How necessary are winches?

[Chard]

Thanks for the opinions. I do take my rig to its limits but have never been on my own so there is always my reco vehicle (100lockedloaded) with me. My vehicle will be in an upcoming edition of 4WD custom guide so you can see the sort of terrain and the flex I am taking my pride and joy on.
It would be something I would buy and relocate from vehicle to vehicle. So a very long term piece of equipment.

 

[croozza]

Is that what Prados are for?

Funny you should say that, That tree that I winched down the back paddock, was actually pulled out by the Prado, Just to give you an idea of what size the tree was, It was a 30+ metre cotton palm, with a trunk about 2 metres round, We tied a strap as high as we could, and tried to just pull the tree down, however the roots had grown under all the other plants and when it came down it pull everything else out with it in one piece, so we had a garden that was virtical but all the plants were horizontal, the garden was about 15 metres round also, was the funniest thing I ever saw.

 

[BGH]

mine came with the truck but i like going to the extreme and i think a winch is a good idea......... then again so are air lockers.

ive used mine a couple times and it has been worth it. if i bought my truck without the winch, i would be definitely buying one.

the best bit was my mate spent all day trying to pull a huge tree out of his backyard and i came along and in 10 mins it was out lol




BGH

 

[SFA hilux]

If you never go on your own it’s probably not as important, still useful though.
If you go off road on your own it’s a bit like a seatbelt. I’ve never needed mine, but I wouldn’t want a car without one.
The one time you need it will pay for it. Either hand winch or electric.
I’ve never seen a handwinch in use, how long a distance can you winch?
I like the idea of them, totally reliable and versatile but few times ive needed to winch up a slippery hill and it wouldn’t be very easy to stop disconnect the winch and move it along.

 

[shanegtr]

I've used the winch on my Disco for two recoveries in 6 years. First was for myself and the second was to pull a soft roader up a creek bed bank. Got a bit of use in the last couple of months pulling out tree stumps...

 

[Swaggie]

A golden olde revisited kool..
Wouldn’t go into The High Country without one....

 

[lars cordes]

one of those things u hopefully dont need too often but when u do youre bloody happy its there... last winter went down a steep track planning on going out up the other side of the valley...had absolutely no hope as the track out was that steep & muddy, took us over 3 hours getting 2 wagons back up the original track in, a fair portion of that winching... wouldve been a nightmare handwinching it, as i said when u need it its bloody good to have... spose we couldve just avoided the track in the first place but whats the point in having a fourby if youre not gonna make it work at least occasionally ?

 

[Swaggie]

one of those things u hopefully dont need too often but when u do youre bloody happy its there... last winter went down a steep track planning on going out up the other side of the valley...had absolutely no hope as the track out was that steep & muddy, took us over 3 hours getting 2 wagons back up the original track in, a fair portion of that winching... wouldve been a nightmare handwinching it, as i said when u need it its bloody good to have... spose we couldve just avoided the track in the first place but whats the point in having a fourby if youre not gonna make it work at least occasionally ?

Especially if your going into unfamiliar areas, or even familiar areas for that matter, add clay and rain and your faced with a totally different situation compared to it being dry....

 

[Frawls]

A winch is like insurance might not use it very often, bloody happy you have it when you need it but!!!!

 

[discomatt]

IMO a must have item if doing anything other than easy touring, all medium to hard trips I run a winch is mandatory

 

[phs]

I was makeing this decision my self 2 or so years ago....

And im very happy i didnt get one.
Mind you iv been out Countless time and been stuck over 50 or so times really bad some and others not so bad.

if i had one i would have used it maybe 2-3 times only, as the rest of the times i was pulling back not forward for the 2 resons below.
1. most of the time going forward when im stuck deep or bad, there will be worst to come ahead of where i am already, likly if i had a front mount it would pack up shop any how
2. there was nothing suitable in front of me to winch off.

i was given a hand winch and cable off a mate its a BIGHAUL one, never let me down i bought an ARB recovery pack and a few extra shackels, use it all the time, the first few times it was slow but the last few outtings iv used it, it was fine, in the otways on oregan trk. i had to use it 10 times in a few hours.
if only had a front mounted winch i would have been waiting for some one after i got stuck the first time.

not saying on my next rig i wouldnt like one if it comes with it, but i dont think id buy one for the cost and use factor does'nt wiegh up for me.

iv seen people useing the winch more times pulling other people out then them selves.
going out with 1 4x4 youd be fairly unprepared if you only had only a front mount winch.
you can be care full and think befor trying something "if i try this theres nothing to winch off forwards" and not have a go, but still you could get stuck in the stupid s spot and have dramas, As iv done befor

10 years later.....
All my vehicles since then have had winch’s on the front, don’t tend to do the same type of tracks as I did 10 years ago, just there as a back up more time’s than not and we travel with company as well.

never retired the old hand winch just gave it to a friend who does not have an electric winch... sharing the fun around

 

[LCV8VICTORIA]

I winched the boss out the other night, he dosent have a winch so I had to drive and winch him out lol
I’d buy one lol I have one front and rear wouldn’t have it any other way Cost him and call out and 130L of diesel

 

[phs]

I winched the boss out the other night, he dosent have a winch so I had to drive and winch him out lol
I’d buy one lol I have one front and rear wouldn’t have it any other way Cost him and call out and 130L of diesel View attachment 67977 View attachment 67978

how did he manage to get stuck at the bus stop ?

 

[cam04]

Did a bit of tricky rigging at the neighbour’s place this morning to remove an old flight of concrete stairs which had been built in during a later renovation. Saved hours of jackhammering in a room about 4ft high. Who says car winches are one dimensional?

 

[Swaggie]

Did a bit of tricky rigging at the neighbour’s place this morning to remove an old flight of concrete stairs which had been built in during a later renovation. Saved hours

I like your way of thinking

 

[cam04]

I like your way of thinking

I’ll work out the laziest way of doing any job

 

[Swaggie]

I’ll work out the laziest way of doing any job

Im hearing ya

 

[Lost1?]

I prefer winching over using a snatch strap. Its kinder on the vehicle. So far I have only used my winch to recover others. If the remote communities on Cape York open later this year that will probably change. Don't imagine I will get to the tip and back with all the diversions along the way without having to winch at some stage.

 

[muffin man]

How did this old post get dug up....anyway we've never bothered, mostly deserts etc.

 

[boobook]

How did this old post get dug up....anyway we've never bothered, mostly deserts etc.

It's called lockdown. Lots of old threads have resurfaced lately LOL