winch chat (Warn's special deal, wire vs synthetic, and Spydura--aka highway robbery)

[sabatoa1]

Look at the difference in price between these it is crazy!!!
Warn
http://www.gowarn.com/prodDetail.aspx?partNo=WAR89305
Engo
http://www.engousa.com/p/model-e9000s/electric-winches?pp=12

 

[Bart]

I'd look for a nice used Warn on KSL and pick it up and run it. Save for some synthetic rope if you want it down the road, but I think for what you do, the cable will be fine. I personally wouldn't run anything but a Warn. As far as the price the Warn rope, they charge that much because they can.

 

[Silly Willy]

Look at the difference in price between these it is crazy!!!
Warn
http://www.gowarn.com/prodDetail.aspx?partNo=WAR89305
Engo
http://www.engousa.com/p/model-e9000s/electric-winches?pp=12

Perfect example of you get what you pay for.

I'm in no way saying one is better than the other (though I may think so) but Ward is a trusted brand that has gotten its name for being one of the best and most trusted winches for some time. IF you want to look at price and compare the specks you see on paper I’m sure we can find dozens of winches that are cheaper.
Unfortunately price is generally dictated by Quality.

When it comes to a winch you can trust every time you use it. (You can ask any Warn owner) Warn is in my mind a no brainer.
-As Bart said, if price is an issue look for a used one on KSL and don't think twice-

*End Rant*

 

[Shawn]

I would not buy a top name brand winch if you are only going to use it a couple times a year. There are other not so high end named winches like Engo that have 9000 lb winches with synthetic rope and fairlead for the price of just warns synthetic upgrade. If you are an extreme offroad enthusiast, and plan on using your winch every weekend than I would definatly say go with high end winch.

I'm going to have to disagree with this. IF you ever need your winch, it is reassuring to know that the WARN will get you out of your situation. Just because you wheel every weekend dose not mean you use your winch more than a less capable rig that only wheels occasionally. Personally, when I'm winch up or down a waterfall, I'm glad to know that WARN has my back.

 

[frieed]

I've been completely satisfied with my Warn M8000 wound with steel...

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I'm getting ready to buy an Engo 9k synthetic for $429 shipped. The reviews and tests support it very well, enough for even for a skeptic like me.

 

[Mcamish01]

Synthetic all the way. In 12 years of wheeling I've personally only seen one syn line break, and it was 7 year old 5/16 Amsteel that was in obviously sore shape to begin with. It did recoil somewhat (10' or so), but with such little mass and inertia I doubt you would have even noticed if it hit you. The premium you pay for syn is IMHO easily justified in ease of use, light weight, and safety. As far as the winch itself is concerned, I feel Warn's M8000 is the sweet spot between cost, reliability, and packaging. You can spend more, you can spend less, but I've never met someone who was anything but pleased with their M8000.

 

[thefirstzukman]

Got tired of reading all the posts so I'll just say this... I use the winch on my 4 wheeler more then my samurai but I use that a lot too. My first winch on my 4 Wheeler was wire and I hated it very much, when it died after 3 or 4 years I bought a warn with synthetic and I will say that the winch is rated less then my old one but works better and I will never buy a winch with a wire rope again.... Synthetic is worth the cash for me and a good winch is worth the money over saving a few bucks.

 

[Jinx]

I'd look for a nice used Warn on KSL and pick it up and run it. Save for some synthetic rope if you want it down the road, but I think for what you do, the cable will be fine. I personally wouldn't run anything but a Warn. As far as the price the Warn rope, they charge that much because they can.

Did this. Happy as I can be.

Well until Shawn got it dirty on the old mans run.

 

[TRD270]

I walked out my door today, and to my surprise my accessory kit had arrived

 

[TurboMinivan]

I walked out my door today, and to my surprise my accessory kit had arrived

Does that mean you went with a 9.5cti-s as planned?

A couple days ago, I decided I was ready to order my 9.5cti. That model is at the very top of my budget, so I was going to stick with steel cable, but it would work well for me. Just for kicks, I had my guy call to check the price (he had priced it for me last fall), and that's when I was stunned: my cost on it has gone up by nearly $200.

(sigh)

So now I'll be stepping down to a lesser model. I have to begin my research all over again, so I think I won't bother buying one before hitting the Rubicon.

 

[TRD270]

I ended up going with the M8000 in cable fashion. Saved some money for some other mods, plenty of winch for my intention with the Jeep. Also decided cable because I was worried how Utah winters would be on synthetic cable

 

[TurboMinivan]

Interesting. I have been considering the M8000 myself, though I'm still up in the air about cable vs synthetic. I do think it's a fantastic winch and a great value.

 

[frieed]

I ended up going with the M8000 in cable fashion. Saved some money for some other mods, plenty of winch for my intention with the Jeep. Also decided cable because I was worried how Utah winters would be on synthetic cable

I had that and the ARB recovery bag kit (mongo snatch block, 70' extension strap, springy snatch strap, line damper thing, 2 nice 3/4" shackles, gloves)
I'd also add, given the lack of trees in most of Utah, if you wheel alone (or even sometimes if you have company) having a Pull-Pal can be a beautiful thing.

 

[thenag]

(talk about a "beat a dead horse topic", lets talk stick vs auto next)
anyway my next winch will probably be a smittybuilt. I have spent 100's of hours scouring the internet and there are fewer issues with smittybuilt's than warns, that is likely due to there being more warns out there. smitty built is almost 1/2 the price of a warn still more than an engo or recon but I would bet parts will be easier to get for the smittybuilt.

I am surprised no one brought up this old article,
The warn was broken by the testing and still came out as #1 since it came in a nicer box than the other winches...
http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/129_1107_massive_multi_winch_shootout/viewall.html

I don't have experience with wire but I don't like that you have to keep it lubed and it will eventually rust, I also don't usually put on gloves so that is another plus for me.

The winch I had on my bronco was a 12.500lb pierce wrecker winch, it was loud, slow and leaked oil, perfect for a 6500lb big block bronco, but way too heavy for the xj. If you want a winch that is reliable get one designed to be used on the back of a wrecker every day, even the best recovery winch is designed for occasional use.

Nathan

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Don't discount the Warn VR series, ~50% of some of their premium line with the same customer service and lifetime warranty. It's my experience that while anything can break, Warn's break far less and when they do, they get fixed fast and free here in town. I've broken parts on several Warn winches over the years of abuse (and let me emphasize abuse) and I've not spend a dime for any parts or labor or repairs. That to me is worth the 'Warn Tax'. When it comes to thing I use in the back-country, I'm a buy-once, cry-once type of guy and I'd like to thing because of that I spend less time fixing things and more time enjoying them.

As for the timeless wire versus rope. I'm yet to personally see a wire rope break yet I've seen the better of a dozen synthetics break, all despite having been around and using far more wire. There is absolutely a time and a place for synthetic but it isn't on my rigs

 

[thenag]

Also decided cable because I was worried how Utah winters would be on synthetic cable

I thought that the synthetic was originally developed for commercial fishing and if it could handle ocean, salted roads should be fine, just throw it in the bath tub a couple times a year?

I thought Winter was a reason to go with synthetic? Metal will rust fairly fast when exposed to salt and rusty metal is not as strong as non-rusty metal?

Don't discount the Warn VR series, ~50% of some of their premium line with the same customer service and lifetime warranty. It's my experience that while anything can break, Warn's break far less and when they do, they get fixed fast and free here in town. I've broken parts on several Warn winches over the years of abuse (and let me emphasize abuse) and I've not spend a dime for any parts or labor or repairs. That to me is worth the 'Warn Tax'. When it comes to thing I use in the back-country, I'm a buy-once, cry-once type of guy and I'd like to thing because of that I spend less time fixing things and more time enjoying them.

(I hate it when Kurt says something I don't quite agree with since he is usually right in the long run...)

As for the timeless wire versus rope. I'm yet to personally see a wire rope break yet I've seen the better of a dozen synthetics break, all despite having been around and using far more wire. There is absolutely a time and a place for synthetic but it isn't on my rigs

I wonder if when wire needs to be replaced it is obvious so it gets replaced, and rope not showing any signs of wearing out so it gets used when it should be retired?

Nathan

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...I wonder if when wire needs to be replaced it is obvious so it gets replaced, and rope not showing any signs of wearing out so it gets used when it should be retired?...

Purely unscientific surveying but I'd personally say that is not the situation at all. Some of the synthetic rope breaks I've seen fail are within the infancy stage of the ropes life whereas I've seen cables that look horrific and folks keep using them. There are many failure modes for either design but I think it is safe to say catastrophic failure is the end result for the synthetic in situations that wouldn't harm the wire rope. Take these two failures for example:
http://www.stu-offroad.com/recovery/winchline/winchline-6.htm

The cable may get a kinked in scenario #1 and logic says it needs later attention, but it wouldn't have left you broke. The rope could be field patched, I get that but often when someone is stuck or in need of recovery, you need the winch now, not after a repair. Scenario #2 is also a common winching situation and with a wire rope I wouldn't hesitate to run it as such whereas the synthetic needs a sleeve positioned and some re-design on the bumper/license plate arrangement. Easy fixes but nothing you really worry about with a wire. There are no shortage of these anecdotal 'broke my synthetic within a year' type stories, some of which we've seen out on the trail with RME'ers. That doesn't at all mean it is the wrong answer for everyone in fact for the needs of some it is the only right answer. For me, the longevity, heat resistance, weather resistance and overall durability of the wire rope are enough to satisfy my needs.

 

[TRD270]

So I finally unpacked my accessory kit and I have to say if I paid $200 bucks for this I would be disappointed. The quality isn't expected from warn, this bag is so cheap i'm afraid just with the stuff that came with it that its going to rip. It's so poorly constructed even the warn patch is sewn on backwards so it reads NRAW. Guess I may end up picking up an ARB kit after all, or at least a decent bag to keep this stuff in.

 

[flexyfool]

So I finally unpacked my accessory kit and I have to say if I paid $200 bucks for this I would be disappointed. The quality isn't expected from warn, this bag is so cheap i'm afraid just with the stuff that came with it that its going to rip. It's so poorly constructed even the warn patch is sewn on backwards so it reads NRAW. Guess I may end up picking up an ARB kit after all, or at least a decent bag to keep this stuff in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbWRfBZY-ng