http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40764

Review
http://www.jeepreviews.com/jeep-part...lectric-winch/

A roller fairlead is 39$ more...

Rand

 

You can spend $100 more and get a Ramsey 8000 lb, or about another $30 or so for a Mile marker. Many times with a fairlead thrown in. I think I'd probably buy the one of known quality for anything that critical.

But hey, if it works good, that's fine and it does save some money. I'm just suspicious of some of that Harbor Freight stuff -- some of it is good and some is absolute junk.

 

I don't know Rand - looks sketchy....
The 8K capacity Warn is a 4.8 HP motor - that one is only 1.8
There are quite a few on eBay and I think you are better off to go with a known brand

 

I am not saying I would buy it...
Just looked interesting.
Where can you get a brand name winch shipped for 330$ john?

Rand

 

I think he meant + $100 for a Ramsey and + $130 for a Mile Marker so I guess it would be around $420 for a Mile Marker, but that seems low for a 8K model

well I did a quick eBay search and came up with this Mile Marker 8K model for $485.25 + $39 shipping - guess you can sell the Jeep plate Mile Marker 8K on Ebay

 

The mile markers usualt go for 350 - 450 depending on the model and options.. Also there is EBAY

 

MM like doc said can be had for $400.
That would have been the least make/model winch i would get. I went with Warn b/c i want it to last and dont want to worry if i am getting out of the woods

 

And just a note not all models have 4hp motors
http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/faqs/winches.html

Model: Ramsey REP8000 motor: 1.8 hp, permanent magnet

Model: Warn M8000 Motor: 2.1 hp, series wound

Model: Ramsey RE12000 Motor: 1.9 hp, series wound

Ok well I'm refinancing my truck this month. I have about 500$ to spend.
I guess I would be selling the waag bar so 150$ to that....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...880251716&rd=1
One of the winches I mentioned on ebay 235$ right now
with generic mounting plate.

Most winches dont work when underwater... unless you buy one of the uber sealed ones or one thats powered by the power steering pump.
Rand

 

Mike - any idea how the Warn's hold up to immersion?
.... not that I am planning on it, I just want to know

 

haha...neil, you need a snorkle man. not planning on it...yeah...ey ey capt.
I think the X series are well sealed. The M series is less. But i'm not a warn expert yet.

 

Not sure what I want... a MM for 400 or warn for 800.... Hmm I wonder. Both work well but one just seems to be REALLY good b/c of the name and b/c "everyone" has has one!.... So this means a high price tag

 

only winches my friends have ever burned up are warns...

but they seem to be the most popular...

mile marker normally runs really good deals on theirs...

ramsey are good winches, though...

warns are just expensive cuz of the name...

and on a little ford ranger, i don't think you have to worry about burning one up...

oh yeah, get a synthetic winch rope... it won't kill you if it breaks...

 

Yeah like I said... EVERYONE has one so they must be good... RIGHT? Dunno.... I know they are good but 400 more than the other guy good? I may need to go cheap on this one!!

 

Hey Rand - that was an informative article, but more than a few years old.
I am not sure about the Ramsey models but the specifications on the Warn units are quite different now.

 

what about this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
That might be nice....

Also Wtf would I find mounting brackets or whatever.....
I found warn has about 4 different trans4mer ones... but where would you buy that at... didnt see it yet anywhere. Prices?
Rand

 

Thought about a hydrol one but I was not sure it they would work with our trucks..

 

Well since Mike started this trend I have been investigating.
BlkTremor02 (Brian) has a sweet set up on his FX2.
He has the Trans4mer front guard and was good enough to send me all the details which I am sure he would not mind if I shared with you all.....

Warn Trans4mer:

RANGER 4 Wheel Drive (Black
Year Range: 1998-2003
Part Number: 37133
Part ID: 384
Description: Trans4mer Grille Guard 1998-2003 RANGER 4 Wheel Drive (Black

Winch Carrier:

RANGER (For Use w/Winch Models 9.5si; 9.5ti; 9.5xp; HS95
Year Range: 1993-2003
Part Number: 39781
Part ID: 235
Description: Trans4mer fixed-mount winch carrier

From the Warn site - 1998-2003 RANGER 4 Wheel Drive (Black 37133 25

He bought his off 4 Wheel Parts

 

Just an FYI, Brians truck is a 2WD. I'll be going with MM. High quality at an affordable price. And yes his setup is very nice and his winch is a MM8000#

Edit: Just found this http://www.jeepreviews.com/jeep-part...lectric-winch/
Interesting....

 

Try www.e-winches.com for good deals on winches.

As far as the different brands, I bought a Milemarker because it was inexpensive and they have a pretty good reputation. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's slow. I also had a failure last time out and while Milemarker stepped up and offered to ship me the parts (for free) but I have yet to see the parts or be able to get a hold of the guy in tech that said he would be sending them. I'm a bit annoyed at the moment because my winch mount is getting lonely.

Honesly, I don't believe that there could be enough of a difference between manufacturers to make one worth twice the cost of another. I do know that there are differences, but the value of the differences is what I question. Definitely check the warranty when buying a winch tho. Milemarker has a two year warranty and Ramsey claims lifetime, but it's only one year on electrical parts and the lifetime part is on (non-electrical) manufacturer defects. If your Ramsey fails in the same manner as my Milemarker, then you're screwed warranty or not.

When the milemarker failed, I considered going hydraulic because I wouldn't have to worry about motor failure again but the reason I went electric is because if the engine stalls (hydrolock?) or throws the power steering belt off, then you've got no winch. At least with an electric, you can run it on the battery alone for a short time which is a feature you don't get with a hydraulic. The hydraulic are the only one's I'm certain will work under water.

Keep in mind that the rated pull is with the first wrap of cable on the drum and watch the specs for the pull with more wraps on the drum. 100' of 5/16" synthetic rope made 4.5 wraps on the drum which greatly reduces the pull capacity and increases the load on the electrical system. Shorter cable and an extension is a better choice than longer cable or best yet is to use a ****** block which allows you to get twice as much cable off the drum and cuts the load on the winch in half (allowing it to run cooler) but cuts your speed in half.

Lastly, whoever said to get synthetic rope is absolutely right. e-winches will make deals on some models with synthetic rope but definitely consider it. Steel cable is excellent and works excellent as well as being more resistant to damage than synthetic, but if it's not wrapped properly on the drum when pulling, it will kink and fray and cause splinters that will find their way into your hands. Also, when synthetic rope breaks, it drops dead because it doesn't stretch whereas steel cable recoils at a high speed and could kill you. Ever see Ghost Ship?? Oh yeah, synthetic rope is sooo light it's rediculous. 100' with a hook had a shipping weight of 5lbs.

 

everyone just wants a Warn, just like a kid wants Nike shoes..."Cuz Timmy has one too, and i'll be just like the other kids if i have one"

but i do say go with a brand name....it could be that critical time when u're stuck up to the doors and u're tryin to winch u'reself out...and no luck...it breaks or something...thas when u're gonna wish u copped out for the good stuff....

 

I'll testify to that synthetic. Handles like clothesline, literally. Your common sense says it cannot POSSIBLY be that strong -- but your common sense is wrong, lol!

I'm considering MM because of the EXCELLENT customer service Tom got when he had a strange failure: the permanent magnets that make up the field fragmented. I've never seen that on a working motor without really bad bearing or armature failure (where the bad bearing or damaged armature struck the field and took it out). Tom's is apparently okay OTHER than that, so it looks like a severe manufacturing defect and MM is treating as such and fixing it OUT OF WARRANTY for no charge except Tom pays to send it to them.

I find that excellent.

 

Hey before you guys start saying Warn is twice as much, you have to compare apples to apples. A mile marker 8000 at $400 isnt equivalent to what i got at $800. Yes they are both 8000 lb winches but mine comes with the multimount system (carrier and quick connects) but i think it also has the control box inside, which is what i was mentioning somewhat to neil. The X series is sealed better i think than Warn's M series, which i think is more comparable to the MM8000.

The Warn X8000i (with out multimount) is $685 shipped from where i got mine
And the Warn M8000 is $570 shipped. And this is probably the one you should compared to the $400 MM. Atleast from my understading of the two, and trying to keep it apples to apples.

 

AND FYI for yourself edge's and tremors that are 4x2 have the 4x4 front suspention and front end

 

Mike,

I'm with you on the multimount and the quick connects but they sell that stuff separately and it's less than the $400 difference in price. As far as the control box goes, when they put it inside the housing like that, it makes it more difficult to replace the solenoids if they can be replaced at all. The other issue I have with that winch is that I'm planning to mount mine behind the bumper and you can't do that with the integrated solenoids. Only way is with a remote solenoid pack.

 

Definately less than $400 but my point is it isnt $400 more if you compare apples to apples.

Looking at the price of the X8000i alone @ $685, I paid $790 for the carrier and quick connects. So that's only $105 which is pretty good since the carriers are usually $100 or more plus shipping.

So i guess it comes down to is the X8000i worth $240-285 more than the MM8000? Maybe not the full amount, but I would think it is worth more.

Same comparison can be made in tires or any other part probably. Are the BFG M/T's worth $40* more a tire than a Dunlop? (*Price may not be entirely accurate) It depends if someone wants to pay to find out. And with the winch I was willing to pay the extra $200 or so to get the Warn rather than the Milemarker.