Portable electric winches

[Stuart02]

Has anyone tried out the "Superwinch Winch 2 Go" portable winch (https://www.online4wdaccessories.com.au/recovery-winches/107-superwinch-winch-2-go-4000-sr-winch-with-synthetic-rope.html)"? Possible Tirfor alternative? 4000 lb rated so I guess a shackle would be in order...

Superwinch Winch 2 Go 4,000 SR Winch with Synthetic Rope (https://www.online4wdaccessories.com.au/recovery-winches/107-superwinch-winch-2-go-4000-sr-winch-with-synthetic-rope.html)

[gusthedog]

Interesting. Not a super strong pull but with the winch block it would be doubled. But I imagine really slow?

[goingbush]

I have a 13,000lb winch in a cradle, this goes into a HR hitch front or rear on my Iveco, Ive never used it to pull the Iveco but pulled out a few trees with it as a portable winch. I always use a snatch block anyway.

little heavy to carry a long way but easier than a tirfor.

176525

[Stuart02]

Yeah, slow but lighter would be ok, as would the tirfor-type advantages of being able to pull in different directions...

[Tins]

I have a 13,000lb winch in a cradle, this goes into a HR hitch front or rear on my Iveco, Ive never used it to pull the Iveco but pulled out a few trees with it as a portable winch. I always use a snatch block anyway.

little heavy to carry a long way but easier than a tirfor.

176525

My OKA has a similar setup, with big Anderson plugs. It is meant to live in a box inside. Trouble is, when I needed it it was bloody awkward to get out and install. I'll be fitting permanent mount winches front and rear.

[Stuart02]

My OKA has a similar setup, with big Anderson plugs. It is meant to live in a box inside. Trouble is, when I needed it it was bloody awkward to get out and install. I'll be fitting permanent mount winches front and rear.

Definitely out of my weight class! Long live the OKA! Nothing's easy about recovering them...

I just can't justify the expense of a permanent set up... I do like the versatility aspect of a mobile setup too... eg straightening up a trailer etc tho now I wonder whether a electric winch would be limited compared to a tirfor by needing a non-human power supply...

[Stuart02]

Found some specs (https://www.superwinch.com/en/products/superwinch/winch2go-12v-4000-lb-synthetic-rope-portable-utility-winch-1140232) (Superwinch 1140232 Winch2Go SR 12V Synthetic Rope Winch (https://www.superwinch.com/en/products/superwinch/winch2go-12v-4000-lb-synthetic-rope-portable-utility-winch-1140232)) :-

220 amp draw at 4000lbs, 1.4 m per min speed (so 0.7 m/min with a snatch block I guess). 40 ft (12.2 m) of synthetic rope so you'd be able to move 6 m at a time, theoretically... and would need some extra to reach an anchor point... hmmm

[ramblingboy42]

well , if you need the winch to get you out of trouble , what does a bit of time matter?

[Tins]

I can't see a problem with it except for the length of rope, which isn't an issue with a Tractel Tirfor. But winch extension straps are readily available. Definitely want a snatch block IMO.

What advantage do you see in this? Sure, multi direction pulling is one.But the photos don't really show how or where it attaches to your vehicle.
I remember something a bit similar a long time ago. A bloke I sorta knew had a winch that was about the size of an old portable sewing machine. It had a kind of eye that hooked over his towball. It worked, but there is so much wrong with that idea.

I would want to know quite a bit more about this "SuperWinch" before I spent $925 on it. You can get a Runva for less than that. Sure, it needs to be mounted; or does it? I can't find the exact one my OKA has, but here are a few examples. Amazon.com : winch mount receiver hitch (https://www.amazon.com/winch-mount-receiver-hitch/s?k=winch+mount+receiver+hitch)

However, any decent fabricator could make one. I repeat what I said though, the demountable idea is great, one winch for front or back, but have a look at my profile pic.. Getting the winch out of its box, inside the vehicle, and mud that made standing difficult, was a serious PITA if I'm honest. However, it was that winch that recovered the vehicle....

[Tins]

well , if you need the winch to get you out of trouble , what does a bit of time matter?

In my most recent recovery, quite a bit. The rain that began was making the track far worse, so much so that the Mt Buller tow mob refused to come. (I reckon that's pathetic, but that's another story I probably can't recount here. ) Thing is, it made getting out of there much more difficult.

[NavyDiver]

I have a 13,000lb winch in a cradle, this goes into a HR hitch front or rear on my Iveco, Ive never used it to pull the Iveco but pulled out a few trees with it as a portable winch. I always use a snatch block anyway.

little heavy to carry a long way but easier than a tirfor.

176525

Love the idea. Hope you do not mind a question. What stops the winch slipping side on when under load? I could imaging having two secure points to each side would help. Winch on my prior D3 or even boat often has a massive load to one side which I imagine would have your set up side on not square? Thoughts or suggestions appreciated with thanks.

[goingbush]

Love the idea. Hope you do not mind a question. What stops the winch slipping side on when under load? I could imaging having two secure points to each side would help. Winch on my prior D3 or even boat often has a massive load to one side which I imagine would have your set up side on not square? Thoughts or suggestions appreciated with thanks.

That is a really good question, And the answer is I dont really know, I hadn't actually thought about it, and if I had I would have tried to triangulate the mount. But I have pulled a few Palm trees out , a lot bigger than the one in the photo & the side slipping has not occurred, I guess I've been lucky to have had the rope in the centre when its pulling hard.

[Tins]

Love the idea. Hope you do not mind a question. What stops the winch slipping side on when under load? I could imaging having two secure points to each side would help. Winch on my prior D3 or even boat often has a massive load to one side which I imagine would have your set up side on not square? Thoughts or suggestions appreciated with thanks.

I ran into this recently, and it wasn't a hard pull, I was just trying to relocate a car, but the only available angle was tight. I don't have a solution though James, other than some sort of angled or swivelling hitch receiver, which seems a bit too complicated. Interesting avenue to explore though.

[NavyDiver]

I ran into this recently, and it wasn't a hard pull, I was just trying to relocate a car, but the only available angle was tight. I don't have a solution though James, other than some sort of angled or swivelling hitch receiver, which seems a bit too complicated. Interesting avenue to explore though.

Thanks John

We did pull some huge weights at times- A Ship pull for example. Usaully to tow a target out[thumbsupbig]

Bridle rigging crossed my mind and IF your cradle allowed a secure bolt to both sides it could work. It would need a wide spread on our trucks as well. Mounting to bull bar is NOT a solution to that issue[biggrin]

[Stuart02]

Love the idea. Hope you do not mind a question. What stops the winch slipping side on when under load? I could imaging having two secure points to each side would help. Winch on my prior D3 or even boat often has a massive load to one side which I imagine would have your set up side on not square? Thoughts or suggestions appreciated with thanks.

Isn't that what the fairlead is for?

[NavyDiver]

Isn't that what the fairlead is for?

A fairlead is a single point for securing. The issue with just one may be the hitch to the car and also to the winch cradle PLUS the rope/cable being wound onto the winch under load may shift the fulcrum point/angle making the entire cradle slip/twist left or right. The added friction may stress the rope/cable and reduce the power available for the recovery. In a bar mounted which with a fairlead a little away from the winch it is not a issue as the sideways pressure/pull/torque is dealt with by the bullbar. It is only a guess/question. In a perfectly straight pull it might not be an issue. The cradle fairlead might or might not cope as well was the point of my question[thumbsupbig]

[trout1105]

Love the idea. Hope you do not mind a question. What stops the winch slipping side on when under load? I could imaging having two secure points to each side would help. Winch on my prior D3 or even boat often has a massive load to one side which I imagine would have your set up side on not square? Thoughts or suggestions appreciated with thanks.

I imagine that if the portable winch was mounted to a hitch receiver fitted to the vehicle front/rear it should be robust enough to stop the winch from flapping about if the winch frame itself is designed to work in this manner.
Something like this would be very handy in a situation where the only way to effect a Solo recovery is to winch the vehicle out backwards as a winch mounted on the bullbar is of little use in this sort of situation.

With a hitch receiver and a power source is fitted both front and rear of your 4WD a single portable winch could be used for most Solo recoveries.
The only problem that I forsee is where do you store the winch when it isnt in use.

looking at this idea with interest[thumbsupbig]

[RANDLOVER]

I have a 13,000lb winch in a cradle, this goes into a HR hitch front or rear on my Iveco, Ive never used it to pull the Iveco but pulled out a few trees with it as a portable winch. I always use a snatch block anyway.

little heavy to carry a long way but easier than a tirfor.

176525

I started working on the same sort of idea, bought the cradle and a few bits and pieces to secure it to the front of my D3, but then I bought these BOG OUT 4x4 Vehicle Recovery System |Turns bogged wheels into winches (https://www.bogout.com/) I haven't used them in anger yet, I also have a tirfor which I've only ever used in a practice run, and you're right the tirfor is hard work. I also have a hi-lift jack that can be used as a winch but don't even carry it with me anymore, it has however been very useful lately to help get in and out of my panel lift garage door as the counterweight assisting spring broke. I've also never used the hi-lift jack off road, the last time I used it was to push back some fence extensions for re-securing that collapsed under the weight of a creeper in my garden.