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-   -   How to get a top quality winch? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-technical/40882-how-get-top-quality-winch.html)

Pls excuse my going :OT but interestingly I too am researching winches and am presently zeroed in to a Warn 8274-50 8000 lb winch. Sadly the India dealer in Bangalore is a ripoff quoting 1.1 lacs. Its available for 1100 USD. Even with shipping, taxes, and VAT it shouldn't cost that much. Will get someone to buy it there and send it. Would you know if the Warn winches are available in Bombay? I guess Ramsey should be of similar quality?

I too gave up hearing a 60K price tag for a $600 winch. Is there a non-ripoff way to get it?

there should be someone producing winches in india,they might be cheaper.

The army uses some winches. Im not sure they are electric.But, I remember hearing they use PTOs.It might be possible to scavenge the winches from the used army vehicles.
Arka should have a lot to add on this topic.

Glad you started this thread. There a lot that needs to be considered when buying a winch. Just to get the discussion going basically winching is a highly stressed activity and the loads encountered are severe. The quality of equipment used has to be top notch. Either on account of ignorance or paucity of funds not everyone is investing in equipment that is fit for the job. There's a influx of cheap Taiwanese/Chinese alternatives in the market for 15 k etc but the risks are huge.

From the little reading I've done about winching in preparation for procuring a decent one I have observed the followign criteria

1. Weight. Usually (but not necessarily) the heavier winches are made of heavier metal and reflect sturdier construction. Lightweight winches may simply not have the structural strength to handle the loads. While buying the lightweight winches you have to do double the research to make sure it is a tried and tested product

2. The motor and the gearing. Apparently its recommended that the winch be rated for 1.5 times the vehicle weight (include all the stuff loaded into the car too) So if you have to pull a car weighing anywhere between 3500 to 4000 lbs add on the fact that the car is stuck in slush etc and adding on the 1.5 factor you need something well in excess of 6500 to 7000 lb rating. Ideally a 8000 lb winch would handle most situations.

3. A reputed manufacturer usually uses aircraft grade cables rated for almost 30000 lbs so its safer to go along with quality winches as a snapped cheap cable under tension can spell disaster both for man and machine.

There are specific technical details which one must monitor in choice of winches but I won't go there as yet. Its all available on the net for interested enthusiasts to read up.

Of the reputed brands Warn and Ramsey seem to rule the roost along with Superwinch and Milemarker. There are many others but you'd have to weigh the pros and cons of other brands extra carefully should you consider buying them.

A 8000 lb winch should be in the range of 1000 to 1300 USD. I reckon with taxes and shipping it shouldn't cost more than 60 to 70K max. That itself is steep but remember this is some very serious equipment and can bail you out in almost any offroad situation. You don't want a cheaper alternative smoking away to death on your first attempt to pull out as it simply doesn't have the juice.

I know very little about the subject and am simply reading up before I buy one. Perhaps some of the hallowed experts at TBHP can shed more light on how vital this piece of equipment is for any serious offroader and the pros and cons of choosing a particular brand.

Samurai, once I get my Warn in from the US I'll share how to go about it. Haven't figured it out yet but will soon

PS Perhaps TBHP could start a clubshop section where they trade in quality stuff (a revenue stream?)

Not aware, considering only the army in India has been actively requiring its use I reckon its built inhouse for army production only and not sold for civilian use? We need to find out

You have hydraulic winches, usually much much heavier and then the common electric winches that run off your battery

Then you have the traditional PTO (power take off?) based units as commonly found on the old Landrovers. Read stories of owners forgetting to disengage these units and completely deform their front ends as they drove off lol:

they weigh 50kgs in a box. plus 55% duty on the MRP. work this out and see if it is expensive or no. Plus shipping chrges of 600$ by DHL,TNT or UPS

Last year I was looking for a winch and was in touch with Arka. His PM to me on 4th September, 2007 said this:

Maybe you should get in touch with arka and pm him on ex670c

Sounds like the Jeep Thrills' group buy was a God send.

Have these chinese winches ever been used? and how often? Only once they are tried and tested can we consider them. Here in Hyderabad the majority of owners just want it for the looks and aren't bothered if it works!

Perhaps Arka can share his experiences with the material for all our benefit.

Yes, I would love to hear too about its quality and reliability.
Warn and other similar brands make winches and charge 600$ plus while i could buy a chinese one in oz for 200$ but they would weigh 10kg compared to warn at 26kg!!!
A couple of my friends who bought them were not happy with its build quality.

I forgot to mention that these winches of Arka were of 12000lbs and I don't know if they were tried and tested. The fact that he imported and sold 7 of them and most probably to members of Jeepthrills, shows that they were of some quality..

Would be interesting to see if these chinese ones can pull a Ford Endeavour out of a ditch!!

When Philips was selling their 8 watt CFL for Rs 220 chinese bulbs were available for Rs 30. I ended up changing three in a week and went back to Philips! Just not too convinced about Chinese products.

A friend who imported a container load of ATV's from China is needing to repair them even before selling them!

I know he has sold them, I would like to know how they perform. Chinese products can even write 1200000lbs...with them seeing the actual product working is believing it. No offense to Arka..
Check this link:
Wireless 3000LBS/1360kg12V Boat ATV 4WD Electric Winch - eBay 4x4 Accessories, Exterior, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 11-Jun-08 07:31:26 AEST) weighs only 6.5kg!!
6hp Warn Hi Mount Winch M8274 FREE UPGRADE!! NEW IN BOX - eBay 4x4 Accessories, Exterior, Car Parts, Accessories, Cars, Bikes, Boats. (end time 13-Jun-08 16:07:31 AEST)
this weighs 50kgs!!

There are three construction sites around my house and the excavators are working nonstop shifting rock and soil. They are all Hitachi. I have yet to see a Chinese excavator in Hyderabad. Obviously when it comes to serious work these guys don't stand a chance! Same goes for winches. The loads are too severe to get by with substandard stuff.

But I am curious to know how the Chinese stuff fairs in the field. Would really appreciate some feedback from guys who have used it extensively

If China takes care of quality standards then their products would be formidable. That is yet to be a reality across products lines manufactured there.

PLEASE USE ONLY RAMSEY WINCH RATED @ MINIMUM 8000 LBS. Believe me, I know. We have pulled around 25 vehicles up a 15 degree or so of slope at > 30 ft long range out of knee deep mud in pouring rain in a span of about 6 hours by using one winch only (with additional chains).

This thing is for serious off-roading purpose only.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar