8k-9.5k winch best bang 4 buck???

hovenator

Explorer
I am in the market for a winch to install on my Frontier. What 8k-9.5k winch is the best bang for the buck? I want to make sure it's a reliable piece of equipment without breaking the bank. Which would you choose and why?
 

Airmapper

Inactive Member
I run a 8k Smittybilt. I won it from 4wheelparts in Nashville, so had nothing to loose.

Smittybilt is not as bad as some folks rant about. Mine pulled me out today and it's been installed for a year or two. It hasn't failed me yet, knock on wood. I hear Harbor Freight winches are not that bad either.

BUT....I rebuilt my Smittybilt before I ever installed it. Cleaned ALL the thick sticky grease out and replaced with Aeroshell lithium grease, sealed the housings back with silicone instead of flimsy cardboard gaskets, and went over and secured the wiring as needed. I protected my solenoid box by remote mounting it up high under the hood. I also used high amp rated welding cables to handle the main motor load, so it gets all the power it wants.

By the time I was done I knew everything about how that winch works. Very little to go wrong with them if you take care of them. Most issues come from the solenoid box being exposed to the elements and shoddy wiring connections.
 

Happykamper

Explorer
For the price if you get a smittybilt, which are very good winches . Get the 9.5 synthetic XRC synthetic . It works well.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I've always thought the standard Warn M8000 was a good deal. They usually go for about $650, made in USA, parts are easy to find anywhere since the design hasn't changed much in decades, the support is second to none. It and the 8274 have probably pulled out 90% of the stuck trucks ever around the world so you know it works.
 

hovenator

Explorer
I have heard good things about the Smitty winches, though they no longer make an 8k winch. Was also considering the Warn m8000, Superwinch Tigershark and LP8500, the Mile Marker Scout, just to name a few. It's just so confusing.......
I realize that it's a bumper ornament 99% of the time, but want it to function without fail when I do need it.
 

downhill

Adventurer
I got a Smittybuilt 9.5 XRC synthetic. It's a very good winch, and very affordable. The cost of the top winches has just turned me off. The shop where I got mine has sold 30+ units with no returns, including one guy who owns an offroad recovery business. He bought one to try, then bought 4 more! As stated above, I think it is always a good idea to go through any new winch and re-grease and seal it. Most potential issues can be found early. I also had a Milemarker hydraulic winch several years ago, and loved that.
 

hovenator

Explorer
Yeah, I am in the same predicament.... I just can't justify paying top dollar on a winch when there are much less expensive options that are probably just as good. I have always been a Superwinch fan, but have also been looking hard at the new Smittybilt's. I won't rule out any other options though. I am just trying to get as much info as I can to make an informed decision on my purchase.
 

Norwood_d

New member
Hi everyone! New member, first post here.

I just sprang for the ComeUp Seal Gen2 9.5rs. It's a 9,500lb winch with synthetic rope (Dyneema SK-75 fiber, made in Norway, has a 19,500lb rating - same fiber as the Warn Spydera ProMax). It's about $950 shipped, but with its rating, remote, and synthetic rope it's a great alternative to Warn. They apparently manufacture(d) many of the Smitty winches and have been popping up on pro race rigs lately. It's worth a look.
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
I realize that it's a bumper ornament 99% of the time, but want it to function without fail when I do need it.
That's the crux for me. I ended up with a used Warn XD9500 from a fellow club member when I was looking to buy an M8000. It's just bumper farckle until you need it not to be. I preferred to wait until I could get something I personally could trust to work after being bounced around and covered with road grime all the time. What I use for criteria is just as individual as anyone else, though, so it's not an either-or question. All I know is that my winch came out of my previous truck pretty nasty and rusty after about 12 years behind the ARB but still works fine. At the time, though, the proliferation of cheaper winches hadn't yet happened so I don't know if I'd make the same decision now that I did back then.
 

downhill

Adventurer
Isn't the M8000 made in china now? I think all the lower priced Warns are. China is not necessarily a bad thing though. They can make great stuff if they have the right oversight.
 

Box Rocket

Well-known member
Hi everyone! New member, first post here.

I just sprang for the ComeUp Seal Gen2 9.5rs. It's a 9,500lb winch with synthetic rope (Dyneema SK-75 fiber, made in Norway, has a 19,500lb rating - same fiber as the Warn Spydera ProMax). It's about $950 shipped, but with its rating, remote, and synthetic rope it's a great alternative to Warn. They apparently manufacture(d) many of the Smitty winches and have been popping up on pro race rigs lately. It's worth a look.

COMEUP does not manufacture the Smittybuilt winches.
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My personal opinion on winches is that "bang for the buck" implies the idea of "how many shortcomings can I put up with for the cost?" I think a winch is a piece of equipment that you want to have 100% confidence in, all the time. Not something you want to wonder if its going to work on the first spring trail ride after 6 months of being parked on the side of your house through the winter and buried in snow. Or whether the cost savings of cheaper materials are going to be worth it if it fails when you need it most.
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That doesn't mean the most expensive is always the best option. But the priority should be on quality and reliability rather than cost. There's a couple things I try to remember when purchasing equipment for myself. "Cost is what you pay, Value is what you get." and... "The poor man ALWAYS pays twice." It might mean I need to save a little longer to pay a little more for the right piece of equipment but in the end the value is always greater as a result.
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I purchased a COMEUP Seal Gen2 9.5rs for my Cruiser. I'm finding more and more evidence that COMEUP are premium winches with topshelf quality and reliability and very reasonable prices. Excellent value IMO.
 

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