Hi everyone, need some of your expertise. I realize it would be basically perfect to put a quality winch on the front of my JK, of course that would require buying a new bumper to mount it on and probably some odd and ends to rig it our correctly. And I can totally appreciate that. But for now, I can not go that route.
I want to put a come along in the back of my JK for emergency usage, knowing I will most likely never use it. I can't determine what a quality come along is versus a crappy one and need your assistance to fine one that will work instead of be a piece of crap and break if any load is applied. I prefer a 8K unit minimum.
Would a ratchet come along be better than a chain hoist?
Do you have any experience with one that you would trust in your rig?
If so, please share what it was, and why you liked it.
I appreciate your willingness to guide us newbies to at least try to be self supportive.
Newb here myself and I was just on Amazon this morning looking at comealongs wondering if they had a place in my go box while saving up for a winch. Looking forward to hearing from someone experienced.
A chain hoist is the wrong tool for the job. They are designed to work vertically and I'm not sure how well the loop chain would work out in the mud.
Come alongs would be a good temporary tool, but you will need a block and tackle to make them work. A heavy duty come along will be spec'd with a 12' cable, but it's only going to deliver it's full pull with a loop back pully.
So it will pull 5000 lbs for 6' or 2500 lbs for 12'. To pull your Jeep out, you'll need to put pully block at either end to pull the Jeep out with the come along, as that will take about 10,000 lbs. of pull to be safe. So, that will give you 3' of 10,000 pull with a 5000 lb (2.5 Ton) come along.
In an emergency, sure, winch it out 3' at a time, you'll get it unstuck. It will take time and patience.
To carry enough gear to actually pull you out of something serious, you'll spend as much on straps and chains and a come along as you will on a winch.
I've got nothing for ya as far as comealongs, but I will add this:
If cost of winch is within your budget, but not a new bumper, you might want to look at a mounting plate that utilizes existing bumper. I had no desire to change out my bumper; been running winches on the Maximus3 plate for 3 years nearly, many winch pulls without issue. Max3 is one brand; Rugged Ridge makes one, as well as Warn and probably a few others. Cost is 150-250 depending on make.
For an even cheaper solution, I'm a fan of the smaller 4k ATV winches mounted on a hitch-mount plate. I have a Smittybilt XRC4. My all-in cost was about $200, mostly from Amazon, a couple years ago.
Obviously, if you have a receiver you just pin the hitchplate into that. But if you didn't have a front winch and wanted to use this on the front, you can actually use a couple of bow shackles to attach the winch plate to a front tow hook. It will just dangle down towards the ground at first, but as you hook up the rope and begin reeling in, the winch will of course straighten up and point right towards your tree. It's actually easier on the equipment than a rigid mount because the rope will always be in a perfect line both vertically and horizontally from the winch that way.
The above is not theory -- the first time I needed a back pull and got the winch out, I found out I'd left my receiver pin at home and nothing I had would both fit through the hole AND sustain a pull. So I bow shackled the winch plate to the rear towhook and it worked perfectly. (No pics of that one, though). Note: I've since replaced the steel rope with synthetic. I hate steel rope.
This picture gives you a good idea of the little winch's pulling power (look at left exhaust pipe tip)
I'm looking for a lightweight winch at the moment to use on my receiver hitch mounting plate (10"x4.5" holes). It's for the rear of my JK, which is wired for a rear winch with QD connectors. I was using a VR8000 with steel cable, which was way too heavy, at about 100# with the plate. I use the rear winch rarely, and have a 9.5 cti-s up front. So, I'm looking at something like the Smittybilt 98495 XRC or XRC 4.0 Comp ($320/$450 on Amazon).
I always can team it with a snatch block when necessary and cvarry plenty of rope. I can snip the electrical cables to attach QDs. I'm open to suggestions. Thanks.
OK, so, is there a winch that will bolt up on the factory 2016 JK? Or do I still need to toss the OEM front bumper and put a new bumper on the rig that is winch ready?
And what else is going to be needed to make these two things work correctly.
Bottom line, how much money does it take to put a winch on a jeep so you can pull yourself out of a jam in the middle of nowhere?
Winch = $500 -$1200
Bumper = $400 - $2000
Electrical = $100 - $500
Straps = $200 - $500
D Rings = $100 - $300
Tree strap = $50 - $200
Chains = $50 - $200
High mud boots $50 - $200
Tarp to lay on ground $20
OK, so, is there a winch that will bolt up on the factory 2016 JK? Or do I still need to toss the OEM front bumper and put a new bumper on the rig that is winch ready?
And what else is going to be needed to make these two things work correctly.
Bottom line, how much money does it take to put a winch on a jeep so you can pull yourself out of a jam in the middle of nowhere?
Winch = $500 -$1200 Can be had for 300+. SmittyBilt XRC9.5 a good choice at 450.
Bumper = $400 - $2000 Maximus3 winch plate 225
Electrical = $100 - $500 Included with winch. Nothing else needed
Straps = $200 - $500 All you actually need is an ARB tree strap ($39) and a good bow shackle (less than $20 usually.) You can add more straps and more shackles, but the only real reason you'd need them is for either a longer pull than your cable will reach (so shackle another tow strap to your cable), or for complicated reverse pull that nobody actually does because you have to have three snatchblocks, 4 shackles, and three trees perfectly positioned in front of and behind your Jeep.
D Rings = $100 - $300 I'm seeing a set of two for 20.87 at Walmart when I just searched. You want 3/4"
Tree strap = $50 - $200 As mentioned above, that's $40 for a GREAT one
Chains = $50 - $200 The last thing on earth you want with a winch is to use a chain
High mud boots $50 - $200 If you don't already own some boots, you really are starting from scratch!
Tarp to lay on ground $20 see above
So I've just put you in a very good setup for $685 and half a day's labor if you don't know what you're doing. You can get maybe 150 out of that with a cheaper winch -- many swear by the some of them.
^^ Oh yeah, I forgot about the XRC9.5 with steel rope. When I quoted $450 for that winch, it was for the 9.5 Comp, with synthetic rope. Now me, I'd just wait until I could afford synthetic rather than buy steel. But obviously we all used steel for decades before plastic became available, so it will work.
Rock Hard 4x4 also makes a winch plate that fits the factory bumper. No modifications necessary, it bolts through the frame and uses the front tow hooks as a brace. Tow hooks are still accessible. There is one in the JK parts for sale section of this very board: http://www.wranglerforum.com/f770/rock-hard-winch-plate-for-factory-jk-bumper-1947058.html I know the owner (me) and he will work with you!
Same winch as the smittybilt x2o 10k w/ synthetic rope, just rebranded through 4wd. I have the smitty x2o on my JKU and it's been absolutely great so far. Sure its not a warn zeon, but it also doesn't cost nearly as much.
Cheapest I could find my x2o was $550 at the time, so 480 with free shipping is a pretty good deal.
I have a tirfor type hand winch - just like the ARB magnum. Take it with you when you want and leave it out when you don't. Can pull from the front, side, rear. Relatively cheap and longer reach/massively stronger than a come along.
"IF you're stuck, you're going nowhere fast!"
If you're not very familiar with recovery gear, you're most likely to get going, even slower.
The right tools for the right job might work in most situations but no guarantee to get get you out depending on the individual variables due to the stuck.
We usually end up (going in a group) using many tools (straps, shackles, pulling devices) in different scenarios at different times to get the job done. #1 reason we talk about not going alone.
If you're new to Jeeping (and we all are/were) it is not a shame to ask to go with others that are more experienced in off-roading and recovery techniques. Then you too get to learn the ropes (no pun intended).
Hooking a portable winch to a tow point requires special knowledge too. Angles of pull can create problems but the real issue is the shear strength of the pin used to hold the winch to the tow point.
Have fun, plan ahead some, and enjoy the ride!
Ive thought a lot about this as well. For me, I don't want to drag the weight of a winch with me 24/7 for the few times a year I get off road. To me it makes no sense.
I' have also thought about getting a winch and mouthing on a portable rack that will mount to my trailer hitch. But I also like with the Power Puller that I can use it on the front or back, depending on circumstances.
I would recommend getting a winch depending on where you might travel and be done with it. In Alaska I had a come-a-long come apart on me at the worse possible time. I prefer to be self reliant.
re: "I am no expert, but another option could be a hi lift. they can be used like a come along too. "
and such set ups as
I gotta tell ya.....having done those very things many decades ago as a young and unprepared Jeeping enthusiast....before the era of 'EVERYBODY' has a bumper mount winch...
yes it can be done.
no you won't want to do it a second time.
Just to throw it out there, you do not want to try pulling out with a hi-lift and a tow strap.
The wife got stuck on a hill in snow one day. It was a bad spot. I tried to winch out with the hi-lift but found I was only able to pull enough to get slack out of the tow strap. I was going now where fast.
Ended up hooking tow Jeeps in line and 8x8 wheeling it out of there.
I now have a winch and it will be well worth the cost if another situation presents itself.
Take a look at the badlands winch. If your handy, you can get a universal plate and mount it in the bumper like some others on the cheap.
There are lots of decent winches around the $300 range. I bet I have done more pulls with my $300 Superwinch than most people with $1000+ Warn winches.
You just cant beat a winch for speed, simplicity, and reliability.
Hard to argue a winch is the way to go...
Having said that I wheeled for over 15 years with a come-along... having limited funds I made do with what I had (come-along had been given to me).
Once pulled a Cherokee up to it's windshield in water out... with the spare tire buried in the sand as a land anchor... used a doubler on the come-along, then had to double up straps and other items (things I will not admit) to get the lengths we needed for the short cable on the come-along. It took hours.
We were younger then, athletes, and even with that, exhausted.
Once we got the engine out of the water we pulled the plugs, turned it over and eventually got it running. Was never so happy it fired, but, not why you might expect... I think if we had to come-along that truck another 2 feet we would have died from exhaustion... LOL!
Anyways, I have a winch now, and wouldn't you know have yet to need it... and even still, the come-along goes in the recovery bag for wheeling trips... you just never know.
Well get a winch as most have said.....but I went the other way and got a come a long....bought a 4 ton POW'R-Pull.
I have regular experience using a 2 ton come along similar to the red one posted earlier, I put the dock in and pull the dock out with it a my in laws place....
I don't expect to do much more than moderate trails, not going mudding on purpose, I'm not lifting or doing big mods to my JKU, but after doing moderate trails I thought dang I should have some type of recovery gear beyond straps, shovel, small stuff, just in case......couple of 30ft straps, a 20 and I think a 15, shackles and gear...sure it takes up extra room in the jeep, is a heavy bugger, but a better choice for me an occasional mild 4wheeler,,,,if I can call it that..... the come a long won't be subjected to harsh winter conditions while stuck on the front bumper.....I can use the come a long for other jobs or to get my spouses car out the ditch too...
Choose according to your use and needs......I'd buy a winch if I thought I would be in situations where I might need it.....
Have a Warn 8,000 in such a cradle for front and rear on my F150, keep in the tool box but darn is it a load to try to line up the receiver on ones knees notwithstanding bending over to get out of the box. I try not to get stuck in the truck, got the JK and ATV for that.
:whacky:" a little metro for some people's
taste,":lmao:
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Ask a question
Ask a question
Jeep Wrangler Forum
9M posts
468K members
Since 2005
A forum community dedicated to Jeep Wrangler owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about reviews, performance, trail riding, gear, suspension, tires, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, for all JL, JT, JK, TJ, YJ, and CJ models!