What Winch? How much? Why?

Hi all, I have a 'cheapo' Yeti 13000lb winch (two remotes) that I bought new on ebay a few years ago - cost me approx £230. Also bought a selection of ropes/shackles/straps, and having initially bought it with wire rope I changed to synthetic as the wire rope was a pain in the bum. Didn't bother with a second battery set-up, just ran the engine when I needed to.

Still going strong (though I had to buy replacement wireless remotes)and for the last 4yrs and I've used it to pull down and extract wood, vehicle recovery, and variety of other 'countryside' related problems.

I'm certainly no expert on winching technique, but I doubt there are too many people on here who have used/abused a winch quite as much as I have since I've owned one.

Simple question: Why pay a fortune for a winch if you're not going to use it much?

Harold 4x4 said:

I changed to synthetic as the wire rope was a pain in the bum. Didn't bother with a second battery set-up, just ran the engine when I needed to.

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I've heard of severe constipation, but to have to use a winch:jaw:

Sorry, couldn't resist

:5blurk5:
This should be interesting

Personally, I prefer my Tirfor.

Yep, tirfor is tops! However, I'd like to see you pull a dozen+ trees down in the middle of a Forest, unless you have a spare couple of weeks...

you pays yer money you takes yer choice

For me a lot depends also on how you use the Landy ... which definitely has a bearing on the life and use of the winch. I seriously doubt that a cheap winch would stand too much actual abuse, pulling trees down and dragging them doesn't seem to be abusive to me, in fact it's a relatively 'easy' job for a winch! Being dunked in mud, left to harden fro a while then dunked again then having to pull out a bogged Landy is a totally different scenario and needs good sealing, good electrics and good working practise.

I'd suggest the following video is a more abusive use of a winch and more indicative of why a lot of Landy owners would spend a lot on a winch. This one, however, cost me £60 with a few replacements maybe total of £220 and is still going after many more dunkings .. albeit getting rebuilt regularly so it doesn't rust too much ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxTDzxj5j9A

Paul, next time I'm off to the forest to fell trees I'll invite you along and you may change your mind about winch abuse - oooeeer missus.

However, you do have a point. If you have to have an expensive winch on the front of your Landy, that sits there doing bugger all, but is well sealed against all the mud, its worth the expense....

That youtube clip - really?

Warn 8274 lots of spairs and upgrades,

Fast line speed,

If u intend on using it all day ie working felling trees then I would use a hydraulic pto type winch,

My 8274

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xNaBS2X3ojM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J1IEY9dY-ec

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9wR_IviVcE0

Harold 4x4 said:

Yep, tirfor is tops! However, I'd like to see you pull a dozen+ trees down in the middle of a Forest, unless you have a spare couple of weeks...

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It'll do it easily. The owner however is the variable.

That be true. However, 30mins on a Tirfor with Popeye v 5 mins with a remote?

I can assure you, having felled 100+ trees in the last years and some of them unbeleivably difficult, I will opt for an overused thumb.

Harold 4x4 said:

Yep, tirfor is tops! However, I'd like to see you pull a dozen+ trees down in the middle of a Forest, unless you have a spare couple of weeks...

Click to expand...

Tirfor is good, and can attach anywhere and at any angle to the vehicle, whereas a bumper mounted winch only pulls from in front.

Same as bumper mounted, the pull can be multiplied up with block and tackle if insufficient.

Why do you pull trees over? I have always found a chainsaw deals with then effectively!

I have a tirfor I've also owned landrovers for almost 20 years. I've never owned a winch. I've used the Tirfor probably 4 times and always to extract someone else. Only needed winching out myself 4 times. 2 of those were in the Lakes on severe green lanes in a disco on road tyres and with the anti roll bars still fitted

Using a tirfor is all about Leverage. For an handle I use a 5ft approx length of rebar with a tube welded to the bottom. pulls anything without breaking a sweat.


Edit Actually I have owned a winch. A Warn 8274 but I sold it on before I got round too fitting it.

Pikey said:

I have a tirfor I've also owned landrovers for almost 20 years. I've never owned a winch.

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About 30 years for me now I have never had a fitted winch, and wouldn't unless I was going to compete in winch challenge etc.

I haven't been stuck for donkeys years, Very occasionally given someone a pull to get them out, but the vehicle itself was adequate.
I carry a Tirfor if in doubt, but very rarely use it.

Fixed winch is a lot of weight to carry around just to use it a couple of times a year if that, and the weight comes in just the wrong place, in front of the axle at the front.

A tirfor is a great bit of kit but sometimes a winch is the business.

Use to use mine in the woods a lot, great for pulling stems after snagging to somewhere they can be dragged behind.

I've pulled root bowls, dragged a wrecked landy off the road to clear it at the request of the police, pulled a big bench saw up to the top floor of the workshop, recovered a mate in a disco from over 100m away to a place he could be towed (took 5 separate pulls).

Never used one to recover myself but probably would have several times if I'd been alone.

Think the closest I came was pulling the Landy into a position to use the winch to pull a hung wind fall beech tree safely.

Probably wouldn't bother now I'm not working woods but there's times they make life a lot easier.

Turboman said:

Tirfor is good, and can attach anywhere and at any angle to the vehicle, whereas a bumper mounted winch only pulls from in front.

Same as bumper mounted, the pull can be multiplied up with block and tackle if insufficient.

Why do you pull trees over? I have always found a chainsaw deals with then effectively!

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Snatch blocks and you can do alsorts

warrior said:

Snatch blocks and you can do alsorts

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Yes, they are good!

So is my 4wd tractor!

Turboman. Of course I use a chainsaw first, the hard part is getting the tree to the ground when you are in the middle of a forest- hence the winch. I have a selection of snatch-blocks to vary the angle and use my winch to ground the trees then pull them to an access point near a track.

Last year my wood allowance was 2kms down a forest single track ,and 60m up a hill from that track: 2 snatch blocks, 40 wire rope extension and a lot of graft. Had to tow the trunks out as I couldn't get a trailer anywhere near.

Harold 4x4 said:

Turboman. Of course I use a chainsaw first, the hard part is getting the tree to the ground when you are in the middle of a forest- hence the winch. I have a selection of snatch-blocks to vary the angle and use my winch to ground the trees then pull them to an access point near a track.

Last year my wood allowance was 2kms down a forest single track ,and 60m up a hill from that track: 2 snatch blocks, 40 wire rope extension and a lot of graft. Had to tow the trunks out as I couldn't get a trailer anywhere near.

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Interesting, most felling in those densely planted forests id done by machine nowadays, I can see the problems involved with doing it like that!

Seen some footage of horses being used in that type of place, never tried it myself, but it looked good on the vids

If I had the choice of a horse i'd definitely try it - dont think the wife would be happy with my using her nag.