Does anyone know how hard it is to crank one of these when a vehicle is stuck in snow or mud?? Also, does anyone know of a good brand or one made in america...these are pretty cheap $30-$100 so I might as well get the best one I can find...

 

Stay away from the chain come alongs a good friend of mine this summer got caught with one in the face and knocked him out until we got to him, they work well but take your time with them or they will bite

 

Ouch
That looks painful...

Anyone else have any experience...how hard are these to crank when you have a 6000 lb JK on the other end??

Ive been looking at the Maasdam Pow'r Pull 4-Ton...looks like its prob one of the best out there...

 

ok I'm curious as to why you would need a come_along, the only reason I would think anyone would need one is if you wheel alone, and thats a bad idea to begin with.....get a snatch strap and always wheel with a buddy.....been wheeling many times in the pine barrons with MANY stucks and everyone got out with a strap....much safer

 

I recently (as in today) got stuck in some snow...If I had something to pull me (from the rear) about 12in it would have saved me about an 1 1/2 hrs of unsuccesfully trying to dig out...

Anyone else have any exprerience with these??

 

Seems like a good idea to get one. Like someone said if the winch is in front and you only have to move back a small amount, or you need a side anchor or something.

I will have to do some shopping at harbor freight in the future I guess.

 

Someone has got to have one of these...

 

Come-a-longs will work for vehicle recoveries but I would not make a regular practice of relying on it to recover your JK. The forces involved in recovering a vehicle can easily exceed even a come-a-long rated at 8000 lbs. Recovering a JK that is lightly stuck in the snow can be done safely make sure you weigh down the cable so that if breaks, it is less likely to come flying at someone or your JK.

If you bury you JK in the mud and its badly stuck you better hope you brought Popeye along with you as Come-a-longs don't have low enough gearing to break the cohesive forces that are holding your 4,500 lb. JK in the mud. Come a long gearing is typically about 50:1 (theoretical) while winches average around 150:1 or more.

You are better off getting a quality snatch (recovery) strap and wheeling with a buddy or in an area where others are nearby, who can assist you if you get stuck. Most recovery situations can remedied with another capable vehicle/driver and a snatch strap.

 

because a buddy may not always get you out

 

Come-a-longs are always handy to take along in any off-road box. I sometimes wheel alone.....especially when I go hunting by myself into my honey holes. They really come in handy if you shoot a elk or moose and a winch line is not long enough or it piles up into a swamp or marsh where it's a B with an itch to clean out and 1/4 out. Also, A come-a-long has got me out of some nasty holes and predicaments when I have been wheeling by myself. For $50 it's worth having imho.