UTV Winch?

[walhondingMF]

Thought this would be the best place for this question. Rural King sells their brand of UTV winches that are pretty well priced. 3500# is around $169 and 5500# is around $199. I had a 3500# on my sportsman that drug as big a log as I am ever going to drag and easily pulled that atv out of anything.

I am considering buying one to rig up to the front or back of my GC2400. I know both winches will pull logs easily for me, but has anyone used a winch like this to pull a sub compact tractor out of a situation? Looks like the GC2400 is around 1400# dry weight. I have a fairly step hill that can get slick. I would like to have the winch to help get the tractor up it, if needed.

I know that math adds up but I am sure there are things I am missing or I am not experienced with. The only real winching I have done is with the one on my ATV.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Anything buried in the mud, is going to need a LOT more pulling power than the weight of the tractor it's bolted to, especially if it's pulling uphill to get out...

SR

 

[leonz]

Buy nothing less than a WARN or RAMSEY WINCH rated for 8,000-10,000 pounds capacity
with a 2-inch receiver cradle to mount on the front of the tractor on a mounting frame bolted to your
tractors front engine cradle frame or rear on the tow bar or to replace the tow bar for what you need
as you need good wiring and solid gear drive to handle the load you intend to use it on.

Its either the above or a very good CM brand 653 6 ton ratchet chain falls and a long pull strap
as you will be wasting your money otherwise.

The pull loop strap can be looped around a tree and then the chain fall can be hooked to the
loop or loops and the ratchet handle and hook which are on a swivel can be used easily to
pull the GC2400.

 

[WranglerX]

I had my GC 1715 buried to frame in mud of seasonal creek and I hooked up my Jeep with 10,000 LB winch,,, Guess what I was able to slide the 4500 pound Jeep till I blocked all four wheels... Yes lightly stick it may be OK with small winch,,,, But if really stuck think 3500 pound winch is not really going to help... Also consider CG series has something like 40 Amp alternator and "small battery".... Winch is going to zap electrical system real fast.... To get my tractor unstuck it put strain on Jeeps electricals (100 amp alternator and large amp-hour AGM cell battery)...
Also consider electric winches are good for recovery, but not for everyday winching like logging.... Electric winches put great toll on vehicles electrical systems...Twice during recoveries I have had winch pull down Jeeps electrical system to around 8 volts, low enough to shut down computer, luckily the AGM battery has enough resilience to come back up after "resting" a little bit to start Jeep again....

 

[oosik]

I had several 4WD vehicles when we lived in Alaska. My CJ5 had a 10K pound WARN winch. MANY times I had great difficulty pulling the Jeep out of muddy areas. Even with the winch line doubled - Jeep to snatch block - back to Jeep. Effectively - 20K pound pull.

And this was on flat ground. Electric draw would get so great - melt the covering off electric lines going to the battery.

An 8K or 10K electric winch is going to put an excessive strain on your electrical system and battery.

If you go with this size - you should resize all electric lines involved with winch and battery.

Actually - the answer is simple. The electrical system on any ATV/UTV will not support an 8K or 10K winch.

 

[Gem99ultra]

I have a Warn 3500# winch on my Pioneer 500 SxS. Super handy and gets a frequent workout. BUT - there's no way it's going to pull my little Kubota L3800 out, or even worse up a hill. A big load for the 3500# is pulling my lawn mower out of the mud.

All the while, having a winch on my Big Red is comforting.

 

[jmc]

From the sounds of it here, I wonder if any of these smallish, imported winches have ever been tested for their pull capacity. Easy to print any capacity on the box...

 

[Sawyer Rob]

From the sounds of it here, I wonder if any of these smallish, imported winches have ever been tested for their pull capacity. Easy to print any capacity on the box...

They save their money on them, by building them with a really short duty cycle!

SR

 

[oosik]

When in Alaska - many times it was either use the winch or quit the journey. I must have learned something from that twenty years of 4 wheeling. Been here 40+ years and have not needed a winch. Not even once. I've learned to recognize and avoid.

Back then I was in my 30's and winching was part of the adventure. Now winching would be just a BIG PITA.

 

[koshari]

some really good responces in this thread mentioning the lack of electrical capacity to run a big electric winch, a smaller one may suffice if you sheave it down but then it slows the winching time and also the amount of pull ( you get nothing for nothing).

if your mounting on a tractor rather than a UTV a hydraulic winch is the best option ( by far not cheapest) if you have spare set of remotes.