Which low-profile winch would you all recommend? I'm leaning towards the HS9500, any other recommendations?

I wouldn't get the HS unless you are planning on using it for some competition (Not rock crawling either..too many points!)..the HS version is way too quick and I have seen them wind up farther than the operator planned due to how fast the drum moves. The ole regular one is easier to work with..just have to be patient when rolling it up.

Originally posted by Scout Dude
I wouldn't get the HS unless you are planning on using it for some competition (Not rock crawling either..too many points!)..the HS version is way too quick and I have seen them wind up farther than the operator planned due to how fast the drum moves. The ole regular one is easier to work with..just have to be patient when rolling it up.

Yes I agree, unless your smarter than your equipment do not get the fastest, hardest pulling low profile winch on the market. It can only lead to your being unstuck quicker than your fellow wheelers, and that may make you un-popular.

>>>>>Brian, the HS9500I is by far the best non 8274 I've owned.. And that includes the problems I'm having with it now.

Originally posted by bronco78


Yes I agree, unless your smarter than your equipment do not get the fastest, hardest pulling low profile winch on the market. It can only lead to your being unstuck quicker than your fellow wheelers, and that may make you un-popular.


:rolleyes: Because we all know that it's always the owner that operates the winch or handles the cable.

I have witnessed a guy almost get his hand sucked in due to the unexpected speed. You asked for my opinion and I still say, you don't need the HS part...;)

Brian,
I'd say the hs9500 has got to be the best low profile winch around.....so long as you don't need to pull REALLY hard....


Oh.....and watch out.....steer clear of bigblocks, because they might have enough power to catch your buddy's daughter who obviously drives your truck all the time off gaurd from the unexpected speed too. And detroit lockers may make your truck drive funny, and grandma may not like driving it then.....and that lift and those tires....gotta go....may cause something unexpected.....

Originally posted by Berne
Brian,
I'd say the hs9500 has got to be the best low profile winch around.....so long as you don't need to pull REALLY hard....


Oh.....and watch out.....steer clear of bigblocks, because they might have enough power to catch your buddy's daughter who obviously drives your truck all the time off gaurd from the unexpected speed too. And detroit lockers may make your truck drive funny, and grandma may not like driving it then.....and that lift and those tires....gotta go....may cause something unexpected.....

Define "really hard" you mean as long as your not "really stuck" they do a fair job of dragging a rig? ;-P

And I agree Berne....open diffs, lowering kits, and 4cyl are the safest approach to off hyw travel.

That said, I still think you need a bigger winch than a 9500 on a Bronco..points to sumones post on a bent drum as evidence that MAYBE they are really a lil light for that heavy a truck?

NoRM
just offering ideas.

Originally posted by P|n-BaLL

That said, I still think you need a bigger winch than a 9500 on a Bronco..points to sumones post on a bent drum as evidence that MAYBE they are really a lil light for that heavy a truck?


Bite me.......LOL

BEsides, how the heck could a drum bend, if subjected to no more pull than what the winch was designed/sold to pull?

No damn it dont answer that Norm...no body asked you//////







LOL

Originally posted by bronco78


Bite me.......LOL

BEsides, how the heck could a drum bend, if subjected to no more pull than what the winch was designed/sold to pull?

No damn it dont answer that Norm...no body asked you//////

LOL

Ok here is my therory since ya didn't ask ;-P
I think the fine folks at Warn build a fair amount of additional strength into there products..and I well know Erik yr a well versed and careful wheeler. SO I imagine like any tool you treat your winch well. So how did it fail?..here is my guess.

You were winching uphill...heavily loading it but not so extream a pull to worry you...then the rather fast line speed these winches have probably pulled your front wheels over an obsticle and you weren't either able or didn't get your foot on the brake fast enough and the rig rolled forward from the momentum and then backwards a smidge and then caught the slack with a lil jerk and on you went....THAT my friend is how you bent that spool. Because that spool was designed to take a load more than the winch could begin to impose upon it but your trucks close to 6K weight on a hill imposed a lot more.

Just my therory, but when Berne managed to break that water pump pulley *I am still impressed I have NEVER done that* I watched his winch flex at the case doing exactly what I described when we were turning him around....I think they just too light for that heavy a rig.

NoRM

Originally posted by P|n-BaLL


Ok here is my therory since ya didn't ask ;-P
I think the fine folks at Warn build a fair amount of additional strength into there products..and I well know Erik yr a well versed and careful wheeler. SO I imagine like any tool you treat your winch well. So how did it fail?..here is my guess.

NoRM

Well sense you had to say something.>>hehehe

I know exactly when it happened. The bronco was in the mud to the frame, both axles were submerged. This is sticky, 1000 year old mud. I unspooled all the rope, single lined to a pul pal, it was off angle at about 15 deg. I was almost at a stall, but the winch was still slightly rolling in. I got some traction, and went forward about 6 ft, as the winch tightened up again, it started making the scraping noise.

This was all on flat ground, the only stress placed on the winch was by the motor, I did not drive over the rope, and it did not fall back on the winch (but your right I've seen this happen often, and in the past, done it my self)

SO as far as I can tell with this one, the spindle bent through rope tightened .. Go figure.

True, true, and true....
BUT......fact of the matter is.....nearly a dead pull up most of the worst Iron Chest had to offer, that winch DID IN FACT get me outta there! may not have been purrty, but it got my junk off that mountain (well, it and Erik's lovely wife---hi kaye ;) ;) )

and by hard pull, I was just expecting somebody thats never been REALLY stuck to jump in yelling about a 8274 w/ a double line out being able to keep up w/ a M12000......not ever thinking about what happens when you have to double up that M12k....

way I figure.....the HS9500 is still the best of the modern "little" winches out there. That (and the fact that I got mine new in the box for a bare D44 housing and a T18 tranny) is why I have one on the front of my truck. Sure, shit does happen, but this thing seems to be doing all right.....

--Berne

Originally posted by Berne
True, true, and true....
BUT......fact of the matter is.....nearly a dead pull up most of the worst Iron Chest had to offer, that winch DID IN FACT get me outta there! may not have been purrty, but it got my junk off that mountain (well, it and Erik's lovely wife---hi kaye ;) ;) )

and by hard pull, I was just expecting somebody thats never been REALLY stuck to jump in yelling about a 8274 w/ a double line out being able to keep up w/ a M12000......not ever thinking about what happens when you have to double up that M12k....

way I figure.....the HS9500 is still the best of the modern "little" winches out there. That (and the fact that I got mine new in the box for a bare D44 housing and a T18 tranny) is why I have one on the front of my truck. Sure, shit does happen, but this thing seems to be doing all right.....

--Berne
Well Berne it did in fact get ya outta derr I agree.....and I am damn glad given the situation that you had it...no question. And I know you now carry a spare water pump pulley so that never happens again ;-P

lol For what you payed no question I would be running it as well....and yeah they do a good job I think in all but the worst stucks.

Besides I have finally killed the 12K Warn...who woulda thought after miles and miles of winching it would die a death via Lincoln Town car?


Ok Erik I have a new therory.......it's that fancy high tech rope that killed yr spool...thats gotta be it ;)

NoRM

Most stock warn winches the cable should break before anything else nasty happens like a bent spool, even if it is a jerk loading.

I've only ever broken ATV winch cables but my M8000 has 8500lb breaking cable on it from Warn.

Related, the warn industrial site has little electronic gizmos to keep you from overloading winches, don't know if it would just be a piss off when really stuck or not.
Ken

I try not to wheel with retards:rolleyes:

Originally posted by Scout Dude


:rolleyes: Because we all know that it's always the owner that operates the winch or handles the cable.

I have witnessed a guy almost get his hand sucked in due to the unexpected speed. You asked for my opinion and I still say, you don't need the HS part...;)

Exposing my ignorance here... any reason why a winch couldn't be variable speed? It's just an electric motor, albeit a big high-draw one. Seems like if you had some sort of control that was variable, like a squeeze trigger, you'd be able to run the winch at whatever speed you wanted.