Winch Recommendation?

I am looking to get a winch for occasional use to put on a removable winch receiver plate. I have front and rear hitch receivers. I have a 4th gen 4runner. Winch weight is important and I have narrowed it down to either a Sherpa Mustang 9500 lb. or a Warn VR EVO 8-S. Weight of Warn shows as 72 lbs. [conflicting specs found...also stated as 55lbs.] and the Sherpa shows a weight of 42 lbs. The Sherpa is made in Australia and costs more, but weighs less and is rated for more weight. Any experience with Sherpa? I have had Warn's before. I am leaning towards the Sherpa due to higher weight rating and lighter weight. Both winches use synthetic which I prefer due to safety and lighter weight.

 

The 8 seems underpowered for a 4Runner, but the limiting factor is the hitch receiver, especially for an off-center pull.

Perhaps the conflicting specs for the Warn are due to steel vs synthetic line? Amazon lists the same weight for both, which cannot be right.

 

steel vs synthetic line is usually +/–30lbs difference…ballpark

 

Both are supposed to be synthetic. I am having trouble finding any reviews on the Sherpa winch. If using the 1.5 x vehicle weight both appear to be usable for my 4runner. I do not do extreme trails.

 

8k lbs for a 4Runner is plenty. 1.5x weight of vehicle is a good rule of thumb, and remember good technique, including the use of snatch blocks when appropriate.

The Warn VR is a good economical choice. Also, most hitch receivers are not rated that high, and can be limited to a 5k lbs straight pull.

 

The other consideration is winching other people. I got a 12k winch so I could winch trucks and to make it easier to get myself out of anything.

First time I winched anything was helping out a full size dodge.

Can't go wrong with Warn. Don't get the one that comes with a blue tooth remote. It eats batteries. People buy a blue tooth module that plugs in where the wired remote goes then use their phone as a remote. No battery issues there.

 

I don't want a 12k, looking at saving weight in order to take on and off. I like the LITE weight of Sherpa.....just don't know if they are any good.

https://sherpa4x4.com/products/the-...Qry6d96AXZ2EsWU_KmIBeRnanDi4iH9xoCm9AQAvD_BwE

 

Don't know anything about the Sherpa.

But if it's from Australia, they make very high quality products over there. They have a huge car culture and when it comes to off roading, they have much, much longer roads that are far more remote than anything in the USA which means their requirements for durability and longevity are greater than ours because they stand to be at greater risk if they have a part failure.

I implicitly trust anything from Australia. Anything I've ever gotten from over there automotive related has been top notch.

 

So no one uses a Sherpa?

 

Not in the US; although, I think you should buy one and tell us what you think. The specs seem good. Where are they manufactured?

 

Australia....."down under"....

 

Looking at specs it appears to me it has more pull power than 8k Warn most likely because of lower gear ratio.
Sherpa 246:1 3 stage planetary gearbox, compared to 218:1 Warn, perhaps that is how it gets 9500k rating. Slower pull but more torque.

 

When I read about them I read some of Sherpa stuff is assembled in Brisbane, but that's like saying Warn is made in the US. Most Warn winches are Chinese. I wonder if their winches are really manufactured in Brisbane, or China. Are you sure they're made in AUS, or are they just an AUS company?

 

Hey jeepster09, thanks for sharing your research on the Sherpa Mustang 9500 lb. and Warn VR EVO 8-S winches. It's great that you're considering the weight and power ratings of each option. I'm curious, have you thought about reaching out to Sherpa directly to ask about their manufacturing process and quality control? That might give you more confidence in their product.

 

Well considering I can find no reviews on this Mustang winch, I have decided to buy from an American company.
The Warn is heaver and not rated as powerful, however it comes with LIFETIME warranty and supports an American company.
I like everything I see about the Sherpa specs wise.....but unknown customer support and quality. Thanks to all for feedback.

 

They are manufactured in China. I just got an email response from their customer service.

 

You might want to double check but I believe the Warn VR is made in China. The Zeon is USA.

 

Yeah, the VR series is Chinese.

 

Warn is made in China. Should've just gotten a Badlands winch from Harbor Freight like the professionals at Matt's Off Road Recovery, much easier warranty replacement process.

Do you have a second battery in the cargo compartment, or are you running finger-thick wiring from the engine bay to the rear hitch to power the winch?

 

Matt makes huge money off sponsors and U Tube. Just because he uses it does not mean it is good. I know many professionals in the towing industry and am not aware of any of them using BADLANDS quality. You get what you pay for.
Several YouTube income reporting sites estimate Matts Off Road Recovery YouTube site alone earns between $424,690.00 and $760.450.00 per year. [He's an entertainer that makes good money from followers.] I would use low quality components too if price was free or next to it. I used to race Pro Stock Duster, [in addition to a Funny Car and Fuel Dragster] and learned a long time ago you get what you pay for.
Perhaps you missed part about wanting "LIGHT WEIGHT". Harbor Freight winch is about 15 pounds heavier than Warn [which is some 10 lbs. heavier than Sherpa]. I am well aware on how to wire winches, have done many a vehicle build.
They sell top shelf tools too.....

 

Just a few of my old cars.....

 

Going off bullshit "YouTube analysis sites" that are off by orders of magnitude? Yeah whatever. Matt uses Badlands winches because he can get them replaced easily at any Harbor Freight if they fail. You're paying more for the Warn name in this case, the so-called "overland tax". Guys in my off-road club have taken apart Warn winches; their build quality inside is just as bad as the no-name chineseium. But it's your money.

You've factored the cost and weight of all the copper going to the rear hitch? Good then.

 

I think another issue for Matt is that a winch is practically a wear item for him.

Matt goes through winches at a steady clip and he's very pragmatic. I'm sure if there was a significant difference in cost or performance he'd take that into account. He and his team also do some serious repairs (they've shown a few bits of winch repairs more than once), so a failure that would be a total loss for most people is sometimes just a minor inconvenience to them.

 

Matt might get paid but that doesn't mean the winch is bad. Visit any Jeep board and those guys love the Badlands winch. I've had two in my lifetime with zero issues. It may be Chinese but it's a very good winch.

 

Apparently you missed the part about LIGHT WEIGHT requirement.

 

Matt also runs a business and only a fraction of what we see is what he does. Him using it doesn’t mean it’s the best, but it probably means it isn’t total garbage.

I think only the very high end Warn winches are made in USA. When I buy from a premium brand I don’t expect it to be made text to the shitty Smittybilt I decided against. Didn’t Project Farm review winches?

 

Winch install done and very happy with light weight and function. I can switch to my Jeep or use front or rear.