Winch comparisons... low buck or "Brand Name"?

[nvrstuk]

When I got my first WARN 8274 winch back in April of 1978 , I burned up two motors the next few yrs as I used it so much, then went PTO for dependability for a dozen yrs, then went back to electric after dual transfer cases interfered with PTO driveshafts and there was pretty much only two choices- a WARN 8274 or a SmittyBuilt Sidewinder (and probably one or two others) I'm not familiar with or can't remember.

Anyway, there's a plethora of cheap winches now because China makes them ALL (that I know of) now (WARN's is assembled in the US when we asked) and everybody buys one whether they've ever wheeled, ever needed one, or ever actually been really stuck- but they look cool in the parking lot.

So check this out:

 

[1969]

I’ve had friends run all the cheap winches and none of them have ever had an issue.. harbor freight.. smitty built.. warn vr… all worked fine.

 

[nvrstuk]

Good to know.

I really think it's all about frequency of use & whether it is used hard for 5-20 min at a time, etc.

I burned mine up because I was winching with dual batteries for 20-30 min at a time. Winch would kill the engine the batteries were so dead. That kind of abuse.

 

[73azbronco]

So, if you never use it, emergency only like me on my jeep, HF, even though I have a warn evo which is horrible and cheap winch. It has been recalled twice, left me dead in water for three weeks waiting for parts. Works fine now so sticking with evo although I would never buy one again. I’d buy the badland hf, and buy a spare if it was critical.

If you use it, bar none warn zeon, or 8500 series. Rope unless you are a company recovering all day long. I have the 8500 on my EB.

I use nothing but soft shackles now, and aluminum pulling, cut 50lb of my weight and threat of shackle through the windshield. An with compound pulling I can winch up to 50,000lbs, even though rope is only rated to 12,000

 

[nvrstuk]

I was using mine so much I always carried and used 2 blankets on my 3/8" cable and always used 3/8 hi tensile 20' long logging chains we used to call them. I never checked but figured the chain would slow the recoiling cable and if not both the blankets would slow things down but it worked hundreds of times. I have an 8274 sitting here that I want to extend the drum on so I can put 200' of rope on, GigglePin internals and a single 6.5HP motor. I need to raise my front winch mount even higher above my frame rails than it is now and then I can do the winch. Always a back seat project as my HS9500i is Warn's next toughest winch and that's what I run now. Only a 2' slower in one minute on no-load recovery than the overpriced 8274 BUT every part for an 8274 is still available, the drum doesn't get hot, stock form can put 150' of cable on it, couple positives over the 9500i

 

[Speedrdr]

I’ve got a love-hate relationship with winches. Had a warn 8274 on my 1st EB. never used it once when I had off road tires on but every stinking time I swapped out to street tires I got a call to come winch a “friend” out of the muck and mire.
Don’t believe I’ll be putting one on what I’m restoring now.

Randy

 

[Yeller]

IMO the Warn VR is just another Chinese winch. The VR is a decent winch, but having had the VR and Zeon both apart the Zeon is definitely better constructed. That being said I’ve never had a planetary failure. The Zeon has some bronze bushings that the VR uses plastic. My 25 year old Ramsey uses plastic in the same places and all of them still look new. I think the biggest downfall to the Chinese winches is the motors, however they have done such a good job copying that good replacement motors are available that bolt right up, however they are still slower.

One thing that most all of them do a decent job on is using a contactor switch instead of a solenoid pack. The contactor switches are far more reliable and cheap enough, along with small and light enough, that you can carry a spare.

As for the 8274 models yes they are fast, hold 150’ of cable and the mechanicals are tough as an anvil, but they add weight and are harder to package. The need for the cable can now be argued with the price of rope and it’s weight and packaging friendlyness that the cable length isn’t needed and that extensions are easy and have other uses, that add versatility.

All that being said, I keep eyeing an 8274 for my bronco… they just scream the historic correctness that makes most of us here feel warm and fuzzy

@nvrstuk you need to build that monster just because it will be cool if it doesn’t block all of the air to your radiator

 

[toddz69]

One thing about a company like Warn - they should be around for many years to come. I know there are a bunch of people with Smittybilt winches that need parts that can no longer get them/have to wait a long time for them because 4WP/TAP/WP discontinued the Smittybilt brand again along with most of the parts lines that 4WP had started in the last decade or two.

Todd Z.

 

[nvrstuk]

IMO the Warn VR is just another Chinese winch. The VR is a decent winch, but having had the VR and Zeon both apart the Zeon is definitely better constructed. That being said I’ve never had a planetary failure. The Zeon has some bronze bushings that the VR uses plastic. My 25 year old Ramsey uses plastic in the same places and all of them still look new. I think the biggest downfall to the Chinese winches is the motors, however they have done such a good job copying that good replacement motors are available that bolt right up, however they are still slower.

One thing that most all of them do a decent job on is using a contactor switch instead of a solenoid pack. The contactor switches are far more reliable and cheap enough, along with small and light enough, that you can carry a spare.

As for the 8274 models yes they are fast, hold 150’ of cable and the mechanicals are tough as an anvil, but they add weight and are harder to package. The need for the cable can now be argued with the price of rope and it’s weight and packaging friendlyness that the cable length isn’t needed and that extensions are easy and have other uses, that add versatility.

All that being said, I keep eyeing an 8274 for my bronco… they just scream the historic correctness that makes most of us here feel warm and fuzzy

@nvrstuk you need to build that monster just because it will be cool if it doesn’t block all of the air to your radiator

Once again x2 everything you said... lol

Airflow was a concern

I asked a couple owners of aftermarket radiator companies and got suprising answers on the air blockage concern- which was always a concern since I was calling them and discussing cooling big hp engines in small spaces and they said no problem. Good fan, good shroud and your air flow will not be affected. I was listening now!
Both of them (Ron @ RD and Griffin owner) used examples of OE stacking 3 coolers in a row between the grill and fan and nobody has an issue cooling when designed properly. Fans can easily pull air thru condensors and radiators stacked 3 deep then a simple winch placed 6" in front of them all won't cause any concerns. I used my cardboard in front of the radiator in our discussions and like we all know, the cardboard is actually against the rad and air can't find it's way in, whereas the 8274 is 6" in front and there isn't any restriction preventing air flow-other than some turbulence.
Anyway, that's one of many things I learned from them.

 

[.94 OR]

Do you use a winch on the back?

 

[nvrstuk]

No. I have pulled 90deg to the side and about flattened the cable at the side roller but have never gone under the frt bumper and under the rig towards the back either. Just never wanted to have my winch only held on with a receiver up front for the 99.9% of the time. Guess I figured I'd dig (which I have many times) out the back if needed. Hate mud so I've never had to wallow in it at the rear of my Bronco. lol

Heck, I haven't even gone up in the snow this winter... only a couple Broncos within 50 miles that wheel. Both of theirs are down right now. C'mon TIM!!! lol

 

[Double66]

I put a Harbor Freight Badlands 12000 lb with synthetic rope on my car trailer and it is a beast. I have had no issues from using it on dead skid steers and tractors to vehicles. The remote is nice when you're loading things by yourself. I plan on putting the same one on the front of my 72.

 

[tasker]

8274...there is no substitute!

 

[Yeller]

Once again x2 everything you said... lol

Airflow was a concern

I asked a couple owners of aftermarket radiator companies and got suprising answers on the air blockage concern- which was always a concern since I was calling them and discussing cooling big hp engines in small spaces and they said no problem. Good fan, good shroud and your air flow will not be affected. I was listening now!
Both of them (Ron @ RD and Griffin owner) used examples of OE stacking 3 coolers in a row between the grill and fan and nobody has an issue cooling when designed properly. Fans can easily pull air thru condensors and radiators stacked 3 deep then a simple winch placed 6" in front of them all won't cause any concerns. I used my cardboard in front of the radiator in our discussions and like we all know, the cardboard is actually against the rad and air can't find it's way in, whereas the 8274 is 6" in front and there isn't any restriction preventing air flow-other than some turbulence.
Anyway, that's one of many things I learned from them.

I agree for the most part about the air flow, I never had an issue with our old suburban or last K5 over heating with a brush guard and extremely high mounted winch, almost center of the grill, same bumper.

One thing I wanted to bring up that I forgot about creating a reply and answering phone calls....

There are some very high-quality planetary winches from other parts of the world that are very well engineered that do not have in drum braking, which heats up the drum. Comup and Sherpa come to mind, both have distribution in the USA.

Someone needs to put a Gigglepin on their bronco

 

[73azbronco]

I have gotten away from long runs of rope on spool. I only put 75 feet on the spool, and use a 100 foot section of new in bag winch rope and other snatch straps to get out to 250’ if needed, if I’m that stuck, I need a helicopter. Shorter spool lengths, quicker clean up and drive away.

 

[Yeller]

I have gotten away from long runs of rope on spool. I only put 75 feet on the spool, and use a 100 foot section of new in bag winch rope and other snatch straps to get out to 250’ if needed, if I’m that stuck, I need a helicopter. Shorter spool lengths, quicker clean up and drive away.

I do the same. Lets face it, we are never pulling straight, its always off to one side. The shorter length allows the wire/rope to build up on one side more before you have to stop, unspool and start over. Typically we are only pulling 3 feet or less, usually just a few inches so that versitility and ease of use can be important.

 

[nvrstuk]

I agree for the most part about the air flow, I never had an issue with our old suburban or last K5 over heating with a brush guard and extremely high mounted winch, almost center of the grill, same bumper.

One thing I wanted to bring up that I forgot about creating a reply and answering phone calls....

There are some very high-quality planetary winches from other parts of the world that are very well engineered that do not have in drum braking, which heats up the drum. Comup and Sherpa come to mind, both have distribution in the USA.

Someone needs to put a Gigglepin on their bronco

I wheeled with a Heep guy than ran a GigglePin. He worked hard getting stuck several times and that winch was like having a helicopter on call. lol I'm sure you could use it to stretch your wheelbase...

I am actually looking into it as we are meeting my wife's cousin from Germany in Wales again and we will be cruising around UK too... I would love to drag one home but I just don't use my winch every few weeks like I used to. Before we got into snowmobiles and TimberSleds and boating the Bronco was our "Every weekend Entertainment Toy". Always going out and getting stuck or retrieving others... Now I drive to the edge of the snow and go play on something else as our lovely gov't has closed 99 % of all places to drive in FEET of snow on Forest roads in the winter- till end of May usually.

 

[blade]

I have gotten away from long runs of rope on spool. I only put 75 feet on the spool, and use a 100 foot section of new in bag winch rope and other snatch straps to get out to 250’ if needed, if I’m that stuck, I need a helicopter. Shorter spool lengths, quicker clean up and drive away.

Sounds like a good idea. Someone correct me if I'm wrong but it's my understanding that when there is less cable or rope on the drum you also have a torque advantage so it is easier on the winch motor.

 

[nvrstuk]

Correct, more torque is available on the last couple rolls of cable/line- fix that problem with a bigger winch, 6.5HP motor, snatch block.

Like 73AZ said, I used to haul 125' of cable wrapped around my PTO winch bumper year round. I just like to NOT have to carry more bags of crap around in my Bronco when driving/wheeling. lol
If I can wrap another 100' on the spool and not have to drag out bags of line that have to be stored in my lockable tool boxes and so then I need to lift the stuff off the tool boxes because they are mounted on the floor to help with COG, then that's the way I've always gone and will. I still throw in 100' of tugboat rope and my Bubba rope when snow wheeling because I don't pack a ton of stuff because I'm only 25 miles from home. Just move the shovels and the tarps (that we lay on). Nothing to put away except one one soft shackle maybe and that I can have "loose" (tucked behind my B pillar) and not have to worry about getting clobbered in the head. After I got rolled once by someone rear-ending me at 60mph (WSP quote) and my logging chain was wrapped around the column, my steel tool box by the clutch pedal I secure everything...

Anyway, always pro's and con's of both.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I was waiting for someone to mention Gigglepin as an upgraded, hot rodded, 8274.
I only heard about them last year, and pretty much started laughing when I saw the specs and action clips. Think PTO, but put the transmission in overdrive and pin the throttle against the limiter. That is one of there slow ones.