Hows Your CHEAP Winch Working For You?

[Mr. Dean]

About 7 or 8 years ago I mounted a Cheapo Costco Champion, to the front of my Bush Buggy. IIRC it's rated for 8ooo lbs.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/200704131255000_edited-3.JPG (http://javascript<strong></strong>:;)


Since I mounted it, it hasn't come off and gets nothing in regards to special treatment; it just hangs out there.

It's gotten me outta a few pickles and has proved handy to have around the house for yarding fallen trees and loading crap on my deck trailer.
I'll add that I do carry plan B equipment when out in the wilderness for WHEN it decides to retire but hafta admit, it has amazed me thus far.

For the 300 clams it cost me, it's been a good'er investment.


And now that I've said it, it probably doesn't work anymore.... :lol:

[David]

I've owned two cheap winches - both had the same problem - tolerances....

A straight line pull was fine but if you were at any sort of angle - even with a roller fairlead - the line would jump off the spool and end up wedge between the end of the spool and the edge of the winch.

Never had any problems with power - but then I am happy with slow and almost always snatch block.

Me.

[Mr. Dean]

I've owned two cheap winches - both had the same problem - tolerances....

A straight line pull was fine but if you were at any sort of angle - even with a roller fairlead - the line would jump off the spool and end up wedge between the end of the spool and the edge of the winch.

Never had any problems with power - but then I am happy with slow and almost always snatch block.

Me.

That would suck.
What brands were those - Haven't had that issue with the one I'm using.

[lip_ripper00]

Give it some more field time..... let Dave borrow it,hear he's needed one the odd time......

[Ronforca]

We use the cheapies on our two Quads with no problems so far.They are only 3000 pounders but are all that we need on the Quads.Somewhere around $75.00 at Can.Tire.Carry a come along just in case.

[Mr. Dean]

Give it some more field time..... let Dave borrow it,hear he's needed one the odd time......

Oh ya.
Poor Old Dave............ :lol:

[The Hermit]

Is Dave still out there?? LOL

[Singleshotneeded]

A cheap winch beats the heck out of no winch 110% of the time! :-)

[Slinky Pickle]

I run a 10,000 lbs Costco Champion on the rear and 12,000 Runva on the front. Both are of similar quality and neither gets any kind of maintenance. I would say that I've used each of them at least 6 times a year but the rear one sees a little more use than the front because usually, at that point, I just want to get out of the hole and go home.... and home is usually behing me.

I've used them both numerous times with rather severe angular pulls and they've both done well. The Runva even has a wireless remote which is very handy!

[Steeleco]

I've got my second Champion mounted reciever bracket that lives indoors 99% of the time in the cupboard. It's hard as hell to pull out the line sometime, but it will power out if needed. It's slow too, but for the times I've needed it, it's worked just fine for the money I paid. Only used it twice for recovery, the rest of the time for hauling game up hills or removing blow downs.

[cdub]

I had a champion on the from of my F250 for about 5-6 years then it stopped working. I opened it up and the solenoids were all good but the motor leaked and rusted out. Now i have a nice bumper with a hole for a winch.

[mikeboehm]

I use a 12500lbs mile marker hydraulic winch. Beat the crap out of any electric winch

[sheep.elk.moose fanatic]

I have a new 1200# warrior winch looks good but have not used it ...hope it works....lol

[digger dogger]

I have a 9000lbs kodiak, I've had to pull my truck 180* on fsr's in the middle of winter, a few times..
spin tires to break up the crusted snow, while winching from the sides.
Also tore out my front drive shaft, way back in the bush(winter of course) BiG Boar and I winched my truck up a loooong hill for 7 hrs
we kept throwing snow on the winch to cool it down, and shes still working. (5 yearsish)

[phoenix]

I've got the 8000# Champion and it has been great. I have never had to use it to pull myself out but have used it to pull out dozens of large trees for firewood and it has been superb. Some very strange angles and no problems at all. Great buy for $300. I have one of their 6000w generators also, another good buy IMHO.
Kim

[pete_k]

I watched an MSNBC special on Costco. If they put the same attention into selecting a winch vendor as their other products and food, the winches should be quite good.
Certainly not a WARN, but definitely not junk either.

[David]

That would suck.
What brands were those - Haven't had that issue with the one I'm using.

I think they were Champions??? Both ATV winches in the 2,000 - 3,0000 lb range.

Edit: I think both were from Princess Auto (yeah, yeah - I know).

[Mr. Dean]

I think they were Champions??? Both ATV winches in the 2,000 - 3,0000 lb range.

Edit: I think both were from Princess Auto (yeah, yeah - I know).

Yup, they are different brands. But I can't recall what brand PA's are; they have the Power Fist (crap with a capital 'C') and another, more expensive line.

[Mr. Dean]

I have a 9000lbs kodiak, I've had to pull my truck 180* on fsr's in the middle of winter, a few times..
spin tires to break up the crusted snow, while winching from the sides.
Also tore out my front drive shaft, way back in the bush(winter of course) BiG Boar and I winched my truck up a loooong hill for 7 hrs
we kept throwing snow on the winch to cool it down, and shes still working. (5 yearsish)

BB sure creates drama when he's out-n-about. :razz:
He once met up w/ me and got a flat on his truck while in the middle of nowhere -----------------> No spare, might I add. :rolleyes:

[Moe.JKU]

The one thing you never want to use, but the one thing you want to work when you need it. You don't want to cheap out on a winch.
Saving for a powerplant myself so i can have OBA with it as well, never heard anything bad except the size.
Might as well do it once instead of twice

[303Brit]

BB sure creates drama when he's out-n-about. :razz:
He once met up w/ me and got a flat on his truck while in the middle of nowhere -----------------> No spare, might I add. :rolleyes:

I seem to recall this BB also getting a flat on his trailer on the Island a couple years back ;)

303

[Mr. Dean]

The one thing you never want to use, but the one thing you want to work when you need it. You don't want to cheap out on a winch.
Saving for a powerplant myself so i can have OBA with it as well, never heard anything bad except the size.
Might as well do it once instead of twice

Ah C'mon, Man..... No guts, no glory; right?

[Moe.JKU]

Ah C'mon, Man..... No guts, no glory; right?
Yeah i think like that sometimes too... Seems like 1/4 of the time i need a winch after though

[igojuone]

Yup, they are different brands. But I can't recall what brand PA's are; they have the Power Fist (crap with a capital 'C') and another, more expensive line.

I think they carry the Superwinch brand.

[Kudu]

I have abused mile marker's for longer than I care to remember - cheep and cheerful!

[Mr. Dean]

Yup! That's what it is....

I think they carry the Superwinch brand.



Never heard of it before so I looked 'em up; they have a pretty snarky deal on right now for a 15K jobby.

I have abused mile marker's for longer than I care to remember - cheep and cheerful!

[Slinky Pickle]

13500lbs with wireless control for $699.00.... delivered to your door.
http://www.runvacanada.com/canada/135XF.htm

[North49]

I bought a warn vr10000 with synthetic rope and it hasnt given me any issues, used it about a dozen times and even pulled my buddies dead f350 with 40" pitbull rockers out of a river with water half way up the doors and right up the fairly steep bank. All the bystanders were doubters saying there was "no way your POS winch can do that". Needless to say when it did without hesitation they shut up.

[Mr. Dean]

When did Warn come out w/ that line up?

[MattW]

I used to have a Koenig PTO winch on the front of my Land Rover. Now that was a winch. The PTO was after the gearbox so it was a four speed, fourth if you just want to real in the cable after a pull or first and it can actually lift the rear of the truck if your have ground anchors in front of the front tires. That said if you got yourself in a situation and killed the engine you were totally screwed. The truck also had a crank start for back-up.

[Mr. Dean]

I used to have a Koenig PTO winch on the front of my Land Rover. Now that was a winch. The PTO was after the gearbox so it was a four speed, fourth if you just want to real in the cable after a pull or first and it can actually lift the rear of the truck if your have ground anchors in front of the front tires. That said if you got yourself in a situation and killed the engine you were totally screwed. The truck also had a crank start for back-up.

But I think we may have detoured from the *Cheap* aspect of winching...

[MattW]

Probably, it came with the truck