Winch options

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Overland-Indiana

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This spring i will be installing a Winch bumper on my WJ, any "Budget-Friendly" brands of winches out there? I know some people frown on the Harbor Frieght/Badlands winches but, I have also seen where people LOVE them.

So,
Brands?
Models?
What weight rating should i get?
Any other info i should know prior to install?
Bigger alternator?
Dual Batteries?
 
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I research EVERYTHING to the max before i buy...so i'll start here! Thanks for any help guys.
 
I went tried and true...

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Just had a friend put this on his Tacoma. Seems like a fairly good deal and I've heard good things about Superwinch. 9500 ought to be big enough for your WJ, no? Synthetic line and a fairlead included.
If you're going to get a winch, here's a good DVD that has some instruction/training.

Dan.
 
Had an Engo 10000 on my 2013 JK. Worked well. I've got a ComeUp waiting to go on my 2015.
 
I've been super impressed with my smittybilt x20 series. Its the 1st gen, and its 100% waterproof and designed to be run underwater
 
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I am very interested to know what is required on the electrical side of running a winch, dual batts, bigger alt, etc??
 
Larger alternator and dual batteries are recommended but not required. It is necessary to have a battery in good shape.

run the cable directly to the battery, dont run them through a fuse, relay, solenoid, etc. These can pull upwards of 400+ amps at max pull.
 
That will be hard to resist.. I went to school for my degree in Industrial Electricity, lol i like fuses....
 
i know the feeling there. Its kinda of the same reason manufacturers dont fuse starter cables. They have a pretty high amp draw. What ever fuse your put in will likely blow very very quickly under a good pull
 
The winch solenoid should have overload protection built in, so yes, straight to the battery, both hot and ground. Not recommended to run ground to frame. Also be sure to use the heaviest gauge cable you can source. I believe 8ga is a standard...
 
that really depends on the winch @maktruk. The high end winches (like warns) will have a thermal protection device built into the winch. The lower end winches (harbor freight, smitty, engo, etc) usually does not.

If you are that overly concerned with it, i would recommend either using a quick disconnect plug that you would see on multi-mount winches, or putting in a battery disconnect like you would see on some race cars
 
TxTerra said:
that really depends on the winch @maktruk. The high end winches (like warns) will have a thermal protection device built into the winch. The lower end winches (harbor freight, smitty, engo, etc) usually does not.

If you are that overly concerned with it, i would recommend either using a quick disconnect plug that you would see on multi-mount winches, or putting in a battery disconnect like you would see on some race cars
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I'll definitely run it through some form of insulated disconnect, just in case something happens and i need to disconnect it i want it to be insulated so i don't get zapped...been bit a few times and DC is horrible, much worse than AC current.
 
your normal 12v dc will not do anything to you at all. The only thing that should/could zap you would be ignition coils. Getting zapped by a distributor SUCKS!
 
I have a ton of those plug style disconnects left over from my Blazer build. I used them for my compressor, my power to roof rack lighting, my inverter and had it wired up and ready for a fridge... Those things are great!
 
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