Which winch and why

[nonnie]

I'm looking at buying a winch for my '88 XJ. I don't need anything that will be too heavy and I want a perminant mount . Any suggestions? 6000lbs be ok?
John

[jdogg4]

Ya know I haven't got into them yet so it's hard to say. I would say get the one you can afford the most, but yet still work for your jeep. I want the ARB bullbar and when I get that I will start looking into winchs then. sorry You could go to warn or a local 4x4 shop that might have some better imput on it. warn might not even be what you want. they seem to be the leader in winches.

[deadpedal]

You might want to rethink your position on a permanent mount. A class 3 trailer hitch has enough structural integrity to hold even some of the heaviest loaded winches.

The only way that I would totally disregard a hitch-mounted winch is if I preferred a hydraulic winch like the MileMarkers out there (for obvious reasons). Besides, you don't have to worry about theft or having another winch mounted on the rear (effectively doubling the cost). Just make sure you have Class 3 hitches on your bumpers, which isn't an unreasonable requirement for bumper builders.

[gvltiger]

I agree w/deadpedal. I've been looking into winches and I'm leaning towards a hitch mount. Its easy to put a class 3 bumber on the front or simply go with a class 3 hitch mounted underneath. I like the potential to easily switch the hitch from front to rear. I got a friend (bless his poor soul) with a 4runner with a hitch mounted winch and it works wonders. But then again I dont know alot, I'm just a poor soul trying to figure out mods for my xj.

[jdogg4]

So do you just have to run a second set of power cables to the back of the jeep to plug into aswell?

I like the arb and would like to get that bumper but it's just set up for a front mount system what other bumper systems out there that are beefy like the arb with the front mount.

[deadpedal]

Yeah, the hardest part about the whole thing is the initial set-up. The wiring is the same as the front, just longer.

[jdogg4]

It's funny that were talking about this now. I just went to my folks house on the way home last night, and there neighbors accross the street he has a cj5 and he ran that split wire setup on his jeep so he showed me how to do it. my dad was the one that gave him the heavy gauge wire to use and he said he had plenty more of it for me. whoooooooooooooo.

[deadpedal]

Well, you were in the right place at the right time, you lucky Dogg.

I had to run through Home Depots, Lowes and boat shops in three counties to get the right wire for the rear. Pain in the rear.
Damn you and your luck! LOL

[jdogg4]

I still have a few other things to get for it. the male female adapter part and then split it from the power supply hookup. That size isn't that common I guess. My dad had a bunch from his lab at work. If you need some I might be able to score some.

[deadpedal]

naw, like I said, it's done... I got my wires and connectors at a yacht suppliers in a nearby city. I simply mounted a three-way bilge pump switch for switching power to the front, to the rear and I rigged it so that it is spring-loaded in the "off" position. For me that switch was the hardest part, I wanted to make sure that with all the water where I'll be taking this that it wouldn't ground from having power in one of the lines almost constantly. I know that the likelyhood of this happening is very remote, but then again, accidents are never planned.

Nonnie, if you still want to do the permanent mount thing, then do it. But I just found a much better deal than I got for a Warn x8000i with a class 3 mount. You can mount whatever fairlead you want on this thing too, roller or plain.

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tellico4x4.com/rec/mm.htm[/url]

I paid almost $1300 for mine (saved for almost eight months for it) and I thought I was getting a deal. I am almost legally retarded though.