Champion Winch--first impressions

[notajeep]

i'd be interested to know the "real world" line speed of that thing. I wonder if it is any faster than my HF (with the warn sticker)? The clutch looks the same.

 

[fergusor]

ever pulled a full body ZJ through upper hell?

Only up the water fall with 3 broken axles and no steering. The full hydro mounts busted off. It only took a few hours to get it up the waterfall.

 

[Bart]

Hey Carl, are you going to wrap the 2yo up in the box for Christmas???

I'd offer to join you guys in the spring, but everyone would bail out on the trip. So have fun. : P

 

[mbryson]

............I'd offer to join you guys in the spring, but everyone would bail out on the trip. So have fun. : P

LOL



(so just show up, you ninny.......)

 

[Rusted]

I will bet that Costco will replace it if you ever do break it. You will never get that out of any other cheap winch company. They are really good with the "keep the customer happy" policy. I have seen people return old broken printers or LCD monitors and get a replacement with no questions. I am sure they would do the same for a winch that got burned out.

 

[cannoncrawler]

true dat!!!!

 

[O'neal]

I bought a 9000lb HF winch off a guy here on the board a month or so ago.I figure it should work fine on the front of a somewhat lightweight samurai.One thing I dont like is the controller,pretty flimsy.

 

[Crinco]

It looks similar to the controller for the HF 2K one, but it's different. That one has contactors inside that are pretty heavy-duty since all the winch's power runs through it--this one has small wire since it's just activating solenoids, I can't say for sure what's inside the hand-held piece though.

BTW, I didn't like that controller for my HF winch, so I made a control box using 4 40 amp relays so I could use a toggle switch on my dashboard instead of the bulky controller. (if you want to get rid of yours similarly, you can)

I have always planned to get rid of that ugly as h@ll controller, putting switches on the dash to control it, just haven't taken the time to do it yet. I need a better heater for my garage, then I might be more motivated to work on the buggy in the winter. I need to add a second winch to the rear of my buggy too, for those big drop-offs! Either that or I need to go wheeling with a BIG fat guy all the time.
CR

 

[jdub]

I will bet that Costco will replace it if you ever do break it. You will never get that out of any other cheap winch company. They are really good with the "keep the customer happy" policy. I have seen people return old broken printers or LCD monitors and get a replacement with no questions. I am sure they would do the same for a winch that got burned out.

As for Costco's policy you're right they will bend over backward to help the customer in most cases. The one here in Orem does have a 30 day return policy posted and are strict in comparison. Being a Costco vendor I know that if one store doesn't work for you then take it to another. Sandy and St. George have been almost welcoming returns. I've had product returned at more than a year and a half old and very abused. Costco doesn't care it's the vendor that takes the hit. So winch away!!!

 

[wr250]

mine broke, in half .never even got mounted. was full of rust . returned it, costco took it back, 1 question asked : "whats wrong with it", to which i pointed to the 2 pieces. that was that. it got replaced with a milemarker 9000# hydro winch.

 

[I Lean]

Hope my experience is better than yours....

 

[00harpdawg]

a friend of mine bought one and the first time he used it he was winding it back in and hooked it to his tow hook and it wouldn't shut off it broke the housing cable and a bunch of other things but he took it back to costco and they gave him full refund

 

[Contagious]

I have the Champion from Costco and have had really good luck. No problems whatsoever. It's not as fast as my brothers Warn 8000, but for the money I saved, I don't mind spending an extra minute or two on the hook.

 

[spencurai]

Ahh that piece coming off of it is like the anti theft removable face on your CD player in your rig...you grab the face plate off...then walk around the front and grab that off the winch and nobody will steal either...just drop both in your pocket and you are ready to go

p.s.
Contagious...I almost did that exact maneuver on my quad in that exact same spot lol!!

 

[Hickey]

Ahh that piece coming off of it is like the anti theft removable face on your CD player in your rig...you grab the face plate off...then walk around the front and grab that off the winch and nobody will steal either...just drop both in your pocket and you are ready to go

I thought it was more like a lockout hub, where ya gotta turn the hub in to have 4X4...

 

[MR.CJ-7]

It'll be interesting to see how it holds up. I was considering one for occasional use for my truck. I don't want to pony up for a Warn.

I just bought a Champion generator for the trailer earlier this year. I was skeptical, but again being cheap didn't want to pony up for a Honda or Onan.

I've used it a few times and so far so good, starts first or second pull and runs everything I need it to run. Time will tell.

 

[Panos]

one came on my runner i just bought...we will have to see how it works though.......good thing with costco is the warrenty.

 

[Contagious]

I almost did that exact maneuver on my quad in that exact same spot lol!!

Ain't it fun? Glad I had my helmet on - would have left a few chunks of grey matter there for all to enjoy!

Merry Christmas everybody!

 

[Tacoma]

So I guess I'll get a Tabor and we can all have a "Cheap Winch Shootout" or something.

Of course, mine will have a disadvantage as it will be neither mounted nor on a rolling vehicle by spring LOL

 

[notajeep]

Any update on this Champion?