To winch or not to winch

[WILDHOBO]

Thinking I’ll do the same. Picked up some metal to make a bracket today then realized I need to get a wire extend the aux and make a ground wire.

Here’s mine. It’s just a piece of aluminum angle iron with self-tapping sheet metal screws, with a rubber washer to prevent scratching the paint.

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[Bjeepz]

A little background, I don’t plan on doing much more than easy to moderate off-roading in my JTR. I have a RZR XP Turbo with a winch and all the recovery gear that I take on the more difficult stuff. The issue is that I live in the Midwest, so deeper mud is always a possibility on the trails and sometimes at unexpected times. It’s rare I would ever be doing something solo, but no one in my group has a winch on their Jeep.

I’m debating the “I need help to get unstuck” risk if we can’t manage it with kinetic ropes vs the potential fire risk that winches (or any accessory wired direct to the battery) add. I’m a firefighter and have responded to several fires either parked or in accidents that I believe are likely caused by additional accessories added to the vehicle. I would certainly use a battery disconnect switch to minimize the risk.

I see both as fairly low probability, but the stuck one is mostly a pride hit and maybe paying someone to get me out. The fire risk, while also very unlikely, has much more serious consequences. I pride myself on being the prepared for everything person with my family and friends so I’m leaning towards adding the winch, but part of me keeps wondering if it is worth it.

Anyone else have this internal debate and land one way or the other?

Do the winch, if you only NEED it once you will be happy with your decision. I used mine once this yr, once last yr, once the yr before sorta thing. It paid for itself each time I used it.

 

[danend]

Agreed, adding a Factor 55 Flat Hook when it gets here. Didn’t like pulling the hook tight against the fairlead for the next few days.

Done

 

[dmwphoto]

Nice clean install!

 

[Jaxmax]

Danend don’t put the credit card away yet, get the rope guard for the flat link, protects the rope from abrasion and dirt on front but most importantly keeps winch line totally out of the sun. I would think having the sun bake the end of the exposed loop might be a bad thing. It’s only money, might as well spend it!……Jack

 

[Bjeepz]

Done

CORRECTION NOTICE:

Well done!!!

 

[chorky]

I not only love having my front one, but am in the process of deciding on a custom diy setup for a removable rear winch. Now that I’ve been thinking n s couple situations where it would have REALLY made things safer, I’m done wheeling without one. It’ll be a lightweight, low profile, and lower pulling power setup, appropriate for the hitch I’m aware it’d me mounted in. But sometimes, you just need an active, but gentle supporting connection at the rear. And you don’t usually have the luxury of tons of trees right near you for long extensions and multiple pulleys for rear pulls from tue front winch. Nice to know the physics, but out in the wild, the winch points are never where they would need to be to make it work.

Not DIY but I have been pretty happy with the road armor rear winch bumper I have so far. Still able to hold a 35 (maybe even 37) spare.

 

[danend]

Danend don’t put the credit card away yet, get the rope guard for the flat link, protects the rope from abrasion and dirt on front but most importantly keeps winch line totally out of the sun. I would think having the sun bake the end of the exposed loop might be a bad thing. It’s only money, might as well spend it!……Jack

For what they charge for the Flatlink, you would think they would include one!

That’s a great looking install. I considered going that route with my OEM bumper but didn‘t think I had the skill to make it turn out that good.

What fairlead is that?

 

[Jaxmax]

Factor 55 short drum light weight Fairlead, I mounted it upside down so all the lettering is hidden, low key is me!

 

[Zachanadandy]

I've gotten unstuck using come-a-longs, hi lifts, shovels, tree branches, stacking rocks, etc more times than I can count. Almost all sucked, were hard damn work, took a bunch of time, etc. The 1st time I used the new winch on my old XJ was the last time I owned a jeep without one. In both JLURs we've owned, the only times we've ever been stuck were deep mud or deep snow. All would have been exhausting and filthy work without the winch. All were simple strolls to the nearest tree and viola. The saved time alone makes the winch worth while. JT doesn't have one...yet, but it's only 3 weeks old. Factor 55 flat links could be the biggest con job in the winch industry. A simple winch thimble allows we to pull the line all the way in right to the fairlead, keeps the line out of the sun, effectively functions exactly like the flat link, at a fraction of the cost. Sticks out slightly more, but it's high and in the middle of the bumper. I've never drug it on anything.

 

[Blade1668]

I should add that at the river crossing the front immediately sank into the clay down to the axle, but the back was still up on dry ground. So the front had to get out of the pit and up the ledge onto the dry ground. It worked but it took a strong heave on the handle for each click, and took a lot of clicks to get the truck out. In hind sight it may have been better to dig behind the front tires, but that axle was in deep. Funny thing is it was still 20 feet or more from the river, but the saturated soil made it that far back. And I was finding red clay underneath the vehicle for years after.

I've been there myself more times than I want to remember, not crossing the river (definitely to deep for that).... many times as a kid who lived to fish. More than one time, I left the keys on dash and walked home. The land owner of the adjacent land knew me since 5 grade and that I was coming or going fishing. He would find it pull it out and leave it for me. One of the times he had to use his bull dozer with the dragling winch. R.I.P. Red Smith and thanks for everything in my young years.

 

[jav_eee]

Danend don’t put the credit card away yet, get the rope guard for the flat link, protects the rope from abrasion and dirt on front but most importantly keeps winch line totally out of the sun. I would think having the sun bake the end of the exposed loop might be a bad thing. It’s only money, might as well spend it!……Jack

Ok this is cool. Do you have a write-up of how you hid yours behind the plastic bumper? Most of the ones I've seen require you to cut up the top.

 

[Olivia2023]

As a first responder for over 20 years, I understand how you sometimes see things on a regular basis at work, and assume it's enough of a risk to plan for it. In this case, the chances of a significant crash, leading to spontaneous fire due to a winch, is so very remote... Plus, some winches (mine included) require that it be switched on inside the cab before you can do anything outside. That's what the 4-aux switch cluster is for!

That said, most people who have winches don't use it much. Many just use it for looks, frankly. It's a heavy weight at the front of your vehicle that changes the handling, suspension and MPG, however slightly. It's cost-vs-benefit. How likely are you to need it vs how likely are you going to need it in a situation where there is no other option (tow truck, buddies, etc)?

If you don't think you're going to need it, don't get it unless you're after that "bad ass" look. There are better mods for your Jeep you can do with that $. There are also non-electric winch straps you can get for "that 1 scenario"...

It's interesting how our vocations seem to ABSOLUTELY have a direct correlation to our risk management PERCEPTIONS. Probably why, after 32 years as a L.E.O., I never leave the house without a pistol. Or two. LOL.

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