"Cheap" Warn vs "Top end" Smittybilt winch questions

I see your point. For the time being, I'll use what I have (it would be a waste not to) and will take this into consideration on the next winch purchase.

Honestly, I would hope for nothing less that your winch to be one that always works when you need it. Certainly, I would never hope or wish for someone's winch to be junk. I just want to make sure that people who haven't bought a winch yet and are seeing this thread can see things from my perspective. The scenarios I have posted aren't made from my imagination, they are based on what I or other in my group have had to deal with.
 
"Cheap" Warn vs "Top end" Smittybilt winch questions

Well, to be fair, back before they were bought out by 4WheelParts, they did make some decent products. Now, they're the replacement for rustpony, er, I mean Steelhorse - a company that most people on here probably doesn't remember or were too young to know.

I just took a shit, before that it was a big steak. Now that it's a piece of shit I can't call it a steak.


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"Cheap" Warn vs "Top end" Smittybilt winch questions

Happy Warn Zeon 10-S owner here. Prior to getting that great deal recently I was between a Warn M8000 and the VR Gen II series. I contacted Warn via FB Messenger and got this response...

View attachment 238047

If I went Chinese made, it would've been Warn.

Don't go cheap, keep saving and watching for the rare, special sale prices.


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Overall "build thread"
http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?26097-I-guess-it-s-the-quot-Super-Stocker-quot-build

DIY trail/tube door build http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?24449-My-DIY-Doors

This is actually pretty interesting. Good post and wish it could pulled up when necessary.

Seems this thread topic comes up every now and then. I wonder if when warn updated the VR series recently it was to get their own plant and better QC.
 
This is actually pretty interesting. Good post and wish it could pulled up when necessary.

Seems this thread topic comes up every now and then. I wonder if when warn updated the VR series recently it was to get their own plant and better QC.

Yeah, sorry I was late. I was pretty convinced on the new VR's after reading that. It was the direction I was heading until the Zeon deal popped up.
 
Slightly off topic, but still pertinent. I wheeled a bit without a winch, about three and half years. Never really felt the need for a winch.

About a year ago I got the Warn zeon and a masterpull line. Wanted to do tougher trails. Ended up using the winch three times in less than a year. Twice for myself and once to help a friend.

If you feel you need a winch, why would you feel the need to buy a cheap one?? That just doesn't make any sense to me. Don't be a cheap ass. Eat ramen for a month, save the extra $300-$400 and call it a day.
 
Slightly off topic, but still pertinent. I wheeled a bit without a winch, about three and half years. Never really felt the need for a winch.

About a year ago I got the Warn zeon and a masterpull line. Wanted to do tougher trails. Ended up using the winch three times in less than a year. Twice for myself and once to help a friend.

If you feel you need a winch, why would you feel the need to buy a cheap one?? That just doesn't make any sense to me. Don't be a cheap ass. Eat ramen for a month, save the extra $300-$400 and call it a day.

Exactly. Eddie's parachute comment was spot on.


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Never thought of my winch as the "life and death" sort of equipment. That doesn't mean I shouldn't.... even in remote Montana... I have not needed the winch to save my life, so... that probably reflects in my choice.

I've had three winches in 25 years... An old Ramsey winch (REP 8000). A RUNVA that I won a bid on for 200 bucks on e-bay (died after 4 years of use), and now this Smittybuilt 12,000 xrc... Always would have liked to buy a Warn... but it often took me a years of savings to get the cheap one... so there is that for some of us. :grayno:

I have only used the winches to pull dead trees out of the trail, pull up a few ledges, or out of mud holes... maybe a dozen times. Summer pulls are a rare thing...
So I really don't "wheel" where lockers - ground clearance - and tires are not the greater "needs" in order to have safety on the trail... I'm sure if I did, I would have a different perspective. I guess I would put a lift, or good tires, or gearing and lockers -over a winch, so my saving and investing in parts is directed at other areas first. A winch was a bonus item when I got other things set up first.

The Ramsey failed by design... the control box was under water... and the controller could not be pushed in because there was no where for the water to escape the plug... and it wouldn't compress while in a river. Then another time it shocked us when it shorted out... again in the water pulling a bogged tree out of a mud hole. The Winch also rusted terrible on the inside a seal was broken. Bought it used... so I guess it owed me nothing.

The Runva did fail at a bad time... not life or death, and I was not alone... but the other winch that was brought into action was a warn and it stopped working too... but we did fix it (loose nut on cable shorting out)- and we eventually got creative with tow straps to get the jeep back in a happy place on the road. There was no warranty left on the runva... and no parts to fix it. If that would have been a worse place... there would be a different feeling about having a winch fail.

So the advice from most of you on here comes from that place..."life or death"- and it is a good point to consider when buying a winch.

90% of the use of my winches have been in the snow and the recovery of others in snow conditions. I already have stated that this winch has more than 40 full pulls on it... the line is looking terrible at this point (I think the ice crystals and the rope being streached while frozen is very hard on the line). I pull people back onto the highway. 8 in the last storm before Christmas. 3 in the storm before that. Many times I have to strap my jeep to a truck sitting on the highway to stop sliding on the ice towards the recovery vehicle. If I can't find a recovery point, I get them home to call a tow truck... but most times I can get them back to the road. Not again life or death situations... but I have saved people hundreds of dollars in towing cost, maybe even a thousand a time or two. I thought I would have broke this winch by now.. I really did, but it keeps working. So I can't say much bad about it at this point.

You guys wheel with a lot more times where the winch is a "critical part" of your day. I think that should influence your choice. You have all seen lots of China made winches fail... that should influence your choice and advice. People would be wise to hear your experiences with the cheaper winches.

I only have what has happened to me... I must have got the 1 in 10 good ones? I will be more careful telling people about my experience... and let them know that there are others who have seen these winches- fail apparently a lot more often then I have.

I did see an engo winch fail... but the driver was using his winch cable like a tow strap... jerking the jeep while flooring it in reverse... so I didn't fault the ENGO.. I think a warn would have died too, I tried to get him to stop but he wouldn't listen... saying that it was not going to break and that is what winches are for... after nearly snapping it in half... it wouldn't spool line anymore?

I also don't wheel alone... we really can't do that safely in many parts of Montana. Too remote.
 
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Slightly off topic, but still pertinent. I wheeled a bit without a winch, about three and half years. Never really felt the need for a winch.

About a year ago I got the Warn zeon and a masterpull line. Wanted to do tougher trails. Ended up using the winch three times in less than a year. Twice for myself and once to help a friend.

If you feel you need a winch, why would you feel the need to buy a cheap one?? That just doesn't make any sense to me. Don't be a cheap ass. Eat ramen for a month, save the extra $300-$400 and call it a day.

Hey I like Ramen and thanks for the pull..;)
 
I recently had to make the same decision. I was sort of bent over a barrel regarding price also but in the long run I bit the bullet and bought the M8000 with a steel cable for the time being. The likelihood of using your winch is pretty low.. unless you are recovering people or living somewhere that requires you to do it... or like my friend in the great white north does "Plays hero during snow days and pulls bimmers out of shallow ditches."

My observation over the past couple of years is that every one of my friends who has bought a winch has only used it "ONCE" in a 2 year period. The problem is that, one of my buddies has a quadratec winch that didn't work cause the solenoids were corroded from rain/exposure.. but my one friend who had the WARN.... well.. his worked... It was a VR series that was left uncovered.. but it still worked. I chose to go with the M8000 because I like to support US products when I can and that makes me feel good.

BTW, the M8000 is not waterproof / neither are the VR series. The contactor box should be mounted up on the hood if you are thinking of wading. Additionally, if you choose to wade with the m8000 it will still need a re-haul once dipped from what I hear. (I havn't tried)


That's my .2 cents. (Get a winch cover)
 
Something my dad taught me while I was about 7 yo...always buy the best you can afford, even if you have to save for awhile for it...you will not be disappointed...


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"Cheap" Warn vs "Top end" Smittybilt winch questions

In 70 degree weather at an offroad park with lots of guys around its a utility item.

Stuck in the snow by yourself miles into a trail that utility item now becomes a safety item.

It all comes down to what you are willing to take a chance on. If you will never be in a life threatening situation with your rig go for what you feel best. I'd just rather
err to the side of caution for a few more hundred bucks.

Couldn't agree more.
I've been out in the middle of nowhere in deep snow , stuck . It's a reality moment really. My winch has saved my ass an other people's asses several times.
From my experience I'm deff getting a warn.
I have a quadratec and it hasn't let me down yet... BUT the remote is junk an finicky , I since replaced it with a better one, also getting a new line . For what it's worth the winch has been on my Jeep since I bought it, or else I would have bought a warn new.
Doesn't change the fact I'm still getting a warn even though my current winch works fine.
I'm going to pay for that added safety.


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Personally, I have a Warn 8274... Bought it about 20 years ago and I was not the first owner.... I remember when I bought it a friend who showed me the offer, $850 with a mounting plate for my YJ, said it was a good deal as the winch was virtually new (new'ish cable) and only used a couple times (mall crawler I think). He also, and this is specific however to the 8274, said it would be the last winch I would ever buy... Truthfully it is also the first.....


Currently it is being rebuilt (slowly by myself). The only real reason is I wanted to crack it open and see the guts and know it... Over the years and spending 2 winters in North Chicago at Naval Training Center, the salt took its toll on the solenoids. Mine uses the older style RV solenoids that can be had for about $20 each (need 4) on amazon. However I am just going to buy the newer style since my cover is cracked. I once got the controller cable in something and cut it so it is now spliced back, etc... Needless to say everything still works including the motor... If you can afford it but a used 8274 and rebuild but beware that almost all bumpers will have a problem fitting it... I just talked with LOD and was happy to find that his front Destroyer bumper has something like 19 inches where that drop deck on it is... More than enough to make a winch plate for my 8274 :clap2:
 
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