HI LIFT AS A WINCH?
- Thread starter REDROVER
- Start date
Really, I think useless. I've seen the technique only demonstrated and when I saw that was when I decided to get a winch.
If you need to be pulled on incline or for any distance over say 2 ft, its going to be pretty useless. I've never needed to be pulled when a hilift would have een even remotely possible.
One of the first times I needed my winch was on a moderate trail going up, broken rear drive shaft and no spare, in rain over head-size and larger rocks. I winched for about 2 hours.
Either wheel with vehicles that have a winch, purchase one, or don't go where you would ever need one.
If you need to be pulled on incline or for any distance over say 2 ft, its going to be pretty useless. I've never needed to be pulled when a hilift would have een even remotely possible.
One of the first times I needed my winch was on a moderate trail going up, broken rear drive shaft and no spare, in rain over head-size and larger rocks. I winched for about 2 hours.
Either wheel with vehicles that have a winch, purchase one, or don't go where you would ever need one.
ipgregory
Adventurer
Effective? Well it works. It can certainly be effectively used as a winch. It can be used up to the WLL of the particular brand of jack (and the other components used in the rigging) which is normally enough for most medium sized vehicles unless they are frame deep in sticky mud or weigh 10 tons and need pulling up a cliff.
Is it safe? Like anything else, yes if used correctly. If used incorrectly or without proper care and consideration for what you are doing then it can be lethal. You're using it as a force multiplier to lift, pull or clamp significant loads. If you don't know what you are doing or don't take care in how you are doing it then it's primarily those loads that will hurt or kill you when the collapsing, toppling or breaking jack or part of the jack (never put any part of your body between the jack frame and the handle) releases them. Same thing is in play for any other type of vehicle recovery. Use a winch and a tree to lift your truck up, get under it to stack rocks and the line or branch snaps, the truck landing on you is what hurts but it wasn't the winches fault or lack of inherent safety.
All of that said, if you try using it as a winch once you will almost certainly gnaw your own leg off and eat it to survive until another vehicle comes along to get you out before you will ever try it again…
What they ARE useful for is as an aid to other types of recovery or repair. Lifting parts of a vehicle to clear things its grounded on like trees and rocks. With the wheel adaptors, lifting wheels to put sand ladders, brush, carpet or some other traction aid under them. Lifting a vehicle out of ruts or back onto firmer ground. Used as a clamp or a spreader in trail repairs for mangled underbody bits. The handle is useful as a pry bar, to add force in removing stubborn bolts or as a stiffener for things like bent track rods, etc. What they are useless for is changing tires on trucks with long travel suspension like LRs.
There are many, many uses for them out there including as a winch, you're just never going to want to use it as one twice….
What is often overlooked is that the hi lift is only as good as the available jacking point. If you don't have good solid points on the vehicle to use it on then it's not much good on its own. The tire kit you have is really good for this as it offers a jacking point at each corner. But to use it effectively you need to be able to jack at the front, rear and sides as well. That means bumpers and sliders that are strong enough to handle the weight of the vehicle and have safe points to use the jack. You may not always want to lift wheels in the air and destablize a vehicle.
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tacr2man
Adventurer
They will work but are less user friendly than even a tirfor , in other words they will pull you but by the time you have got out , you will vow never to get in that situation ever again . Since electric winches and their ease of fitment , and relative cheapness , if you are going into risky terrain its worth having one , for emergency extraction (you or more likely others) . If its extreme terrain , unsupported , frequently, then go to the next step _ hydraulic ! JMHE
1911
Expedition Leader
All of that said, if you try using it as a winch once you will almost certainly gnaw your own leg off and eat it to survive until another vehicle comes along to get you out before you will ever try it again…
+1, it works as a winch, but only inches at a time. If you had no other recovery options it would be better than nothing; with diligence and some luck you might be able to move the truck fast enough to discourage vultures from perching on it while they wait for you.
We teach the use of a Hi-Lift as come-a-long to both civilians and military.
Is it slow? Yes. Is it sweaty? Yes. Is it "dangerous"? If you don't know what you're doing and use compromised gear then yes!
We use them quite frequently to pull the ***-end of a truck off a tree or rock or bank. We've used them to secure a truck that has become side-hill. They are a nice trick to have up your sleeve for a number of situations. It's probably the most popular demo we perform and teach...
They have a rated capacity of 4660lbs with a shear pin rated at 7k.
Is it slow? Yes. Is it sweaty? Yes. Is it "dangerous"? If you don't know what you're doing and use compromised gear then yes!
We use them quite frequently to pull the ***-end of a truck off a tree or rock or bank. We've used them to secure a truck that has become side-hill. They are a nice trick to have up your sleeve for a number of situations. It's probably the most popular demo we perform and teach...
They have a rated capacity of 4660lbs with a shear pin rated at 7k.
The Rover Shop
Explorer
Yep...very slow and lots of work...as far as mechanical winches +1 on the tirfor (problem is they are just as expensive as a decent winch)...I have a 10,000lb winch with 125ft of plasma cord.. a hi-lift extreme and a 4000lb tirfor with 100ft of 7/16th cable, and a 1000lb pullpal on my truck...If I cant get myself out of any situation I am **cked...LOL..
These statements alone convince me that using a HL as a winch is risky, dangerous and not worth it. I've experience scarey stuff even with a well maintained HL. Use care because even for intended use and recovery aid they have the potential to knock your block off.
To winch you out of a serious stuck, its not rated high enough, too much effort and if you are dealing with those to variables it is then questionably impossible and dangerous. I am really pressed to think of a situation where I would use a HL to winch.
Seriously.
800 bucks for a winch and equipment is cheap compared to fixing a broken appendage and IMO, increases safety as long as you have a brain and know how to use it.
JeremyT101
Adventurer
I think the issue here its not just the 800 for the winch that is the issue. I have thought about this issue alot recently myself and putting a winch on your truck is more like a 1700-2k deal. The winch being 800+ shipping. Having a battery that can take that kind of load, and getting all the associated parts. Then, your either need a steel bumper which runs anywhere from 900-1500 bucks to your front door. And if no bumper you still gotta pay someone to fab something. So I see the point of a winch and would love to have one, but if one can hardly afford a new set of tires(like I can't), it's hard to drop that kind of money on a winch.
REDROVER
Explorer
the problem i have with my land rover situation , the way the truck is designed from factory ,if i put any strong over 9.000 lb winch it cuts my approach angle by at least 40%. unless i use one of those removable winches that can be in the back or front . or may be i should go with non electric winch?
ERIC
ERIC
ipgregory
Adventurer
It doesn't have to. There are multiple options out there for mounting a winch to an RRC. To avoid degrading the AO overmuch you have 2 options, either mount it between the frame rails as far back as you can with a discrete winch mount or mount it as high as you can with an upgraded winch bumper. Personally I’d go with the bumper because you get the added benefit of a strong jacking platform and front recovery points. Or places to mount strong recovery points at least.
9k# winches are not that big unless you go for one with integral solenoids.
Look at the attached. 1st 2 pics borrowed from the RTE web site. The Disco one is listed for the RRC as well they just only have a pic of it on a Disco. Both have a huge increase in usable AO low down over stock. Last pic is a discrete winch mount between the frame rails.
Attachments
craig
Supporting Sponsor, Overland Certified OC0018
There's quite a bit of room behind the plastic grille. I have a non-winch ARB bumper and was able to fit a 12,000lb winch in it that way. I went with a roller fairlead that sticks out a bit, but you could always go with a hawse fairlead. In my experience, it is rare that the center of the bumper gets hung up on things. As long as you can get a wheel to hit first, it'll lift the front end up and over the obstacle.
Is that yellow D1 an RTE bumper? It looks a lot like a Kyle Van Tessel (KVT) bumper.
Is that yellow D1 an RTE bumper? It looks a lot like a Kyle Van Tessel (KVT) bumper.
Don't let a piece of recovery gear "scare" you. When you know how to use ANYTHING safely it's a matter of respect you should have and not fear. Weapons are analogous to this.
The Hi Lift is a GREAT piece of gear to have - cost effective and multi-purpose. It's a jack for tire repair and "jacking and stacking", it's a clamp, it's a spreader tool (think poor man's jaws of life here) and it's a nice come-a-long. We/I have and do use them for all of the above almost every week of every month (sometimes every-day of every week) and do so safely. Learn how to use one the right/safe way and you'll love it and swear by it! Don't let it scare you but always respect it!
The Hi Lift is a GREAT piece of gear to have - cost effective and multi-purpose. It's a jack for tire repair and "jacking and stacking", it's a clamp, it's a spreader tool (think poor man's jaws of life here) and it's a nice come-a-long. We/I have and do use them for all of the above almost every week of every month (sometimes every-day of every week) and do so safely. Learn how to use one the right/safe way and you'll love it and swear by it! Don't let it scare you but always respect it!
ipgregory
Adventurer
'Borrowed' the pic off their web site today so I would have to presume its one of theirs. They list a price for it anyway.
Read the prior posts. A HL is not a replacement for a winch. Nor can you use it safely without good lift points. You'll nee bumpers and sliders to use a HL even for what it is meant to be used for. Otherwise you are risking yourself and the vehicle.
If you need to go on the cheap wait for used ARB bumper (350-450), get the X9 and call it a day at about a grand.
But, even if you go 2k route. A broken arm is likely to cost that much, but if you are really not careful, knowledgable and expereinced a HL could really kick your *** if you got hit in the head with something or if something fell on you.
My advice is to stay safe. use the HL for its designed purpose, stay on trails and with company that you can do accomplish and save the tough stuff for when you are adequately geard up. A HL is never going to winch you off or over any serious obstacle without risking a lot.
I'll get off my soapbox now and of course take my opinion for what it is worth. My opinion is that using it for lifting and shoving is likely OK but as a winch and in unpredictable situations, you will yourself for getting a winch. I've seen near disaster with inexperienced people and HL.
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