Come-Alongs?

[Bjeepz]

OP, I caution you against stories of I've never needed a winch etc.. Getting stuck often happens in an unexpected place at the worst time. Be prepared, especially if you get out exploring alone. A good come along is a lot better than none! As for Mojave use, uuummm, does that mean that guys with Overlands are only supposed to go on long camping trips and sport model guys are just going shopping and not cool to wheel because not a Rubicon, damn.

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[ShadowsPapa]

does that mean that guys with Overlands are only supposed to go on long camping trips

Yes. No sway bar disconnects, limited articulation due to that and fender clearance, narrow axles, high gear ratios and the name just says it all. Stay on land, stay out of mud, water or rocks. And definitely never go into sand as that's strictly for Mojave owners only - no other Jeep can make it anyway. Just ask a Mojave owner. They have the best ride and do everything better. (even though the Overland is aimed at a nice ride for highway use - odd, eh?)

I will say, pulling that guy out of the snow and ice would have been a real bitch with a come-along because of the distance and it was colder than #@%@ out there. (I had to dig snow away from his undercarriage just to find a place to hook onto - my knees got COLD)

Ugh, can't even think about not being able to just push a button and getting him out of there and me off that ice.

But then what do I know - I had to put different springs under the front of mine just to hold it up a bit. Oh, this will be fine..... oh, wait, I want one of those, too. Ok, done now - oh, wait - gee, I'd sure like to have that on my truck. OK, done now - oops, nope, gotta have a set of these for the wife so she can get in easier. Now, all done........ or am I?

What was the question again?

 

[ChrisNLA]

A winch wouldn't drag the front of my truck down enough for me to want to crank on a come-along in the woods.

I'd personally run a light weight bumper and winch with synthetic line. Weight will be fine. Shock reservoirs can be easily moved or remounted if necessary.

Heck, I have a winch inside of my stock plastic bumper. Best weight savings.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Overland -
Steel bumper (with ends) and winch dropped the truck with stock springs 3/4"

Steel bumper (with ends) and winch dropped the truck with Rubicon springs roughly 1/2"

YMMV.

I tracked measurements with every change I made to both of my Gladiator Overlands

 

[Bjeepz]

I didn't track the difference in front ride height when adding the winch and bumper... Visually at the time it looked like nothing changed, but I do think it has dropped a bit with use or maybe I just think that! Sometimes it looks too low, sometimes it looks perfectly level, doesn't take a lot to skew the view. Need a perfectly flat space where things can be viewed from a distance and properly measured, what a chore! I am thinking of adding the extra 1/2 inch Teraflex spacer to mine that already has a 1 inch spacer up front and a 3/4 out back. Then will I think it is front high?! Or am I just high?! Oh man, what's going on hahahahaaaaaaaa

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I didn't track the difference in front ride height when adding the winch and bumper... Sometimes it looks too low, sometimes it looks perfectly level, doesn't take a lot to skew the view. Need a perfectly flat space that things can be view from a distance and properly measured, what a chore! I am thinking of adding the extra 1/2 inch Teraflex spacer to mine that already has a 1 inch spacer up front and a 3/4 out back. Then will I think it is front high?! Or am I just high?! Oh man, what's going on hahahahaaaaaaaa

We need to form a club for guys like us.
Today mine looked fine, a couple of weeks ago the front looked too high.
I'm afraid if the spring/spacer thing was really easy I'd be changing it every week.

 

[Bjeepz]

We need to form a club for guys like us.
Today mine looked fine, a couple of weeks ago the front looked too high.
I'm afraid if the spring/spacer thing was really easy I'd be changing it every week.

Imagine an easily adjustable spacer system that could be dialled in.... Everyday adjusting it a wee bit here and there over and over!! It would be out of control for me.

I should add that I got stuck in snow today! Unexpected event. I collapsed through the hard crust and was just under the frame. Under the tires was not grippy. My winch was useless, my shovel was the only tool I had with me, it worked with about 12-15 mins of shovelling. I walk by my maxtraxx everyday in the garage.... eating my words from above about being prepared.

 

[Renegade]

Imagine an easily adjustable spacer system that could be dialled in.... Everyday adjusting it a wee bit here and there over and over!! It would be out of control for me.

Like this?

 

[Jefe1018]

I’ve had a winch for the last like 5 years on both my vehicles, never needed it. There’s a peace of mind when you have one that can’t be bought in my mind, except well with a proper winch and bumper to mount it into. If you don’t wheel alone or in unpopulated areas consider buying once, crying once. If you have buddies or are in highly trafficked and cell service areas, have at it.

 

[Animal]

I carried a come along everywhere before I purchased a winch. I hated storing it, every place I tried seemed to be a big sacrifice of cargo capacity. I didn't like storing it in the cab as it's a decent amount of weight that could go flying in an accident. I didn't like it in the bed because it took up an odd footprint. I never needed it and so far haven't needed the winch either, but having the winch up front not sacrificing bed or cab storage is a plus.

 

[IslandFalconer]

Here’s the thing regardless of if it’s a Willys, a Rubicon or a Mojave. When you’re stuck, when you’re trying to get the bloody truck out of the situation you put it in. When you’re frustrated you’ve spent 1/2 hour trying to drive it out of that freaking situation, the agrivation of a come along just adds more frustration. If you don’t want a winch mounted 90% of the time, maybe install a front receiver, put the winch on a receiver plate and bring the winch when you need.

 

[21RG]

As a kid I could not afford a winch so I carried a come along and a high lift jack. I used both to get me unstuck numerous times. You tend to work when using them but they never fail.

You will need the same kit as a winch, but more of it. They don't have the reach as a winch with 100' of line. Plus if on an incline and you need to reset I use a strap to hold the vehicle in place, nothing like using a come along and winching a vehicle 5 muddy feet up and then unhook and the vehicle (after placing rocks behind the tires) slides back down 15 muddy feet.

They are effective but not necessarily lighter in weight with the extra equipment you should have on hand. You can move the weight around when not in use.

Consider getting more straps, longer straps, and a few more clevis's and soft shackles to connect the straps. And have a snatch block for sure, you will probably end up doing a double line pull.

Someone mentioned a stubby bumper with winch & synthetic line. I would prefer that route. Different spring rates up front would help as well.

 

[charliez]

Winches are good insurance against bad decisions

This has got to be the best thing I've heard in a while. I'm going to remember this

 

[Empty Pockets]

I had a surplus M151A2 for some time. You won’t find many lighter 4x4s. I kept a come-a-long in it and used it several times. It worked Ok, but I thought it was pretty laborious. Not so much the cranking, but the fact that every 15 feet it so it had to be let out and hooked up again. That was in flat, muddy, red clay days. If I had to pull uphill it would have been a train wreck.

 

[570gladiator]

In theory, i'd love a winch, but i really don't want to deal with the weight of the winch plus the weight of a bumper capable of mounting it on my front end. Plus with a Mojave, there's the issue of compatibility with my factory skid that holds my shock reservoirs, so something like the aluminum recreation of the rubi steel bumper wouldn't even be doable without some modification I'm not 100% sure i'm willing to make.

This led me down the path of come-alongs. Specifically, the Wyeth-Scott Power Puller because it seems to be the best regarded model of come-along and it offers synthetic line (which while ubiquitous in the winch world seems to be a rarity in the come-along game).

I don't hate the price even though it costs almost the same as a badlands 12k, i just hate the idea of buying something twice. BUT, i also hate the idea of all that weight on the front of my jeep.

So my question: has anyone bought a come-along to later regret it because you just ended up with a winch anyway? Will i feel secure enough with a come-along or is this me trying to rationalize what will eventually become a "buy twice, cry twice" scenario?

I have used a come along to get me out of a bind once, but have since got a winch. This may work for you, I got one that goes in the rear receiver. So when I am not on a trail it is in the garage, when I may need it I put it in the bed with another battery. I also have straps and chains so if the rear receiver is not the best location I can strap to a tree and hook up to the front.

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