Let's talk winches for a minute...
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Ida Michigan
winches
You guys that compare these cheepo copy cat winches to Warn make me laugh. They are like comparing a H1 Alpha to a Nissan Xterra.
Everyone's needs are different. If you don't need an extremely reliable proven HD winch, than the $300 one will probably do fine and get you home. I have seen plenty of guys use them. They work just fine and there are some really nice ones out there. Eg Recon. They are not the fastest. You do need to let them cool off sometimes. But, they will get you home in most cases, and you will still have left over $ to spend elsewhere.
You just can't compare the 300 dollar product to Warn. Yes, they are expensive. They are expensive because warn has been at the top of their game for over 50 years. First responders don't strap a Harbor Freight winch to the front of their ambulance. The reason being when you need it most , you need it to work , and you needed to work well.
Duty cycle and line speed make a big difference during complicated recoveries. Anybody who has spent enough time out on the trail know this as fact and no statistics are needed to back it up.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
Everyone's needs are different. If you don't need an extremely reliable proven HD winch, than the $300 one will probably do fine and get you home. I have seen plenty of guys use them. They work just fine and there are some really nice ones out there. Eg Recon. They are not the fastest. You do need to let them cool off sometimes. But, they will get you home in most cases, and you will still have left over $ to spend elsewhere.
You just can't compare the 300 dollar product to Warn. Yes, they are expensive. They are expensive because warn has been at the top of their game for over 50 years. First responders don't strap a Harbor Freight winch to the front of their ambulance. The reason being when you need it most , you need it to work , and you needed to work well.
Duty cycle and line speed make a big difference during complicated recoveries. Anybody who has spent enough time out on the trail know this as fact and no statistics are needed to back it up.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2
JK Junkie
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 4
From: Jacksonville NC
I do 1 or 2 all day wheeling treks a year and maybe play in the mud for half a day once a month. The recon suits my needs. I can't justify spending almost 2k on a synthetic waterproof winch with built in syilinoid for light wheeling. If my job was a first responder or I needed to use it on a daily basis I would go with warn. You need to find a winch that's fits your needs.
Oakley sunglasses are great... But a $10 panama jack set might fit your needs just as good.
Oakley sunglasses are great... But a $10 panama jack set might fit your needs just as good.
Last edited by Jonathan_JK; Feb 2, 2013 at 08:12 AM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 264
Likes: 0
From: Ida Michigan
winches
I do 1 or 2 all day wheeling treks a year and maybe play in the mud for half a day once a month. The recon suits my needs. I can't justify spending almost 2k on a synthetic waterproof winch with built in syilinoid for light wheeling. If my job was a first responder or I needed to use it on a daily basis I would go with warn. You need to find a winch that's fits your needs.
Oakley sunglasses are great... But a $10 panama jack set might fit your needs just as good.
Oakley sunglasses are great... But a $10 panama jack set might fit your needs just as good.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 218
Likes: 0
From: Knoxville, TN
I've got a Warn M8000. Got it because I found a great deal on it, and line speed was twice that of the Warn VR series and I only paid $50 more for the M8000.
Another that I liked about Warn was that it is completely rebuildable. I don't know if that is true of other winches so I'm not saying it's a competitive advantage. My view is that the winch is a long term investment unlike tires or something. So, I liked that it can be rebuilt.
Also, no matter how much $ you spend on the winch, it's only as good as your battery and alternator. Winch is just 1 component of an entire recovery system.
Another that I liked about Warn was that it is completely rebuildable. I don't know if that is true of other winches so I'm not saying it's a competitive advantage. My view is that the winch is a long term investment unlike tires or something. So, I liked that it can be rebuilt.
Also, no matter how much $ you spend on the winch, it's only as good as your battery and alternator. Winch is just 1 component of an entire recovery system.
JK Junkie
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,203
Likes: 4
From: Jacksonville NC
I've got a Warn M8000. Got it because I found a great deal on it, and line speed was twice that of the Warn VR series and I only paid $50 more for the M8000.
Another that I liked about Warn was that it is completely rebuildable. I don't know if that is true of other winches so I'm not saying it's a competitive advantage. My view is that the winch is a long term investment unlike tires or something. So, I liked that it can be rebuilt.
Also, no matter how much $ you spend on the winch, it's only as good as your battery and alternator. Winch is just 1 component of an entire recovery system.
Another that I liked about Warn was that it is completely rebuildable. I don't know if that is true of other winches so I'm not saying it's a competitive advantage. My view is that the winch is a long term investment unlike tires or something. So, I liked that it can be rebuilt.
Also, no matter how much $ you spend on the winch, it's only as good as your battery and alternator. Winch is just 1 component of an entire recovery system.