Wanting a winch for my 97 TJ. Have low budget so would love to hear opinions.
^^ This is perhaps the most important consideration in this entire thread. What is your motivation, OP? If you want to look good while cruising Main Street, then buy whatever cheap thing looks pretty. On the other hand, if you're counting on it to save your bacon when you're miles from cell phone coverage, then spend accordingly.Do you want a winch or need a winch?
On the flip side, relying on your equipment to save you--and then having that equipment fail when you need it--will reduce your capability to zero in an instant. Even worse is the following financial sting of having to buy another winch to replace your dead one, and that has happened to multiple members of this forum.A winch that you can afford is 100% more capable of saving you than the one you're still saving up for. (First rule of winch retrieval is to have a winch)
I thought that too....hence why I got lockers before a winch, but in all honesty, lockers just get you in MORE trouble, doubling the necessity for a winch if/when things go sour (now you're stuck so far back those without lockers can't come help you)It is those times that I want a winch just in case I get in a jam. If I had lockers, I would be more confidant in those situations.