what is my most reliable winch that would be reasonably priced and affordable?

If you want a winch that works everytime you need it, you need to maintain it. Keep the connections tight and clean, etc. JP magazine did a winch test a few months ago. Look that up for some good infomration.

Personally, I'd try to get a Warn on sale someplace. Or I'd check Craigslist and fine a used Warn.

Winches that don't get you out when you neeed it are nothing but boat anchors.......

All I can say is do not buy a china made one.
Warn, superwinch, and ramsey all have good reps. but are not cheap.

I LOVE my Bulldog Winch. look at desert rat.com if you call for pricing call and ask for moses and tell him Tyron sent ya and to help you out.

harbor freight 10k...$399 :D

I think the best value are the Tabor line of winches, they are made by Warn, identical construction but priced cheaper.

Here on the east coast of Canada we have the saltiest, most corrosive weather in N. America, mix that with the pervasive mud and Warns/ Tabors are the only ones that last for years.

I've seen the cases of Champions rot out after a year and it seems that anyone that has some other brand always had some excuse on how it's not working right and they can't use it right now.:shaking:


I know any discussion on winches always turns into a Warn love fest but there's a reason for that.

warn m8000 for around $550

found a new in box one for $400 on craigslist.

warn m8000 for around $550

found a new in box one for $400 on craigslist.

2nd the M8000. I have had one for the last 9 eight years and have never had a problem with it. It has been on some pretty tough pulls and held up fine.

I got the 9k lb harbor freight winch and it's worked great for me for a few yrs now, my friend has had his on his jeep for 6yrs now and it's never failed. At 250$ out the door it's a great deal. The only complaint on ours is that it's a slow winch, other than that they are great

Tabor (Warn) 9K

harbor freight 10k...$399 :D

watched one burn up first time out

Been using a Smittybuilt XRC 8000 for about a year. I love it...Winch Depot.COM

I'm gonna go ahead and go strongly against the tabor series. Although it is cheap, and mostly made with warn stuff, its motor is crap and i don't like the way the cable spools. I have a 12k and it is loud and the speed is comparable to that of a hydraulic. It easily overheats and i have seen more then one of them on a trail not pull something it should have. Now i grant you if this is going on a rig that doesn't use a winch often or only goes out occasionally (and maintained) it is fine. But ours is used on and off the trail for everything and its lack of duty cycle is more than annoying. my only other beef with it is there is not enough room in the drum for the amount of cable it comes with. ours is constantly binding on the drum. you cant always put it back neat and pretty, sometimes it will be lopsided and bind up badly. if i were to put that winch on my jeep again i would switch out for either a smaller cable or better yet synthetic rope. If i were the average college student that goes on a couple real rides a year in my tj on 33s it would be fine, but this is on my dads tj that gets used a couple times a month on often challenging trails, and i am less then pleased. If you want quality i second the warn/ramsey/superwinch thing or even milemarker if hydraulics are your cup of tea. As we speak i am rebuilding a Xd900i to replace the tabor and wish we had gone with one in the first place.

I would at least get the warn M8000 or its comparible size from an American company. You will think yourself for spending the extra $150-200 when it works for years to come. Some of the chinese winches are OK at best, if you dont use a winch much, but if you want reliability, go with a name brand. my 2 cents.

2nd the M8000. I have had one for the last 9 eight years and have never had a problem with it. It has been on some pretty tough pulls and held up fine.

9eight years is a long time, I'm sold.

Yep m8000 is what I had on my jeep as well and never had a problem out of it. I used it every time I went out. I sold it and bought a 9.5ti. A winch is something that needs to work when you need it. Spend a little extra and get a warn or ramsey

A different line of thought here. My suggestion would be to find a decent winch with bad solenoids or motor and then rebuild it yourself.

Rationale:
1. It can be a whole lot cheaper than a new one, ie don't settle for some goofy outragious price on broke stuff that some yahoo thinks is worth a fortune. :shaking:
2. If it gives you any problems you will know how to take it apart.

I have an old Belleview that was given to me. I refurbed it with new bushings, brake, added in paralell solenoids and controller, put some 3/8" Dyneema Amsteel Blue from Viking. Its the cats meow as far as 8K winches go.

IMO if you look around you can find a winch that needs a few things fixed for a very reasonable price.

There are several venders here that sell solenoids, winch motors.

Might be another avenue to consider.

Wally

Wally

one of the best winches out there is the cheapest if you find them used. warn 8274. even if they are twenty years old, they are worth it. tough ol beast. The bellview is an early model of one

what is my most reliable winch that would be reasonably priced and affordable?

Buy a used Warn don't screw around with chinese made POS.

Here's my 2 cents. There are some things that you can buy based on price and others based on quality. Buying a winch is one where you should buy quality. A Warn isn't cheap for a reason.

I have a Warn 9.5i got used for $300. with synthetic rope. The harder you shop the more you`ll save. Also had a M8000 and loved it. Had a Milemarker 9000 and it was real slow.

I bought a used Warn M8000. Cleaned it up and bought some new wires and looks and works just like new. For the price and the dependable name I don't think you can go wrong.

All I can say is do not buy a china made one.
Warn, superwinch, and ramsey all have good reps. but are not cheap.

I called Superwinch and specifically asked where their winches were made and they said China.

Has anyone tried the Smittybilt 10k?

-Joe

Dont buy milemarker, Junk.

Dont buy milemarker, Junk.

That was literally the most useless comment in this thread. We want feedback and reviews from people who have tried the product. Don't just claim it's junk and not say why.

-Joe

I called Superwinch and specifically asked where their winches were made and they said China.

:D

Thats funny

Ive used my 12000lbs Bulldog winch to Pull a couple of Semis out of the mud at work and winched myself up a waterfall. Pulled a few vehicles on to trailers and some other stuff Id sat 575.00 well spent they are more then that for the 1200lbs but I got a great deal

Has anyone tried the Smittybilt 10k?

-Joe

Smitty, China. I know, I re-searched all this crap when I got one for my Dodge. I ended up paying $500 for a like-new M12000 after 3 months of shopping.

i agree that warn is one of the best out there, i have an 8k dont even think they make it anymore, my parents got it in 2003 and then i eventually got it when they went to a warn 9k. after 6 years i havent had a problem with it yet.

also look in to investing in some winch rope, winchline by viking makes an awesome line. Its easier to handle plus the added safety if it breaks, which i have an older masterpull winch rope that has snapped on me and just fell to the ground.

Honestly, If you can afford it, of course you will buy a Warn. Although I still think a bunch of the parts used in most winches are made in China. All winches are measured to Warn as the stadard. As said before, there is a reason for that.

I have used Warn, Superwinch, Smittybilt, and Tuff Stuff winches. I don't think the Smittybilt can handle being on my trailer to pull a car up. Nothing but problems with it since day 1. Line lock kept having problems engaging, every piece of chrome or stainless bold/nut rusted within 2 months. And winchdepot.com sucks gonads for customer service and returns. If I remember correctly, the Mile Marker and the winch that harbor frieght sells is the exact same winch. Same casting numbers on the pieces from what I remember. I did buy the Tuff Stuff 12.5k winch last year at Safari. Two reasons, the sale price was right and I figured I would put it on my trailer once I could afford a Warn for the Jeep. Have used it a few times with no problems. Granted not on the trail but to put vehicles on and off the trailer. The warranty on them seem to be pretty good compared to other china junk.

But you get what you pay for.

If you use your winch once a year at best. I surely would not put synthetic line on it. That is a serious waste of money. Air, sunlight, dirt, oil, all affect synthetic ropes. Some are more resistent than others. Dirt is nothing but small sharp rocks and when you put sythectic or nylon under load, any and all dirt that is caught inside the sheath actually starts to wear and cut the line from the inside out.

If you use your winch often, then the safety factor as well as the weight are good reasons to upgrade to synthetic.

And if you do have synthetic line, keep it covered up. It will last much much longer.

just my two cents.

i found a warn 8274 from 88 on craigslist back home. having my dad call on it today. asking price is 450 and they said it worked last year when they took it off the car. any advice for this such as how much is it actually worth and such? thank you

i found a warn 8274 from 88 on craigslist back home. having my dad call on it today. asking price is 450 and they said it worked last year when they took it off the car. any advice for this such as how much is it actually worth and such? thank you

I'd shoot for $250 tops, and that's if it's pretty.

I called Superwinch and specifically asked where their winches were made and they said China.
Yep, was just going to comment on that.

BTW AFAIK even warns are not fully made in the US. There is a difference between made in teh US and assembled in the US.

I.e my Warn 9000X motor was made in Brazil. Nothing wrong with that, just would not be hang up on where things are made, but focus on the quality behind them instead.

That said, I have had several winches thoutghout the last years, mostly Warn, and even a Msittybilt. I had issues with teh Warn, motor connector to housing caused teh lastic spacer inside to melt with heat.

I had a Ramsey 8000 pounds and will not ever want a Ramsey again. Granted it has been used a lot, it also had heat issues, and basically woudl not work when I most needed a few times.

I currently have an old 8274, which is an excellent and fast setup. I also have a 8000 on the other rig.

Another vote for the Warn M8000, best bang for the buck IMO.

10 yrs and going strong. From snow pulls in CO to hot desert pulls in AZ and everything in between.

i found a warn 8274 from 88 on craigslist back home. having my dad call on it today. asking price is 450 and they said it worked last year when they took it off the car. any advice for this such as how much is it actually worth and such? thank you

If you don't buy it, let me know?...

I have 3 8274's all of them bought used, and one 9000i that I trade a ford dana 60 for. One 8274 is actually an 8274-50(late model one), and the other two are early 80's at best. The most I have ever paid for one is $500 (the 8274-50) and the least is $200 (found out later it had a broken gear that will cost $150 to fix). Even with them being used and being the same price as a new "cheap" winch, mine always works, when my buddie's 2nd use on his smittybuilt craps out. I'm not trying to "dog" the smitty, I'm just saying that "name brand's" sometimes ARE cracked up to be what they claim. On winches, I dont care what most claim, you pay for what you get. Good luck on your winch hunt, and dont forget to look for a used name brand winch. Theres lots of jeepers that buyem just for looks, and sell'em when they get hard up for cash!

[Im telling you Bulldog winch

I called Superwinch and specifically asked where their winches were made and they said China.As far as I can tell only ramsey patriots are made in the usa. Warn=china and so does T-max. if there are others made here tell me please.

In fact i have a E9000 T-max new in the box never installed with wireless and wired remote i'll sell you for $550 plus shipping

asking price is 450

IT WORTH EVERY PENNY OF IT AND MORE, it it looks in good shape, I would not even try talk him down. Give him the money and run. That winch brand new is $1200

Deffinately check if it is a "series wound" or "fixed/perminent magnet".

Perminent magnet is what you'll see in most china made (cheaper) winches. When they overheat (often) they become a very expensive hood orniment (won't recover). If you choose a perminent magnet make sure it has a large motor/gearing. . .will reduce chances of overheating.

Series wound will still overheat from time to time but has the ability to recover and be usable again. Granted it won't pull with the same power but you still might get yourself out again!!

Good luck with the purchase!!

No offense to anybody in this thread, we all have our own opinions but my is you don't need or want any other winch other then a WARN.

Anybody that has done alot of wheeling has seen Mile Marker, Superwinch and the chinese POS fail quite frequently. I've never ever in all my years wheeling seen a warn winch fail.....Ever. I know guys who are running 20-30 year old warns that still work like the day they came from the factory. The most I've ever seen any other brand (minus Tabor) is maybe 3 years max. I've seen a handful get spooled out then not even work when they needed it the most.

Your winch is your bare bones last resort, absolutely has to work, trump card. DO NOT CHINCE OUT ON IT. The last thing you want to do is pull cable when you are about to roll/destroy your rig only to find out that 300 POS econowinch doesn't work, not good, I've seen it happen. I personally like the M8000, ran one for years on a full blown crawler and it ran like a champ. It doesn't spool the fastest or have the longest cable but just by itself it can lift the jeep right up off the ground, and thats even before you have a snatch block. Even in competition use, unless guys are sponsored by a certain winch company an overwhelming majority use Warn winches.

My vote, new M8000 for 500-600 bucks or any used Warn winch. Anything else and I think you are spending hunderds of bucks on useless weight sitting on the front end of your vehicle.

when I got my winch it was a toss up between the Ramsey and the Warn as both have great reps. I wound up getting a deal on a new Ramsey 9500 Patriot that I couldn't pass up and it's been a solid winch for the past 3 years. Pulls fast, hasn't overheated, and hasn't failed me (knock on wood). I have friends who have the Bulldog winch and they've been very happy with them and seeing them in action they worked flawlessly. Whatever you choose, this is one area that you shouldn't skimp on, period

anyone ever try the 300 dollar champion winch they sell at costco and costco may go by another name in the us i dunno im in canada a.

Gota put my $.02 in here. This has been my own experience with the Harbor Freight winches.
Got an 8000# for one of my old trail rigs back in 2000. 6200# truck, 8000# winch, (you do the math, it's not good) and used the hell out of it, in 2003 I put it on an 8200# 'Burb on 35's. It only lasted a year on that rig, I burnt it up on about the 15th full pull on that rig. HF gave me a new one, no questions asked. I put it on my nephews Sami, and he was still using it till he sold it 2 months ago.
In 2003 (a few days after the warrantied my 8000#er) I got one of the 10,000# units. It has lived on the front of a '95 Burb, an '86 'Burb, an '81 F150 rock rig, and now on the front of my '94 YJ. I did 3 back to back full pulls with it 2 weeks ago, once again, with out a problem. This 10,000#er has seen a LOT of action, and never let me down. It's slow, but it pulls, every time. Paid $329 on sale, and $35.99 for the life time warranty. I just have a hard time seeing the bad in that deal. I may have just got lucky with the 3 that I got from them, but this is my experience with them.

I've had a Smittybuilt XRC 8000 for 1 yr about 12 pulls on it, no problems. it is slow and I put larger power cables on it and I have 136 amp alternator. don't let the amps get low! I am in a yj with 35's so the rocks I am in are not huge. I am in the process of going 1 tons and 42's the Smittybuilt is getting put on the trailer. And I am buying a warn. If you plan on hitting the hard stuff don't go cheap.

I run a Warn 8274 and love it, paid something like 300 CAD for it. Rebuilds are decently priced and I like that its an upright mount. They just never seem to die. my 0.02

WARN M8000 8 years still going strong and SLOW :D

m8000, love mine but want to upgrade to synth. line. I think its a great winch for the price. Only problem i have had was water getting in through the gasket around the free spool lever and jammed up the engage/ disengage for the spool. At only 1.5 years old, i should call warn on that one.:(

anyone ever try the 300 dollar champion winch they sell at costco and costco may go by another name in the us i dunno im in canada a.

yup the boss put them on the work trucks, they take a beating, work fine. I was surprized how they have stood up.

Like it's been stated, everyone has an opinion for one reason or another. I broke it down by build quality, speed, and amps under load.

Warn M8000: http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/M8000.shtml
($539)
Superwinch Ep9.0: http://www.superwinch.com/EP9_0_9_000_lbs.html
($531 shipped)
Hardly a real comparison there when you look at everything including the pulling weight. So let's step up Warn's game...

Warn 9.5xp: http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/95xp_winch.shtml
Slightly faster line speed but draws more amps. Is that really worth twice the price?

http://www.moabjeeper.com/articles/general/listing.cfm?articleID=353&submit=Go%21

Oh and Superwinch uses Albright HD solenoids. Ya gotta love this...
http://www.expeditionexchange.com/sema2004/DSC03417.jpg

EDIT: Oh and I admittedly wrote off the super cheap winches due to the fact that when I pull cable it's my last resort. I don't want to have questions if it's going to work when it's called on. A fellow wheeler has a HF 8500 winch w/ warranty. Had to have it replaced 3 times in the last two years. No issues at all with exchanging it, but it's failed twice on the trail. The store's a long way away from there.

bought my 8274-50 today for 400. now just looking at a bumper. any suggestions on this? you guys led me in the right direction with the winch. thanks.

Now's no time to get cheap. Mount that biotch up right. My brother went quick and dirty on mine and 2nd pull out of the gate...:homer:

487558

Now's no time to get cheap. Mount that biotch up right. My brother went quick and dirty on mine and 2nd pull out of the gate...:homer:

487558

is that covered under warranty?

is that covered under warranty?

Nope. CSI Pirate did their own investigation. :laughing:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=725262

m8000, love mine but want to upgrade to synth. line. I think its a great winch for the price. Only problem i have had was water getting in through the gasket around the free spool lever and jammed up the engage/ disengage for the spool. At only 1.5 years old, i should call warn on that one.:(

I have this same problem anything warn will do?