For anyone looking for a really "CHEAP" winch.

[Muzikman]

http://www.truckandwinch.com/recon-1...winch-kit.html

[wozz]

That doesn't seem really cheap to me. My milemarker is a 9500 I think and it was around 600 with a life time warranty. Then again I haven't checked prices in a few years.

[ridgerunner97]

I'd take a smittybilt for that price. Ive seen that winch in action personally, and it is extremely slow, and kinda sounds a little funny, ya know its just one of those odd sounds, works fine, but doesnt' give the impression that all is well inside there. Don't get me wrong, it works well and does what its supposed to. I'm just not sure i'd spend that much on that winch, you get synthetic rope etc. with it, but the rope looked flimsy to me on the one I saw used before and it was brand new when i saw it in action. I think there are better buys out there for the money. Good find though nonetheless.

[Muzikman]

10.5K winch, Synthetic line, tree saver, D-rings, snatch block, wireless and wired remote and cover for under $500. That's pretty cheap.

[Muzikman]

I am not trying to truly defend it, but there are only a couple companies that make synth line and they are all pretty much the same quality. This comes with 7/16" line which is quit big and I am sure not very flimsy.

Just curious, who do you know has one? I had never heard of them before.

The winch that "sounds" bad, but works, is the Chicago Electric from HF. It sounds so bad it scared me.

[OverkillZJ]

That is cheap...

[ridgerunner97]

A guy I wheeled with in WV has one, he lives in Masontown, Pa TJ rubi on 34s with that winch. I'm not arguing its a good price, but I just think if you bided your time you could find sumthin a little better. And about the big Chicago from HF, my aunt's ex boyfriend had one on his JK and that sumbitch scared me too death LOL.

[BAD_GNR]

Cheap like Al's mom. I wonder if it has cheeto's stains all over it's body parts too.

[Muzikman]

BTW, the reason the title has "CHEAP" in caps and quoted is I am sure it's a cheaply made winch.

Quite a few Xterra owners just picked them up, so, we'll see how they like them. Personally I have Warn winches and have been very happy with them and doubt I would ever buy another brand, but I figure for the penny pinchers out there who might use a winch once a year, this is a good deal.

[ridgerunner97]

Agreed I'm curious how they work out let me know. I'm in the market for a winch and am 99.9999999999% sold on a Smittybilt 8K or 10k LB winch for the XJ, prob just gonna grab the 8k with steel cable, i'll be using it for more than just wheeling so I want the steel cable.

[wozz]

ahh got me on synthetic. Mine came with everything else but had a steel line.

[tjblair]

Agreed I'm curious how they work out let me know. I'm in the market for a winch and am 99.9999999999% sold on a Smittybilt 8K or 10k LB winch for the XJ, prob just gonna grab the 8k with steel cable, i'll be using it for more than just wheeling so I want the steel cable.

look in to the warn tabor series. IMO much better winch than the smittybuilt. I believe Zone sells them there is a link in my sig.

[Muzikman]

After needing to cut a winch line on purpose, I won't run anything but synthetic line.

http://www.angrymanstudios.com/Video/Winch_rope.wmv

The other great thing is I only lost about 18" of line. I just spliced a new thimble on the end of the line and it's as good as new.

...prob just gonna grab the 8k with steel cable, i'll be using it for more than just wheeling so I want the steel cable.

[Muzikman]

I have been seeing a lot of people with remote and solenoid problems with the Smittybuilts. Their customer service seems to be great, but that doesn't help when you are stuck in the woods.

look in to the warn tabor series. IMO much better winch than the smittybuilt. I believe Zone sells them there is a link in my sig.

[ridgerunner97]

What the hell did you have to cut it for??? And yeah the anti snap properties are really awesome, as well as not havin to worry about splinters. IDK, i got time yet to figure on what i'm gonna do for sure.

[Muzikman]

Well...

I got myself into a spot where winching forward was not getting my front passenger side tire up and over a rather large rock. So, when I went to spool out the winch, my engine died. I tried this several times and each time the flip of the winch remote acted as a kill switch. I even tried while I was steadily revving the engine at 3000rpms. Basically I fried my rather new Exide Orbital battery. I could not release the tension on the line to disconnect it so I could back down the hill. I had Dana pull around in front of me, hook up his winch and try to pull me far enough forward to release the tension on my line, but he couldn't get me to budge.

So, I cut the line.

Dana ran to the local auto parts store and picked me up a new battery and off we went (2 hours later).

When I cut it I was rather nervous. I had heard about the safety of synth line and I had even seen video, but this was the first time I saw it first hand.

[wozz]

Well...

I got myself into a spot where winching forward was not getting my front passenger side tire up and over a rather large rock. So, when I went to spool out the winch, my engine died. I tried this several times and each time the flip of the winch remote acted as a kill switch. I even tried while I was steadily revving the engine at 3000rpms. Basically I fried my rather new Exide Orbital battery. I could not release the tension on the line to disconnect it so I could back down the hill. I had Dana pull around in front of me, hook up his winch and try to pull me far enough forward to release the tension on my line, but he couldn't get me to budge.

So, I cut the line.

Dana ran to the local auto parts store and picked me up a new battery and off we went (2 hours later).

When I cut it I was rather nervous. I had heard about the safety of synth line and I had even seen video, but this was the first time I saw it first hand.

Your video sold me on it. I need to get a new one anyhow.

[ridgerunner97]

Geeez talk about bad to worse! I saw you had a ton of bags on the cable i wouldn't expect anything less from you two That was crazy stuff right there, definately the rare instance I can see havin to cut a winch line, I wouldn't have enough nuts to cut a steel one with bolt cutters even though I carry a very small pair under my back seat most of the time for makin repairs to a steel cable if someone would need to. Definately where syn. really outshines steel is right there. They both have there benefits and drawbacks.

[tjblair]

you couldn't free spool it?

[Muzikman]

There was no way I could disengage the clutch. The line was so tight you could pluck it like a guitar string.

[tjblair]

My m8000 will go in to freespool with tention on the line. I only know that because I had a friend spooling in my winch and he pulled the hook into the fairlead really hard. Without thinking I reached down and fliped it into freespool. Granted, it is probably not good for the winch but it did it and didn't seem to hurt it.

[MechanicalMayham]

I called the 800 # at the top right of the page. Says "Service is not availible right now. Please try again later. ...Washington, D.C. (different voice) " then ringing tone. I think either this company a scam or not fully functioning properly.
BTW- Even CHEAPER winch:
http://www.truckandwinch.com/winches...0-b-winch.html

[Jeepin'Jones]

I've got the Smittybuilt, and would rather have a Warn,but the price was right. I did have trouble with my remote once, and customer service was great. Had a new remote in two days, no questions asked.

[SirFuego]

Wow that's a great price.

With the snatchblock, fairlead, tree saver, and synth rope included -- you really aren't paying much for the winch itself anyways.

[pittim]

Wow that's a great price.

With the snatchblock, fairlead, tree saver, and synth rope included -- you really aren't paying much for the winch itself anyways.

yeah, isn't synth line like $200+