Which Winch?

Mac5005

Mac5005

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2005
Location
Rocky Mount
Ive searched and searched and havent found much. I have been researching tons on the web, about all the different manufacturers and models. I have ruled out the tmaxx, harbor freight, summit racing, and rugged ridge etc. made in china winches.

I need to replace the winch on my YJ. My former winch was a 9.5ti that had probably 15 uses on it over the past 10 years, and most of those being 7-10 years ago, with maybe 3 uses in the past 5 years. The last time I used this winch was at Harlan for fall crawl, took a bad hop and landed both diffs on rocks and had to winch a foot. At this point the winch sounded like a dying cat, but worked enough to move the jeep, but would not work enough to spool the 15 ft of cable back on the drum with no load on it. So i get back and test the motor, but it appears that the brake is stuck inside the drum, according to warn's tech support. As of now I dont have time to rebuild and order parts for the 9.5ti, so this brings me to shopping for a new winch to put on the yj, and rebuild the ti later.

The models I am currently researching, all come with Syn rope.
Warn-VR-10000S
Warn-VR-8000S
Warn-M-8000S
Smittybilt XRC 8 comp
Smittybilt XFC 10 comp

also considering the new Warn Zeon 8S and 10S, don't really know this difference with the new zeom winches other that the solenoid pack can be moved off the top of the drum to remote location and its supposed to be super sealed, and being $300 more than the VR series.

I am wanting to buy a winch with synthetic rope on it, or replace the steel cable with synthetic rope. After repairing a buddys rope twice during fall crawl and seeing relatively easy it is with no tools other than a piece of tape, I would much rather save weight and be safer with rope.

What are you guys running, and whats your opinion on brands, and models? My YJ weighs 5k lbs.

Prices:

XRC-8 Comp at $424
XRC-10 comp at $524
Vr-8000s at $729
Vr-10000s at $829
M-8000s at $899

Smittybilt doesnt advertise a warranty or line speeds. All the Warn have a lifetime on the mechanical parts, and 1 year on electrical parts. All have series wound motors.
All of these have roughly 94-100ft of rope with the smittybilt having 21/64 DSK 75 rope, and the warn having 3/8 "spydura" rope.

The m8000 has the fastest no load line speed 30.2 ft/min, and 4.8 ft/min at 8k lbs.
The vr-8000 has a no load line speed of 29 ft/min, and 4.8 ft/min at 8k lbs.
The vr-10000 has a no load line speed of 25.9 ft/min, and 5.0 ft/min at 8k lbs.

Amps:

M8000 - no load-80amps, 8k lbs-435 amps
VR8000- no load-69 amps. 8k lbs-457 amps
VR10000-no load-66 amps, 8k lbs- 417 amps.

Gearing:
XRC8 - 172.8:1
XRC10 - 218:1
M8000 - 216:1
VR8000 - 216:1
VR10000 - 261:1

Motors:

XRC8 - 5.5hp
XRC10 - 5.5hp
M8000 - 4.8 hp
VR8000 - not advertised
VR10000 - not advertised

All 5 of these winches have solenoid controls, other than the m8000 which has contactor? controls?

Any info or opinions on any winch, rope, brand, control, will be appreciated.

My jeep rarelys sees trips in the mud or swamp, I frequently go to harlan, and this is the type on wheeling I do. Not a competition rig.

Thanks.
 
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Link to a comparison between winch ropes. Not sure what the Spydura is, the smittybilt is the Dyneema. http://www.jeepswag.com/winchrope/index.html,

Looks like it would be around $235 to get the rope off pirate, waiting on a PM with actual price.

Warn Charges $250 extra to the the synthetic rope, Smittybilt charges $150 for the Synthetic rope.

It appears it will be cheaper to buy a warn winch with the steel cable, save that brand new steel cable to put on my 9.5ti, and buy the rope from the pirate guy to put on the new winch. However, it is cheaper to but the smittybilt with the syntheic rope, than to buy it from the pirate guy, although thats not an apples to apples comparison, since the ropes are of different material. Edit: The warn spydura has a temperature resistance sleeve on the first layer and a ballistic nylon sliding sleeve for abrasion resitance, and an alumimun hawse fairlead. The guy on pirate does not have either temperature nor abrasion guard, and the alumimun fairlead would have to be purchased elsewhere.


As well are there any Warn or Smittybilt dealers on the board?
 
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novacayne75 said:
looks like with the amount of time you spent researching and typing you could have repaired the winch you already have.
sorry thats all i got.
Click to expand...


Funny you mentioned that novacayne, as i spent typing the last message, that thought was crossing my mind. The truth is I stayed out of the shop today to nurse my back all day so it gave me a chance to research everything for about 2 hours.
 
I've always been a fan of Warn. I'd love to have an M12000 or at least a VR10. I have an 8274 that's probably ten years older than I am and has outlived three trucks. You can plug in the remote and it'll never miss a beat. Never seen any work but a little grease on the drum bushings here and there.

The winch test that FourWheeler Mag did was a good read. A lot of readers knocked the magazine for putting the Warn 9.5 in first place because it broke....when it pulled 16,500 single line before it broke. The Engo did good too.
 
I always have bought either Warn or Ramsey.... can't go wrong with either in my opinion... I'm a firm believer you get what you pay for with a winch. And a winch and a gun are similar in that when you need them the most, they have to work...
 
We carry a lot of Warn. If we can help you let me know. The Spydura rope is really nice and now that Warn has let the price come down it is well worth the money.

Just let me know if I can help, I will be happy to get you pricing on whatever you need.
 
Sent you pricing. Not much room to move on winches but we will do the best we can for you! Thanks for trying to keep your business local!
 
I've got an XRC8, and it has done well for the past 2 yrs. I was rescued by a few different XRC8's before I got my own. So far so good. I bought the comp model too.

My line was RIDICULOUSLY hard to free spool when I got the winch, and did not get any better with time. I ended up taking it apart, and completely removing all of the factory sticky grease, and relubing it with some standard wheel bearing grease I had. It worked MUCH better after doing that. Degreasing it SUCKED though. That was some seriously ridiculously sticky grease.
 
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I killed a brand new 8000 Ramsey in 1 outing (got submerged in water/mud) about 10+ years ago. Sold it for parts and bought a warn hs9500 and use it alot! And have submerged it periodically as well and still going strong. I refuse to waste money on a ramsey again. Hopefully Ramsey is sealing their units better now???
 
I have nothing bad to say about my RECON winch.

10,500 lbs, IP67 rated (waterproof), spooled with synthetic, wired and wireless remotes, 3 yr warranty.

Shipped to my door for less than $500.00

However, it is an imported winch if that matters to you.
 
I've had good luck with Ramseys...if it was an 8000, was it an REP model? If so, I've never had one of those but that's more of their version of an economy winch I think...if it was one of the higher end ones then I don't know...warn has really kept most of the self-recovery market though and Ramsey's thing is mostly industrial winches, but I personally still like both.
 
I have an XRC10. It is reliable and slow. Had it about 3 yrs.

In October I used it for several extended recoveries of my friends Sami and it did great.

It also gets used real hard winching big honkin trees that get snagged while cutting firewood.
 
off_road2 said:
I've had good luck with Ramseys...if it was an 8000, was it an REP model? If so, I've never had one of those but that's more of their version of an economy winch I think...if it was one of the higher end ones then I don't know...warn has really kept most of the self-recovery market though and Ramsey's thing is mostly industrial winches, but I personally still like both.
Click to expand...

Yep.
 
Caver Dave said:
So @Mac5005 , did you ever rebuild the 9.5ti?
Click to expand...

I did take it all apart and troubleshoot. Nothing was wrong with the brake or anything else.

The motor has a short in it. One direction is ok, opposite direction runs at 1/3 speed and 3x app draw at no load.

it’s still collecting dust in a dark corner of the shop in need of a new motor.

I took the rope off and put it on an old used Ramsey 8000 that has been plugging the hole in my talent tank ever since. I’ve used it 2-3x times as much as I used the warn.
 
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