Picking a winch?

[postalWagon]

So I have narowed my winch search down to these three:
http://www.ramsey.com/winches/triplex6000.html Ramsey triple-x 6000
http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/9.0Rc.shtml Warn 9.0Rc
http://www.superwinch.com/products/productdetail/Rock+98+%26%238211%3B+9%2C800+lbs/12V/part_number=1698201/4377.0.1.1.29903.84269.0.0.0?pp=12& Superwinch Rock 98

What I would like to know if anyone has any experiance with them.
thanks!

 

[scenicgreenrr]

OK - I went a whole other direction !!!

 

[girlsgames]

my superwinch has been on my quad since new and it works perfect still. iv never had any issues with it other then having to change the cable once

 

[grntrdtaco]

i just had the best ever customer service experience with smittybilt that i have ever had with any company ever. I owned the winch for about a year and a half used it dozens of times then had a serious failure (not while winching) and they really stepped up and made it right.

 

[UglyScout]

If you really, really, really need your winch to work when you are stuck - get the best - WARN. My old 8247 is amazing.

I have not been paid to say this - but I'd gladly take a new winch for my efforts.... D

 

[ReconH3]

Warn 8274 hands down!!!!!!! All else is s compromise.


"Ex Umbris Venimus"

Sent from my iPhone

 

[postalWagon]

Has any one had any experiance with Ramsey winches?

If not, I'll narrow the field to warn and smithybiuld.

 

[AFSOC]

I do not have experience with the three selections you have chosen. I am not a power user and have only unspooled my M8000 5 times is three years (six if you count cleaning the dyneema). I chose my Warn for (what in my mind is) its performance to value ratio. I strongly considered a Smitybilt but conceded that a winch (any winch) is a big expenditure by the time it is properly installed and and rigged. When I need it, I really need to know it is going to work. The Smittys have customer satisfaction ratings on both extremes of the scale. I just didn't want to take a chance on getting one of the poorly assembled units only to be disappointed when I required its services.

 

[Warn Industries]

Hi Lloyd,

If you have any questions about the WARN products, feel free to shoot me a private message, or just post here.

- Andy

 

[Antichrist]

Has any one had any experiance with Ramsey winches?

Not that specific one, but I have an RE10000 (no longer available, but the RE8000 and RE12000 are) and I think it's one of the best winches on the market. It's slow, but has a lower current draw than many comparable electrics and will pull for a long time.

I also have three 8274's and like them a lot. For good or bad they are very fast, but have a high current draw. One of them I bought new in '75.
But Warn really gripes me because they appear to have gone to proprietary controllers which means you have to buy an expensive one from them if you loose yours or it dies.
Compare that to my oldest 8274 where the switch died and it was $3 to replace, and later the connector corroded and it was about $3 to replace.
Yeah, I pay attention to the little things too. lol

Look for some posts from nonimouse on his opinions of various winches.

 

[Karma]

HI All,
I assume from reading this thread that you all feel the original Warn switches and solenoids are not up to the task on the 8274 winch. They, from the posts, are unreliable, are not capable of 100% duty cycle, and should be replaced. Do I have this right?

My 8274 was acquired used. I'm guessing a bit but I'll bet it was new around 1980. The vehicle it was on originally was used at the beach and the rust betrayed this fact. I rebuilt the winch but left the original switches and solenoids. I sold the rust bucket Toyota. I've had zero winch problems over a twelve year span.

What leads you to the conclusion that I should replace mine? I think that is what you are telling me. What is your data source because I've not heard this before?

As for high current draw, I feel all winch installations should have dual batteries where you can separate the winch battery from the running battery. I have dual Odyssey's with the control system from Wrangler NW. I also have a Mean Green 160A alternator. I would have more but 160A is the most I could get with a V belt. Seems to work well. Current draw is a trade off between power, and speed. There is no getting around this fact. The 8274 is certainly fast.

I love this winch.

Sparky

 

[chasespeed]

Contactors, solenoids, and relays are WEAR items, and if in the proper use, 100% duty cycle.. they wear from the ON/OFF action, which causes arcing on EACH opening, and closing of the contacts, eventually, it wont hold... they also wear, from... INADEQUATE voltage on the switching side.... that would cause chattering, and premature failure. Even switches have a finite life span... depends on the use... I have come across contactors 20 years old, still looking new.. and replaced contactors that are 2 years old(VERY hard use, CONSTANT on and off cycling)... and typically, the higher the amp draw, the more carbon buildup and pitting on the contactors... eventually, they will weld closed...

High amp draw can also mean an extremely inefficient motor... not the case with the warn, especially the 8274.... amp draw does NOT always equal power or speed....... For electric winches, I PREFER Warn, as was mentioned in another thread.... and, I AM in the market for a rear winch... 12-`16k, with a HIGH duty cycle(needs to compete with my hydraulic in the front).... BUT, that isnt the purpose of this thread....

The SmittyBuilt has also been good.... BUT... for what its worth... my COMPANY will only consider/purchase Warn winches for the Vans/trucks/ATVs......

Chase

 

[DamMan]

I have the Warn 9.0RC and it is a great little winch. I would have went with the Superwinch Rock98 but it is longer than the 9.0RC and wouldn't fit in my application. The only reason I would have chosen the Superwinch is because of Warn's poor customer service on an old XD9000 I have. The Warn 9.0RC has the newer single solenoid, is fast, works great and I have no regrets. While I have no experience with the Rock98, my Superwinch Talon 12.5SR and 9.0ep are both great winches. The XD9000 has also been super but when a part did fail the Warn tech gave me the part number but wouldn't sell it to me. When I ordered the part on-line, the shipping was terrible for such a light weight part. To top it off, a co-worker who retired from Warn then told me it should have been free and if he had known of my problem, he knew who to call. I have no experience with Superwinch's customer service.

 

[postalWagon]

Good heavens,
I was hoping to find out if anybody had any experience with the aforementioned winches, not just the brand.
So, back to the topic, please.

 

[Desert Dan]

What Vehicle are you putting it on??

Is weight or airflow an issue?