Gross weight of vehicle* x 1.5 = Minimum size winch for the vehicle

*Gross weight of vehicle is located in the driver’s door, on the inside panel.

Is what manufaturers recommend.

 

Don't rule out a "Summit" winch from Summit Racing. They're rebadged T-Max's. 9000lb for $450.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Link if you wanna see all the different ones. . .
http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...=KeywordSearch

 

The lower end winches are made with perment magnets.
The higher end ones create the magnetic field with their windings.

The lower ends ones will work but get over heated etc. and break down easier.

I was told that all winches are rated with one line wrap on the take up spool as apparently they lose effective power the more windings go on.
So if the winch is 8000 lbs it will drop to around 6500 at the next wind and then to 5000 (which is still enough).

I think that unless your going up waterfalls and swinging from cliffs and so on and just intend to get into a little bit of trouble that Cost Co. option might be just great

If you have a front reciver hitch you can get some that will hook up that way.
Which might be better for it if you go swimming.

But remember! the Hi-Lift works just fine as a come along. If its a matter of getting out of a hole that may be all you need. Well a couple of 3' boards might be good too... and some friends...that have winches.....LOL

 

I have never owned a Winch on a jeep, but on my Towtruck I have a 15,000 hydraulic ramsey winch and have never had a problem. I have winched out Kenworths that have slipped off loading ramps with out a problem.

Its mounted on a wrecker on a 02 F450 Super duty and that thing will pull the wrecker off the truck before the winch gives out.

Ive pulled bobcats out of mud that was past the roof with no problems, And with a snatchblock winched a kenworth up an icy hill with a fully loaded tandem trailer on the back.

I use the winch probably 5 to 10 times a day, 6 days a week and she never quits. I know no one here will ever use a hydraulic winch for 4x4ing, but just had to mention the awesome reliability and power of the Ramsey on my truck.

 

Mile Marker makes a hydrolic self recovery winch. They now have a military contract for their hydrolic winches.

 

89.55 percent of folks on this board believe it to be WARN. WARN is a very very reputable company for winches and hardware, and I really don't see many folks that will dispute that. If so, it's an opinion.

 

Wooo Hooo, Go warn....I mean, "Go Prepared"