Rednroll

For their price, I would expect the Warn winches to do well. A 12K Warn Winch runs about $1500 and you can rebuild it if parts break. My decision was based on that I could purchase (5) 12K Badlands winch for $300 ea. for the price of an equivalent 12K Warn and just replace the entire winch if parts break. Easier to replace than rebuild.

The Warn will however likely have better duty cycle performance.

If you can justify the cost of a Warn winch then by all means get a Warn, they're the best. If you want a good value winch at 1/5th the price then get a Badlands/Engo winch(Badlands/Engo same winch different brand names stuck on the outside)

blamb0830

I thing I'm going to go with the smittybilt steel line. But Is the smittybilt 10k worth the extra $100 over the 9.5?

jchappies

If your going to spend an extra 100 put it into a synthetic winch line
300.00 9.5K steel wire or 400.00 9.5K synthetic rope.

blamb0830

I was told there is a ton of maintenance for synthetic like. For example if it rains you have to unspool it so it can dry out.

OverKill

I have a 2007 JKU I bought in the fall of 2009. I bought the smittybilt 10k with steel cable in the spring of 2010. When I bought it, I was told I could buy a lifetime warranty (I don't recall the price, but it was less than $100) and I bought it. Contacted smittybilt about the controller going out, they wanted a copy of the invoice, 5 days later I had a new controller. That is the only issue I have had with my smittybilt 10k. I have pulled other people out, moved my storage building. I went with steel cause I could not afford the synthetic rope. There is a thread on the advantages/disadvantages of steel/synthetic. I would buy as much power as I could afford up front, you change to synthetic later, you cannot up grade power plant, have to buy a new winch. I hope this helps.

Smudgeontheglass

I have the Smittybilt Gen2 9500 steel rope winch and have had it on my jeep for 2 years now. I have had to use it 3 times to help recover others and I have no complaints.

-The first one was a Jeep that slid sideways off the trail so I had a nice angled pull to get him back, there was no problem, it just pulled.
The second and third were on the same obstacle with me on the upper bypass.
-An open diff XJ was stuck on a rocky obstacle, it just yanked it up.
-The last pull was a JKU that was high centered on the same rock from a bad line. We put on a snatch block for a slow pull, anchorded to the XJ and it dragged without hesitation.

It didn't slow down, bind up or show any intent of failing. I think I paid around $300 CAD for it when I got it which was a steal of a price for winches here. It survived the winter with no signs of damage. The only advice I would have for this winch is to wire it before you mount it hard, the ground cable is a little tough to get at on the bottom of my recessed winch mount.

sa29560

Synthetic should be covered, then moisture has a much harder time getting to it.

Yes, if it's wet you should let it dry. But that should really only happen when it gets spooled out for a recovery while it's raining or in wet conditions.

Funny thing I see is all the guys talking about how great wire is when they don't even take care of that after using it. Wrapped up on the drum like a damn drunk birds nest.

blamb0830

You make a very valid point I can always go and get a synthetic line after the fact but can't just say I want more power. Thanks for the input.

jchappies

Buy a snatch block

9.5K and 10K is not much of a difference
remember you lose 10%-15% of the rating per wrap around the drum. The winch rating is only the first layer of rope\wire on the drum.
Drum=9.5k-10%
1st layer=8550K
2nd layer=7695K
3rd layer=6925K
4th layer=6233K
5th layer=5610K

Drum=10K-10%
1st layer=9000K
2nd layer=8100K
3rd layer=7290K
4th layer=6561K
5th layer=5905K

unless you pull all your cable out most of your pulls will be in the 3rd layer range

Not saying don't go big but properly used tackle is just as effective in winching. 500lbs for 100.00....I would rather save the weight.

jchappies

If the 10K had wire rope and the 9.5K had synthetic the 9.5K would probably out perform the 10K with wire rope because of the heavier rotating mass of cable
9.5K with 10% lose
10K with 12% lose (heavier wire around the drum)

Drum=10K-12%
1st layer=8800K
2nd layer=7744K
3rd layer=6815K
4th layer=5996K
5th layer=5277K

9.5K wins.....in pulling power.