Winch shopping time!

[dhyde79]

ok guys, I'm hunting a winch, after last night's "petty exertions" I've had it, I'm ordering a bumper and a winch, and, will have enough spare line that I don't ever have to be part of the "oh hell I'm stuck, and I need someone else to come save me" group.

So, I'm down to choices:

Engo 9000 (will order the wireless controller kit, and relocate the solenoid box to somewhere under the hood) ($279.95)

engo 9000 with synthetic line ($405)

Smittybilt XC8 ($299.99)

Badlands 12K (harbor freight: $299.99 on sale)

Recon 10,500 ($415 with wireless controller and wired controller, and synthetic line) (will get from truckandwinch because they're extending warranty to 3 years on electronics instead of just 1, for free)

now, out of these, the Engo has glowingly fantastic reviews by professional sources, the smittybilt is a go-to but, I've heard as many bad as I have good reviews....and, the HF one...well...it's a HF winch....

ya'll chime in for me, would ya and give me some input...

 

[metzican]

I have the Engo one, It has worked for me when I used it. I have not used it a ton though.

 

[dhyde79]

I have the Engo one, It has worked for me when I used it. I have not used it a ton though.

Did you get the steel line or synthetic line version?

 

[metzican]

I have the synthetic line version.

 

[civicjoe]

I don't have one but I highly recommend the synth line, I saw a winch line for from safe to **** I don't want to be around that thing if shot goes south in the course of 1 use


Sent from the nighthog mobile command unit.

 

[dhyde79]

I have the synthetic line version.

Is it REALLY worth the extra cost, and care?

280 to 405 in cost, and, everyone I've talked to says synthetic line has to stay clean, cool, and out of the sun or it starts breaking down....if that part is true, 100F+ days in Texas can't be great for it...

 

[xterror04]

I have a harbor frieght winch, it's 3 years old and never had an issue, i put a synthetic line on it right away, I just keep the winch clean, and spray it down with spray silicone every now and then and it treats me good, from what I've see engo and HF winches seem almost identical... The biggest difference with the smittybuilt is that smitty built spools much quicker...

There are more HF winches out there.... People have easy a was to buy them and buy them cheap so there for you get more reviews, lots of poeople who buy them probably don't use them correctly then plaster it all over the internet about how crappy they are... If mine ever dies I will buy another

 

[01XterraPhilly]

ive heard great stuff about Engo but they are FJ guys so who knows what they say is true. haha jk. However, i thought the engo didnt come with a winch line for that model/price? maybe im wrong but thats what I thought i saw. The smittybilt i thought was pretty good stuff especially the competition series winches. and harbor freight is hit or miss. if you do do the harbor freight one get the 2 yr protection and if your lucky and last two years just break it before its up and get a new free one. haha

 

[metzican]

with a synthetic line maintenance is not that hard. Its the same maintenance of a tow strap or extraction strap. If you get it dirty clean it off. does not have to be right away its just that the sand can be abrasive on it. With where the winch is located on my X i'm not worried about sun damage. And the heat issue is with the winch it self. Some winches he up to extremely high temperatures and can damage it. I did not purchase synthetic for the weight reduction which is a nice thing but I bought it due to the fact if/when it breaks it will not kill/hurt anyone.

 

[Intender]

I have the HF 12k, and used it a handful of times with great results, and the last time I tried to use it I spooled the line out and got about 1ft of slow spool and then it was dead. I will admit that while I maintained it well and such, I abused the hell out of it a couple of times and totally disregarded the duty cycle on 1 occasion. I bought the service plan for it and will trade it out for another one and buy the service plan again and treat it properly this time. If it fails on me a second time I will either seek a refund or sell it and go another route.

And I would go the synth line route if in your price range. After the first use on my winch the cable line was rough and got worse after every use.

 

[granitex]

The question about wire to synth has a lot to do with what you wheel around,,, short straight pulls synth is great. long crooked pulls where you are dragging the cable through rocks and mud than steel rope lasts a lot longer. Around here the abrasion resistance of the steel trumps the benifits of synthetic hands down. But conditions vary and who you wheel with also varies so it comes down to the particulars of your situation as to what is the best choice for you.

 

[dhyde79]

Ok, so if I'm adding the synthetic line'd engo 9000 to the list, that adds the Recon 10,500 waterproof to the list since it's easily had for under 450

 

[dhyde79]

I really didn't want to get up into the $400 price range, cause, well, if I can keep the winch and bumper around the $1000 mark I don't have to dip further into my savings...

 

[xterror04]

You can always buy a syn line later, after I used my steel line a few times I got annoyed with winding it back up, I bought a smitty built syn line for $100

 

[dhyde79]

The question about wire to synth has a lot to do with what you wheel around,,, short straight pulls synth is great. long crooked pulls where you are dragging the cable through rocks and mud than steel rope lasts a lot longer. Around here the abrasion resistance of the steel trumps the benifits of synthetic hands down. But conditions vary and who you wheel with also varies so it comes down to the particulars of your situation as to what is the best choice for you.

And you have hit the nail on the head there, I think If I'm going to drop $400-500 on a winch, I'd rather it be a good 9000-1000lb winch...

 

[Big_THanks]

I just bought the HF 12k for mine its still in the box in my back seat but for $200 and a full replacement warranty I couldn't beat that price.

Sent from my Note 2 using Tapatalk HD

 

[chuckamazuk]

I got the Engo E10000S with synthetic line HERE for $425.99 (w/ free shipping). It's a nice winch; the 9000 scored very well in the 4wheeler "winch-off". [LINK]

 

[dhyde79]

I got the Engo E10000S with synthetic line HERE for $425.99 (w/ free shipping). It's a nice winch; the 9000 scored very well in the 4wheeler "winch-off". [LINK]

Agreed, it did...everyone I've known to have em all say one common thing. They're certainly not quick...

 

[dhyde79]

Also, I've decided that synthetic lines are out, the terrain around here is much better suited to steel line, and, it'll save some cash.

 

[dhyde79]

ooh, and there's a new contender!

Quadratec has a Q11000 winch with steel cable that's the same price as a XRC10, is a little slower but much lower amp draw....same price as the XRC10

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

We have about the same terrain out here and I am still considering a synthetic line Engo because of the pure weight savings compared to a steel cable. But like I said, considering one. Funds are about bled dry at the moment but hopefully soon I'll see another uptick in the monies and may be able to pick one up before GONE.

 

[Prime]

ooh, and there's a new contender!

Quadratec has a Q11000 winch with steel cable that's the same price as a XRC10, is a little slower but much lower amp draw....same price as the XRC10

The Quadratec winch looks like something you'd get out of a cracker jack box.

 

[dhyde79]

We have about the same terrain out here and I am still considering a synthetic line Engo because of the pure weight savings compared to a steel cable. But like I said, considering one. Funds are about bled dry at the moment but hopefully soon I'll see another uptick in the monies and may be able to pick one up before GONE.

Weight savings is useless if you have to carry extra gear to be able to safely winch because your cable doesn't handle angled pulls or mud, sand, rocks, etc as well...

And it's only about 20lbs saved, if 20lbs makes that much of a difference, you need new suspension anyway...

 

[dhyde79]

The Quadratec winch looks like something you'd get out of a cracker jack box.

Doesn't look that different from any other non-integrated solenoid winch to me...

May be a moot point, I may have found a used warn 9.5TI locally

 

[CaptainMorgan_SOS]

Weight savings is useless if you have to carry extra gear to be able to safely winch because your cable doesn't handle angled pulls or mud, sand, rocks, etc as well...

And it's only about 20lbs saved, if 20lbs makes that much of a difference, you need new suspension anyway...

Touché, I haven't seen any pulls across rocks but I know it happens. The only pulls I have really seen have been to a tree or another rig and the line was always up in the air with no obstructions in the way of it. I also didn't realize it was only 20 lb difference. You kinda have me rethinking my hard-on for a synthetic line. The money savings are pretty high.

And new suspension is kind of in the works...

Good luck on the hunt. Pretty good deal for the 9.5TI?

 

[dhyde79]

Touché, I haven't seen any pulls across rocks but I know it happens. The only pulls I have really seen have been to a tree or another rig and the line was always up in the air with no obstructions in the way of it. I also didn't realize it was only 20 lb difference. You kinda have me rethinking my hard-on for a synthetic line. The money savings are pretty high. And new suspension is kind of in the works... Good luck on the hunt. Pretty good deal for the 9.5TI?

Typically it's about 20lbs. See, out here, Saturday, we needed over 150-160' of line just to get to a tree, then that was up a 5-6' muddy hill, at about a 50 degree angle toward the driver's side from straight ahead. It was horrid, and the mud was just plain nasty. A synthetic would have probably been ok, but, the cable ended up being over 2' deep in mud from pulling down into the hill's surface...

Oh, and if I get the warn, it'll be $300

 

[dhyde79]

Trigger has been pulled, the engo won.

 

[drbandkgb]

I know in late to this but my thoughts on line... Steel line is great but weight is a killer... I went from steel to synth and it was very noticeable just driving around town... Now I have up some length 100' vs 80'. I do plan on up grading to a longer line down the road but from the pulls I have done with both I couldn't tell and difference.

 

[dhyde79]

I know in late to this but my thoughts on line... Steel line is great but weight is a killer... I went from steel to synth and it was very noticeable just driving around town... Now I have up some length 100' vs 80'. I do plan on up grading to a longer line down the road but from the pulls I have done with both I couldn't tell and difference.

Agreed on the weight, if you have trees around to winch to easily, you're good with synthetic...if you're rocky and barren, synth loses some appeal...

 

[CISO1969]

I have the Smittytbilt 800xrc with synthetic. It pulled a Suzuki pick up out of the mud and ruts, it pulled me halfway up H trail in deep snow, slush, ice mix at Rausch Creek last Saturday too. I managed to trash the end of the line sock or sleeve as well as ruining a polyurethane clevis collar or bumper but the thing worked like a horse and did it's job.

Still can't get it to spool though. I think there was something in instructions about not spooling when the wire and control are plugged in, I'd have to revisit that.

If I am missing something or doing it wrong and someone knows how--by all means chime in! Let me know. Letting that line out by remote after each pull was annoying as heck

Lee

 

[dhyde79]

I have the Smittytbilt 800xrc with synthetic. It pulled a Suzuki pick up out of the mud and ruts, it pulled me halfway up H trail in deep snow, slush, ice mix at Rausch Creek last Saturday too. I managed to trash the end of the line sock or sleeve as well as ruining a polyurethane clevis collar or bumper but the thing worked like a horse and did it's job. Still can't get it to spool though. I think there was something in instructions about not spooling when the wire and control are plugged in, I'd have to revisit that. If I am missing something or doing it wrong and someone knows how--by all means chime in! Let me know. Letting that line out by remote after each pull was annoying as heck Lee

Did you do like the instructions said and unspool it, tighten everything, then properly wind the cable with about 1000lbs of load on it BEFORE using it?

 

[jmnielsen]

Trigger has been pulled, the engo won.

Good choice. Bought one a couple years back in a group buy for cheap. It resides on my fathers F-250 and has worked every time we needed it to.

 

[dhyde79]

good to hear....

the more I think on it, the more I remember, I've never heard anyone talk bad about the engo's, just that they aren't as fast as some of the others. personally, I'll take lower line speed with less amp draw anyway... maybe that'll offset my need to go buy one of those holy crap overly powerful alternators... (though, I did find one that's a 300A alternator...for $750)