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Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 10:43
by garyd
Once you've got the hi-lift and a decent long tow rope and before you go for a Tirfor, get some prussic loops and some small shackles. Then you can use the hi-lift as a manual winch and save the weight and space and money of the Tirfor.

Garyd

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 12:59
by John Potter
Well I thought Syncro owners would appreciate the "new toy" and "spend money" aspects better than most.

Appears not.......

Dear wife will get a high lift jack for xmas then, not sure about long rope as that may be seen in the context of "give them enough rope and...."

Thanks for the input....

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 13:23
by Aidan
John Potter wrote:Well I thought Syncro owners would appreciate the "new toy" and "spend money" aspects better than most.

Appears not.......

Dear wife will get a high lift jack for xmas then, not sure about long rope as that may be seen in the context of "give them enough rope and...."

Thanks for the input....

thing is fitting a winch isn't that straightforward you can't just buy a winch bumper and swap it for the original one like on a LR and adding weight in front of the front axle changes the ride and handling so can lead to further costs, and more weight means more fuel all the time

Dai has a great installation but as he will admit he's only used it twice and only for the crack really as in both situations a rope and a tug would have done the job equally well

the idea is not to get stuck through appropriate driving techniques and not to be gung ho, I've got a winch I can go anywhere sort of attitude, these vehicles can't be rock crawler/winch challenge type vehicles no matter how much money you throw at them so little point in trying


if she's feeling generous (or kids want to buy you something) get a 8m 12 tonne rope and some shackles too and get a LR adapter for the hi-lift or make your own, we need a decent stand off to be able to use hi-lift without trashing body as we're not slab sided like a LR

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 13:31
by jebiga41
We do appreciate new toys etc, a few of the lads have winches been tempted myself by the very winch you've been looking at, and there seems to be an ongoing debate whether they are really that necessary as most people go in groups so it's always possible to get a tow out. Would agree with v-lux myself start off with the basics a fully working Syncro i.e. Difflocks and good set of tyres for the terrain mt's if muddy, a high lift, toe strips and shackles, waffle boards and a good shovel they will get you out of and through more places than any winch and all have multiple uses. (see Devon vids for waffle board use) also if one is going for an electric winch a decent battery set up is vital a leisure battery won't cut the mustard you need a proper deep cycle battery (expensive) and some people even recommend an uprated alternator, so in terms of cost complications a hydraulic winch may be cheaper and better in the long run ?

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 17 Nov 2010, 13:38
by jebiga41
Suggestion for your Xmas list
Bfg mt's
High lift plus winch kit and landrover adaptor (fits syncro)
Waffle boards
Shovel
Hatchet or axe
Tow strops
Decent first aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Syncronauts hi vis vests
Spare drive shafts front and back
Hope that's of help

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 18 Nov 2010, 22:09
by PC52
In the first instance the yellow one has one, the blue one doesn't.
First and foremost the weight on the front of the truck.
Originally the idea of our winch fitment was to aid self recovery. We haven't used it in the 'self recovery option' ... yet.
To aid the recovery of others - then yes, it has been used. Dire predicaments and just messing about situations.

Ours is fitted on the front, controls are within reach, spooling isn't a problem, and etc.

Ours was purchased from fleabay, via germany and manufactured in China but it does what it needs to do, although we did buy ours at 3am at less than £200 a few years ago.

Whaddon comes to mind, when thinking about how useful it was = how many syncros can you bury in mud!

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 10:55
by jed the spread
I just fitted the nylon rope to replace the heavy steel one, and also replaced the heavier rollers with a slick aluminum number.



So I went from this sticky out thing,

Image

Image

To this not sticky out thing,

Image

Image


It looks miles better and I have ended up with miles more rope too at a fraction of the weight. Its brought the front back up straight away Most of the weight was the steel cable

jed

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 15:31
by T'Onion
Think I need one of those for the LT .. drag mesen out of the muddy fields
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WINCH-12V-TRAILER ... 51920c133a

any good

or there's one down the road from me .. ebay 170566796160

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 17:13
by jed the spread
That first one is miles to small Mark...

Jed

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 18:20
by T'Onion
yeah, just read the ad again ...

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 20 Nov 2010, 18:33
by ELVIS
Rule of thumb is twice vehicle weight minimum, so a stinko with all your bling on is gonna be looking at 9k lb winch min. remember line pull is given for first line/layer of rope on the drum then decreases by 10% so second layer is only worth 8100lbs etc etc.

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 29 Nov 2010, 17:29
by HarryMann
I just fitted the nylon rope to replace the heavy steel one, and also replaced the heavier rollers with a slick aluminum number.

Small correction Jed, expect that's HDPE* not nylon, big difference I imagine, in price as well as strength

*High density Poly-Ethylene ? == Plasma rope ?

Would definitely add a Mattock to Paul's good list after Doug and my recceing experience in Devon... allotment now missing mattock, handle and head stored separately under rear seat. Wicked tool

Various strops, connectors, land-anchor of some type and a hand-winch (either light-weight or heavy-duty) always handy as found in Devon lanes again...

Agree with with GaryD & Aidan, we have always found a LONG strong rope very handy. 8m would be about minimum.. alonger length of medium plasma rope even better.

Also, if you intend crossing a large boggy field, then a set of canes (at least a dozen) to mark the (often only feasible) route is very handy... ask Al or remember Whaddon.. in fact whatever anyone says about Whaddon, we all learnt a lot there... ?

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 29 Nov 2010, 17:38
by silverbullet
And a long-handled, shield-headed spade (that I can't seem to get anywhere...)
Good for reaching under the vehicle without grovelling. When you've finally bought one

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 29 Nov 2010, 17:42
by jed the spread
HarryMann wrote:
*High density Poly-Ethylene ? == Plasma rope ?


Your right it is a Plasma rope, I just didnt want to seem flash

jed

Re: What do you reckon to this winch ? worth it ?

Posted: 29 Nov 2010, 17:44
by HarryMann
I just didnt want to seem flash

Absolutely no risk of that Jed