Warn, Smittybilt or something else?

[Dilldog]

MM doesnt get enough credit. Go with a hydro unit and you wont even worry about keeping it cool, or stalling, might have to upgrade the PS Pump for the power suppky, but most rigs thats pretty easy as well.

The only concern I have about using a Hydro winch would be trying to self recover after your engine has stalled. I know its rare but I have been there. But even with that, if I were to build another full sized rig, it would get a hydraulic winch for sure. I would probably even add in a power steering oil cooler just to be sure I never had any problems. Keeping oil cooler and adding a bit more oil to the system is always good.

 

[M Rose]

The only concern I have about using a Hydro winch would be trying to self recover after your engine has stalled. I know its rare but I have been there. But even with that, if I were to build another full sized rig, it would get a hydraulic winch for sure. I would probably even add in a power steering oil cooler just to be sure I never had any problems. Keeping oil cooler and adding a bit more oil to the system is always good.

I used the stock transmission cooler as my PS cooler in my Ram with an aftermarket extreme duty trans cooler for the transmission. On my Bronco im going to probably do the same thing, but also add a high capacity remote PS Resiviour. The Bronco is going to also get a huge update to the steering system with a Redhat 4 bolt steering gear, saginaw power steering pump, tie rod flip, and a few other custom parts to help beef up the front end.

 

[Dilldog]

I used the stock transmission cooler as my PS cooler in my Ram with an aftermarket extreme duty trans cooler for the transmission. On my Bronco im going to probably do the same thing, but also add a high capacity remote PS Resiviour. The Bronco is going to also get a huge update to the steering system with a Redhat 4 bolt steering gear, saginaw power steering pump, tie rod flip, and a few other custom parts to help beef up the front end.

Thats a cool set up you did for coolers. I was just thinking of a small parts store tranny cooler, those can be had for $35 here.

 

[Smileyshaun]

Something to know about current production WARNs, they are Chinese made. The ONLY winch that Warn still makes in the US is the 8274. That being said, their quality isnt any better than the other options.
From my personal experience I have only run Mile Markers. I had a 4500lbs on the 1980 Isuzu and it pulled like a bastard. I used it to recover full sized rigs a few times (had to use a strap to hook the rear of my little Isuzu to tree as it didnt weight enough to actually pull much of anything, lol).
Really the key to making any winch reliable and long lived is simply keeping it cool, never stalling the motor, and ensuring it has adequate and constant power supply.

Actually only their cheap line of winches are made in China ( had to compete with the other cheap winches on the market ) most everything else is still made in the US .

 

[Dilldog]

Actually only their cheap line of winches are made in China ( had to compete with the other cheap winches on the market ) most everything else is still made in the US .

Per a good friend who works theres, ONLY the 8274 is still made in the US. They can legally say the others are because they are assembled at the old Oregon plant, but make no mistake its all Chinese guts. Since the old man died and the son took over, its not the same company.
Im not saying they are a bad winch, just not really worth the price anymore.

 

[M Rose]

Thats a cool set up you did for coolers. I was just thinking of a small parts store tranny cooler, those can be had for $35 here.

I used to do a lot of heavy towing with the Ram, so I needed to drop transmission temps drastically, hence the Extreme Duty Trans Cooler, wich then left the stock transmission cooler unused, so only logical to use it for my Power Steering Cooler. On the Bronco, The stock power steering pump doesnt have the right flow rate for my winch, so im going to have to use my moddified saginaw pump I have in my Ram, wich is going to require a new housing to make it fit. I figure may as well get everything upgraded all at once to be prepaired for my SAS and custom lift (several years down the road).

 

[Smileyshaun]

Per a good friend who works theres, ONLY the 8274 is still made in the US. They can legally say the others are because they are assembled at the old Oregon plant, but make no mistake its all Chinese guts. Since the old man died and the son took over, its not the same company.
Im not saying they are a bad winch, just not really worth the price anymore.

I thought a lot of their parts came from their plant in Mexico ?and I thought a lot of their aluminum parts where Machined in house ?

 

[rs680]

i have a warn vr 8 on my Jeep and it served me well, But i am getting ready to start a new build and i order a smity built 9500 for the new build.

 

[Desert Runner]

i have a warn vr 8 on my Jeep and it served me well, But i am getting ready to start a new build and i order a smity built 9500 for the new build.

"a smity built 9500 for the new build."

My recommendation would then be their X20 gen II line with IP68 waterproof rating, which has the wired/wireless remote. Your preference of steel or synthetic line.

Specs:
Smittybilt (98510) X2O Waterproof Synthetic Rope Winch - 10000 lb. Load Capacity

• Waterproof: IP68 Rating
• Rated line Pull (single): 10000 lbs (4535kgs)
• Motor: 6.6hp Series Wound
• Control switch: Remote Switch, 12' (3.7m) lead
• Gear Train: 3-Stage Planetary
• Gear Ratio: 218:1
• Clutch: Sliding Ring Gear
• Brake: Automatic Out-Of-Drum
• Drum Size: Diameter 2.5" (63.5mm)
• Length: 10.0" (254mm)
• Recommended Battery: 650CCA Minimum for Winching
• Battery Leads: 25mm 2, 72"(1.83m)
• Finish: Textured Black
• Weight: 99.0 lbs (45.0Kgs)
• Mounting Bolt Pattern: 10.0" x 4.50"
• 
  
• 
  
• EDIT,,,,,on further review, the model your looking at is a gen 3, which is as step up from the X20 versions. I had not realized that. . Seems the housing looks also like a WARN type winch model.

MMM.......IP67,....water resistent is the only downside i can see. They probably will be releasing a IP68 waterproof version under the X20 line vs the XRC your looking at in the not too far future. I also like that the pricing range is staying in line to what the have in their model line. Warn should take notice.

 

[bgenlvtex]

I'll add a Factor 55 splicer flat link, hopefully somebody will Black Friday them.

On that subject, since I wasn't on this site last Black Friday, does someone usually start a BF sale thread?

 

[Dilldog]

I thought a lot of their parts came from their plant in Mexico ?and I thought a lot of their aluminum parts where Machined in house ?

As far as I am aware most of their stuff is from China. All I know for sure is the 8274 is 100% US, and about 90% made in house at the old Oregon plant.

 

[Rolando]

I see a lot of ads/reviews of the Harbor Freight winch - 12000 lbs for under $300 if I am not mistaken. Has someone experience with these?

 

[M Rose]

I see a lot of ads/reviews of the Harbor Freight winch - 12000 lbs for under $300 if I am not mistaken. Has someone experience with these?

You are referencing the Badlands Winch. They are good for the money, dont expect it to be a superwinch, Mile Marker, or even a cheap Warn. They do thier job, but even the 12000 lb winch is a light duty winch. but better than no winch

 

[bgenlvtex]

Ive had View attachment 128055them all, including the RED WINCH explorer II I currently have mounted. If you want a winch that wont rust up or fail when you need it most. get a come up.

Thanks, a little late to the game, but I'll bear it in mind

 

[bgenlvtex]

my bad

Not at all, I appreciate the input and someone else may benefit as well.

 

[JCWages]

You are referencing the Badlands Winch. They are good for the money, dont expect it to be a superwinch, Mile Marker, or even a cheap Warn. They do thier job, but even the 12000 lb winch is a light duty winch. but better than no winch

And not to be confused with the Badlands Apex 12k winch which is much more expensive at $799. Looks like a nice unit.

 

[JCWages]

I've only had my Smittybilt X20 10k for a handful of months but I've used it 4 times already. It worked perfectly to pull various vehicles uphill and out of jams. It's very slow going, however, which makes me wish I could have gone with a larger unit but my bumper won't accept a larger case. The controller box had to be removed and remotely mounted which is the main reason I went with the Smitty. A fixed top mount controller box would have interferred with my trucks active grille shutters and you can remove them without setting off the SEL light.

With the bottom support for the active grille shutters cut. If the controller box was mounted on top of the winch I woukd have to remove the lower shutters which is a big can of worms.

Pulling a broken axle Wrangler up the hill on Snake Lake Trail

 

[M Rose]

And not to be confused with the Badlands Apex 12k winch which is much more expensive at $799. Looks like a nice unit.

It's still not the Quality of a Smitty Built, and no where close to the Quality of a MileMarker. There is a reason MM and warn dont participate in winch shootouts, they dont have anything to prove. Their products speak for them selves after the test of time in extreme industrial applications.

 

[Billiebob]

WARN has 3 price points, the cheapest is made in China to compete with the Shittybuilts and Harbour Fright brands. The mid grade uses Chinese components assembled here. The actual WARN winches, the M8000s, 8274s, 9.0RCs are Made in the USA and worth every penny.

One trend with winches has been a constant increase in capacity to do the same thing. My first job was in a fabrication shop. We installed PTOs and winches for oil field and forestry trucks. The standard 40 years ago was the 5000pound Tulsa with electric, hydrallic or PTO drive. That winch, now built by Ramsey was on everything from CJs thru F350s. I'm not sure why everyone thinks a Jeep needs a 10,000pound winch and a 16,000pound winch is the pickup standard.

On a Jeep, SUV an 8000pounder is plenty. On a pickup 10,000pounds will get the job done. Often the higher capacity winches just use more reduction and winch the line in slower.

 

[JCWages]

It's still not the Quality of a Smitty Built, and no where close to the Quality of a MileMarker. There is a reason MM and warn dont participate in winch shootouts, they dont have anything to prove. Their products speak for them selves after the test of time in extreme industrial applications.

I believe the Apex is made by Warn. I could be wrong but I read that somewhere.