what winch

I've had a Warn 8274, HF8000, and Smittybilt 8000. The Warn never failed me, but was damn heavy. I put it through it's paces many times. You can't have too much battery to feed that beast, but the winch itself was unstoppable. The HF8000 serves as a trailer winch, and is super slow, but gets the job done. Occasionally I have to beat on the control box when I first start using it to get it to work. I have never used the Smittybilt. I connected cables to it a few weeks ago and tried to cycle it, but nothing happened. May be a controller issue, but I haven't diagnosed it yet. Even though the Smittybilt hasn't let me down, I wish I would have kept the Warn and put rope on it.
 
jeepinmatt said:
I have never used the Smittybilt. I connected cables to it a few weeks ago and tried to cycle it, but nothing happened. May be a controller issue, but I haven't diagnosed it yet.
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I assume used?
 
CasterTroy said:
@drkelly do you still have one? You seemed to have done a lot of homework before your decision, but didn't see if you ever swapped out to a warn or anything after.


Not looking to compete. Not even hoping to have to USE it, but I always like being prepared for the unexpected (boyscout/engineer hard wiring) and I rarely take chances, and while I'd LOVE to have a Warn 8274, $1800 goes a long way for other items, JUST to be the "cool kid"
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I still have it mounted on my Sami and it still works great. I used it a couple of times last May at the Flats to drag my rig up an impassable section. I used it a couple of weeks ago to pull a pine tree I had cut down up the hill along the side of my driveway so I didn't have to cut it standing on a steep slope and have the logs roll down the hill.
 
RobMcBee said:
I had a SB 8k. It was a great winch for the money, but it had a permanent magnet motor. The first time I had to do a lot of pulling the motor failed. It heated up and the magnets came loose. SB wouldn't warranty the motor. I think now they are all series wound motors which are much better. So whatever you decide on, make sure it does not have a permanent magnet motor.

Also I think SB and Super Winch use the same frame, gears, and drum assembly
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I think I remember researching that when the XRC8 winch first came out that is was permanent magnet, then not too much later they switched to the improved design.
 
I have had my XRC8 for about 4 years. The motor went out soon after I bought it but they sent me a new one for free. I don't winch a lot but it hasn't had a problem since then.
 
Ran an Engo on my last rig. Good winch for the money. It got tested HARD in Lions Den one day when I flat ran out of talent. You can still get them through a few places. Last I knew it was still going on my old rig which would make it about 5 years old.

Currently running a Harbor Freight on my 4Runner and it worked just fine on Saturday winching a broken XJ at the SHOP. I do want to replace the cable with synthetic but it was an open box deal and for what I paid for it, I can't complain. Its slow, but it works. I'm not trying to win any winching competitions.

If money isn't an option: Warn
If you want a good winch on a budget: XRC from Smittybilt
If you are a cheapass and have coupons: Harbor Freight
 
My xrc8 exploded into 14 pieces last weekend. I just got off the phone with SB and they told me to send some pictures and I they will open a ticket for me to purchase the new gen 2 at a discount price.
We'll see, never hurts to ask
 
DSM Turbos said:
I have had my XRC8 for about 4 years. The motor went out soon after I bought it but they sent me a new one for free. I don't winch a lot but it hasn't had a problem since then.
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ecoast said:
My xrc8 exploded into 14 pieces last weekend. I just got off the phone with SB and they told me to send some pictures and I they will open a ticket for me to purchase the new gen 2 at a discount price.
We'll see, never hurts to ask
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Mine was 8 months old when the motor went out on it.... Called SB to warranty it and got nowhere. Supposedly the limited warranty didn't cover the motor, maybe that's changed now <shrug>. I do think they offered me a discounted motor also, but it was still gonna be around 200.

Like I said, I liked it, and now that they use series wound motors I'd probably buy another one if I could get it as cheap as I bought the first. I think I paid 250 for it shipped on sale. I used it several times and it always worked. It was pulling myself out of my driveway after 18 inches of snow that killed it. I lived on the side of a mountain at that time.
 
8274 is what I want for line speed so I might have a chance to get on my tires with only the battery.

Other than that my xrc10 is slow, loud, and reliable. Just change out the control plug to a trailer set up if you go that route. Or better yet, go w in cab controls.
 
I just bought this one from Q-Tec. It fits my need and budget, shipped free, plus I like the look. Did a light test pull to break in the rope and then pulled some poles out of the ground and it works great. The plus for me with this one is the fact it's set up for the Jeep, so the cables were EXACTLY the right length. This, and the integrated solenoid made the install a snap.

awww.quadratec.com_Assets_Images_225895_225895_lg.jpg
 
I picked up a used 8274 years ago. It's from the early 1980s. Used it for years and with a very light re-hab recently and a change to a contactor instead of the solenoids it is still going strong, and I upgraded the motor to the 9.5XP when cash allowed. Last fall I found another one used on Craigslist for $400 that works; keeping it for spare parts.

My rear winch is a used M8000 that I purchased off this board a couple years ago for $300. I swapped the line out for synthetic and changed to a contactor to match my front winch but didn't need to as the winch worked great as-is.

Point here is that there are deals to be found, just need patience and cash-in-hand when the deal shows up. If you purchase a name-brand unit you can repair or upgrade it later when the need arises. The cheap ones aren't worth it.

My brother has an XRC8 on his JK and has never really used it. After only two seasons the finish looks like crap and the paint or powdercoat (not sure what it has) is flaking off. The winch looks like crap. While I know that speaks nothing to how the actual winch works it tells me that the manufacturer did not put much value into the quality of the materials and finish and to me that doesn't speak very well to the overall product.
 
jeepinmatt said:
I've had a Warn 8274, HF8000, and Smittybilt 8000. The Warn never failed me, but was damn heavy. I put it through it's paces many times. You can't have too much battery to feed that beast, but the winch itself was unstoppable. The HF8000 serves as a trailer winch, and is super slow, but gets the job done. Occasionally I have to beat on the control box when I first start using it to get it to work. I have never used the Smittybilt. I connected cables to it a few weeks ago and tried to cycle it, but nothing happened. May be a controller issue, but I haven't diagnosed it yet. Even though the Smittybilt hasn't let me down, I wish I would have kept the Warn and put rope on it.
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Glad you didn't keep the 8274. :D Do as others said, get a used warn 8274. Put a lower end seal kit in it and a solid state contactor and some 3/8" synthetic rope and you're done.
 
benmack1 said:
get a used warn 8274. Put a lower end seal kit in it and a solid state contactor and some 3/8" synthetic rope and you're done.
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It's like you read my mind.


:flipoff2:
 
BIGWOODY said:
Get a built LS motor and one of these…no winch needed.
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Says the man wheeling a jeep 4.0 :flipoff2:

8274 is a great winch and always puts a smile on my face when being used. With that said my next winch will be a warn 9.0RC
 
benmack1 said:
Do as others said, get a used warn 8274.
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Yeah the OTHERS part sounds like the challenge here. Seems like the second a 8274 slips up on craigslist all you bastards will have some spambot programmed to send cash from your paypal off your iPhone directly to the owner with claims of dibs :flipoff2:

On a related note....those of you WITH a decent winch (8274, ZEON, Unobtanium ZX20...etc) ....ever worry about it getting jacked if you're out somewhere mall crawling and away from your rig for a few hours? (i.e. forced to actually GO to the mall/other institution of hell while out with your sig other) or overnight outside of the security of your own fortress? Or hell, those of you in Raleigh, AT home? :D
 
Mine had steel cable and rusty bolts, so I wasn't too worried. If they are motivated enough to fight 6 rusty bolts (4 of which were obstructed by tow hooks and fog lights) cut 2 heavy gauge wire leads, and carry 150lbs away, then who I am to stop them?
 
I am not worried about someone snatching my winch in a public setting so much as I would be if I were to break down in URE and have to leave my rig over night. Frankly, that forest attracts a very special grade of low life when it comes to unattended rigs. Its a shame to say, but its true.
 
I bought my 8274 from a member of this website back in about 2003-2004 for $400. Put it on my big, heavy, clumsy cab truck and used it a number of times for recovery, built a gantry crane and used it to lift a bunch of heavy rocks around my property at my old house for landscaping purposes. Also used it to help with taking down some pine trees at my old house. It is old and still works great. I haven't done squat to it other than change the oil in it when I first got it.

I was originally looking for a used Warn M8000 for my Samurai, but could not find one so gave up and bought the XRC8 comp model.
 
superman27344 said:
Frankly, that forest attracts a very special grade of low life when it comes to unattended rigs..
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Yeah that explorer on Daniel most recently was a disappointment
 
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