Winch talk.

[1971ford]

Commence winch talk.

First off, I need a winch for the highboy, and don't know much about winches at all yet. It will be used very rarely, only if i get the highboy stuck somewhere and somehow, and if the race truck needs to be pulled out of a ditch or put back onto its wheels (If it is easier than a strap and pull method). I've also had a winch (on random guy's jeep) save our day when we had no way of pulling a broken bronco onto our car trailer in the middle of the desert.

What are the good brands? I know Warn, but what else? or is it that if its not warn then you're not in the cool kid club?
Second, what pound capacity should I get at the least? would 8,000 pounds be enough or is this just too weak. I plan on getting a winch off craigslist and there's a 8,000lb WARN for $400 in "great condition", not that i am going to put money into a winch right now but curious if that would be something to jump on or not in the future.
Also, what do you guys think about mounting a winch into a front receiver, provided that the fabricated crossmember/receiver is well built? I plan on building a nearly identical receiver as this one. Reason for a receiver mounted winch would be because I could simply pull it off when I don't plan on using it, and I cold keep my original bumper.



Also, Lets see some pictures of bumps with a winch.

[papabug71]

No pics of bumps with winches, but I think averagef250 & Heep70 have winches on their rigs.

I do know like everything else in life, you get what you pay for espically when it comes to winches. Don't buy the craigslist winch unless you see it hooked up & working or know the seller personally. Warn is a good name. Also check out Ramsey. They are built just up the road from me in Tulsa Ok. Im pretty sure Warn has a factory in Oregon. Those are the only 2 I know of built in the US.

As far as size goes, I would get the biggest one you can afford. I have a 12K mile marker on my Dodge. Are you looking at electric or hydraulic ?

[70f350]

I would go the receiver way myself. I have a 12000# Ramsey and I love it. Mine is mounted to a hitch plate. On my 79 I had run welding cable to a fork lift charging plug. I had a plug on the winch so all I had to do was mount it to the receiver, plug it in and wa-la. My plan was to make a front receiver so it could go in the back or front, never did this but I will for the 70.

Remind me when you come over for the choke cable and I'll show you.

[eggman918]

winch pic ,get a copy of U.S.Army FM 20-22 vehicle recovery it is on line in pdf form.
I have seen the reviver idea used before it is a nice system
Steve.

[1971ford]

No pics of bumps with winches, but I think averagef250 & Heep70 have winches on their rigs.

I do know like everything else in life, you get what you pay for espically when it comes to winches. Don't buy the craigslist winch unless you see it hooked up & working or know the seller personally. Warn is a good name. Also check out Ramsey. They are built just up the road from me in Tulsa Ok. Im pretty sure Warn has a factory in Oregon. Those are the only 2 I know of built in the US.

As far as size goes, I would get the biggest one you can afford. I have a 12K mile marker on my Dodge. Are you looking at electric or hydraulic ?

Yep I know heep70 has one, figured Dustin has one too. If i bought a used winch, would would i look for besides that it works?

I would go the receiver way myself. I have a 12000# Ramsey and I love it. Mine is mounted to a hitch plate. On my 79 I had run welding cable to a fork lift charging plug. I had a plug on the winch so all I had to do was mount it to the receiver, plug it in and wa-la. My plan was to make a front receiver so it could go in the back or front, never did this but I will for the 70.

Remind me when you come over for the choke cable and I'll show you.

Yep, I'm building a beafy rear receiver to tow the race truck and a couple of the trailers that we may use don't have winches so I thought I could just put the winch on a hitch into the rear receiver, block the trailer and be able to tow the broken race truck onto the trailer.
I'm definitely interested in seeing that winch/hitch setup.

[1971ford]

winch pic ,get a copy of U.S.Army FM 20-22 vehicle recovery it is on line in pdf form.
I have seen the reviver idea used before it is a nice system
Steve.

Nice, what winch are you running? Mind if i come to your house in case of zombie invasion?

Just googled the vehicle recovery and I think I have seen that before, I'll definitely look into it more later today

[eggman918]

RAMSEY DC 200 #8K with the big spool it holds 150' of 3/8" cable

[1971ford]

How does the 8k do with the highboy. Ever pulled yourself out or pulled anything else with it?

[fordman]

i've seen in bumper winches mounted on bumps before. they were an aftermarket add on. or specialty truck. the bumper stuck way out front and had steel plate on both side of the top you could even stand on to work on the truck. right in the center was the winch

[averagef250]

Warn winches are pretty junky these days and have been for decades. Warn bought their original winch design from Bellview upped the rating on it from 6000 to 8000 pounds then revamped it a bit to make it reversible in the late 70's coming up with the 8274. The 8274 is the pinnacle of winch design from Warn and the only winch they have ever made that is worth anything. They are two speed and pull harder, faster and longer than any other electric winch. They will snap the cable or rip themselves apart before stalling. Lots more pull in one than 8000 pounds.

Have had lots of friends that work at Warn in various departments over the years and live about a mile from the founders son. A friend of mine worked in the testing area where they overload and push the winches to thier limits. The planetary winches were never designed to be the last winch you'll ever buy type of deal. Warn was bought out several years ago by who knows who making most products overseas today. They're running on the coattails of a decent name.

Electric winches have thier place, but PTO and hydraulic pieces are the real workhorses. For years I had a Garwood PTO winch I removed from a 1944 duece and a half in a bumper I built on the front of my '70. It looked mean, but it was a clunky finnicky old winch and weighed quite a bit, I don't know what it was rated for, but I'd place it in the 10K to 12K range (the old winches were not rated as high as modern winches size for size). The winch I have to go on my '70 now is a Braden AMU7-16F. This PTO winch is far more rugged than the old Garwood, but in a considerably smaller package. It holds nearly as much cable, but in a smaller diameter drum and has continuos ratings of 9500 full drum and 24,000 single layer.

[eggman918]

I have drug a lot of big oak fire wood single line as well as a couple mid size 4x4,2 lines will normal unstick my truck but if it was real deep it would take 3 lines.
I have a 10K hydraulic PTO winch but now do not have a PTO to run it with the new power train,PTO is the way to go if you plan to use the winch a lot as Dustin has said.
Steve.

[atkhersham]

Even if not too many individuals are being given much at once. Even if not too many individuals are being given much at once. Even if not too many individuals are being given much at once.

[1972hiboy]

Had to dig this thread up.
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =9&t=65693

A few good pics

[Manny]

Figure i will chime in here. General rule has always been a 2/3's safety cusion. For instance your truck scales 6000lbs (with all gear on board fuel driver the lot) then you need a 9000lb winch to give you a 1/3 cushion of winch capacity. I have a old old warn 8274 that i am rebuilding that will ride in a receiver hitch shackle mount just like what your talking about. You have fabricated plenty of stuff Ryan. Just use your brain and think about that winches rating and what it will take to keep it attached to the truck. As for electric/hydraulic/pto kinda they all have good and bads. Pto's like on Dustins truck will drag anything as long as the truck is anchored. Heck you can chalk the wheels set the brakes and as long as the engines running a pto winch will drag it. hydraulics never overheat and act like ptos but have hoses and can murder a powersteering pump. Electric is the standard if there is one. I think you have the twin batts and the big alternator as you have the cummins right ryan? That is a big help as to not murder the alternator when winching. Finally brands warn is kinda overrated in my mind (and overpriced) think your better off with a ramsey or mile marker makes some good cheaper winches. Also i have heard good things about the ENGO winches. Apparently australian built by mile markers ex ceo. Real cheap for good porduct is my hearing. Then finally i have looked at the winches in harbor freight several times. Yes they are chinese yes they may crap but i have heard if the work outta the box they will work forever. Very cheap and normally HF tools is okay about warranty. Wanna guinea pig a HF winch for us like you did the superduty springs???????? Just helping stir the discussion......

[460 crew]

My bumper and winch are in a pic in the thread 72highboy posted. It's a t-max 9500 mounted on the custom bumper. Pulled a few ppl out, done a few retarded things like winching onto cat equipment to c what it would do. No problems. Pulled myself out of some pretty nasty mud a few times, even sideways. Lots of creeking and moans from the truck but the winch never complained. I believe I got it for under 500 new. Australian built.