quality winches?

[dfarm]

So, without starting the whole "warn is the best" you're putting your life in jeopardy if you bolt anything but a warn to your truck stuff, what makes a quality winch?

What are common failures on winches, and what can be done to fix the failures?

What parts on the winch can be rebuilt, or replaced with something else to improve performance or reliability?

I don't want this to be about what brand is better than what, just to discuss winch reliability in general.

 

[Beowulf]

Most common:

- Faulty Solenoid, but much less now with the Albright Contactor style
- Snapped Cable or Line
- Motor Failure

 

[I Leak Oil]

What are common failures on winches, and what can be done to fix the failures?

The person holding the controller......Sometimes this problem cannot be fixed.
Other than that it's like Beowulf said...

 

[verdesardog]

destroying the complete drum drive line and brake, don't power out an electric winch. Hopefuly Warn has addressed this problem, I had a failure on one about 15 yrs ago due to powering out less than 75 feet of cable.

 

[4x4x4doors]

My winch is not a Warn but has served me well. In the 7 or 8 years I've had it, the solenoids have been the only failure. I'm about to install my second replacement set.
I did replace the cable as the original steel one had gotten kinked and crossed enough that it would not rewind smoothly and I figured better to replace than wait for it to fail.

 

[86tuning]

Often I see low to mediocre grade of electrical connectors on the electric winches. While it obviously works, I think going one up on the electrical connections (and keeping them clean & tight)is a worthwhile effort.

+1

First thing I do is upgrade the battery terminal clamps and replace the power wires to the winch. Bigger = better.

 

[Idahoan]

Mostly configure my winches as removable on 2" receivers. So oxidation on the quick disconnect power plugs.

No screaming, never have had a problem with my Warns. I don't buy them because of the cult following. It's the same reason I bought a Jeep and a Harley and some of I think you get what you pay for. The Chinese stuff today is pretty decent quality. Just not for me.

 

[txfactor76]

I use Warn on everything. Of course that is my recommendation.

The only issue I've had with a Warn was an M8000 that got a thorough dunking in muddy water. It gunked up the internals eventually and of course I didn't find out until I needed to use it. The only issue was that the clutch lever would not go into neutral. Not a complete failure I guess; I just had to spool out the line with the motor, instead of pulling it out by hand. I simply removed one end of the winch, cleaned it out, lubed it up real good, and resealed it with some RTV silicone. I also put a rubber grommet around the clutch lever where it enters the housing.

Otherwise, I've never had any other type of failure.

 

[dfarm]

Thanks for the replies. I'm new in the market for a winch, and having never owned one, I have no idea what makes one better than the other. I'm not into paying for brand names if there isn't a difference in quality to justify the price. I guess what I'm getting at is what separates a rugged ridge winch for $250 shipped to my door with a three year warranty from a $450 warn vr8000 with a lifetime warranty? Can I buy a $250 winch, make a couple of upgrades and have a reliable winch? I don't care too much about speed, or even looks if I family be reasonably confident that it will pull line in and get me un stuck ,which you can find accounts of failures on them all.

A warranty is nice, but if a winch fails to do its job when I need it most (out exploring with the family by ourselves) I don't give a rats *** how good the warranty is while I'm trying to getting un stuck.

For my purposes, maybe I'd been better off with a come along or a high lift and some straps.

 

[Idahoan]

Clarification, It's not a name thing for me. I just buy US first. Idealist but that's my deal...

You get what you pay for in product and support.

A highlift is a staple. Honestly, I've used my winches very little but when I did it was desperate. I really needed to get there or get out!

 

[86tuning]

Honestly I would rather buy a used warn m8000 and refurbish that instead of most of the cheap winches out there.

The very last thing you want is to have your emergency recovery equipment not work when you need it.

You can find used winches for very reasonable amounts of money. Usually just needs a new rope (go synthetic) and a matching fairlead.

If the rope is in good shape just clean it up and use it!

 

[xjaugie]

Here is a photo of me winching my truck after I slid off the road in Alaska may miles from any help. Yes I was by myself. I had a cheap winch on the truck an while it worked just fine, it was then I realized how important a realiable winch really is. I'm in the process of saving the coin to get a Warn. I don't want to have my truck teetering on the edge again and be hoping my winch works.

 

[yubert]

Opinions on gears?

Anyone have opinions on the durability, reliability and performance of the various gears? Such as planetary, worm or spur gears?

 

[bfdiesel]

For all out strength worm gears, they are usually slower but will hold on their own without a brake.
Planetaries are the most compact.
Spur gears are heavy, (go 8274) and strong as well.
Most the newer electric winches are planetary.
All are pretty reliable designs, but it is the QA/QC of the company making them that counts the most.
So in the end it still boils down to who makes it.

 

[bfdiesel]

Thanks for the replies. I'm new in the market for a winch, and having never owned one, I have no idea what makes one better than the other. I'm not into paying for brand names if there isn't a difference in quality to justify the price. I guess what I'm getting at is what separates a rugged ridge winch for $250 shipped to my door with a three year warranty from a $450 warn vr8000 with a lifetime warranty? Can I buy a $250 winch, make a couple of upgrades and have a reliable winch? I don't care too much about speed, or even looks if I family be reasonably confident that it will pull line in and get me un stuck ,which you can find accounts of failures on them all.

A warranty is nice, but if a winch fails to do its job when I need it most (out exploring with the family by ourselves) I don't give a rats *** how good the warranty is while I'm trying to getting un stuck.

For my purposes, maybe I'd been better off with a come along or a high lift and some straps.

The extra coin for the more "brand" name is higher quality materials and a QA/QC program making sure it meets a higher minimum standard than say a store named after a Harbor that has a much lower standard and higher exceptable failure rate.

A high lift is an option, but a slow one. A back up to if the winch fails for me.
A good come along that I would trust my life with will still cost $ and likely be much lower on the rated capacity than a high lift even.