Which Winch

We you know the old saying go big or go home. But seriously I think the lower amp draw may be more advantages. When your stuck and have to use a winch slower may be best "Just saying." 🤔

I think you are safe with either.  They say to run a winch that's 1.5x the vehicle weight.  Assuming your jeep is 6000lbs on the heavy side, that's 9000lbs.

I'm planning on a 9.5k winch. I used the crap out of my 8k on my TJ, so I figure the 9.5k should be good for my JKU. I'm also looking at the Smittybilt winches, but I'm having a hard time talking myself out of a Warn. My old Warn pulled and pulled and pulled and NEVER let me down. Hard to beat the track record of my old Warn M8000; Cheap and reliable.

Go Warn! Reliability when you need it most!

I found a Warn 9.5k on craigslist for $600 not long ago. . . they are out there. Many have sat on the front of a 4Runner, etc for a few years and have never been run.

I have never had a smittybilt, but Jeff sure has abused his over the years and it seems to keep ticking.

Initially, I wasn't impressed with how Brad was treated with his warn winch warranty issue and seeing Jason set one on fire.  But now that I have a warn on the front of my jeep, I have been pretty impressed with it.  Time will tell.

Buy one with a lifetime warranty.

I owned a 1700 warn power plant.  Two fordyce trips and it stopped. They would not stand behind my winch...

People can espouse whatever they like.  My Australian winch never let me down. My current cheapo winch has never let me down, including pulling several rigs one after the other...

Back to my original question... 😉

I think I'll be going with the 12K since the dimensions are the same and if I need to use it I'm likely not in any hurry. 🙂

k-jeep said Back to my original question... 😉 I think I'll be going with the 12K since the dimensions are the same and if I need to use it I'm likely not in any hurry. 🙂  

Dude, we were having a great debate.  Have you looked at weight?  My findings show they weigh the same making this post a mute point.  but, are you going wireless? Because that can save some weight.

X2O-10K Waterproof Synthetic Rope Wireless Winch Gen2 with Fairlead - 67lbs... Not sure wired, but I'm guessing the same as below.

X2O 12K GEN2 Comp Series Wireless Winch - 67lbs... Wired - 51lbs

Side note, I found this article interesting: http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/129-1107-massive-multi-winch-shootout/ It's old and some of the testing parameters were funny to me and sponsorships may have played a factor, but still worth taking note for those that are winch shopping.

Does a winch REALLY need to be water proof?

I submerged my old Warn M8000 so may times I can't even count them and it never let me down when I needed it.

k-jeep said I think I'll be going with the 12K since the dimensions are the same and if I need to use it I'm likely not in any hurry. 🙂

12k sounds good Kevin. Then you can pull two rigs out of Hell Hole at the same time.

Personaly I think just having a winch is a force multiplier. Regardless of brand. If you can self recover your rig then it's a good day!

Josh has a good point; We are probably splitting hairs over which winch.

Any reliable brand will probably perform just fine for what it was intended for.

On a side note, I used my old winch a bunch of times, but it was only used for self recovery three times; Once on Fordyce at Winch Hill 1, Once on Fordyce in deep snow at Winch Hill 2, and Once on Highway 20 [Hammers] getting up the final waterfall. All other times it was used to haul other people up obstacles, pull trees out of the way, up-righting "flopped" rigs, trail repairs, and uprooting bushes for yard work.

Gregulator said

Dude, we were having a great debate.  Have you looked at weight?  My findings show they weigh the same making this post a mute point.  but, are you going wireless? Because that can save some weight.

X2O-10K Waterproof Synthetic Rope Wireless Winch Gen2 with Fairlead - 67lbs... Not sure wired, but I'm guessing the same as below.

X2O 12K GEN2 Comp Series Wireless Winch - 67lbs... Wired - 51lbs

 

Side note, I found this article interesting: http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/129-1107-massive-multi-winch-shootout/ It's old and some of the testing parameters were funny to me and sponsorships may have played a factor, but still worth taking note for those that are winch shopping.  

I thought the Comp Series came with synthetic rope? and had a higher heat range. You know for competition use lol😂

Josh said 12k sounds good Kevin. Then you can pull two rigs out of Hell Hole at the same time. 

Or winch up a vertical cliff! 👍😜