How much winch do you need? I remember that movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy" where the Landrover was lifted up the tree, so maybe that's more than necessary, but if you're stuck and it's too puny to pull you out it's not enough. So maybe the question is, what is a reasonable amount of pull given the dollar cost? I'm not shopping, just wondering. Thanks, Mark

 

I have heard it's 1.5 your rigs weight.
I have also read on other forums that some with an 8K winch on a 1st gen 4Runner have got stuck, where as the 9K one like mine pulled them out after upgrading.

The 6K one is most surely too small.
I'd say for all around use a 8 to 9K one will suffice on any Toyota.
Mine is a 9K, and so far it's worked out great.

This is the one I have.

Here is a quote from Ramsey's site.
Do I smell a new bumper and winch in the works Mark

PS, I added a link here to a good PDF file I have on my server.
http://www.pnw4runners.net/pdf/winch_tech.pdf

Very good reading.

 

Corey,
According to Ramsey's 12% over the GVW, then a 4,000lb 1gen would need a 4,500lb winch- about 1/2 of what your experience has been.
You don't smell no winch on me. Not that I wouldn't love one matched to a nice bumper, but too much moolah! Mark

 

Mabye in a perfect lab environment but in the real world this does not work. First of all you must remember that every layer of cable/rope on the drum cuts down your effective load capacity dramatically, to as little as only a couple thousand pounds left on the last wrap. Winches are rated on their first layer pull capability. Add into that root balls, rocks, steep hills, and the suction of being stuck in deep mud and you're gonna need a lot more. It's not uncommon to see people with 9k lb winches using one or two snatch blocks to increase their purchase 2-3x in order to pull out. At a bare minimum a Toyota needs a 8k lb winch, and any fullsize truck should have at least a 9k, with Hummers and the larger Unimogs you should use a 12k lb'er.

 

Seems like most guys are going with a rating of 2x the trucks weight now. My truck is 3428 pounds with bumper, winch, shell, tools, fuel, and driver. I use an 8000 pound winch. Unfortunatly my bumper could only take about 5000 pounds of pull or less and it failed. Jeff the Marmot on ODW uses a 9500 pounder on his 3rd gen that I guess weighs about 5000 pounds.

Keep in mind that there will be situations where you might have to winch a vehicle that is a lot heavier than yours.

:

Not winching there but you get the idea.

So you would want 1.5 times the weight of that rig, not yours. Consider the extra resistance of steep hills or deep mud or sand also. I can only recomend somthing with a rating of 2x your vehicle's trail weight.

Get a friggin strong bumper and mount it right also!!:cry:

 

I have a 3rd Gen and I purchased a Warn HS9500i. They guy that I purchased it from said I should be able to hang my runner up in a tree with this sucker

BTW, I purchased mine off of ebay brand new for $750.

 

Do those things ever get stolen off the truck? I work in downtown Seattle, and don't have the luxury of just using my truck for off road. My van has been broken into with the stereo stolen from the parking garage three or four times. It's a commuter. Seems like just a few bolts hold the winch on the truck, and those thieves have tools.
Am I paranoid? Mark

 

If you used an All Pro style of bumper, then yes. The winch can be taken off without taking the bumper off.

If you use an ARB or TJM bumper, then no.
The whole bumper must be removed to get the winch off as it mounts from behind, and not from the top.
That is why they call them hidden winch bumpers.

Two thiefs working together would unbolt your bumper in 5 minutes, and take it and the winch though.
But more than likely they will have to use air tools, and that's going to make noise.

A good alarm with shock sensors should stop that. Also you can insure the bumper & winch.
On my policy I have the stereo, bumper, and winch insured.
Cost a few extra dollars per year, but worth the peace of mind.
I think it was $20 more per 6 months, or year.
Not bad,
Corey

 

I remember reading somewhere that people have a little house welded over a mount bolt so you can't unbolt the bumper or winch depending on your application. Kinda like this:

__________
| |
| bolt head |

Then the bumper or winch can't be stolen without a sawsall or plasma cutting torch.

 

Similar to what Matt said, you can just tack weld the bolts to the winchplate. You'd need a grinder or torch to get the winch off.