MORZ2

I'm an old guy, nearing and prepping for retirement. Recently, I purchased a well cared for 2008 2D Wrangler X. Except for a 3" lift, it was unmodified. So far the only mods/additions I've made have been for off-road capability and rescue. I'm a bit of a purist and not into rock-crawling solely for that purpose. Yet I do tackle some difficult trails for purposes of exploration. While I scout for the path of least resistance, sometimes I do risk getting into self-rescue needs situations.

Relative to rescue capability, I have added a Hi-Lift jack (familiar with uses and shortcomings), winch kit, chain, tree strap, etc. As a purist, I have an aversion to electric winches.

My questions: Who among you pack a cable-puller (aka: come-along, power puller)? Any value in adding one to my kit? Would doing so just be redundant? Recommended makes/models of cable-pullers?

Thanks!

dahreno

I'm an old guy also and I don't really understand the "purist" part of it but, I do usually carry a come a long. I''d be a terrible thing to winch out with due to it being so slow and dangerous being you are right where all the action is. I carry one in case something on my/others Jeeps need something pulled back into place, bending something back into shape and other similar things. You should get a Warn m8274 if you want to be a purist. Besides pulling on a come a long is hard work for an old fart. lol

63expert

PTO winch for the extra pure!

karls10jk

Having winched my vehicle uphill, out of a swamp with a hi-lift (the pure winch), I won't do that again. I ordered a winch and installed it the next weekend.

What's your aversion to the electric winch? They can/ do have failures but it's usually due to owner neglect. Many manuals recommend running the winch at least once a month to keep the solenoid from sticking. A sticking solenoid is typically where things go south and burn up the motor. Having been one of those neglectful owners whose winch let them down, I make sure to exercise my current winch. Pulling the jeep through the swamp (in the summer) with the hi-lift or worse yet, the come along, was enough to convince me to find a better alternative.

MORZ2

For me, a power winch is akin to training wheels, a safety net, or a top rope. I definitely mean no disrespect to those who believe otherwise ... I truly do not. I respect your decision/choice. This is personal, and I ask that you respect my perspective.

What I'm really asking here is opinions/experience with cable-pullers. I expect to work hard should should I need to rescue myself from a poor decision ... even if it means walking out. Thanks!

"Adventure is the result of poor planning." - Roald Amundsen (And yes, I have paddled a canoe to the Arctic Ocean.)

jadmt

If you are opposed to a winch, then don't use one. throw in a come along and hope it works out. I have been in lot of pull situations that neither a hi-lift nor a come along would have the power to get me or my buddy unstuck without multiple snatch blocks and I don't see having enough chain for that. I guess any tool is better than nothing so yea throw one in the tool bag, it might come in handy someday.

sm_rubi

I have one and carried it for a while but never used it. The Winch always seemed to be a better solution in the instances where I've needed it. Thus I stopped carrying it, but that doesn't mean I won't need it one day and not have it.

63expert

In reality, a winch is no more training wheels, a safety net, or a top rope than all-terrain/mud-terrain tires are.

A winch is a tool, to be used when the requirement exists. I went down an unknown trail today that there is no way I would have been on it without knowing I could winch out.

WaterRat72

... or shoes, headlights, . I mean hell... why not just ride horse? That's pretty "purist" to me.

I'm only 44 years old so I had to look up "come along". I get it... and I don't. My guess is that you own a cell phone. If you do, then an electric winch is just another (modern) tool to do what other forms of the same general thing could technically do, only more efficiently. Like a cell phone vs. rotary land line.

If you want to carry a come along in case of possible failure of the electric winch then I completely get that. I suppose we could all tell time with a sun dial... but why?

jadmt

back in the old days when we used to make our own clothes and stuff, we used to snowmobile on those early sleds that made 30-40 hp and we would get stuck a lot. we used come alongs back then but sleds did not weigh very much and even then they would have to struggle to get one out. problem was we would use rope and it of course would stretch so unless you carry a lot of chain it takes a long time as by the time the stretch was taken out of the rope you would would be at the end of the chain and have to start over again so you would move maybe a few inches at most.