" winches not working but my cheap brand "S" saved the day. Only if you dig a little deeper you find out that the "W" winch was installed five years prior and never had the remote plugged in since then. Electrical parts do not like not being used so that needs to be part of the routine of getting ready for a run. Plug that remote in, pull that line off the drum and power it back in. It probably needed straightend up from the last time it was used anyway.
Any tips for finding good used equipment? I might try and do the same thing with finding a good used winch since I would prefer to not spend $600 for a new warn one. What sites do you use, facebook marketplace?
Craigslist of course and look for local for sale pages on FB.
I stay off of facebook - but that's me. I found mine on craigslist or offerup, I don't remember which.
I've found a NIB M8000 for a fair price, but I've read that the M8000 is not a sealed winch. In TN we get a lot of rain and high humidity. On top of that, much of my off-roading includes water crossings and plenty of mud.
Should I be looking for an IP67/68 sealed winch instead of M8000? I'm willing to pay for performance when it comes to winches, but I also don't want to overspend for things I don't need.
Should I be looking for an IP67/68 sealed winch instead of M8000? I'm willing to pay for performance when it comes to winches, but I also don't want to overspend for things I don't need.
OP
Might want to post this as a new thread. It’s going to get lost in here and not get very many responses.
The M8000 has been used for years in all sorts of inclimate conditions. Unless you are doing a lot of submersion with your winch it will be just fine and even if you do regular maintenance will keep things running.
