Kyle Kelso
Adventurer
I am looking to purchase a hitch mounted winch cradle and wondering about the appropriate size winch to get. My truck is a loaded up (tools and stuff, not trim!) 2011 F350 crew cab short box diesel, so it is quite heavy. If I was permanently mounting I would definitely be going 12k minimum, but I'm wondering about the hitch setup. My front hitch is only rated to 9,000lb line pull, but the rear is a classIV so it's higher.
I have gotten by so far without a winch and I don't plan on rock crawling my truck, but work gets pretty muddy, highways get pretty icy and we do get out into mountain trails for camping so I would like to have one should the need arise. If I'm honest I'll probably find reasons to use it more than it will be needed, pulling people out of the ditch in the winter, collecting firewood, etc.
I'm not sure if I should get an 8000lb winch so that I know I won't over-stress the front receiver and accept that it will only help but not be able to completely recover my truck, or get a 10,000lb so I can use it to full capacity on rear hitch but be cautious to not tear the front receiver off. Is a 10,000lb winch on a 9000lb front receiver asking for trouble? Surely they apply a generous safety margin
Thanks
I have gotten by so far without a winch and I don't plan on rock crawling my truck, but work gets pretty muddy, highways get pretty icy and we do get out into mountain trails for camping so I would like to have one should the need arise. If I'm honest I'll probably find reasons to use it more than it will be needed, pulling people out of the ditch in the winter, collecting firewood, etc.
I'm not sure if I should get an 8000lb winch so that I know I won't over-stress the front receiver and accept that it will only help but not be able to completely recover my truck, or get a 10,000lb so I can use it to full capacity on rear hitch but be cautious to not tear the front receiver off. Is a 10,000lb winch on a 9000lb front receiver asking for trouble? Surely they apply a generous safety margin
Thanks