I've searched the FAQ section and used the search bar with the terms "winch size" and "recommended winch rating," but I'm not finding anything. Is there a thread on here about what size winches are recommended for the different setups of jeep s? I have a 4-door jk, and by the time I'm buying a winch, I'll have 35" tires on it. I won't ever be pulling myself over rocks, but if I get stuck, I'll be in the THICK mud around here. Got any suggestions for a good size winch to get? I don't need overkill, but I want it to work when I need it.

thanks guys

 

Well 'overkill' and a winch is hard to get. Generally you want double the weight of the vehicle. A 2dr with hardly any mods is 4000lbs. So 'minimum' for a 2dr is 8000lbs. For an unlimited, I would say the minimum is 10,000, but some will say they've run a 8000 with no issues.

I'll likely put a 9,000 or 10,000 on my 2dr when it's time.

 

Min. a 9,000lb winch. With a good name brand ie. Warn, Superwinch, Ramsey, etc.

 

I am running a Smittybuilt XRC12 and love it. Pulls my Unlimited on 35's with ease. Plus it was pretty cheap. I also use it for logging and haven't found a thing it can't pull.

 

Excellent, thanks for the info fellas

 

8000lb the very minimum as you can get a snatch block and double your winching to 16K lbs. I have a Warn XD9000i and it pulled out my Dodge Ram 3500 CTD...+8500lbs out of a thick mud hole just recently with no troubles. Some good names Warn, Superwinch, Ramsay and Smitty which seem to be very popular with the members.

 

If you're a "little bit stuck" you'll need to pull the weight of your Jeep.

If you're "nice and stuck" you'll need to pull twice the weight of your Jeep.

If you're "TRULY stuck" you'll need to pull three tiems the weight of your Jeep.

A 9000 or 9500 pound winch with a snatch block should be able to recover your JK out of almost any mud hole.

If you're really, really worried about getting bogged in the mud, then get a 12K. In many cases, a 13K winch uses the same motor as a 9500 anyways, it's just geared differently. More pull, less line speed.

 

A good rule of thumb for winch size for a vehicle is rating = 2 1/2 times vehicle weight. I heard/ read that years ago but can't remember where...

 

my M8000 pulls my unlimited anywhere, even bottomed right out. Just picked up a snatch block the other day but I have made some tough pulls just single line and the winch never had a problem

Any winch over 8000 lbs will do you good

 

Different things have more importance to different people, so I'm certainly not saying you're wrong, but for me the time to get a winch was when I started wheeling (although it took a while to put one on because I had to wait six months for my Shrockworks front bumper, but that's a whole 'nother story). That plus a Pull-Pal for self-recovery in case I ever get stuck alone. Even though I usually don't wheel alone anywhere challenging, you never know, and the boy scout in me likes to be prepared for any reasonably possible contingency.