Which winch

Hi all, looking for some opinions/advice on winches.I'm looking to fit a winch to my 90 but with so much choice available and so many various prices I'm unsure of which one to buy. Will be only occasional use for self recovery,which ones would you recommend and which one to steer clear of .

Have a look at David Bowyers site, hes the 'go to' guy on winches, and even if you don't want any of his there is a lot of interesting reading and advice! I'll be going to him when I fit one on mine!

Second that David Bowyer is a great guy, with an excellent product. However I ran a Winchmax 13000 for years, for tree surgery and offroading, not a fast winch but strong, and never had an issue.

I’ve a warn 9.5ti, available for £400 with new Albright solenoid.
A lot better winch than the cheap Chinese crap on the market.

A good one is expensive & needs fittings commensurate with the pulling power, the front bumper will need to be changed or modified & the front suspension uprated to handle the weight.
A controversial statement I know, but first ask yourself if you really NEED a winch as there's lots of vehicles on the road with posh winches that are never used.
A mechanical or hydraulic powered unit is usually more powerful but complicated to install & useless if the engine cannot be run, electric will probably require an extra battery plus modified charging facilities.

norseman said:

A good one is expensive & needs fittings commensurate with the pulling power, the front bumper will need to be changed or modified & the front suspension uprated to handle the weight.
A controversial statement I know, but first ask yourself if you really NEED a winch as there's lots of vehicles on the road with posh winches that are never used.
A mechanical or hydraulic powered unit is usually more powerful but complicated to install & useless if the engine cannot be run, electric will probably require an extra battery plus modified charging facilities.

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On this point, make sure to use good quality rated bolts and nuts.

Cheers

Well things have changed. There was a time when this thread would have been full of suggestions to get a tirfor.
That sed, get a tirfor.

And a synthetic rope/ soft shackles.

I had a winch on my Puma. I used to spend my life during pay and play days pulling idiots out of the way, who often didn't want to get their feet wet!

Pillar said:

I had a winch on my Puma. I used to spend my life during pay and play days pulling idiots out of the way, who often didn't want to get their feet wet!

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Simples, you get stuck, you get dirty.

Cheers

neilly said:

Simples, you get stuck, you get dirty.

Cheers

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If only- most people were bone idle! And of course they'd be in the way holding everyone else up!

Pillar said:

If only- most people were bone idle! And of course they'd be in the way holding everyone else up!

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Not sure how they can hold peeps up at a pay and play, just go around them.


Leave them stranded until the owners of the P&P turn up with tractors.

Cheers

neilly said:

Not sure how they can hold peeps up at a pay and play, just go around them.


Leave them stranded until the owners of the P&P turn up with tractors.

Cheers

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Muddy bottom is good for being quite tight in places. Especially near the woods!

Some of the recoverys required multiple Land Rovers. Some got proper stuck!

Kev1969 said:

Hi all, looking for some opinions/advice on winches.I'm looking to fit a winch to my 90 but with so much choice available and so many various prices I'm unsure of which one to buy. Will be only occasional use for self recovery,which ones would you recommend and which one to steer clear of .

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If I were buying a new one tomorrow then this is on my short list.

As a bit above I have a Winchmax 13000. Been on for about 4 years and never let me down. Saying that it has never pulled me out but I do use it to pull other people out, my boat back onto the trailer, tree stumps up and even a Rolls body onto a trailer.
It's coming off the Landy and going on the Pathfinder when I get a few minutes.

ps. The wireless control works great.

OK, time for my spiel ...

For what the original stated reasons were, little and occasional use, just get a cheapish winch. As suggested I've used and seen the Winchmax's and they're perfect for a fit, forget, use occasionally winch. Get decent shackles, (soft or hard) and a decent non-wire rope, with at least one swingaway shackle for doubling the pull. Warrior winches, especially what used to be the S versions .. dunno what they are now, are also pretty good, arguably better as they use a slightly more powerful motor.

If you then decide to do more laning, or use it more at Play days or suchlike I'd suggest a Goodwinch TDS 9.5 with Bow2 motor, synthetic ropes etc, fast, strong, reliable and can be fitted with an air free-spool. Warn Ti/XP 9.5 is similar but more costly but doesn't take an airspool.

Gnarly Laning, playing hard and occasional competition use where it's gonna be used a lot look to Red Winch smaller winches, or Warn 8274.

Proper competition then larger Red Winch or Gigglepin winches, whatever your budget can afford ..

Actually, if @johnlad has a Warn Ti at £400 I'd buy that. He's a good lad and doesn't abuse his kit .. and that's the same type winch that @DavidSally used on his G4 Diso to winch my Disco out from a river!