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View Full Version : 130 winch - PTO or stick with electric?



Fubar
17th January 2018, 11:55 AM
Hey guys,

Right now my 130 is getting a mid-life frame off reco prior to being repowered by a 4BD1T and LT95a. The LT95a I grabbed from Frontline auctions came with a PTO. The addition of the PTO was a nice surprise and something I thought I would remove and sell on.

Lately I have been pondering leaving it installed on the box and hooking it up to an ex-Defence Perentie winch drum….I’ll probably swap in a Perentie bull bar anyway as I like the look and functionality of the bar, currently using a ARB LR unit, so I will be doing some fabrication mods regardless with respect to winching capabilities.

I like the simplicity of the thing….no solenoids to freeze up or windings to corrode and fail when pressed into service after sitting on the bull bar doing nothing for 9 months of the year.
The fact you can’t winch without the motor running is a fear I don’t have, besides batteries without a running motor won’t get you very far when winching with an electric unit.

The most use my winch gets is moving trees/trunks on the farm and track clearing during high country trips (2-3 times a year). I will never pick a track or route because it might present a 4WD Action style ‘winch challenge’…….although this is where a continuous duty engine driven winch really shines. But potential to have it on the front, doing water crossing year after year without needing excessive preventative maintenance and knowing that it will always be ready for work is an attractive idea. One less thing to check and service pre-trip.

Pros – Simple, robust, should require far less maintenance. It’s mechanical!
Cons – Added weight over an electric unit (PTO and shaft), driving and winching at the same time is risky, exhaust piping with a turbo may be a challenge and can’t operate it outside of the vehicle.

This truck will be doing a lap of Australia next year, an extended Northern Hemisphere trip planned 2021 and is used primarily as a family camping/hunting/weekend hauler truck.

Right now I think the sticking with the electric unit is still the more sensible option, but I want to keep an open mind and seek input from those with more PTO experience than me.

Cheers,

Jason

weeds
17th January 2018, 12:34 PM
I’m about to refit my PTO winch to my current TD5.

I ran the PTO on my TDI for 19years.......and used perentie PTO’s extensively and I rate the PTO well and truly about an electric.

Re front bar, you could install a perentie keep in mind you will either need to modify the dumb iron/chassis or modify the bar. I modified a TJM Bar for my tdi and currently use a Rijidij tube bar to take the PTO.

Yes they are simple no electrics to not work when you want them. I never touch med my PTO and it worked every time. I run dynemia rope using a custom hawse fairlead from nugget (as the drums on a PTO are wider plus it looks a lot nicer than rollers)

Winch without motor?? I’m lucky as my PTO has provision to use a crank handle. And you’re right you don’t get much winch time with en electric when the motor is not running.

Yep, I call PTO’s winch all day, Ranga can attest after our day out with Mr MAXTRAX. and as mentioned I’ve never touched mine.

Re: cons, added weight would be minimal esp if you run dyenema.

Why is winching and driving at the same time risky? I have done many times especially with the LT95 PTO when the torque limiter kicks in. In muddy sticky condition by engaging the t-case you take load off the rope.

Exhaust might be tricky but not a show stopper

Re: winching outside the vehicle, this I don’t get as I would never do it. Once the top has load on it I like my foot near the brake pedal in the rare case the winch and or rope fails......saves the car rolling out of control.

We too are planning overlanding the northern hemisphere in 2021.

If it were me I would go the extra mile and set up the WINCH ALL DAY PTO.

Another pro is winching speed both in and out, I find this very useful as compared to an electric.

Hope that helps.

POD
17th January 2018, 12:47 PM
I had an ugly old FJ55 wagon with a PTO winch back in the 80s, the winch was the best thing on it. Being able to pick a gear for the winch to suit the situation, yes you can engage the TC for wheel assist if appropriate, never worry about it overheating, never worry about solenoids carking it, absolutely go with the PTO.
With the body off the chassis you have the perfect opportunity to set up a centre-mount PTO winch with front and rear winching.[biggrin]

cjc_td5
17th January 2018, 06:29 PM
A big advantage of a PTO winch is the ability to winch at different speeds using the gears. Spool in in 5th, loaded in 1st.....

Ancient Mariner
17th January 2018, 07:36 PM
A electric winch can be used to tow start if your electric starter goes on holidays (MT only)

weeds
17th January 2018, 07:56 PM
A big advantage of a PTO winch is the ability to winch at different speeds using the gears. Spool in in 5th, loaded in 1st.....

Or 4th gear in this instant

weeds
17th January 2018, 07:57 PM
A electric winch can be used to tow start if your electric starter goes on holidays (MT only)

Never thought of that.......although didn’t think an electric would spoil in quick enough.

Fubar
17th January 2018, 08:16 PM
Done it.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/622.jpg



Weeds and POD thanks for the input....can't wait to pick this up Monday and start working out how to massage it in.

Many thanks,

Jason

DeeJay
17th January 2018, 08:25 PM
You won't regret it, having had & used both extensively I would go PTO every time.
Also, having had R380's & LT95's, get used to going for the 5th gear with the 95 [smilebigeye]
Will be a hard habit to break, especially with the turbo...

Fubar
17th January 2018, 08:35 PM
You won't regret it, having had & used both extensively I would go PTO every time.
Also, having had R380's & LT95's, get used to going for the 5th gear with the 95 [smilebigeye]
Will be a hard habit to break, especially with the turbo...

Yeah there will be a bit of that going on for sure...I've been known to make a bid for 6th with the R380!

uninformed
17th January 2018, 08:50 PM
I spoke to what I believe the manufacture of the tomas winches in Brisbane. For the life of me I cant remember their name ATS comes to mind but probably well wrong. WHen I spoke to them many moons ago about the LR army pto winches on the 110s etc, they informed me they were built to a slightly higher spec than normal models. Bearings and such I believe.

Could all be BS too???

Im more a fan of PTO and Hyd than Elec. Some very nice high end elec winches out there but a good old PTO will do the work day in day out with little fuss. Neatest simplest set up ive seen of the winch was the Maxidrive steel winch cradle in their aluminium bullbar. Their bar much stronger than a steel arb or tjm thats for sure!

cjc_td5
27th January 2018, 12:35 PM
Anybody thought of running a hydraulic pump off the pto drive to a hyd motor mounted on to the winch input? It would solve the issue of running drive shafts past the engine (an issue on my stage 1 v8 as there is exhaust on both sides).

uninformed
27th January 2018, 12:51 PM
Anybody thought of running a hydraulic pump off the pto drive to a hyd motor mounted on to the winch input? It would solve the issue of running drive shafts past the engine (an issue on my stage 1 v8 as there is exhaust on both sides).

Maxidrive made some of their chain drive PTOs with shaft output forward and rear mount hyd pump. They also made dedicated hyd PTOs

Not sure if a hyd pump would fit forward facing??/

Tomas made the same 8000lb worm drive winch in a electric version (motor mounted of a gearbox to the worm gear) and ive seen their PTO winches on tilttrays with a nyd motor attached.

uninformed
27th January 2018, 12:59 PM
Looks like Thomas may now be Gears & winches, formally Archerfield Precision Engineering. Im sure these guys could be of some help.

bundy defender
25th March 2018, 09:08 PM
Hi all I run a 9000lbs thomas hydraulic drive behind the cab under the tray and run the cable out the rear and have a warn high mount up the front. hydraulics are supplied by a 36 cc pump fitted to the transfercase via a red winch adaptor . best of both worlds