boffy95

I've had an xrc-8 for a little over a year now I've very happy with it, probably used it a couple dozen times with no problem. Pulled my truck up some really steep inclines with it. If there was one thing I didn't like it would be where the remote cable goes into the control box the connector moves a little bit but it's no big deal.

boffy95

Another benefit to synthetic rope is it floats is water and mud instead of sinking like steel. I have the steel line and I'm happy with though

gary_the_4runner

http://www.amazon.com/Smittybilt-982.../dp/B003CGBN3C

Matt16

bleeder,
I looked into winches pretty carefully a while back. Smittybuilt reviewed VERY well and very few people had issues. Unless you're a competition guy, I would buy the Smittybuilt in a heartbeat.

brian2sun

That's by far the best deal I've seen on the comp series!

taggart_lumpy

just picked mine up and installed it yesterday... im excited to use it

Shootingairborne!

So have you used it yet?

Brenjen

O.K. - I hate to bump an old thread but why not keep the info concentrated for the searchers.

Here's my problem after a year + of reading & searching....the same things pop up in every article & every forum post....buy Warn if you're serious & buy Smittybilt if you're not (my interpretation of it).

All the Warn first guys shut up as the admiration from the masses for the cost/reliability of the Smitty builds to a crescendo! Now I'm a fanboi of neither as I've owned neither. I've used my share of winches & most of them have been hydraulics on bucket trucks but I've used a few electrics on recreational vehicles as well & most have been Warns. The Warns always worked & I have nothing bad to say about one of their products, the only one I saw broke was do to user (greenhorn) error.

My $1,000 question is this - Has anyone dissected the two side by side to compare workmanship, done a controlled test to failure side by side? All this "my buddy had one & it brokeded" means squat, I don't care how many posts you have, how many people worship your stools, whether you web wheel or rig helicopter lifts off mountain tops in the wilderness & peoples lives are at stake or whether you are a fanboi of one or the other.....does anyone have any proof which is manufactured better or is it all a "he said she said, I like this better than that?"

They've been around long enough someone has surely ripped into the guts to see what's up. Some facts are indisputable, all opinions are disputable.

SafariRNR

Well, in the interest of keeping all the info together, I thought I would post an update. I've had the winch on for over a year now and have gotten a good bit of use out of it. I've used it in mud water and dirt without fail. My only complaint is that the dust cover for the controller plug is tearing. Not too big of a deal and cheap enough to fix I'm sure.

I think the smitty built complaints were referring to the first run. My understanding is that the quality is not really an issue these days. Just my 2 cents.

Shootingairborne!

Sounds like everyone is getting good use out of them.

ol' blue

My brother in law has one on his jeep it works great we used it to pull my grandfathers Chevy out of the snow we've also used it at gulches off road park to pull people out they work great when I get a winch I'm gettin a smitty built

onmyway

rigs i wheel with all have them and use them often.

AndyR

Has anyone put an XRC8 on a Trail Gear Bumper? I have a 1991 pickup with low profile Trail Gear bumper. I put the XRC8 on my bumper, it barely fit and cracked my grill getting it in. I have the steel cable on my winch and the roller fairlead that came with the winch is too big and covers the receiver on my bumper. Are there any smaller rollers that fit this bumper? I would like to switch to a hawse fairlead, but don't want to have to go out and buy synthetic cable. Any experiences? Or suggestions?
I am very happy with the performance of the winch though, paid less than $300.00

91 4Runner

i don't have the XCR8, but I do have steel cable and a Hause Fairlead. they make a version for steel cable...

rattlewagon

You probably have to trim your grill a bit, most do.

The roller fairleads cover the hitch mount, no way around that. You can get a hawse style fairlead for your steel cable, but get a steel fairlead because the steel cable will tear the aluminum one apart over time.

Southern2ndGen

I have addicted bumper I had to cut my grill quite a bit and it barely squeezed in

vital22re

iTrader: (2)

Its been used and abused and the only problem is its sun faded.

StangBanger

Same here..mine is still trucking. Sun faded and I think my wired controller is giving out but to be fair it's been exposed to the elements since day one and its been jumping around in the back of the 4runner.

thefishguy77

iTrader: (1)

Just went up and played in the snow with my Chevy and got buried trying to get someone's suburban out. Jumped in here to look at winch info. Looks like I am going for 2 10k's when I can. 2 1/2 hours the total rigs without winches and finally save by a group of guys. Almost all had winches and it was. 5 min thing. I know I need gears and lockers first. Thanks for all the info

uniformFoxtrot

I know this is an older thread but I'm interested in these winches and like what Ive read so far. A local off road shop told me the cases break on smittybuilt winches, can anyone confirm that?