Hitch mounted winch help needed..Warn.. Smittybuilt and other

Guys I have a limited. I need a winch. The front for now until I do full conversion is a no go. Warn makes a really nice kit with rear mounted hitch winch. Nice Synthetic line all the good stuff. But its pricey. Smitty built is cheap

Anybody have any comments on best rear winch hitch setup? Is the smittybuilt ok for occasional use or is it the one time youll need it after ages of no use it will fail? Warn quality use to be pretty good.

Was hoping for some pointers on this one. Also whats best pull weight for the winch to get? This is basic pull weight without adding pulleys etc?

Thanks for any help.. the HiLift Jack I have... is one hell of a slow winch!!!

 

^If you really want a rear-mounted winch, be sure to plan/budget for running 2/0 gauge wires down the length of the vehicle. Winch is high current draw, up to 400amp under full load, enough to melt booster cables.

Smittybilt X20 is a very good winch as an exception - other Smittybilt products are Walmart-quality.

 

Whats best way to run the cable? TecCable type conduit or rigid conduit? Would be concerned that with PVC typical cable lining..it could get damaged or short out..or some fucking low life rat faced asshole varmint...eats it

400 amps? Damn..thats some juice!!!!! Can a single battery motor running handle it? I was planning on routing the start stop through my SPOD for activation only, I think otherwise im limited to 30A

Edit to add, I have full RCI skids should I mount to inside frame rail up inside skids rather than bottom exposed or structural tubing frame?

 

Harbor Freight, Badlands 9000 with synthetic rope. They also sell an associated hitch/winch mount.

You should be able to get both for ~$650 total (or less if you sign up for a membership).

 

What do you guys think is best pull rating? The X20 with sythetic seems only the Gen 2 fits the hitch cradle where with 10-12K pull. Whats the minimum I want for pull? I am not anticipating heavy clay suckage..but maybe mud. Sand highly doubtful. Maybe dragged out of ditch, up rocks etc. Many thanks!

 

I think most people use split loom for abrasion protection:

10k seems to be the popular size for mid-size vehicles. Rule of thumb is 1.5x your GVWR. Keep in mind winch power is reduced with more cable layers on the cable drum, so a 10k winch is down to 8.8k when pulling with two layers of rope, for example: https://www.roundforge.com/articles/what-size-winch-do-i-need/

There are field manuals and handbooks for estimating pulling forces depending on the degree of mire (whether you're buried up to the hubs, to the hood, etc.), with additional derating factors for angled pulls, uphill inclines, preexisting mechanical failures, etc. etc.

 

THanks for the above. I got enough split loom to open a store selling it..lol

Wasnt sure how it would be with the heat. So attach to frame? Then say followup frame to side to battery? This will be some big copper lugs!!!

 

Thanks for that link. Wow says alot. Other stuff ive read missed alot of that tech.

 

Your rig weighs what, 5k lbs? You need an 8k lbs winch. Buy a Badlands 9k lbs winch and call it a day.

 

Sounds like the OP doesn't want to sully his image with "Toughskins" when he really wants "Levis". IYKYK.
M.O.R.R. has pulled people out of some gnarly shit with "Toughskins".

 

Get one with a removable solenoid box in case you want to later mount it up front for more mounting flexibility
Harbor freight badlands 9000 to 12000 are similar price $30 or so more and about 10 pounds heavier for the 12000
In my Tacoma I used the 12k just to be safe.

im thinking of getting one as well until I can do the bumper and lift next year. Better to have something to back you out of trouble, we have lots of mud here

 

Just curious, what’s the typical plan to secure the winch/mount in the back when not in use to keep it from rolling around?

 

I wore toughskins.

We had a Sears delivery place to pick-up orders, ordered through the paper catalog. Nearest Sears store was an hour away.

 

I just picked up a brand new Warn Zeon 10-s for $1000 with the hitch mount on Fb market. In fact there were several for the same winch and around the same price. This one was just closer to me.

 

Was thinking custom plate to secure cradle in rear cargo area, on inside like a pelican hard case that is secured down. Anything so its not a 100lb flying missile if I stop or hit something. But yeah ideally secured as best as possible. Still looking at options. I have flat floor so theres some ideas. Maybe sandwhich aluminum plate under rear floor and fasteners coming through. Many ideas, not sure yet

I had toughskins as a kid... I had levis when I was older. Now I wear cheap cargo pants...

 

Man, used to love getting that new Sears catalog in the mail! We had to wait forever to get our orders. No Sears store within 3+ hours of where I grew up.

 

Well there was that section in the womens catalogue part..

The personal massager! Took me a few years to figure that one out... at first I was like who buys a long white massager stick like that anyhow?

The gun section...now that was much more straightforward for kid reading..

 

The Sears Catalog: 13 year old boy's Playboy...

 

Agreed, beats standing out front the variety store and being like hey Man can you grab me a nudie mag i got like $10 bucks...