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Is a winch necessary?

B

Bdiddy11

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Boise,ID
As the title states... for the type of wheeling that I'll be doing, is a winch "necessary" or could I get away with just straps and a come-along.

Type of wheeling I'll be doing:

Forest service roads, camping, overlanding (probably nothing major)

It'll be mild wheeling as we'll have our baby girl with us. We'll never do any major rock crawling or anything like that, more along the lines of going scenic places and down crappy roads.

Just wanted to get some opinions on if a winch is necessary as this will help me decide in what front bumper to eventually get.

I figure that being armored up, good tires and regeared to run 31's would be more important for the type of wheeling we do.
 
If you are wheeling alone(no other rigs), then I say yes get a winch! I have used mine many times and I never thought i would when I first got it.

I've never recovered myself but I have many other rigs. I pulled a tree off of the neighbors house after a wind storm. Cleared the roads of trees a time or two, They are great tools to own.
 
I agree, they are the most useful tool when you are stuck out in the middle of no where, regardless of it being a logging road or rock garden, and you have no one else there to help you out.
 
I think it's pretty much like owning a spare tire.

You may not need one right now, but if you don't have one when you need it.....well, you're screwed.
 
I'd say it's not necessary. Get a HiLift. You can use it to jack yourself up out of stuff, use it as a come along, etc. That said, my winch has been extremely useful , and only in one occasion was it used to pull myself out of something.
 
Great points... better safe than sorry. Most of our trips will be solo trips so having that safety net of a winch will be nice.

Been leaning towards the Logan's bumper due to price and I kinda like how it looks.
 
necessary? Nope. Highly useful ? Definitely..

especially wheeling w my daughter I like having it even if we were alone we could manually winch w a high lift.

but it makes getting unstuck faster than manual by far I know if I stay stuck too long my lil girl starts not having as much fun.

I also like being able to control winch inside and drive at same time.

if another rig is available I believe a snatch strap is even faster though..
 
^^Exactly what Outkast said.

I got my Hi-Lift bc it's just so darn useful. And I haven't gotten my winch yet as I'm saving for my Detours :)thumbup:) tailbone. My wheeling habits dont' really require it, just like yours, and I want that honking spare tire out! I have used it 3-4 times and didnt' have an issue. Took maybe 5mins at most to winch up a foot or two and bingo, traction!!
 
Bdiddy11 said:
Great points... better safe than sorry. Most of our trips will be solo trips so having that safety net of a winch will be nice.

Been leaning towards the Logan's bumper due to price and I kinda like how it looks.
Click to expand...

Love my Logans and WARN XD9000i. Yes the Hi-Lift can get you out but it will take a while. If you've never been whacked in the jaw by a Hi-Lift handle your a lucky man!


P1020170.jpg
 
If you've never been whacked in the jaw by a high lift, you may not be retarded. Don't put your face by the handle, and it cannot hit you in the face.
 
viperbluelx said:
Don't wheel alone
Click to expand...

I don't think it's a question of whether or not someone goes out alone. There are certainly places where you have a much higher risk of vehicle damage where you wouldn't want to go out alone, but the OP is talking about fire roads, forest trails and off the beaten path type stuff.

I would consider a winch important for those types of small expeditions after you've gotten the vehicle to the point where it's reliable for those trips. A good set of tires, a good spare, tools, survival gear and other things like that would come before a winch.

But once you're to the point where the jeep is built the way you want it, a winch can be a lifesaver. You might encounter fallen trees that you can't move on your own or you might misjudge that puddle that turns into a pit when you're stuck. Sometimes it's not about whether or not you can do it with a hi-lift or a come a long, sometimes it's about doing it quickly so you can continue on whatever path you're on with your family.
 
I almost always wheel alone and just recently got a winch even though I've never had to recover myself. I just want the extra security.
 
Sounds like you and I wheel the same way, GET a WINCH. I left my Jeep in the bush a total of 4 days. The hi-lift doesn't work to good if the road is swampy. I did some shopping and got a (new)10k Super W. and a (new)winch bumper for under 900. Now i can go in the bush with confidence. I also have a hi-lift, chain saw, axe, shovel, tow strap, tree saver, snatch block and a few clevis'. There's no f^#@*ng way I'm walking out because i'm stuck:greensmok

007.jpg

jeep2011005.jpg
 
Last edited:
if you wheel alone, and your bringing kids along, yes..buy a winch, if you only wheel in a large group and someone always has one, then no.. spend the money elsewhere
 
01erionracing said:
The winch just looks cools, get a Hi lift.
Click to expand...
When talking about recovery when out alone, that is one of the dumbest things I've heard. Either way, if you actual wheel, then that is a terrible statement. I would never chose a Hi lift over a winch to get myself/someone else unstuck.
 
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