Winter winch

[Ben29]

Putting a winch on my JT. Realistically- it’ll sit on the bumper for 99% of its life. I’m not rock crawling or mudding in it. I want one for our central pa winters. I’m on state forest roads & game roads all winter and I’ve been stuck in my old truck. So. Biggest question I have is do you all have a preference with wire vs syn in the winter. Pros cons for winter use etc. Looking at either badlands or rough country (wire or syn). 9500lb or 12klb not sure on that one either. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Putting a winch on my JT. Realistically- it’ll sit on the bumper for 99% of its life. I’m not rock crawling or mudding in it. I want one for our central pa winters. I’m on state forest roads & game roads all winter and I’ve been stuck in my old truck. So. Biggest question I have is do you all have a preference with wire vs syn in the winter. Pros cons for winter use etc. Looking at either badlands or rough country (wire or syn). 9500lb or 12klb not sure on that one either. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

Season or weather don't matter. Synthetic rope is better. I've had steel cable in the past and I hate it. Never again.

I have a Badlands Apex 12000 and used it in the winter to pull a guy out of an icy/snowy ditch - it's a lot nicer dealing with flexible rope in the cold than cold stiff wire/cable.

Winter use won't matter - why would it? But frankly, when it's cold, and icy, last thing I want to do is fight stiff cable while trying to stand and walk in winter conditions.

 

[Rusty PW]

I'm in sw PA. I've had both. With steel. I wiped it down with used motor oil. Synthetic, I've had water get into it and freeze. After that episode. I put a cover over it.

 

[Bear Hunter]

I have a Rough country 9500 that came with a steel cable and I replaced it with synthetic. I live in Wisconsin with cold and snowy winters. I do cover mine unless Im using it to keep it somewhat free of road salt. I have used it in bad winter weather to help people out and it works great. People will talk down rough country but my experience has been good. Mine is two years old and works great. I would get a cover though...

 

[Maximus Gladius]

9500lb or 12klb not sure on that one either.

With regard to wondering which one. Check out this test pull of different rated winches. Some don’t pull as much as rated.

Go to 12:19 for this test or just watch the whole thing. Very informative.

 

[RudeJeepin]

Putting a winch on my JT. Realistically- it’ll sit on the bumper for 99% of its life. I’m not rock crawling or mudding in it. I want one for our central pa winters. I’m on state forest roads & game roads all winter and I’ve been stuck in my old truck. So. Biggest question I have is do you all have a preference with wire vs syn in the winter. Pros cons for winter use etc. Looking at either badlands or rough country (wire or syn). 9500lb or 12klb not sure on that one either. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks for your time.

You should invest a little time into researching the pros and cons of synthetic as well as steel line.
I choose steel, for my usage it is a better choice. This isn't my first go around, I know how I use and abuse rope.
Pulling over the ground and downed logs would kill synthetic in short order.
This isn't my first go around. I probably maintain my winches/winch line better than most. I inspect my line almost every use. I know how to properly real it in and spool it up.
I recently gave my old XD9000, bought in 1992, to my son and replaced it with a VR EVO 10k. The old one still worked flawlessly.

You can ignore all but the first paragraph, it was the point I wanted to make.

Good luck with your choice.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Looking at either badlands or rough country (wire or syn). 9500lb or 12klb not sure on that one either.

Another member with the smaller winch recently said the 9,000 or maybe it was 9,500 "wasn't enough" for when they got hung up in rocks. It could have been with some creative rigging......
you can use snatch blocks and double your pull instead of relying on a simple straight line pull and full winch power.

As far as the YT video mentioned - keep in mind, that's NOT the Apex winch, and they are obviously not using decent mounts. I was really surprised at their lack of decent mounting. Don't blame the winch when your cheap, flat steel plate bends under load. IMO, the fact they didn't properly mount the winches pretty much makes it not a good test, IMO.
They were testing a different version of the winches most of us have. They need to redo the testing with decent mounting and the current line-up of winches and use the APEX. In a way, it's apples to oranges. You aren't going to twist or flex a good mount.

I set the parking brake on my car to offer a lot of resistance - not enough to slide the tires, but enough the car could not roll or otherwise be pushed, even down-hill. My driveway is a fair incline, and the broomed concrete means the tires of the car had some traction.
And that's how I re-wound the rope on my winch....... (I wanted to check it after 2+ years on the winch, multiple winters, etc. - check for damage and so on, and wind it with some tension and evenly on the spool in even layers)
As an added plus - with the driveway being such an incline, I figured with the car at the top of the hill, I could hope in, release the brake, let 'er roll, and let loose of the clutch to start it since the battery was dead. Took some doing since it's a 4.0 with EFI but it worked.

Fully unspooled save for a half-dozen wraps to hold it in place, it looked fine, clean, no abrasions, no rot or whatever and it looked CLEAN inside. Odd considering how the front of the truck has looked at times, covered in which brine and mud and sand.
Someone else posted about inspecting, properly re-winding and so on - smart, very.
I think I'll make this an annual practice.

 

[Ben29]

You should invest a little time into researching the pros and cons of synthetic as well as steel line.
I choose steel, for my usage it is a better choice. This isn't my first go around, I know how I use and abuse rope.
Pulling over the ground and downed logs would kill synthetic in short order.
This isn't my first go around. I probably maintain my winches/winch line better than most. I inspect my line almost every use. I know how to properly real it in and spool it up.
I recently gave my old XD9000, bought in 1992, to my son and replaced it with a VR EVO 10k. The old one still worked flawlessly.

You can ignore all but the first paragraph, it was the point I wanted to make.

Good luck with your choice.

You should invest a little time into researching the pros and cons of synthetic as well as steel line.
I choose steel, for my usage it is a better choice. This isn't my first go around, I know how I use and abuse rope.
Pulling over the ground and downed logs would kill synthetic in short order.
This isn't my first go around. I probably maintain my winches/winch line better than most. I inspect my line almost every use. I know how to properly real it in and spool it up.
I recently gave my old XD9000, bought in 1992, to my son and replaced it with a VR EVO 10k. The old one still worked flawlessly.

You can ignore all but the first paragraph, it was the point I wanted to make.

Good luck with your choice.

I’ve definitely done a pile of research and see pros and cons to both. I’ve narrowed my main use ( not all obviously) to probably snowy winter slush use. If cable then I have the option to switch to syn if I choose later. Or spend the extra and get syn right outta the gate. Again- just weighing pros and cons to all. I appreciate everyone’s time and input ?

 

[SD Rider]

FWIW: I had a lifted 1996 Pathfinder that I put a winch on. Never. Ever. used it. Sold the Pathfinder about 7 years ago. I saw it around town a few years ago and asked about it...the new owner said the winch works...he pulled someone that was buried in the sand. Once.

Personally, I'm going to buy the $300 winch (Rugcel with red rope to match the JTR https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NBJSJXN/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A30EA9FQDDLEOZ&psc=1) . If I EVER use it and find that I break it....I'll upgrade. For now, it's cheap insurance in case I do need it. My bumper is still a couple weeks out....Sunday will be 5 weeks...at least they are honest with the 5-7 weeks estimation.

 

[RudeJeepin]

FWIW: I had a lifted 1996 Pathfinder that I put a winch on. Never. Ever. used it. Sold the Pathfinder about 7 years ago. I saw it around town a few years ago and asked about it...the new owner said the winch works...he pulled someone that was buried in the sand. Once.

Personally, I'm going to buy the $300 winch (Rugcel with red rope to match the JTR https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09NBJSJXN/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A30EA9FQDDLEOZ&psc=1) . If I EVER use it and find that I break it....I'll upgrade. For now, it's cheap insurance in case I do need it. My bumper is still a couple weeks out....Sunday will be 5 weeks...at least they are honest with the 5-7 weeks estimation.

I'd be real leary about that hawse fairlead. Those look Ike pretty square or super tight radius edges on it, not good for the rope.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'd be real leary about that hawse fairlead. Those look Ike pretty square or super tight radius edges on it, not good for the rope.

Is that what it's supposed to be? I thought it was just a pretty plate and you still needed to buy the fairlead.
People can say what they want about the Badland Apex, but that part is so smooth and such a large radius......

 

[Sandevino]

Both cables require maintenance. Steel cable requires you keep it clean, oil it and keep proper tension. Synthetic rope can get damaged by sunlight (over time) and is susceptible to freezing if it gets wet. Get a cover for both.

I prefer synthetic as it's as strong as steel cable without the kinetic implications. I recently switched all my rigging to synthetic saving weight and increasing safety. The NO ZONE (triangle of death) is still a real threat and you have to winch safe.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Maybe we need a thread called summer winch.....

Synthetic rope can get damaged by sunlight (over time) and is susceptible to freezing if it gets wet. Get a cover for both.

There's only a couple inches of rope exposed on most winches. Guess I don't see that as huge, either. Pretty easily covered or protected, I'd suspect. Mine is in a garage when not being used/drive/out and about.
Maybe someone can print a cover for that section and solve the problem?

 

[Sandevino]

Maybe we need a thread called summer winch.....



There's only a couple inches of rope exposed on most winches. Guess I don't see that as huge, either. Pretty easily covered or protected, I'd suspect. Mine is in a garage when not being used/drive/out and about.
Maybe someone can print a cover for that section and solve the problem?

Mine has the same amount exposed.

The issue is for those that have theirs mounted on top of the bumper (not in the bumper like ours) and exposed to the elements.

 

[RudeJeepin]

Don't be fooled, synthetic rope does store kinetic energy, maybe not as much as wire cable.
I've personally seen 5/8 amsteel blue snap under a heavy load. It recoiled over half the length of the rope and slammed against a tree. The smack was loud enough to tell me it would of really hurt at the very least.
Synthetic needs to be protected from UV rays, doesn't take abuse well and needs to be kept clean.

As far as steel cable goes, the winch on my son's TJ I bought in 1992 and still has the original cable. Never been oiled and never will, still works flawlessly. I inspect the cable every time I pulled it out and every time I respool it. Low maintenance, and take loads of abuse, within reason.

Both have their plusses and minuses, do your do diligence and research each. Separate opinions from facts and weigh your usage.


My new winch is spooled with steel cable. But that's me, and it fits my usage/needs the best. But I also carry a section of synthetic rope for an extension.

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