Looking for a temporary winch to use at Gulches.

[jkufen]

I am going to Gulches ORV in March and I am in need of a temporary winch just to use for the two days I am there. I look up the weight of my B2 and it says it is listed at 3,100 lbs. Harbor Freight has a 5,000 lb winch for $199. A friend of mine says that a 5,000 lb is not strong enough to use with my B2. I know it is harbor freight and it is cheap. I don't have the time to get the funds together to buy a good winch. Gulches charges to winch you and the way I am I can assure you that I will probably need to be winched 10-15 times over the weekend. They charge $20 at the minimum to winch you so thats at least $200 so instead of paying them the $200 I could buy a winch with that. Is 5,000 lbs enough for my B2? I probably won't mud much itll be more for going up hills and other trail obstacles. Let me know what yall think.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

I am going to Gulches ORV in March and I am in need of a temporary winch just to use for the two days I am there. I look up the weight of my B2 and it says it is listed at 3,100 lbs. Harbor Freight has a 5,000 lb winch for $199. A friend of mine says that a 5,000 lb is not strong enough to use with my B2. I know it is harbor freight and it is cheap. I don't have the time to get the funds together to buy a good winch. Gulches charges to winch you and the way I am I can assure you that I will probably need to be winched 10-15 times over the weekend. They charge $20 at the minimum to winch you so thats at least $200 so instead of paying them the $200 I could buy a winch with that. Is 5,000 lbs enough for my B2? I probably won't mud much itll be more for going up hills and other trail obstacles. Let me know what yall think.

NO. Maby for barely stuck or no grade but thats about it. You would be better off with come alongs or see if your local rent-it has a 12vdc or even a little gas powered capstan winch.

 

[jkufen]

So what would be the minimum weight that would be safe for my B2?

 

[LIMA BEAN]

So what would be the minimum weight that would be safe for my B2?

If you are just looking to narrowly get by harbor freights #6000
http://www.harborfreight.com/6000-lb-off-road-vehicle-winch-with-automatic-load-holding-brake-68141.html

May do but I would still use a snatch block and double line it. Just make sure you have the battery/alt to give it good solid power, weak power burns motors that are already under par.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

Also remember that the #lbs are rolling loads on flat and level, not a BII on a 45 or stuck in gumbo.

 

[liftedwhiteDR]

Needed

 

[The Jester Race]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Recovery/

Read and understand.
Especially the CALCULATING THE FORCE OF A RECOVERY OPERATION section.

A lot more goes into a recovery then just pulling wire rope and hooking to another truck or a tree.

8000 pound is the minimum for light trucks and SUV's.
You don't have to spend a grand on a Warn to get it either, Smittybilt makes an outstanding winch for the weekend warrior. The going price on the Smittybilt XRC-8 is $300.

http://www.jamesoaksenterprises.com/products/smittybiltwinch.htm

If you don't think you'll need/use the winch after your trip in March you might consider just taking a buddy in another truck and a couple of snatch straps, if you think it'll be safe for a dynamic recovery(vs. a static recovery with a winch).

 

[LIMA BEAN]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Recovery/

Read and understand.
Especially the CALCULATING THE FORCE OF A RECOVERY OPERATION section.

A lot more goes into a recovery then just pulling wire rope and hooking to another truck or a tree.

8000 pound is the minimum for light trucks and SUV's.
You don't have to spend a grand on a Warn to get it either, Smittybilt makes an outstanding winch for the weekend warrior. The going price on the Smittybilt XRC-8 is $300.

http://www.jamesoaksenterprises.com/products/smittybiltwinch.htm

If you don't think you'll need/use the winch after your trip in March you might consider just taking a buddy in another truck and a couple of snatch straps, if you think it'll be safe for a dynamic recovery(vs. a static recovery with a winch).

Yep what he ^^^^ said. What's up Jester, been awhile again man.

 

[jkufen]

Yeah I would like to rely on my buddy's truck but they are large fullsize trucks and might have a hard time getting through the trails. Now the mud pits on the other hand wouldn't be an issue. The Smittybilt is right in my price range I will look into that! Thanks!

 

[jkufen]

The winch is more for the incline and possible steep trails. My B2 is stock besides mud terrain tires so I think I may have a hard time on some of the trails. I guess ill just think on it between now and then I might just go and try it without a winch and hope for the best.

 

[Die.Fledermaus]

My b2 is very stock and about 4,000lbs, I have used the HF 6k as posted with great luck.
How temporary are you thinking? A farm jack and chain will remove anything given time

 

[Shran]

DO NOT buy a winch from Harbor Freight. I have seen firsthand how bad they are! I wheeled with a guy last year who had one of the Badlands ones on his truck (brand new) and it was completely destroyed by the end of the day, had maybe 20 hard pulls on it. Everything came apart, controller broke, motor was very hot and seized up.

Just don't do it, huge waste of money. Running steel cable on a cheap winch is even worse.

 

[4x4mike2004]

If you budget is tight a high lift jack works great for recovery, but it takes a little time. I have had no problems with my harbor freight winches (9k on my buggy and 6k on my trailer). I used the small one to fold a car in half once. On the other note my brother had a 12k harbor freight that pulled once and quit, and it was only respool it.

Sent from my VS840 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Die.Fledermaus]

Do buy the harbor freight winch, I know first hand how handy they are, mine has done single line pulls of my B2 off ruts and other times when I had all four wheels off traction.

The failures I have had after more than a year is water ingress into the brush housing seizing brushes (annoying but not show stopping). Early on I somehow buggered the cable retainer bolt, the remote is a little cheap on the plug end and one solder connection failed.

A year later I stand behind my review on HF http://www.harborfreight.com/6000-lb-off-road-vehicle-winch-with-automatic-load-holding-brake-68141.html

 

[country0001]

You can get a 12,000 lbs HF for like $299 right now. A lil overkill never hurt.