Winches...

[Lifelong Jeeper]

If you had the opportunity to buy an 8000 lb Ramsey that was used on a display vehicle (otherwise brand new and never used) for $300 would you do it? I don't know which model it is, but it's the one that doesn't have the integrated solenoid arch over the cable spool. Rather the kind with the remote box that will bolt to the winch or elsewhere as desired.

I just don't know how good Ramsey winches are. I know the price is good, but I don't want to throw money at it if I'm going to regret it, no matter how good of a deal it is.

Thanks.

 

[Meat_]

I would not.

 

[Greg]

I would not.

x2

You're better off spending a little more for a Warn, IMO.

 

[gijohn40]

I would... I have had a ramsey 12,000 on the front of my expedition for close to 9 yrs now and have used it quite a lot up in wyoming pulling everything from cars to semi's out of snow drifts.... even once use it to pull the front end of the expedition off the ground to work on it,,,,

 

[RockMonkey]

I wouldn't. I have an 8000 pound Ramsey winch sitting in my garage. It never worked very well, when it worked at all. When you need a winch you need it to work, every time. Spend a couple hundred more and get a Warn.

 

[Shawn]

nope,

junk

 

[Tacoma]

I got a Ramsey w/the Suburban and I haven't even hooked it up. I suppose its' better than nothing but I'd prefer a Warn. Or a T-Max.

 

[Rick B]

I would and here is why. In the 30 years since I first got a drivers license I have never needed or used a winch. So it would not matter what it was, and the price is right. Normally it would probably be twice what you are possibly going to pay.

Right now my one and only close use of a winch was when my vehicle was used as an anchor point when someone else used a Ramsey winch to pull out their vehicle.

What you do on your rig is up to you IMO.

 

[Milner]

I do not trust Ramsey....
Ask Brian P how he feels about them

 

[Lifelong Jeeper]

I will need a good and reliable winch. We just did Rusty Nail and Pritchet when we went down to Moab last month and had a great time! We will continue to do these trails and bigger under the condition that all of the Jeeps have winches (to dramatically cut down on time and over using the existing winches). Between the two trails 3 of the 4 Jeeps with winches broke and 2 of them needed their winches as part of the trail fix to get them out. That left one winch for 6 Jeeps which was a lot of work and a large burden for my brother. This winch I'm considering is affordable, but would it hold up if it was the only one left to get everyone off the trail? I'm not getting the reassurement from everyone that I was hoping to get so will likely pass but... Ultimately it will come down to the affordability issue to me at this point in time. Can I afford not to buy it is the question?

 

[SAMI]

Rockmonkey has the key idea.. Listen to him Rick B...

A winch can be the difference between paying a wrecker to come fetch your sh!t for hundreds.. or break your rig while trying to free it... For that money spent you might as well've got a winch that will perform... and be RELIABLE!!! Reliability is the key with equipment such as winches.

Years ago Paul, myself, Rockmonkey, CarlPlus, and some others witnessed a Ramsey spool break right off of the winch chassis while Seth Hammond's rig was 3/4's up a 15 foot wall. That was a first for everyone there... seasoned rock crawling veterans.. Thank God nobody was injured.. That alone keeps me far away from a Ramsey.

I would not run a Ramsey if I got one for free.. I'd turn around and sell it to some sucker who doesn't mind having a non-functioning winch when he needs it the most.

-Jason

 

[Milner]

Years ago Paul, myself, Rockmonkey, CarlPlus, and some others witnessed a Ramsey spool break right off of the winch chassis while Seth Hammond's rig was 3/4's up a 15 foot wall. That was a first for everyone there... seasoned rock crawling veterans.. That alone keeps me far away from a Ramsey.

Similar to Bryan's experience too.

 

[Meat_]

You are better off with no winch than a substandard winch. This is why, if you have a winch you will go farther, try harder than you would if you know you have nothing to pull you out. Then when you get stuck and your winch isn't up to the task you get to pay a wrecker $125/hr from the time it leaves the shop until the time it gets back to the shop. Get stuck and have to call a wrecker one time and you paid for a Warn.

 

[SAMI]

You are better off with no winch than a substandard winch. This is why, if you have a winch you will go farther, try harder than you would if you know you have nothing to pull you out. Then when you get stuck and your winch isn't up to the task you get to pay a wrecker $125/hr from the time it leaves the shop until the time it gets back to the shop. Get stuck and have to call a wrecker one time and you paid for a Warn.

My point exactly

 

[drtsqrl]

I ran a Ramsey REP8000 for over 10 years, and used it dozens of times. It never once let me down, but it was painfully slow. If it was me, I'd save up a few hundred more and get a Warn.

 

[RockChucker]

I ran a Ramsey REP8000 for over 10 years, and used it dozens of times. It never once let me down, but it was painfully slow. If it was me, I'd save up a few hundred more and get a Warn.

this is exactly how my brother's ramsey rep8000 is on his yj. it has worked well for us but it is super slow both spooling the wire and pulling. it has worked fine, but my dad's warn and my mile marker are both better winches in my opinion.

 

[RockMonkey]

Years ago Paul, myself, Rockmonkey, CarlPlus, and some others witnessed a Ramsey spool break right off of the winch chassis while Seth Hammond's rig was 3/4's up a 15 foot wall. That was a first for everyone there... seasoned rock crawling veterans.. Thank God nobody was injured.. That alone keeps me far away from a Ramsey.

It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen... My Ramsey was constantly plagued with electrical issues. When the solenoids were working, the the motor was shorting out. I replaced the motor and it promptly overheated. The "load holding break" didn't hold a load. It was terrible, and my experience has been mirrored again and again. Sure, they probably made some good winches, and some people are going to have good experiences with them, but it's just not worth the risk that you get one of the many bad ones. Seriously, the difference in price is not that much. Skip a nice dinner or two. Skip one trip to Moab and spend the extra on the winch. Sell something. Work a few hours of overtime (if that's available to you). It's not that much extra. Spend it.

 

[leorn]

My warn xd9000 was purchased as a pile of parts in a box for $100. I then dropped it off at six states for a new motor. For $300 I have a winch that has been great. Shopping, and elbow grease are far superior to cheap low quality products.

 

[UNSTUCK]

You are better off with no winch than a substandard winch. This is why, if you have a winch you will go farther, try harder than you would if you know you have nothing to pull you out. Then when you get stuck and your winch isn't up to the task you get to pay a wrecker $125/hr from the time it leaves the shop until the time it gets back to the shop. Get stuck and have to call a wrecker one time and you paid for a Warn.

Let me just say first that I run a Warn and love it. But I would rather winch a guy up a waterfall who's running a busted low end winch, then no winch at all. I have been that guy with no winch, and I felt sorry for the guy doing all the winching. I don't think having a winch gives a person the attitude that he can go anywhere, at least it hasn't for me. Maybe I'm different. So I guess I agree and disagree.

 

[crazyyo]

Let me just say first that I run a Warn and love it. But I would rather winch a guy up a waterfall who's running a busted low end winch, then no winch at all. I have been that guy with no winch, and I felt sorry for the guy doing all the winching. I don't think having a winch gives a person the attitude that he can go anywhere, at least it hasn't for me. Maybe I'm different. So I guess I agree and disagree.

i agree with unstuck a cheep winch is better than no winch ....my brother runs a pro plus ramsey 9000 he has put a bigger moter in it more windings ..... it has save our ass countless times but like i said new moter ....i think at one time he had a problem with solenoids... imo go with the new warn with air then you have it made warn is more proven but if money is an issue then go cheep:-\