I'm planning to build a custom front bumper this summer and want to have the winch first to design it around. My question to all of you that know about winches, which one should I get? Warn and Ramsey seem to be the leaders in these products. Should I be looking at 9000-9500 lb units or is an 8000 lb. enough. (2nd gen 4Runner - 33's before long). Is a detachable solenoid desirable or are the electronics in the 9500 Thermometric "dunkable". Lastly, I plan to switch out to synthetic line, should I use a roller or hawse fairlead for the synth rope?

Thanks in advance.

 

Weigh your runner with all your stuff that you would take camping like full coolers, tent, tools, parts, fat friends, etc. to see what your actual trail weight might be. The 'experts' say you need a winch that will pull 1.5 times your total trail weight before you unload any stuff at camp. I weighed in at 4041 pounds, a Warn 8000 easily covers the 1.5 factor even beyond the first wrap of line on the drum. I bet an 8000 will be fine for you also but weigh it to be sure.

I think synth line and roller fairleads do not mix. If the line got pulled in between the vertical and horizontal rollers its game over for your line, your fairlead and your pull out of the stuck. Most synth line users run a Spidertrax aluminum Hause fairlead. They say the aluminum is soft enough to not harm the line. That fairlead is going for $50 now plus shipping.

Quote from Spidertrax website. I use the standard Steel Hawse. So far so good. The Spidertrax one has come down in price since I first looked into them. I'll probably grab one soon.

With a roller fairlead you also loose about 3 inches of apprach angle. Also, its a rather delicate thing to have hanging out at the lowest and farthest forward point of your rig. I've seen several rollers that have been destroyed by rocks. They aren't cheap compared to steel Hawses.

 

It also depends on the bumper.
ARBs are designed to use a roller fairlead, and not a Hawse.

I have read both sides of using a Hawse verses a roller fairlead.
When I bought my Masterpull synth line last year, he told me to use it with a roller only.

Right here this page says to use a roller fairlead.
http://www.4wdandsportutility.com/te...94wd_stronger/

Cebby, your bumper design too will dictate whether you can use a winch with the solenoid pack built onto it (the "i" series) or the type I have where the solenoid pack is seperate from it.
The ARB & TJM bumpers require the latter type.

 

The arguement over what fairlead will really get fairlead salesman fired up. Economics may or may not get in the way of the truth here. An aluminum hawse fairlead salesman might tell you you will die if you use anything else. A roller fairlead salesman light tell you the same thing. Who do you belive?

I belive neither and use a steel hawse. Salesmen often lie. So do magazines.

As they often say around here, "Don't trust anyone below 14,000 feet elevation."

 

I have an Warn M8000 and a Master pull with the SpiderTrax fairlead. Get this stuff, it's magic, you'll never use it.

I have still NEVER used my winch.

I pull out in the morning for Cailifornia. After the MC09 I'll really never use it.

 

This just in...

Steve has to make it up the waterfall on Carnage Canyon before he is allowed to leave the state of Colorado in the month of August.

i don't think any IFS rig has ever done it without tons of rock stacking. You will either have to winch, stack rocks or go around like I always do.

 

 

Looks like the fairlead issue is a hotter topic than I thought

I'm going to have to estimate all of the extra "tonnage" that my Runner has to haul. Anybody know the curb weight of these :pig:'s stock? I have alot of additions planned and want to be sure I don't undersize the winch I need - not looking to buy another for quite a while.

Should I look any further than Warn for winches?

Since no one makes one for the "i" series, maybe I should focus my efforts there. If it fits the "i" series, will the remote solenoid models fit too? My goal is to market these puppies if I can get the cost under control. 2nd Gen's first, others to follow. Design will be similar to TR, but more "factory" looking.

 

Let the cat out of the bag and reveal what kind of design you have in mind. There will be no shortage of oppinions about wether it will work or not.

Basically, an I winch needs an open area above where the winch sits to allow the integrated solenoid room to exist. With an M winch or some other remote solenoid design you can have the solenoid box under the hood or in the passenger seat or wherever you want.

 

If I were getting a custom bumper made around a winch, then hands down Warn 9500 HS. Cheaper than the new thermo ones, faster line speed and all the power you will ever need.

If it is going in a custom bumper, then use a hawse. Much less space and approach angle chewed up with the rollers.

If you want something to market, then I think separate solenoid makes sense. Less space to enclose, more options.

 

Just make sure it won't fold over like my sorry ass Rockstomper did.



Simple extra gusseting where it bent solved the problem. I'm not sure what Scott was smoking when he designed mine.

I was smoking some good stuff when I bought it without studying the design carefully.

 

Cebby, have you seen the Badland's folder on my website?
http://www.pnw4runners.com/badland_bumpers/

Check the October folder.
That design on Jeff's wife's new Taco can use either type of winch I think, and it's the same bumper Rome (seafarinman) has on his truck.
Plenty of pics of his truck also on Badland's site.
www.badlandbumpers.com

That will give you some ideas.

 

I'm still in the design phase, but I like the Badlands "basher" type of bumper better (ie ARB/TJM), and I like the appeal of making it work for many winches. Probably a high clearance design (plate), with wrap around brush guard. I had posted a sketch on here somewhere, but can't find it.

Where have you found the best pricing for Warn winches? Keep in mind, it will need to ship the whole way to western PA.

 

Most everyone is running free shipping.

4Wheel Parts, Clemson 4wd, or search some of the shop links on PBB.

Post a pic of what you have in mind. Jaderunner's Rockware piece is pretty high, most everything else eats approach angle.

 

No problem. Locked and low and ready to go. 2 switches and 2 levers and 223 to 1 will do it's thing.

All I have to do is steer, no dents though. I hate dents.

 

That thing eats Dana 44 Chrome molly shafts for breakfast and occaisonally a D60 chromo shaft sees its last action there. All I can say is its a good thing you have manual hubs now so you can limp home if something breaks. Its not too far from ORS. That trail is just outside of Boulder where all the tye dye wearing hippies live.

 

Cebby,
You may want to check out a Northern Hydraulics shop (now called Northern Tool) if you have one near you in. Last time I checked (a few years ago now) they carried both Warn and Ramsey and were fairly competitive in pricing. Also lets you see and touch the different models before buying. They have an online shop also. Otherwise I've been doing some business with 4wheelparts.com and the free shipping is tough to beat on a heavy item and they will price match if you can find it cheaper. For weighing your truck, go to the local dump or landfill. They will normally let you run your truck on to their scales for a couple of bucks and then you know for sure what size winch you need. As far as synthetic line goes, I sell the stuff but I've never used it on my winch so I could only speculate. Let me know when you have a mock-up for the bumper. I've been thinking of replacing the one on my truck and am too lazy to weld one up myself. Hope this helps.