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    Winch size/rating?

    Let’s talk front bumper-mounted winches. Obviously, bigger is better. Overkill is underrated.

    But when dealing with limited mounting space and budget, what’s a sensible minimum weight rating for a half ton truck? Not for regular heavy use or buried-to-the-frame recoveries, but as a safety net for occasional slippage on muddy ranch roads.

    #2
    Ran them for years on company trucks. 12,000# with gears, planetary is lots faster but burn up very easy. Be sure to wire it up with switch to kill electricity to the winch when not in use. Remote switch for control is also very handy.

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      #3
      Interested in the thoughts on this as I am looking to add a winch to my Cherokee.

      I was thinking something like the Warn xd9000 until the 1200 price tag showed up.

      Heard Harbor Frieght has decent 12k.

      Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

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        #4
        I ran an 8k on a crew cab 1/2 ton chevy for 3-4 years and probably used it a dozen times. They way the bumper was built limited my selection on size so it could have been considered "undersized" but I never had an issue. The biggest thing with a winch is using it correctly. In the case of a small winch that can mean using a snatch block and doubling the winch rope/wire, digging out any obstructions. Etc...

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          #5
          The cheapest I have seen is the one from Harbor Freight. 12,000 pound winch for about $300 with a coupon. I use it on my trailer for loading wood. It works great.

          Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

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            #6
            Forgot to comment on brands.

            I've had them all.... Warn on my last duramax, Smittybilt on my 1/2 Ton, Warn on the Ranger, Harbor Freight on a few jeeps.

            The more you spend the smoother and faster they seem to be (you can also buy different models with faster line speed within the same brand and weight capacity) And the clutch and motor engagement seems to be smoother on warn. Saying all that, i've never had one burn up or quit working on me. I tried to kill my olllld warn 8274 a few times but it wouldn't die.

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              #7
              Badlands Harbor Freight 12,000 lb. has pulled my F250 out of several bad spots. Also pulled up several stumps at the house. Just have to give it a rest between pulls- not designed for continuous pulling- it will over amp and shut down.

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                #8
                An 8000lb winch would be all you need on a 1/2 ton truck. Most times use will be with the truck in gear moving so you rarely are dragging dead weight, just helping the vehicle along.
                Using a snatch block, that is, running your rope to the snatch block (pulley)and back to your vehicle basically doubles the power of the winch making it more than enough power to get you out of most situations.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by r_u_sharp_2 View Post
                  Interested in the thoughts on this as I am looking to add a winch to my Cherokee.

                  I was thinking something like the Warn xd9000 until the 1200 price tag showed up.

                  Heard Harbor Frieght has decent 12k.

                  Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
                  The Harbor Freight 9000# will jerk your Cherokee all over the place. Best winch out there for the money you can buy.

                  On a 1/2 ton I would run the Harbor Freight 12000lb.

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                    #10
                    I was always under the impression that the rule of thumb was 2 times the weight of the vehicle... warn and smittybilt

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                      #11
                      Originally posted by JB_Archery View Post
                      I was always under the impression that the rule of thumb was 2 times the weight of the vehicle... warn and smittybilt
                      It's actually 1.5 x loaded weight of vehicle. Having said that, say you're in your 1/2 ton, pulling a 16' Tandem trailer loaded with 4k lbs of "gear" and you get stuck to the frame or high-centered. A 8K lb winch "might" get you out, especially if you have a snatch block, but a 12k lb winch will get you out especially if you can snatch block.

                      I've got a 15k lb Warn on my F250 and a harbor-freight 4.5klb on my Ranger. Both have not let me down when needed and both have been used quite a bit.

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                        #12
                        The only issue with too much winch is that vehicle frames/bumpers etc... get bent and twisted. Spent most of my life in Montana and Colorado, lots of back country and snow storms. Have seen oversized winches do irreversible damage to vehicles. Maybe not a big deal here, but when you are buried in snow it gets a little western.

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                          #13
                          5K-8k with a synthetic rope and a decent snatch block
                          My duramax had a 16K and we needed it to at times never know how stuck or how big I needed when called in to help someone else
                          Plus the snatch can pull from funky angles if you can find a anchor point

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                            #14
                            I don't know what you need but I subscribe to the bigger is better crowd. I have a 10k warn on my jeep and a 16.5k for my 1 ton..

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                              #15
                              2.5 times vehicle weight is the basic rule of thumb. For your intended use a 9 K will do fine bur make sure you have a snatch block or two in your tool box Incase you ever get really stuck.

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