Winch thoughts.

[Grover-98]

Iv been thinking about winches for a while now. But i find a mounted winch to be over kill as iv seen some very tough trucks which rely on snatch straps and hand winches. I have a Snatch strap but i was starting to think along the lines of getting a Hand Winch as it can be used forwards backwards and sideways :)

So are any of you guys using a Hand Winch if so what sort how much and are they worth the hard work?

I have a D1, James.

[dullbird]

trifor......are very good hand winches

[McDisco]

trifor......are very good hand winches

And very, very, very.....very very slow!! :lol2::wasntme:

I would get a electric winch...and if your worried about winching backwards....put one on the rear of the disco also! :D

Angus

[Grover-98]

Like i said a snatch is enough most of the time but iv seen some DVD's from 4WD Monthly. Where they were used for some HANDY (god i love ouns :p) situation :) What sort of price range should i be looking in i want one i know will last me and will get me out of trouble. If its fairly expensive i would think of a electric winch but i dont want to get one of them till i have an extreme truck and skills you gotta start at the bottom to appreciate the top!

I believe driving a truck with limited mods cause better track prediction and building skills so once you deserve the goods you are no less then legend :p

James.

[Nathan]

I've got a Tirfor, used it once, now I've an electric winch! :D

Salesman at ARB says the best thing they can do to sell electric winches is to sell hand winches!!

N

[Grover-98]

I've got a Tirfor, used it once, now I've an electric winch! :D

Salesman at ARB says the best thing they can do to sell electric winches is to sell hand winches!!

N

How was it in that one use?

Other things i would need would be...Extenstenion strap,tree trunk protector and a snatch block?

I already have a recovery kit with 2 shakles, snatch strap, gloves, shovel ,dampener and a mud mat and im working on recovery points at the front end :)

[Slunnie]

I will echo the statement that hand winches are great.... but you will only ever use them once...... and then you will buy a power winch so that you never ever have to go through that experience again. :D

[Nathan]

How was it in that one use?

Other things i would need would be...Extenstenion strap,tree trunk protector and a snatch block?

I already have a recovery kit with 2 shakles, snatch strap, gloves, shovel ,dampener and a mud mat and im working on recovery points at the front end :)

It got me and my mate out of a what would have been a very hopeless position without it. We were very stuck half way up a very steep, rutted, wet clay hill. It took us all day and much effort to winch both the vehicles up. We were using the Tirfor with a snatch block.

For what it's worth, I still carry it around with me just in case!

[Blknight.aus]

Im a hand wincher, but then I dont go out aiming to get stuck and generally wont go play on stuff thats likely to get everyone stuck at the same time so usually a gentle tug with another vehicle is enough to get you unstuck.

Im also not scared of the hand winch amongst all the other things its got going for it is its portability, Im not limited to using it on or from my vehicle If need be I can carry it (and I have) through hundreds of meters of mud to recover someone whose winch is either non existent or out of action.


Its nice to have as the backup especially when your in a convoy where stratigic placing of the vehicles with winches will make easy work of the place where your likely to get stuck.

[djam1]

Nothing like a hand winch to make you drive more cautiously next time.
Hard work but better than nothing,
Not sure where you are 4x4ing I personally lived and travelled throughout the NT and Northern SA for over 20 years and only had a need for a winch once.
The only comment would be is I saw a lot of bent diff housings from excessive weight over the front wheels.
I guess if you are in different country it may be used regularly hence justifying the cost.
The only time I needed a winch a hand winch would of done the job easily.
I have had electric winches but removed them due to lack of use.

[camel_landy]

Hand winches get my vote too...

I only have electric ones on my cars coz that's what they came with!

If you do a quick search, you'll find that it has been discussed here many times before.

M

[numpty]

I have a hand winch and the one time we used it was for a 4 hour recovery. We would have been buggered without it, as the vehicle we were recovering had an electric winch but two flat batteries.

Hard work yes, but very versatile. Actually the last time I used it was to remove a large wattle stump. We broke the shear pins doing that which is another story.

You will also need a winch extension strap (as long as possible), tree trunck protector, at least two rated bow shackles and a snatch block.

Happy winching.

[Vin Rouge]

We don't carry a hand winch, but do have a simple kit of chain, comprising one long length with a large hook at each end, and two very short lengths, each with a shackle at one end and a special hook to hang on to a chain link at the other. This turns the high lift jack (I'm assuming everyone has one of these) into a continuous winch. One short length is attached to the top of the jack (1), the other to the raising part of the jack(2). Hook (2) to the long chain, jack up the length of the jack, hook on (1) , one click and the first short length frees up. Reconnect (2) fuether down the chain and off you go again. Hard work, certainly, as all hand winches are, but if you don't habitually get into a situation where you really need an on-board winch, it's a good, inexpensive and multi-use bit of kit.

[Rangier Rover]

I only use a Hi lift jack as a winch here. Very fidly and slow. OK to pull you off a rock,stump or out of a deep short rut. Can drag the front of rear end back forward or side ways etc.

I'd like an electric but have to many 4X4s to fit each one out.:(

Tony

[Slunnie]

I only use a Hi lift jack as a winch here. Very fidly and slow. OK to pull you off a rock,stump or out of a deep short rut. Can drag the front of rear end back forward or side ways etc.

I'd like an electric but have to many 4X4s to fit each one out.:(

Tony
Tony I had a Design and Technology student a few years ago design around this - before Warns equivilent solution of the same problem. Basically he created a winch setup that had the winch portable rather than vehicle mounted so that it could be transfered between vehicles. We used his mounted to a tree and ran the line to the vehicle - much the same as you would with a hand winch, except this was powered. There is probably no reason why the same couldn't be done with the winch at the car end pulling off the cars power supply also, though we didn't try this.

[djextrem]

Id, go electric for sure!!!! If money is an issue buy a off brand name as many winches are made from the same company just taged with the brand name .... I went with the Tabor warn ,its a good winch but is still pricey. You could buy two Ironan winchs for the same price as the warn products.have one on the front and the back!!Its a good winch and pulls harder than the warn 9000.Read winch comparo in the 4wd action mag.No.126

[Slunnie]

The Tigerz11 winch is also meant to be good - not that I've played with one.

[Rangier Rover]

Tony I had a Design and Technology student a few years ago design around this - before Warns equivilent solution of the same problem. Basically he created a winch setup that had the winch portable rather than vehicle mounted so that it could be transfered between vehicles. We used his mounted to a tree and ran the line to the vehicle - much the same as you would with a hand winch, except this was powered. There is probably no reason why the same couldn't be done with the winch at the car end pulling off the cars power supply also, though we didn't try this.

I'm thinking something like this....Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver Winch Mounting Plate 6495 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com (http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=6495&Category_Code=FMH). May be very bad if a pin or tow hitch snapped wile winching off a strap:eek:
Tony

[Slunnie]

I'm thinking something like this....Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver Winch Mounting Plate 6495 : Trailer hitch bike rack and trailer hitches - etrailer.com (http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=E&Product_Code=6495&Category_Code=FMH). May be very bad if a pin or tow hitch snapped wile winching off a strap:eek:
Tony
True :lol2: The winch would be gone before you realised it was going!

The recommended winches for that don't apply any more load than what a snatch strap can produce.

[Bushie]

True :lol2: The winch would be gone before you realised it was going!

The recommended winches for that don't apply any more load than what a snatch strap can produce.

I'd suggest that snatch straps could probably apply a hell of a lot more, but then we are talking two totally different recovery methods.

The first bit of recovery gear should be a shovel, for most times.

Martyn

[slug_burner]

I carry a Tirfor. Yes, hard work if you have to use it but you can use it for more jobs than just vehicle recovery. I have pulled stumps and straightened buildings. Even if you get a power which you will still have a use for your hand winch. Keep an eye out for a second hand one, you should be able to pick one up for around $300-$400.

[Tombie]

<snip>
I believe driving a truck with limited mods cause better track prediction and building skills so once you deserve the goods you are no less then legend :p

James.

Well said, and you're right....

Cheque book offroaders rarely understand the basics :D

[vnx205]

Well said, and you're right....

Cheque book offroaders rarely understand the basics :D

I like that expression. Am I free to use it some time or do you have a copyright on it? :D

[Tombie]

I like that expression. Am I free to use it some time or do you have a copyright on it? :D

Go for it mate ;)