Okay I got my jkuhr and I ordered the centered winch mount setup form max-3. I am looking to spend around 500 on a winch and want your opinion. Max-3 says their kit works for small body winches and they list a few. On my last build I had a rugged ridge performance 8500b with synth line. I only pulled with it a few times but it seemed to work good. Would that be considered a "small body" unit? I was also looking at the shittybilt x20 with synthetic line. Any thoughts? Also I don't wheel that often. Winch will be used probably a handful of times a year.
My son worked for a few years in an automotive supply dealer and had considerable tales regarding the SBs.
He agreed the past few years had seen improved function, and the mfg. seemed to have improved their customer service end as well.
Knowing my concern was for 'reliable' vs 'economical' or 'replaceable' by guaranty etc. he advised 'something else' and encouraged me to choke down the price for Warn.
Then came a buddy practically giving me his old unit with synthetic line, and that unit has worked very well around the estate for such as stumps/trees/posts. It's a RR 11,500 unit. Other than sounding quite loud in operation, it's worked well for me.
I recently unwound the line to the last layer, and took extra care to wind it as level as possible for the winter. Heavy loads the first few wraps left the synthetic rather mashed & un-round in several sections.
Given I only use mine 'a few times a year' why would I want the $1000 unit now that I have one that seems to do what I need.
In reality, I actually WOULD prefer a Zeon-10S or whatever the current BeastOBurden that seems more tuned to my own irrational notion of 'need'.
SB? I was advised a sort of crap shoot, odds about 1 in 3 I'd be REAL happy, 1 in 3 I'd be moderately unhappy, and 1 in 3 I'd be REALLY unhappy.
But that was mere speculation based on his experience.
OP, I think the X2O would fit just fine. I say that because I have a Max3 bumper plate for a regular bumper and I use a XRC9.5 Comp, which looks to be the same size. They are pretty small as far as winch footprint goes.
And for the record, it's been a great winch. I've used it over twenty times to extract myself and others over the past 18 months. It's seen a little water from river crossing submersions, and lots of water from being parked outside 24/7/52 in rainy Georgia. Never a burp. Fast line speed. It has pulled me up some gnarly, very steep hills where my skids were hung on some big rock and my tires had no traction.
No complaints from me on this SB product. That said, from what I read the Gen 1 version was spotty in quality.
Thanks guys. I really don't want to drop warn prices on a unit I won't need very often. I don't have near the terrain to wheel on here in florida as I did in missouri. I was only 20 miles from smorr which has 2 jeep badge trails (both of which I ran, one I needed my rugged ridge winch). Stuck in mud is what I have to worry about down here. I have heard good about the x20 and I had good experience with the rr. Just wondering if anyone had experience with either failing and to what extent. M8000 with synthetic line is like $850.
Stuck in the mud. I can recall seeing bumpers fly while Jeeps were pulled out of the mud.
Mud can double the weight of the pull immediately due to the suction it creates. Don't have to believe me, I was just a Salvage Diver in the Navy for 20+ years.
Well when you're stuck, you're going nowhere fast! Enjoy that mud. Did some wheeling myself around Ocala once. Yep good old deep swamp, with lots of mud, water and sand.
The Smitty X20 10,000 is a fine winch. You will not go wrong with that. You can pay double for the equivalent Warn and have that nice "Made in USA" thrill up your leg -- although Warn's cheaper models are Chinese and their Zeons use more and more Chinese parts as time goes on. I would rather save my money when there is ZERO evidence that Warns are truly superior to others. Personally, I've had both brands and can't really tell a difference in actual use.
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