For that price point and described intended use...an Engo is a good option. Apart from being loud (to the point you think its blowing up), it works fine. I have one currently and works fine and I play with it often. I think it looks cheap (considering I am a previous Warn owner), but looks arent everything. You can find one for $300ish if you are lucky. Then use your left overs for a quality disconnect kit or accessories (snatch block / synthetic line conversion). Hope that helps.

 

Seems like I'll be going for an Engo, possibly 9K#. How loud is the sound it makes?

 

Actually, that's not correct, although the Warn won the shootout, it self destroyed during the stall test and was one of the least efficient being the only one that completely drained the battery halfway through the test.

It begged the question from many as how a $1,500 winch which completely discharged the battery during the efficiency test and broke during the stall testing won the shootout?

If I remember correctly it all came down to the all important "better instruction manual"... (and maybe, just maybe, a few ads in the magazine)

BTW, I have the Engo E12000, when I bought it, it was around $50 more than the E9000, a no brainer for me.

It's mounted on a hitch mount (like in the test) and I only install it when I'm going off-roading which sadly it's not often.

 

You don't need earplugs just kind of a louder grinding sound.... Guess that means its working.. Hope it lasts more then 15 pulls for you

 

I don't think the Warn issue is random. I saw two winches fail this year on the trail. One was a brand new Zeon-s that lasted all of 20 seconds and the other was an almost new cti. Sure, probably anomalies, but the probability that I was there for both and it was pure coincidence is insanely low (I'd need some data to actually crunch the statistics, but I think it's a fair inference).

 

Are there any problems with Smittybilt winches? Was checking them out at first

 

I haven't had my quadratec 9500is very long, but I've used it enough to pay for itself already!
As far as I'm concerned it's worth it's weight in gold!

 

I had a Recon 10500 winch for a couple of years and it performed well for me until I sold the Jeep. For my new Jeep, I'm looking for a winch below $500 with a synthetic line that was at least 9k lbs. I found the Superwinch Tigershark 9500 fit the bill and almost bought one until I found someone selling the 11000 lb model online and bought it from them today. I still think the Tigershark 9500 is the best bang for the buck in that you get a recognized name, enough pulling power for a lightly modified JKU and the safety of synthetic rope for less than $500.

To the OP, I think 8K lb rated winches are good for a JK but not enough for a JKU. Using the recommended 1.5 times the GVWR, for the JKU 5500 X 1.5 = 8250 lbs. That means that an 8k lb rated winch doesn't quite cut it, then add aftermarket bumpers, lifts and tires, now your GVWR tops 6000 lbs, so I would recommend that for a JKU, at least 9500 lb rated winch be considered. Also, keep in mind what got you to need a winch in the first place, if you are stuck in mud or sand, the resistance will increase the pull load, I know that using a snatch block will distribute the load, but sometimes that is not an option and a straight pull is required.

 

The Gen 2 winches are still relatively new, so, if they have problems... its kinds too soon to know what they are. Wait and see I guess.

 

I've also got an Engo. I'm glad to hear that they're all loud, because mine sounds like it is about to come apart! It always pulls, though, and the price from Chris at Jeepadons was fantastic. Hell, it wasn't much more than just a replacement synthetic rope would be from Warn! Mine came with a wireless remote, too. I bought it after reading that magazine test and how it ran even during and after submersion.

It was 100% bogus that the Warn won that test. Ridiculous. I once had a Warn M8000 that was solid, but I've had a 2500 Warn ATV winch break after barely using it. I do have another Warn ATV winch that has worked fine since 2006, though.