Which Heavy Duty Come-Along?

[Sheriff Roscoe]

I'm looking for a heavy duty come-along...perhaps 4-ton. Have a 12" pine stump to pull out and would also keep it in my Trailblazer for those unfortunate moments when off-road

While a relatively simple device, I know all are not created equal after a reading online reviews. Do you guys have or know of one that is ultra-reliable that doesn't cost more than about $50?

Been checking local CL ads as I'm always a fan of old USA tools that are typically tough as nails. However, I'm in need something sooner than later this time around.

 

[Buckgnarly]

tractor Supply has some nice ones....US made too.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tuf-tug-cable-hoist-puller-4-000-lb-pull-double-line

 

[Strouty]

4 ton is a pretty big come along. Some of them must be rated as rolling resistance not direct picking.

Those tuf tugs are decent for the price. I would look for a used lug all they are really nice ones.

 

[kctyphoon]

just a word of caution - dont put yourself in a dangerous position with one of those $50 4 ton wire rope come-a-longs.. for anything serious, or if youll ever need/want something for vertical lifting just get a chain hoist instead. a wire puller is OK for emergency - just know what your dealing with.

 

[Strouty]

To clarify, cheap wire come alongs bad.

Heavy duty name brand wire come alongs good.

Chain hoist best, but heavy as hell.

 

[619DioFan]

I was in need of a 4 ton come-along and went with the tekton one off of amazon. part number is 5547. has a steel twin gear drum and twin pawls can be used as a twin cable ( 4 ton ) or single cable ( 2 ton ) really nice product. ( have a 2 ton usa craftsman that is 30 years old. this one is as nice and feels as good or better quality wise ) lots of good reviews which is why I choose this one. I have other tekton tools and have been very happy with the quality and great customer service. price on amazon was 45.99.

 

[dsp1]

This is what I have, https://www.wyeth-scott.com/. The 3 ton model with the amsteel blue rope. I use it for all kinds of things around the farm and will never go back to the wire rope come alongs(cheap or expensive). The thing is built like a tank and I love it. Heavy? Yes. Expensive? Yes. Buyer's remorse? NEVER.

 

[kctyphoon]

this is a good wire rope model.. its from lugall i believe. whats good about this is the shield on the drum. it keeps the wire rope from "bird nesting". also nice to have the ****** block that allows this to be a convertible hoist, meaning you can run the wire rope out as a single line for twice the distance, or use the block and double the pulling capicity at half the reach.

 

[kctyphoon]

and some good nylon strap hoists.. these are from Lincoln or Lugall as well.
i actually have all of these - and many more - but id only trust a chain for most of what i do.

 

[bushmechanic]

http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/general_equipment/black_rat_winch.htm

Doesn't really get much better than the Black Rat.

 

[Finky198]

Lug-all and Wyeth Scott are what I use when my *** is on the line cutting big trees at work
We use these daily 1, 2, 3, 6 ton version I would stay away form any other brands if your planning on using it for any serious weight snapping cables can be dangerous and deadly please be careful

 

[trackwelder]

Lug-All is what I have and recommend.

 

[HenryAZ]

I have a Wyeth-Scott "More Power" come-along, at 2 tons. It is one of the heaviest duty cable come-alongs I've ever seen. They also make a 3 ton model, but not a 4 ton.

 

[michaelf]

we use c&m come a longs at work, chain ones, 1/2ton one will do all you need and a couple soft chokers

 

[shawhite]

Personally I would go with a wire hoist/come-a-long they are more versatile in my opinion. We use A.B. chance and reliable chain hoist at work daily and coffng strap-hoist but the draw back to the chain is weight. Strap hoist are lighter but to replace the strap it is pretty expensive. Wire rope is pretty cheap and u can usually fit quite a bit on the drum of one of those wire hoist. But like mentioned above go with one that has a sheave on the hook side for more flexibility.

 

[Strouty]

http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/general_equipment/black_rat_winch.htm

Doesn't really get much better than the Black Rat.

That is the least expensive I have ever seen those. The ones I bought retailed for almost $2k, they are much larger and sold under the Tirfor brand name.

They are very nice units for sure.

 

[kctyphoon]

http://www.expeditionswest.com/equipment/general_equipment/black_rat_winch.htm

Doesn't really get much better than the Black Rat.

thats nice.. a bit overkill for what he wants i think - but still nice.. honestly though - if your at the point where you think you need to carry that around all the time, i think its time to just get a winch.

 

[Strouty]

thats nice.. a bit overkill for what he wants i think - but still nice.. honestly though - if your at the point where you think you need to carry that around all the time, i think its time to just get a winch.

Winches are nice, but batteries die and hydraulics need the engine, so if you are stuck and have neither an engine or the battery power, then these will still get you out.

 

[TLCObsession]

The Maasdam and LugAll are what I have owned. The timber frame shop I used to work for had really nice ones, but I can't remember the brand.

 

[zable9]

This is what I have, https://www.wyeth-scott.com/. The 3 ton model with the amsteel blue rope. I use it for all kinds of things around the farm and will never go back to the wire rope come alongs(cheap or expensive). The thing is built like a tank and I love it. Heavy? Yes. Expensive? Yes. Buyer's remorse? NEVER.

Agree

 

[Strouty]

Anyone that is buying a 4 ton come along for $50…………… please be aware that there is no way that is truly rated to 4 tons. The biggest come alongs I own are 3 ton, after that we go to either chain, hydraulic, or tirfors. You would need to have a ⅜" cable to meet safety standards at 4 ton. My tirfors have ⅝" cable, they are rated for 8000 pounds single line pull and they can be double or triple parted to lift a maximum of 24,000 pounds. When you double or triple part cable, the sheaves need to have a diameter of about 18 time the wire rope diameter, otherwise you can hurt the cable.

 

[OutsideMachinist]

I would only get a chain one also. The wire ones are junk and dangerous in my opinion.

 

[kctyphoon]

i have single chain, 3 ton chain hoists that weigh almost 50 lbs themselves.. just picture what 8,000 lbs (4 tons) would look like in terms of a vehicle, and ask yourself if your gonna feel safe with whatever you're thinking of buying if you had to pull your 4 ton truck with that little wire rope..

 

[Tim37]

Strouty nailed it
Even the big lug-alls are only rated at 3 ton and that's doubled and way out of the $50 budget.

I would hate to have to man handle a 4 ton come along a real one not some HF pos.

 

[sberry]

I agree they are not 4 ton but there are about 2 companies that make them. I think Northern has one about 50$ and its really good. I have some way better rigging equipment but this is on my pick list as a good tool. The 2T versions end up bent and one of these 4 are what I carry in my pickup as a do all.
I can have any one I want and this is what I use. I own 2 chain drives and I actually like this as good or better and it has now lasts so long when I bought it was like 30 or 32 at Home Depot.
This somehow spun in to really rigging for 4 ton, this is about like the HF cherry picker. If you don't have one chances are it might need to be the only piece of rigging equipment besides one of these and a couple ratchet straps a guy would need to own.
The OP is on the right track with this.

 

[trackwelder]

I have chain, strap, and wire come-alongs and use the wire the most. Never had any problems with a quality rope hoist. I only use the chain hoist if the task might tear up a rope unit.

 

[bushmechanic]

thats nice.. a bit overkill for what he wants i think - but still nice.. honestly though - if your at the point where you think you need to carry that around all the time, i think its time to just get a winch.

I've got a winch.

Now that you've got me thinking about vehicle recovery, it occurs to me that a Hi-Lift jack would serve his purposes, and be a bit more versatile than a conventional come-along.

They are mean as hell clearing land. Just don't be stupid with them.

 

[bushmechanic]

Re-reading the first post, I'm going to go ahead and suggest he buy a 60" Hi-Lift and appropriate rigging for the job. They'll take just about anything.

There's no place for anything less than one of those Tirfors (that's what a Black Rat is) off-pavement, unless you roll with a Hi-Lift, and it will pull a stump like nothing's there.

So, to the OP: Just go buy a Hi-Lift and be happy.

Edit:

Don't cheap out. Get the real thing. They aren't expensive, so don't try to save $20 by getting something else. This ain't a Harbor Freight affair. As soon as you're planning to apply tension to a cable, strap, or chain attached to a dynamic load, it's time to walk right out of that store.

 

[sberry]

A hi lift has its place but so does this cumalong.

 

[gte718p]

I've got a winch.

Now that you've got me thinking about vehicle recovery, it occurs to me that a Hi-Lift jack would serve his purposes, and be a bit more versatile than a conventional come-along.

They are mean as hell clearing land. Just don't be stupid with them.

The Hi-Lift is like an adjustable wrench, it is the wrong tool for just about every job, but it can be useful.

The reason they paint Hi-Lifts red is to hide the blood. Rarely does one come out that someone does not get hurt. I'm very lucky to be alive after I lost control of the handle on mine and it smacked my square in the side of the head. Picked me up off the ground and threw me about 10 ft.

 

[bushmechanic]

A hi lift has its place but so does this cumalong.

The Hi-Lift is a proven and accepted professional overland recovery tool.

No come-along he's actually going to buy can say as much.

I just didn't read the first post properly.

He plans to use it for vehicle recovery after he's done pulling stumps. The only perpetually safe, manual way to do that without dropping hundreds, if not thousands of dollars is a Hi-Lift.

Here's the most expensive one they make:

http://www.amazon.com/Hi-Lift-Jack-XT605-60-X-TREME/dp/B0017T3P3C

Hard to argue with that capability for that price. Many argue, in fact, that one should master the Hi-Lift before he buys a winch. Nobody can say it's cheaping out.

Come-alongs need to stay home for off-pavement use, and they're just not as versatile as a Hi-Lift to begin with. To begin with, they can't push. That's a deal-breaker right from the start.

I'd have posted this on page one, but I wasn't paying attention.

 

[bushmechanic]

The Hi-Lift is like an adjustable wrench, it is the wrong tool for just about every job, but it can be useful.

The reason they paint Hi-Lifts red is to hide the blood. Rarely does one come out that someone does not get hurt. I'm very lucky to be alive after I lost control of the handle on mine and it smacked my square in the side of the head. Picked me up off the ground and threw me about 10 ft.

You've got to know your way around them. There are very specific ways to use them, and they aren't black arts. It's like the difference between someone who's up to speed on precisely how to use a bumper-mounted winch, and someone who just bought one.

The danger of a Hi-Lift lies in the fact that it's an old farm tool and people think it's idiot proof. It's not. People make fair money teaching classes on how to use them safely and effectively.

Tom Sheppard devotes a decent amount of thought to such practices in his Vehicle Dependant Expedition Guide, and it's mentioned in many recovery and overland guides.

I do agree that it's an adjustable wrench approach, but that's the point of them. Actually, you may be quoting me by coincidence on the "wrong tool for every job" comment.

You can't be blamed. I hate them too. It's sort of a rite of passage before you're cool enough to buy a winch, and after that, it's something you carry around just so you won't need it. LMAO

Even so, in this situation it's the good call for his purposes if he takes the time to learn how to use it.

 

[sberry]

No one says do not get a hi lift but the cumalong has its place too and at this cost a guy should have both. I carry both, have used it once in off road stuck and 100 times for other work.

 

[Sheriff Roscoe]

Wow! Some great discussion here guys.

I should clarify that my intent is not to hook the come-along to the Trailazer and stump and just start cranking until the stump pulls out...or heaven forbid the cable snap. Rather just put a "medium" amount of tension on it and chop away at the roots on the back side until a bit of movement is seen...tighten a bit more...and so on

Relative to vehicle recovery; pretty much the same...at least theoretically. I don't expect the come-along to do all the work. I haven't been insanely stuck before. Typically just need a bit of force to get rolling again

The 2-ton unit at Tractor Supply is intriguing and gets my vote thus far due to its price point and being made in the USA. I'm not a Harbor Freight fan for a few different reasons but I digress. Will have to get to Tractor supply in the next few days

Thanks again for all of your input!

 

[Strouty]

The tuf tug is a solid unit and for the price I don't think you can go wrong. The plan of attack on the stump sounds very reasonable as well.

 

[kctyphoon]

i get what the op is saying.. something IS better than nothing, and i think things are getting a bit impratical here.. i think what you should do is give an idea of what you think an accpetable price is, and go from there.. if this is a "once in blue moon" tool - then maybe just get a tekton and be done with it.. i think what threw everyone off was the "4 ton" you seemed interested in. if you want something a bit more realibale, then buying a decent used option is a better choice.
one BIG issue with the cheap wire hoist units is the "memory" of the wire rope. those things love to twist and tangle around themselves.. you wont get that with a chain or strap hoist.. wire rope and straps are very sensitive to abbrasion, and cant be used where they will have contact with anything.. chain is king - but they are heavy..

 

[Strouty]

KC, the first post says $50.

I am going to flat out say that you must not know how to use a cable come along or any type of cable winch. The only time that they are hurt by abrasion is if the cable is going side to side over something sharp for a long time. We run all cable come alongs and have very few issues that were not caused by user error. I run winches with thousands of feet of cable and that cable will cut through steel when it is moving and it does not damage the wire rope. The biggest cause of damage it when people do not put the cable away under at least minimum tension (as you noted the lug alls do have a spring loaded guard that helps), then they just use it under full load the next time and the cable crushes itself. I agree that chain is the most robust, but not the only option, besides try dragging a 15 foot long chain hoist around all day and see how productive you are.

 

[General Geoff]

I do not own a come-along, but could have used one a few times in the past.


When I do get one, it's going to be the Wyeth-Scott 3-ton model with Amsteel Blue synthetic rope. $300+ for a come-along is expensive, but I know it'll last forever. And I won't have to worry about whiplash. I've heard too many horror stories with steel cable to go that route.

 

[Strouty]

I do not own a come-along, but could have used one a few times in the past.


When I do get one, it's going to be the Wyeth-Scott 3-ton model with Amsteel Blue synthetic rope. $300+ for a come-along is expensive, but I know it'll last forever. And I won't have to worry about whiplash. I've heard too many horror stories with steel cable to go that route.

Good thing you chimed in.

 

[General Geoff]

Just trying to be honest!