Winch or somthing else.

For the type of byway driving I do I may never need a winch.

I would like to get one just in case but at a starting price of £300 plus mouning plate that is an exspensiv tool not to use.

So what are the alternatives?

A couple of alternatives would be:

1. a come-along / Trifor hand winch

2. Hi-Lift jack, chain and strops

Lawrence

Definitely a high lift, it will take a while to winch yourself out with one but they are reliable and sensible pieces of kit. Being able to lift you out of ruts as well.

Get a proper Hi Lift rather then a T Max or farm jack. It will only be £20 or so more and spares are readily available and they are fully warranted and certified.

You don't need to spend £300+ on a winch, mine was £195 and I knocked up a mount for £20ish. I do have a tirfor aswell and they have the advantage of being used from the front, back and sides and they will pull as much cable as you have. Just remember it all has to be carried somwhere and none of these things are small.

With the Hi Lift I would also need the Hi Lift winching kit and the Hi Lift weel lifting kit :shock:

A second hand Tirfor is about £150

You could try one of these.

Doesn't have to be a genuine tirfor, mine isn't, paid just over £100 for it in very good nick. I do only buy tools and equipment if I need them though and they have to pay for themselves. I have recovered a hilux and a land rover with one of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-TON-HD-HAND-PUL ... 240%3A1318, they aren't any good if you are well stuck but will un-beach you etc. More people don't have a winch than do, so do you realy need one?

I'd love to see you fit one of those wheel winches in 2ft of mud Ste.......oh and yes, that is a challenge :lol:

I think I will save up for the Hi Lift option plus maybe some of thouse sand ladder things.

Interesting thread....nice to see people thinking outside the box and not following the herd with the norm stuff for 4x4's

I was considering putting a winch on my chevy/isuzu pickup, but rather like the chrome front bumper and dont want to cut it up.

So I am going to rear mount a warn m8000 thats kicking around the workshop between the chassis rails I think...

That way I can use it to extract myself (backwards) if I get stuck...
Its less obvious so wont get nicked...
I can use it to drag my car trailer to the towbar...
I can use it to tow cars onto the trailer when attached to the car...
I can use it to compress rear suspension for brutal descents..
I can use it to lower car down very brutal descents (we go cliff climbing down my neck of the woods...some of it is really nasty)
I can use it to control the back end on extreme slippery side slopes (the front will be ok as car be turned up the slope to combat slippage)

I must admit front mounted winches look the part, and will drag you through whatever you are stuck in...
but to me offroadin is all about DRIVING, not pressing a button and watching my car move forwards (thats what my radio controlled rock crawler is for!).
I think I would sooner drag myself backwards out of a stuck situation so I can try a different line or technique and try and drive it myself for real (that way you learn!) :dance:

As alternative to a winch we used a chain puller with extension chains loads when we didnt have winches, and they worked a treat....
good exercise too.
Like a tirfor in terms of attachability but easier to handle we found.
Extracted my lwb nissan patrol which was damn heavy with one of these and I dont go offroadin without it.
Also used it to secure a rear axle in place when I snapped one of the landcruisers leaf springs completely in front of the axle-got it back to civilization under its own steam where a better repair could be done. :dance:

Good thread...look forwards to some more interesting innovations

Laters

Gregster

Good point Chris and Greg, most times you do get stuck its at the start of a difficult section, well at Pay and Plays it is in my experience, so back through less or further forward through more mess and more strain on the winch............????

Good thread

Greg my friend, you have a potential source of income :wink:

unofficial FOG Hilift components