Winches Considering a hydraulic winch

KentT · Feb 23, 2006

My lot has some beaver-downed trees in the edge of the lake, and I've been looking at winches such as the Warn Works 3700 or larger, in order to pull them out...

Ran across these hydraulic winches on eBay... looks like a good winch for that price.

New Mile Marker 9,000lb Hydraulic Winch

I'd never heard of this brand, but then I started digging deeper. Come to find out the military uses some of these, and they seem to get good reviews from offroad magazines. Overall, a much nicer looking winch than PT sells, for much less $$....

Anyone have firsthand experience with this brand?

RAW · Feb 23, 2006

I use a 12K lb. Milemarker on my offroad truck. It does quite well. My only complaint is about my truck's crappy hydraulic pump (steering). The Milemarker has never let me down.

And since it's hydraulic, it doesn't use the winch line to dissipate heat; so you can use a synthetic line, which doesn't store as much energy and is easy to lug up and down inclines. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SnowRidge · Feb 24, 2006

Nice find Kent. 100 ft of 3/8 line versus 50 ft of 1/4, not to mention more than twice the rated pull, and it looks like it has real controls. I don't see any on the PT winch, which makes me think you have to use the PTO switch.

You've got me thinking about getting one myself.

J_J · Feb 24, 2006

This brand has been around for quite a while. Last time I checked on the price at Truck Options. it was around $1050
Sound like a good deal. I am curious about the 1500 psi rating. If that is the limit, we would have to reduce the psi on the PT, or maybe it can take more. He has 15 available, with $50 on shipping.

KentT · Feb 24, 2006

( Sound like a good deal. I am curious about the 1500 psi rating. If that is the limit, we would have to reduce the psi on the PT, or maybe it can take more. )

I was thinking that you just run the engine at 1/2 throttle or thereabouts, since you'd be stationary when using it anyway...

Thanks for the input guys. I was just thinking that for a couple hundred dolllars more than the little Warns that this would be a "serious winch" that I wouldn't have to worry about burning up dragging trees with it...

SnowRidge · Feb 24, 2006

I've dragged a couple of trees with the PT itself, but a winch would be handier, and you would have better control, I think. Of course, if the working location doesn't allow you a straight run with the machine, a winch becomes real handy.

I wonder if it comes with cable? It doesn't really say.

Still thinking about one for myself. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

KentT · Feb 24, 2006

( I wonder if it comes with cable? )

I asked the seller that question, in addition to a couple more., including cost of mounting kit(s).

Thinking of getting one with a receiver mount, then having a receiver mount welded up to a QA plate, so I won't "tie up" a QA plate for just this one purpose...

Then the QA plate with receiver mount could be used to spot trailers, etc., as others do....

J_J · Feb 24, 2006

That hyd winch does come with cable according to Mike on Ebay.

KentT · Feb 24, 2006

( That hyd winch does come with cable according to Mike on Ebay. )

Yes, I had that same answer sitting in my personal email box at home (can't read personal email from work). Once I see what this week's trip to East TN costs, I'll decide whether to order one or not...

Rip · Feb 26, 2006

I use a Warn 6000 series industrial hydraulic winch with 150ft 1/4" high strength cable on my 1845 to pull whole trees up steep slopes to where I can cut them up and use the graple to carry them off.

I use the PTO circuit feeding a motor spool valve that controls the direction and speed of the hyd winch which also has a freewheel lever to pull cable out quickly. It is rated for 2800 PSI and 12 GPM.

Running the engine slower reduces the flow, but not the pressure. A 1,200 or 1,500 rated hyd motor will work for a while at higher pressure, but will blow a seal at some point.

The MileMarker hyd winches are very good when used as designed running off a vehicle power steering pump. They are the only type I would use on a full size SUV or PU for serious winching. When used with a higher pressure or flow power source however, something is apt to fail.

Rip

J_J · Feb 27, 2006

A 1500 psi relief valve should solve the problem. Surplus hydraulics has some of these for around $50 .

Rip · Feb 28, 2006

You are right JJ.

Speaking of Surplus Center, they also list a new Dayton 8000 lb hyd winch on the back cover of the latest catalog for $800 w/o cable rated to 15 gpm @ min 1800 psi. This industrial winch was almost $1300 in Granger in '04.

BAGTIC · Mar 4, 2006

I sure could have used a winch this morning. I had three 40-50 foot tall, 24-30 inch diameter, windfall red oak trees in a stock pond. The PT425 did not have the power or the weight to move them. I finally resorted to clambering out on the trunks with a little 18 inch chain saw and breaking them into smaller packets. It was cold. This morning at 8 AM there was a thin fringe of ice around the edges.

I eventually ended up wading out into about 40 inches of muck and water. Trimming the branches above water was easy but sticking the chain below water to cut the submerged parts proved harder than I thought. Running a chain in water dulls it FAST. I went through three new chains.

MossRoad · Mar 4, 2006

Those sound like huge trees. The PT425 may be a mighty machine, but it knows its limits. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

bjustice · Mar 4, 2006

I would never have made it through ONE chain standing in 40" of ice-fringed water /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
bill

J_J · Mar 23, 2006

What was the outcome on the hydraulic winch?

KentT · Mar 23, 2006

JJ,

I haven't bought a winch yet. I'm now facing an unplanned approximate $5,000 expense to grind up the huge brush pile I created when I cleared my lot...

That's deferred any new toys for a while...

Gravy · Mar 24, 2006

Last time I was at the PT factory, I took a good look at the current winch. As far as I can tell, it's nothing more than a White Hydraulics CE series motor (I think it's around 18 in3/rev) directly coupled to a very simple winch drum (pipe, plate, round stock and pillow block bearings, with no freewheeling clutch or other tomfoolery), along with a reversing valve and hoses.

If I didn't already have a salvaged industrial worm drive winch waiting for me to couple to a motor (I've got a whole sack of Round Tuit's here somewhere), I'd weld up a drum and bolt it up to my PHD/tree planter motor & valve. Last time I looked, Surplus Center still had a bunch of used Hydrocomp motors for $59 each that would probably work just fine. Add an open center, 4 way, 3 position detented spool valve (motor spool if you want freewheeling in neutral, cylinder spool for loadholding) and I think you're good to go.

You can choose your motor size to optimize speed vs line pull for your intended application. Based on what I remember of Surplus Center's winch drive info, I'd guess that for a PT 425, a range of about 14 to 24 inch motor displacement would work well with about a 2" drum size.

Surely one of us has the time, ability, and inclination to try it? /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Gravy

Marshhoe · Mar 3, 2015

Yes I have a 12,000 mile marker on my 2002 duramax.
Love it! Works like I do all day. I had the electric Ramsey,
Pierce,and waren the duty time is not good and they eat
Battery's and alternaters. Look into how long a winch can
Run with out stopping and you will see hydraulic will come
Out on top.