Winches

Grego wrote: Thanks both, will start looking....synth rope of course

Just don't let the standard rope installed on the winch be the deciding factor of what you choose. A decent quality steel rope is far better than cheap low quality synthetic rope.

I would advise against champion or warrior winches. I've seen them fail on a Jimny up a hill that wasn't that big an incline that was a 9500lb winch

Basketcase wrote: I would advise against champion or warrior winches. I've seen them fail on a Jimny up a hill that wasn't that big an incline that was a 9500lb winch

Agree on that one.
Have read some stories on bad motors on some Champion/Warrior winches. So I'd steer clear of these.

Just remember Warrior also sells quality TDS winches under their own brand.

I've found one on eBay 6000 lbs for £160, from a 4x4 site was hoping to buy that after Xmas with my 2inch lift but not if its going to be crap, so it's only good if it costs more than £400, is that right ?

Not at all. My winch was from the manufacturer on eBay and cost £235 it's a fantastic winch and never fails to pull me out all 4 times I've used it. I searched eBay for 13000lb winch it's a 5900kg from Germany jws or ews it is

Basketcase wrote: Not at all. My winch was from the manufacturer on eBay and cost £235 it's a fantastic winch and never fails to pull me out all 4 times I've used it. I searched eBay for 13000lb winch it's a 5900kg from Germany jws or ews it is

It's all made in China.

£400 will get you a decent winch. A winch for only £160 you just know it's made of the cheapest materials possible.
Some of these 13000 lbs winches are sold for around £300 including 30 meters of synthetic rope, sometimes branded as Dyneema rope. But you don't need to do a lot of googling to find out that it's not right. 30 meters of 10 mm Dyneema rope incl thimble and hook is around £200.. This leaves very little left for the winch itself. Meaning, both winch and rope is cheap stuff from china.

But it's all down to what you need it for. If it's only for pulling out of a bog a a play 'n play site or greenlaning most winches will do. But for pulling up steep hills I would trust that the brake of these cheap winches will my. After all, there's also some safety involved in this.