To winch, or not to winch...

[computeruser]

Heck, why stop at one winch?

Good choice on the bumper. JCR makes good stuff. I'm thinking about driving down to pay them another visit to see about a roof rack setup and brushguard/wraparoundfenderprotection/slider setup one of these days.

 

[goodtimes]

I tend to travel alone a fair amount. I *feel* better with the winch. But I have never needed it when travelling alone...only when travelling with groups have I actually needed it. But it adds a measure of safety when you lack the safety in numbers (2nd vehicle to pull you out).

I'd say get one, plus a tree saver, snatch block, appropriate shackles and recovery points, etc., then learn how to use all of it. You may never need it, but that one time it saves you from a 50 mile hike, you'll be glad you have it.

 

[spressomon]

I have a winch on my 100. I have used it several times including once recently to right my trailer. All of the situations I have used my winch could have been facilitated by using a Hi-Lift. However it would have been slower and less convenient. So for peace of mind I would recommend carrying a Hi-Lift with all the regular recovery gear you would carry anyway...until you know that you need/want/can afford a winch (but I still carry the Hi-Lift for jacking purposes and a back up to the winch).

 

[ntsqd]

I've had a winch for ~5 years and built a winch bumper 3 or 4 years before that. I've moved it once, to the new house's garage, where it still is.

At some point in the future I'll put it on a receiver slider so that I can use it with either vehicle, or leave it at home for those trips where it's not going to be likely to be needed.

 

[Alaska Mike]

I'm a bit late in this, but here's my take:

I winch a lot up here. A run where I don't pull cable is very, very rare. I consider it a necessity, given the terrain I encounter. My club used to have more rigs without winches (50%), but we would take much longer to get from point A to point B and the impact was greater (more throttle applied).

That said, if you have encountered very few instances where you needed to winch, you could spend the money elsewhere. On a lot of rigs, it's just extra weight and unnecessary bling (like most snorkels). Recovery gear is the new chrome. The required modifications to suspension/electrical systems and the body itself (on an unibody XJ) to support a winch makes it an expensive proposition. A decent winch costs about $400. The mounting system will be at least $100. Suspension? Alternator/battery/battery cables? All this for something you may use once or twice?

If it were me in this situation, I'd install sound hitch points front and rear, get a basic recovery kit (strap, clevis (x2), gloves...) and a HiLift jack. Beyond that, perhaps a hand winch like the one Scott reviewed would be a better solution: http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/general_equipment/black_rat_winch.htm

That's just me, though. I like offbeat recovery gear.

 

[charlieaarons]

I second what AlaskaMike says. I personally wouldn't 4 wheel up here without a winch and I now have one at each end of my big rig. Don't forget anchor(s).
However, before buying a winch ensuring the best possible traction is essential and much more cost-effective. That means lockers at both ends (autolocker or selectable in the rear, selectable in the front) and appropriate tires for your terrain. No point in buying a winch and not having locking diffs and decent tires. Those latter two things are the two most dramatic performance enhancing mods there are.
I think for small rigs having a detachable winch is a really good idea. In my 37 years of 4 wheeling I've been in lots of situations where a rear winch was necessary, and common sense says sometimes you want to retreat via your established tracks. If you're dealing with winches that weigh 380 lb w/cable it won't work however.

Charlie

 

[DaveInDenver]

If you have good recovery points and an assortment of recovery gear, various chains, straps, shackles, etc. and a Hi-Lift, you will have a pretty effective, if slow, winch already. There are times when a winch is necessary and I'm not trying to say not to mount one on a truck. But just want to point out that there are more cost effective things to spend money in IMO. Personally I take very pansy lines if I am solo and so the only times I've been by myself and needed to rig a winch were because of snowy roads and lack of appropriate tire friction. In all but one case the Hi-Lift (or in a few, putting on my tire chains) worked well enough to get a decent aspect and I drove out. I did have to wait for another truck once and it would have been a real PITA if he hadn't come by. I guess if I think about it, that was the only time so far driving in the backcountry that I would have /needed/ a winch (if the second vehicle hadn't come by). The other times winches have been deployed where in groups and we were trying harder obstacles than I would have solo.

 

[Alaska Mike]

However, before buying a winch ensuring the best possible traction is essential and much more cost-effective. That means lockers at both ends (autolocker or selectable in the rear, selectable in the front) and appropriate tires for your terrain. No point in buying a winch and not having locking diffs and decent tires. Those latter two things are the two most dramatic performance enhancing mods there are.

I generally suggest winches as the one of the first modifications (after tow points front and rear) for people who live in mud country. Tires and lockers will often just get you stuck more. That's rarely the case with a winch.

As for being cost-effective, I'm not sure lockers qualify. I have ARBs currently (after years of running all sorts of other lockers) and they spend 99% of the time turned off. Lockers increase drivetrain wear and breakage, and non-selectable (automatic) lockers can get you into some bad situations on greasy sidehills. A non-lunchbox locker usually costs about $1000 or more per axle (installed). They aren't cheap.

Tires are a toss-up. The reason I use my ARBs so infrequently is that my tires provide me sufficient traction. I've had tires that were more suited for highway travel but were less efficient off road. I found my personal balance between driveability and traction. Your mileage may vary. However, my tires were $200ea (not overly expensive) and required vehicle modifications that bring the total cost to more than $2000. Bang for the buck? That's debatable. I get stuck less, but when I get stuck, I'm really stuck, and the $2000 is just sitting there digging four holes.

For me, the bottom line is matching the vehicle/modifications to the environment it's going to be used in.

 

[Scott Brady]

Yes mostly in the southwest...

And yes mostly by myself....

If you are traveling solo, I would recommend the winch. But, if you are already carrying a hi-lift, and have jacking points on all four corners, that will get you out of 90% of situations in the SW. Add the winch kit for the jack and you are probably closer to 98%.

Anywhere that mud is prevalent, get the winch.

 

[kcowyo]

For me, the bottom line is matching the vehicle/modifications to the environment it's going to be used in.

There are some excellent points in this post. The quoted summation was one of the best.

 

[Alaska Mike]

If you are traveling solo, I would recommend the winch. But, if you are already carrying a hi-lift, and have jacking points on all four corners, that will get you out of 90% of situations in the SW. Add the winch kit for the jack and you are probably closer to 98%.

Anywhere that mud is prevalent, get the winch.

It's amazing what you can do with a HiLift, a few accessories, a little ingenuity, and a little elbow grease. When I add something to the vehicle, I try to think of multiple uses for that item. A HiLift is an amazing versatile piece of equipment. I've used mine as a bridging ladder, a winch, a hoist, a vice, a winch anchor, and countless other things. Oh, and it jacks stuff up as well.

You can do longer pulls with a HiLift with a little determination. A hand winch or come-along speeds the process up a little, and the electric/hydraulic winch makes it fast and easy. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and you have to determine what fits your needs the best. Keep in mind that overlanding usually requires more gear than your average day trip, and GVWR should be taken into account.

 

[XJxplorer]

Wow, thanks a bunch guys. A lot of good points. I don't do any hardcore wheeling, so I think for now I will just go with a JCR non winch bumper. In a few years when I'm back up in Oregon or Colorado I will worry about a winch...

Thanks again guys

Mike:26_7_2:

 

[viter]

I live in San Diego, California. I have had a winch for about 2 years and used it only a couple times: once to pull out myself and twice to pull out other vehicles out of predicament where using a strap-recovery could have been dangerous (like flipping another rig off a dune side...). All these times where in the desert sand. Like others say, usually you can do away without one with a high-lift and a long stretch of winch rope and chain, but it sure speeds things along, is easier to use and gives you that safety feeling. I would buy one right after good tires, rear locker, and good protection, but that's just my thinking...