Hand Winch - Thoughts?

I don't do enough regular offroading to justify spending a lot on getting a proper winch system

So whats everyones thoughts on this type of system as an occasional backup just incase the shi....mud hits the fan, i mean...diffs

cgi.ebay.co.uk/4-TON-HEAVY-DUTY-HAND-PUL...ce326#ht_3069wt_1002

Ok - very dubious about the price, but still...with this 'type' of system?

Or does anyone have any other suitable alternatives? Obtaining/fabricating a land anchor isn't a problem, its just the winch that alludes me

i would not bother with one of them if you wanted to get a hand winch you need something like a turfor but there just as expensive as a electric winch to buy new

That looks a little 'lightweight' and dont forget you'll need something to pull it

If you're not getting an electric winch - then maybe you should be looking at a Tirfor.

that was the sort of application I was thinking about - enough to ease you back far enough to get the traction back. *touch wood* I've never been stuck with the Malatesta Kaiman's fitted.

utilising the mechanical advantage is always an option like you say, and i guess at that price its not a lot to have to leave in the garage for a rainy day should it all go belly up and prove to be too light.

just out of interest - how much, realistically, are you talking for a winch, bumper, battery etc?

I've got one of these...
www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/jrh1-wire-rope-hoist

Though to be honest I haven't even tried it let alone used it in anger. Seems pretty chunky though and is a lot cheaper than a Tirfor or an electric winch...

There is one of those winches hanging up in my garage.

Works well enough, I've lifted a few engines out with it, and used it to haul my mate's car up his sloping drive and into his garage.

It will only pull about 3 feet, so you need 500 yards of chain, various shackles etc. to attach it to something, then by the time you have taken up the strain, there is only 2 feet of pull left (that is why you need chain, rope stretches).

Frankly, you are better off with a towrope, and another car behind that isn't stuck to pull you out backwards.

The best hand winches are tifors, as said earlier.,


You can use a hilift jack to pull, but these suffer from similar problems with the rope stretching, and weigh a lot.

Andy wrote: just out of interest - how much, realistically, are you talking for a winch, bumper, battery etc?

to go buy new its going to cost £300 for a winch bumper & at least £300 for a reasonable winch then the price of a second battery if you wanted to fit one & some cable to wire up the battery

so i would say around £700 ish

I would say the Tirfor stylie jobbie would be best for the reason mentioned above, the three foot pull. That said we carried out an experiment last year and winched my Jim into a bog (to catch a punch in an orienteering event) with a lorry ratchet strap!! I think it was about three inches at a time!! before we had to re thread to take up the slack. We did it just to prove it could be done!!



It was much quicker on the way back out on the end of a winchrope on a Defender.