Trailer winch recommendations??

[SCOTI]

Hey guys, anyone have a suggestion for a GOOD moderately priced winch for my car hauler? Looking for something that can handle a 3500-4000# vehicle & that's not used daily or anything. Any thoughts on which to avoid? Thanks in advance.

[Mike C]

I have a Superwinch S2500 with the controls on the winch. It works excellent. I put a 70 3/4 ton parts truck on the trailer with 2 flats and a stuck brake. (Did drain two batts, but it did it!) I got it when Summit had a 10% off coupon they sent me, but the regular price is only like $210. My trailer is an 18' steel floor with slide out ramps and a 4 foot dovetail. When I had it built they put a 12" c channel in between the front end of the trailer and the first crossmember for bolting a winch to. So make sure your trailer is re-inforced for a winch if a steel floor, and if wood, make some sort of plate that spreads the load over several of the boards.

[da-burb]

I got the S3500 SuperWinch. It will run you about 275 out of Summit or Jegs. I just pulled a 3/4 ton truck up on my trailer tonight without any problem. That's nothing you say! It had front wheels only, no rear axle at all and the box was loaded with 2 rearends, 2 doors, 6-16" tires and rims and all the little worthless stuff I could toss in there before it goes to the crusher tomorrow. The bumper acted like a plow by removing the top 4" of top soil. The winch never even grunted. I did use one snatch block set up to help pull that load.

[SCOTI]

Thanks for the input. I've seen the superwinch series as well as a Warn winch series & was trying to decide which was better.

[Mudder]

Using a snatch block will double a winches pulling rate and always be careful. A winch cable or hook can kill you!

[SCOTI]

Ok. . . pardon my ignorance but what exactly is a 'snatch block'?

[da-burb]

It is a method of birth control...............

Or it could be another pulley with a hook on it. That is what I have allways called it. I had to go look it up on the internet to make sure I wasn't having a brain fart. You put this pulley with another hook on your line. Hook it to your truck and then run the main line back to the front of the trailer and attatch it there. You cable will look like a V. You have now doubled the pulling capacity of the winch. Works great when there are several brakes locked up on a truck too.

[Mike C]

Simple physics. Pulls twice as hard, but takes twice as long. Now the winch cable has to move a foot in order for the load to move 6". Good joke, though...

[Cash3481]

Dont know if you purchased this winch for your trailer or not but here is some thoughts I have done to the trailer I have. The blue wire is the backup wire since I have not added the reverse lights yet. Im still figuring out some relays to have the lights work off the 7 pin and then run a switch for them (and some others) for general lighting. Here you go!

1. Added the Badlands 12K lb winch from HF $299 (dont laugh) its the best for the money) lol
2. Add a newer battery from a truck I parted (free)
3. addd a distribution block to give power to accessory lights and protect the system
4. Add the capability of a 4 and 7 pin connector plug for charging the trailer battery.
5. Run the power wire for the trailer battery through the distribution block with a 15 amp fuse in case you overuse the trailer battery, you wont hurt the vehicle wiring (might have to adjust the rating).
6. I have some additional thought but like the ones above, I may need to research more and see if there is fesibality to the mods.
If anyopne sees any fatal flaws I would appreciate the knowledge on this thread. The battery box is not added yet untill I get the wiring done.
I added pics for reference.

Mike

[stomper]

I use one similar to this.

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-i...nch-96455.html

It's more powerful than you would think. I like it because I didn't have to fabricate a mount on my trailer for it. Just wrap a short chain around the tongue and thru the eye of the mounting plate. Not elegant and mine has no power out. Of course I'd rather have an aluminum Texas rollback trailer too but it has never failed me.
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[Dunenutt]

Originally Posted by Cash3481

Dont know if you purchased this winch for your trailer or not but here is some thoughts I have done to the trailer I have. The blue wire is the backup wire since I have not added the reverse lights yet. Im still figuring out some relays to have the lights work off the 7 pin and then run a switch for them (and some others) for general lighting. Here you go!

1. Added the Badlands 12K lb winch from HF $299 (dont laugh) its the best for the money) lol
2. Add a newer battery from a truck I parted (free)
3. addd a distribution block to give power to accessory lights and protect the system
4. Add the capability of a 4 and 7 pin connector plug for charging the trailer battery.
5. Run the power wire for the trailer battery through the distribution block with a 15 amp fuse in case you overuse the trailer battery, you wont hurt the vehicle wiring (might have to adjust the rating).
6. I have some additional thought but like the ones above, I may need to research more and see if there is fesibality to the mods.
If anyopne sees any fatal flaws I would appreciate the knowledge on this thread. The battery box is not added yet untill I get the wiring done.
I added pics for reference.

Mike

I don't want to sound like I'm picking on you, but that winch is mounted in the worst possible configuration. I realize that the chances that you will pull 12000 LBS is very slim, but that winch will break and hurt someone/ something.

Winches should pull from the bottom. Your configuration is lifting the winch. Winches up to 9000 can be mounted with the bolts in shear. 10,000 and above, should be mounted with the feet toward the hook.

Please consider mounting it in another configuration.

[lolife99]

Good info still,... on a 10 year old thread.

[Cash3481]

Originally Posted by Dunenutt

I don't want to sound like I'm picking on you, but that winch is mounted in the worst possible configuration. I realize that the chances that you will pull 12000 LBS is very slim, but that winch will break and hurt someone/ something.

Winches should pull from the bottom. Your configuration is lifting the winch. Winches up to 9000 can be mounted with the bolts in shear. 10,000 and above, should be mounted with the feet toward the hook.

Please consider mounting it in another configuration.

I'll take the picking over hurting someone! I'll reconfigure and try it again. Thank you for the input, I appreciate the info.
Mike
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