Thread: How much use does your winch really get?

Originally Posted by roverrescue

One other...

If you have a vehicle mounted winch you will drive / explore / tour differently.

A winch can give you peace of mind when the track ahead looks sketchy, or from my example above. If all we had were snatch straps and a hand winch I dont think I would have slept well as the rain tumbled down during the weeks fishing. I would have been planning to get out ASAP. With powered winches (and chainsaws!) I knew we would get out - eventually?

Its psychological you know!

S

i agree with that 100%

i bought an aldi winch in april this year, i regreased it, and have probably used it 10 or more times, it worked flawlessly every time, one thing i do need to upgrade is the supply cables to 70mm2, the stock ones get a bit warm after a while

it allows me to go a bit further than i normally would, knowing i can self recover if i need to, its hard to describe but it does change the way you drive, the winch, teamed up with my $80 ebay chainsaw is a great, budget combination

sure i could use a hand winch, but honestly i cant be bothered

Mine isn't used allot these days but I do all my trips on my own so my winch is like the tool box and spares I carry in the back,I'd rather carry it and not use it that leave it behind and need it. Pat

Originally Posted by PAT303

Mine isn't used allot these days but I do all my trips on my own so my winch is like the tool box and spares I carry in the back,I'd rather carry it and not use it that leave it behind and need it. Pat

Simon
I agree with Pat.It is better to have it IF you need it,than to not have it at all.While you don't say how much you have to spend,knowing the area that you live and thinking that you will probably do a bit of driving in the mountains,a winch is cheap insurance these days,and one use is all it can take to justify the cost.Also,with the high Aust.$ A detroit locker for the rear Salisbury will help with your forward progress.You can have a detroit and a winch for around the price of an air locker.

Wayne

Hmmmm... let me think.... Shovel + Hilift and a MAYBE get out...... OR
My very own WINCH.......
It's a no brainer for me!
I do go bush a fair bit by myself so the idea of self recovery was the sole motivation for a winch on my last vehicle.... and a prerequisite for its replacement.
But just going right back to the start of this thread, I would invest in a snorkel WAY ahead of a winch!

I havent read all of the posts but I bought a hand winch in mid 2007 and used it for the first time in August this year.

In its defence i did fit lockers at the same time so dont get stuck as often as i used to, but even when i got stuck back then a snatch strap sufficed. On the odd occasion i had a mate with a winch pull me out of trouble. The hand winch does the job for an insurance policy. They do put more weight and stress on the front of the vehicle.

If i did more trips on my own i think I would fit one. I will fit one eventually. It has more been a case of lack of funds until now more than not wanting one.

The rig had one when I bought it. I use it a lot for draging wrecks for mates. I also use it to clear trees.
Off road if I get stuck then I just pyll it out and winch rather than risk doing damage.
If it wasn't fitted then I probably wouldn't but one though.

Originally Posted by LowRanger

Also,with the high Aust.$ A detroit locker for the rear Salisbury will help with your forward progress.You can have a detroit and a winch for around the price of an air locker.

Wayne

Sounds like a pretty good compromise Wayne ... I might even manage a rear Detroit locker for the Salisbury and a Snorkel if not a winch. Getting bang for my buck and making an addition to the truck that really counts is key right now ... this is all I'll have to spend for the immediate future.

There is an assumption that buying lockers before learning your trade without is an absolute. I understand and have respect for where people are coming from with this attitude ... but I think it is possible to have lockers and still learn your trade without relying on them and this is exactly what I plan to do.

The point is ... I can afford them now, I won't be able to afford them for a couple of years after this moment. Get the good stuff while you can is my theory.

Simon.

Simon

Whilst lockers can make it easier to get yourself into predicaments that are harder to get out of,it only take a little common sense,and I realise that common sense isn't so common these days.What lockers do give you,is the ability to travel more places without having to resort to the type of driving that is vehicle damaging or damaging to the tracks we drive on.Which is what all the 4wd clubs and association are trying to push,and change the public perception regarding 4wders as environmental hooligans.TREAD LIGHTLY.

Wayne