Winch vs Lockers, Maxtrax, More Power Puller

[Charky]

I've been going back and forth on this and could use some educated advice.

Was thinking of going with a winch in an after-market bumper to provide the front facing camera more visibility. With a lower mounted winch, that would cover up the adaptive cruise sensor and may or may not restrict airflow to the intercooler. (Side question, is there a work-around to go from adaptive cruise to regular cruise so you don't need the sensor?) I know a receiver on the front bumper is an option, but securing an 80lb - 100lb winch and bracket combo in the back and lifting and carrying it around will become increasingly challenging as I'm a little past my physical prime .

I've read from folks with more experience than I have in this area that winches are rarely used, but certainly nice to have/must have when needed. Of course this varies with how far off the beaten path you go and in what conditions.

I'm now leaning toward a steel after-market bumper without a winch. This would open up the camera field of vision, the adaptive cruise sensor and save about 80lbs off the front end. If I have front and rear lockers, Maxtrax, a HiLift and or bottle jack to lift a wheel out of a hole and perhaps a More Power Puller ratchet (3 ton weighs 24lbs) I should be good to go.

What do y'all think?

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[Mattwings]

I was all in on a winch, then I had to have the trail cam. Now I will wait and see on what bumper/winch/mount options come out. I will use a 8k lb hand winch, traction boards and possibly a high lift (had on on my LJ and never used it). As long as you have enough tackle to attach the hand winch, it will be helpful, just slow vs. an electric winch. Actually provides some flexibility a permanently mounted winch does not related to angled pulls and pulls from behind. That being said, I am in the Midwest, not running a ton of rocks or trails where a winch is almost standard to clear certain trails or obstacles.

 

[Felix808]

More Power Pullers are no joke. They are rated dead lift and will get you free, but if your wheeling is the type that demands pulling over or through obstacles a powered winch is the only way to go. having said that I have never needed a winch for the trails I have run. With the 2 ton more power puller, 2 extra pulleys (3 total) and a extension sling I can get 12k pull rating from it. This will explain the concept.

 

[toymaster]

Well, you know what they say about opinions....

If you are playing in the dirt and are remote a winch is cheap insurance. With the advent of lower cost (chinese) made winches you can get one for ~$300ish. I can see hesitating about $1k-$1.5K but 300? I say get one mount it and a few accessories.

 

[Cased]

Use the crap out my 5k warn , it's never pulled me out of a stuck spot

It's on a plate that goes into a 2" receiver also doubles as the car hauler winch ( used to be 2 come alongs )
Hope to put a hitch on the front of the Bronco if there is enough good frame but only carry it when needed.

 

[jsharpe]

Well, you know what they say about opinions....

If you are playing in the dirt and are remote a winch is cheap insurance. With the advent of lower cost (chinese) made winches you can get one for ~$300ish. I can see hesitating about $1k-$1.5K but 300? I say get one mount it and a few accessories.

It's not the cost that bothers me, it's the challenges with the mounting location. I don't want to block any part of the trail camera view and would prefer not to block the intercooler. I'm only going to have the high package so for me the ACC sensor isn't an issue. I also don't want something that reduces the approach angle or sticks way out in front.

At this point in time that sounds like an impossible ask. I wish Ford would have don'e something slightly different with the intercooler location to more easily allow for a more inboard winch location with a fairly trim looking custom bumper.

 

[Rednek]

im going to instal a front reciever on my bronco that way i can share my 8000# warn with my Superduty,my car hauler and the Bronco.will leave it in the back until needed.

 

[toymaster]

....I'm only going to have the high package so for me the ACC sensor isn't an issue.....

Ummm.... yes you will have the radar sensor. It is used for crash prevention braking even if you do not have adaptive cruise. The mid pkg has it.

Winches really do not block air flow, just makes it swirl more. I have a warn PP in front of my jeep and I've had zero issue with overheating.

 

[JamesC]

What do y'all think?

Where do you plan to go, mostly? I use our maxxtraxx 100/1 ratio to the winch but when you need it, you need it. That said a good cumalong may suffice for you as @Felix808 said. In the old days in the PNW we used a Hi-Lift or a cumalong with stacked or buried rocks for everything.

That one time you do need the winch though you won't be worried about radar cruise or camera-placement...

 

[Headsong]

More Power Pullers are no joke. They are rated dead lift and will get you free, but if your wheeling is the type that demands pulling over or through obstacles a powered winch is the only way to go. having said that I have never needed a winch for the trails I have run. With the 2 ton more power puller, 2 extra pulleys (3 total) and a extension sling I can get 12k pull rating from it. This will explain the concept.

Help. This eludes me. Physics is magic to me!

Can someone draw what this looks like with a couple of pulleys and the power puller? I like this since it's for emergency only for me.

 

[MaverickMan]

Yep all options are good bring 80-100lbs of individual recovery gear or get a winch and still add 50-75lbs of recovery gear to that because thats what we always do . Bare minimum bring a strap, shackles, a long synthetic winch line and a come-along. For real WHY DIDNT FORD GIVE US A CENTRAL MOUNTED WINCH!!!!!!

 

[The Bronze]

Here is an example of using a 12K winch to apply nearly 36K of pulling force on a stuck rig. There are a few things going on here. The winch, if near the last row on the spool, good powers and ground, good battery and charging system can get near the 12K rating. Each time the winch line goes around a pulley the force is increased at the snatch (pulley) block. So if we ran the line from the winch to the snatch block on the Jeep and back to our Lightning Blue First Edition, we would have 24K of pulling force at the Jeep and at the line at the back of our Bronco holding us still. The force on each line is only 12K. If we were to run a snatch block from the front of our bumper, run the line to a tree, we can apply nearly another 12K of force to the Jeep and the back of our bronco. 36K is a ton of force and puts a bunch of load on winch and bumper mounts, snatch blocks and mounts as well as the tree behind the bronco and the line connecting it. The tree savers involved, d-rings or soft shackles all have to be rated for those loads!

 

[The Bronze]

Here is what I carry in my Samurai when I am doing recoveries:

You will have to forgive the mess. I had to pull out a couple things last night.

 

[dgorsett]

A handy man jack can get you out of about anything. But they must be used with caution, it's not a matter if a vehicle will fall but when, always expect a fall. Also, practice to see what lifting at different points will accomplish. Modern vehicles have few points that the jack can be used. Locate or add lifting points. After market bumpers, sliders, trailer hitch etc. Will help. I recently purchased the Lift mate to lift from a wheel, but haven't used it yet. It may work to lift from tow loops also. Anyone have experience with these?

 

[Erock]

You can carry a lot smaller which mounted receiver than you think... if you have enough snatch blocks and additional lines and straps... just so you’re not as concerned about weight. I use an 8k cheap winch to pull up 2+ foot diameter trees stumps, granted the mount I built for it is heavy as hell.

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