Thread: How much use does your winch really get?

Originally Posted by isuzutoo-eh

Sounds like lockers and a hand winch are the best option for you then.
Maxidrives for the Sals are back on the market (from MR Automotive Brissie), arguably the best locker available for Landies, but the price isn't any different with the strong dollar, and you can't yet get one for the front diff. My second preference would be a Detroit for the rear which is where our strong dollar really makes a difference, a tru-track at the front seems a popular option if using a Detroit rear.

Yes I was going to look into the Maxidrive option having heard their reputation. I also need to consider diff mods with any warranty issues.
So whats the difference between a tru-trac and detroit. Are they both auto lockers?
I recently had a conversation with a chap who put his hilux into a tree because he believed his auto lockers engaged at hi speeds on a dirt road. He said the cars started swerving, he panicked a bit and woopa it was all over and lucky to be alive.
Something must have malfunctioned you think.


apologies for side tracking this which forum, but it looked like that was the way the Tikirocker was heading.

Detroits are auto lockers, where they are permanently locked, but if one wheel needs to travel faster than the other, ie round a corner, it'll unlock that wheel. traction is never compromised...
Tru Tracks are torque biasing, but are not actually locked, so if one wheel is in the air it'll spin faster than the one on the ground-allowing more power/torque to be wasted airspinning. Some power/torque is usually transmitted to the wheel with grip though, but not as much as a full blown locker.
But you can't fit an autolocker to the front axle of a permanent 4WD-hence the tru-track front.

I have a winch and have used it a few times, on a couple of occasions for 2 to 3 hours on each recovery (Jenolan SF when wet)

Would not go without one now, I also don't go places that you would need a winch on my own, always go with another vehicle.

I have had a hand winch also, hate the bloody things, too much like hard work, although it did come in handy to recover me from a situation in, again Jenolan SF (I wasn't doing the hard work though)

Baz.

I've got the winch to be installed ... only purchased it as the price was too good to refuse. We travel on our own alot (me, mrs, junior), and for peace of mind IF a vehicle recovery is required, $299 was not alot of money to spend on a winch ... yeah, it's an Aldi special, stripped & repacked, and if it only saves my butt one time in a remote location, it's paid for itself as far as I'm concerned ... Mrs & Junior would not cope well with a hand winch

For a total of around $500 installed (winch, tray, cabling) I treat it as an insurance policy ... I'm confident that I can go were I want to and IF I get snagged, I should be good to self recover. We are touring more than hell driving, and IF spending around a grand + fitting on a quality brand winch was the order of the day, I'd be placing my funds elsewhere (rear locker + 2" suspension lift).

It may never get used ... here's hoping

It's the same as having insurance. You hope you don't have to use it, but if you need to you're glad you've got it.

I started out with a Tirfor when I was a young bloke, and I could sweat over it without having a heart attack. Slow, hard work, but very useful.

Did 3 years in Africa and only had hand shovels, snatch straps etc. Did a lot of digging when we got stuck. Had to drink a lot of 'Tusker' beer after a recovery

Now I am too old (lazy?) to hand-winch/dig, and it is brilliant beyond words to hop out, hook up the winch, and press a button to get yourself out of a bog. Still, you need something to attach to.....

So, if you've got the cash, go for it. If not, spend on something else and be prepared for some sweating if/when you get stuck.

Originally Posted by Yorkie

these guys got by without a winch so unless you are doing more deep poop driving than these put the money into other stuff.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Lubumbashi to Kinshasa - Expedition Portal Forum

Not a bad read.

However, I think you could say they would have got through a lot faster if they'd had a winch. I'm only up to page 3 (of 47) and already they have been bogged 3 or 4 times and spent hours digging themselves out.

Still, they are young and energetic, so good on them!

Me - I'd be taking a winch.....

The problem I have with winches is the short length of rope carried (usually 28m) particularly if you have to double up. I have 65m on my winch and still find it too short - when I had to winch myself out last I had to use almost all of my cable plus a 20m winch extension strap. Also winches are on the front and in most occasions you really need to go back than go forward (exceptions of course) and try a different line so winches should really be mounted on the back rather than the front. I have the ability to feed my cable out front or back but I would not want to move the cable to the rear in deep muddy wet conditions.

Garry

I have both a hand winch and a electric winch. I always throught I would never need one, one I bought one I wouldn't go off-road without it to be quite honest. The hand winch now sits collecting dust but if I was doing a long distance trips (the Cape for example), I would throw it in no questions asked.

I like to play as hard as possible (within the realms of what my Rangie can do) so it's really a pre-requisite but I only use it if really needed. I haven't had to use it too much recently maybe I need to do more hard trips to warrant the purchase

Trav