hydraulic winch options

[Nonimouse]

I would go for a dedicated pump

Your man Jim is essentaiily right about port size but the MM is woefully underpowered/flowed/pressured by the ZF. A dedicated ZF is a tadge faster..

If you email Peter at this e-mail address sales@firstfouroffroad.co.uk

He is the UK Distributor but is also an engineer or some standing and has worked on the upgrading of the MM. The best I have seen is 240feet/minute in second using a PTO pump; too fats but with a variable spool valve, just the ticket.
There is something called a Type R conversion which uses a chain drive from the crank pulley to run a better suited pump.
Alternatively you could speak to Jez at The House of the Flying Spanners - he uses a modified Type R to great effect.

If you do speed it up bare in mind that the poor welding on the drum often fails which will take out the chassis et the gear box end

 

[whatcharterboat]

These are the best hydraulic things going here in Oz. The mechanical version were fitted to our Army Landrovers and are absolutely bulletproof. Much stronger than any planetary gear setup we've seen so far. Also they're rated at a verticle lift not on an incline. Made in electric , hydraulic and mechanical. Our old Army Landrover had one on the rear which wasn't that common. With a wide roller so you could sling the cable under to winch forwards or just winch backwards or so you could disconnect a trailer in really soft stuff and drag it back up to you when you got clear.

http://www.winch.com.au/winch/winches/hydroWinch.html

 

[delilah8722]

I believe the stock pump is probably about half the pressure and a third the flow rate of what is recommended by MM.

It moves at the crawl rate of a centipede that has been stepped on by a young antelope, and the 12000 lb winch pulls at an estimated max of about 9000 lbs.

The Defender has Power "assisted" steering. Not power steering in the modern sense of the word.

I am not seeking competitive performance, I just want to winch myself across the river before it ices up for the winter...

Yes that's right it moves at crawl rate of a centipede I used one myself and it pulls from about a 12000lb winch to 9000 lbs it's very powerful and I used one myself three months ago today It was very useful for me at that time.