which winch to buy

Eddie Greenlee

Eddie Greenlee

TJ Addict
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Mississippi
Happy New Year yall. Hey Im wanting to put a winch on my front bumper. It will be used very little but I still want to have one for those situations . I just dont have the budget for a Warn winch, so im wondering if you have a winch that you would recommend ( with a non metal line) that works very good and is reliable for a less $$$$$. Im guessing 9000 lb . thanks for your help.
 
You want an 8000 lb. winch (9000 is fine to).

Hands down, the most popular winch choice for the TJ is the Warn M8000.

There's a lot of other (and cheaper) options, but Warn is undisputed as the number one winch manufacturer in the world. Their customer service is also based in the USA, and outstanding on top of that.
 
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Eddie Greenlee said:
Those are really nice. I really like the synthetic line. a lot lighter and stronger from what ive been told.
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The Warn M8000-S is the synthetic version, and also the same exact winch I have.

I absolutely love mine!

You can always buy the steel rope version and then add synthetic winch line at any point in time.
 
I really need to get one. at this point in time on my want list is a winch, rock guards. high jack lift and mounting kit.
 
The one thing you need more than anything else when off-roading is a winch, period.

I don't care what you drive or how much you have done to it, a winch is the one thing that can get you out of a big mess.
 
I have a WArn XD9000I on the jeep and a new one sitting in the office.. Got them on chearance at a 4x4 shop for $600 each + $100 each rebate.. SCORE!! I want a new 8274 though. Want is the key word. Just can't really justify buying one.




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I have used mine once for myself. Many many times for my idiot friends that drive into a mudhole knowing they can't make it. I told them from now on $5 a pull. If they want to be asses I will be the same.
 
There was 7 of us one day. I always go last to make sure everyone makes it or so they dont get left behind. Need a potty break so I stopped. Got to the top of the hill and all 6 of them were burried over the hood. I got one out and let them take it from there. Some of these young people dont have a lick of sense
 
Eddie Greenlee said:
Happy New Year yall. Hey Im wanting to put a winch on my front bumper. It will be used very little but I still want to have one for those situations . I just dont have the budget for a Warn winch, so im wondering if you have a winch that you would recommend ( with a non metal line) that works very good and is reliable for a less $$$$$. Im guessing 9000 lb . thanks for your help.
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Check out the Superwinch Tiger Shark 9500.I love mine.

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Checking CL in your area for a used winch is a good $$ saver. Warn is good, can be fixed pretty readily if something doesn't work. However, you may pay as much to fix it as a new "lesser" winch - depending on what it needs.

Something to keep in mind, no winch is "bullet proof". They all require proper set up, maintenance, and testing to make sure It's operating correctly. Every brand will have issues if you don't keep them up.

Google is your friend - lots of testing has been done. Warn is usually one of the better ones tested. Once you go to a synthetic line - prices rise for all of them. Try wire rope first. Just remember - when winching respect that it can hurt you real bad, always use proper techniques and safety practices. That goes for synthetic or wire rope. Any time you are applying thousands of pounds of force to things - bad things can happen.

I have a used Warn M8000 I am getting going again. I got a good deal on it, and I think Warn has earned the respect most give them.

SC
 
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X2 on the recommendation for the Warn M8000. Keep an eye out for a good deal, they are often on sale. Or find a good used Warn on eBay or Craigslist. I'd rather have a used American-made Warn M8000, XD-9000, etc. than a brand-new winch that was made in China. And you'd be $$$-ahead to buy the standard M-8000 winch and supply your own aftermarket 3/8" synthetic rope. You can sell the brand-new wire rope on Craigslist to offset the cost of the new synthetic rope. Or use the wire rope until it needs to be replaced, then buy the synthetic rope. Make sure any synthetic rope you buy has a 3/8" diameter, 5/16" doesn't have enough of a safety margin even though it is technically strong enough when new.

Skip the Hi-Lift, use that $$$ for your better quality winch. Your OE factory jack is more than up to changing tires up to about the 37" size and Hi-Lifts are just dangerous in most situations they get used in. I wheel some pretty hardcore trails and my Hi-Lift hasn't been out of my backyard shed in 14 years. The newer the Jeeper, the more they are convinced a Hi-Lift. The more experienced the Jeeper, the more likely they stopped carrying their Hi-Lift.
 
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Jerry Bransford said:
X2 on the recommendation for the Warn M8000. Keep an eye out for a good deal, they are often on sale. Or find a good used Warn on eBay or Craigslist. I'd rather have a used American-made Warn M8000, XD-9000, etc. than a brand-new winch that was made in China. And you'd be $$$-ahead to buy the standard M-8000 winch and supply your own aftermarket 3/8" synthetic rope. You can sell the brand-new wire rope on Craigslist to offset the cost of the new synthetic rope. Or use the wire rope until it needs to be replaced, then buy the synthetic rope. Make sure any synthetic rope you buy has a 3/8" diameter, 5/16" doesn't have enough of a safety margin even though it is technically strong enough when new.

Skip the Hi-Lift, use that $$$ for your better quality winch. Your OE factory jack is more than up to changing tires up to about the 37" size and Hi-Lifts are just dangerous in most situations they get used in. I wheel some pretty hardcore trails and my Hi-Lift hasn't been out of my backyard shed in 14 years. The newer the Jeeper, the more they are convinced a Hi-Lift. The more experienced the Jeeper, the more likely they stopped carrying their Hi-Lift.
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