Struggling with choosing a multi-purpose winch...

[tlmartin84]

I think I have read every winch post on here and still can't make up my mind.

I want to pick up a winch to use for multiple purposes. Hoisting things in the shop, pulling cars onto my trailer, and even stretching fence and pulling trees on the farm. Everything is setup with Reese Tubing for this purpose.

Money is not a concern, however weight is...

A 9000 lb winch is really what I want...... but they weigh 75+ pounds. Not really move friendly, especially for someone with a bad back. I have been looking at the 5000 lb models, and they are about 35 pounds, much easier to manage. I know I can use a ****** block and double my pull. But even with that, is that enough to pull a 5000 lb vehicle or tractor with flat tires onto a trailer?

 

[nadogail]

You want to move a 5000 pound car on flat tires onto a trailer with a 5000 pound capacity winch?
That is very close to seeking perpetual motion, the rolling resistance of the tires will be the problem.
Either reduce the rolling resistance or get a stronger winch.

 

[rawen2]

I'm no engineer but using a ****** block like you said would make the pull 10,000 lbs. Seems like it would work to me.

 

[Bretny]

You dont need a 5k winch to pull a 5k vehicle. Even with 1 flat. Unless it's got 4 flats, dosnt run and the brakes are stuck on you may need to add a ****** block at that point.

For the most part I would prefer to drive a car with a flat onto the trailer.

I have a 9.5k on my car trailer that plugs into a 2in reciever and it ***** to move. I have pulled 32"x20' long wet white pine logs onto my car trailer with no ****** block.

 

[DannoXYZ]

that's right. Winches aren't lifting 5000lbs of car vertically. It would be cosine function of angle of ramp * some initial constant. More like 300-400lbs pull needed to roll 5000lb car up X-degree ramp.

I recently loaded this 3500lb car up on trailer with 2000lb winch. Heck, done with 3-guys pushing before.

 

[DannoXYZ]

Later loaded full-size fridge and many bikes into moving truck with same winch up much steeper ramp (3-ft vs 1-ft rise)

 

[BillK]

Like everyone else said, you dont need a 5k winch. I use to have a 1000 lb winch on my ramp truck back in the 80's and the one or two times I actually had to use it to pull my 3000 lb race car up on the truck it worked fine.

That being said . . . . . make sure you understand the difference between a winch and a hoist. If you want to be able to use it as a hoist you need to get a unit that has a brake that is made to hold the entire load. I have been looking for a 1 ton 12volt hoist myself and they are not that easy to find and a lot more expensive compared to a winch.

 

[tlmartin84]

You dont need a 5k winch to pull a 5k vehicle. Even with 1 flat. Unless it's got 4 flats, dosnt run and the brakes are stuck on you may need to add a ****** block at that point.

For the most part I would prefer to drive a car with a flat onto the trailer.

I have a 9.5k on my car trailer that plugs into a 2in reciever and it ***** to move. I have pulled 32"x20' long wet white pine logs onto my car trailer with no ****** block.

LOL those are the kind of vehicles I pull. 4 flats, and brakes typically locked up....

 

[tlmartin84]

Like everyone else said, you dont need a 5k winch. I use to have a 1000 lb winch on my ramp truck back in the 80's and the one or two times I actually had to use it to pull my 3000 lb race car up on the truck it worked fine.

That being said . . . . . make sure you understand the difference between a winch and a hoist. If you want to be able to use it as a hoist you need to get a unit that has a brake that is made to hold the entire load. I have been looking for a 1 ton 12volt hoist myself and they are not that easy to find and a lot more expensive compared to a winch.

Yeah Id just be using it to lift the top off if my bronco for storage. Then tying it off.

 

[mikegt4]

As BillK said, a winch for pulling and a winch for lifting are two different types of winches. A lifting winch has a brake in it, a pulling winch does not.

I have a Warn 3500 winch on my trailer, it pulls cars up the ramps and onto the trailer just fine. Flat tires means that I use a ****** block to double the power. I chose the Warn 3500# winch because I mounted it on a receiver hitch so that I can remove it when not in use and I needed it to be light enough for this old guy to lift up. It doesn't sit out in the weather and doesn't get stolen.

 

[tlmartin84]

As BillK said, a winch for pulling and a winch for lifting are two different types of winches. A lifting winch has a brake in it, a pulling winch does not.

I have a Warn 3500 winch on my trailer, it pulls cars up the ramps and onto the trailer just fine. Flat tires means that I use a ****** block to double the power. I chose the Warn 3500# winch because I mounted it on a receiver hitch so that I can remove it when not in use and I needed it to be light enough for this old guy to lift up. It doesn't sit out in the weather and doesn't get stolen.

Thanks....this is what I wanted to hear from someone.

 

[tlmartin84]

As BillK said, a winch for pulling and a winch for lifting are two different types of winches. A lifting winch has a brake in it, a pulling winch does not.

I have a Warn 3500 winch on my trailer, it pulls cars up the ramps and onto the trailer just fine. Flat tires means that I use a ****** block to double the power. I chose the Warn 3500# winch because I mounted it on a receiver hitch so that I can remove it when not in use and I needed it to be light enough for this old guy to lift up. It doesn't sit out in the weather and doesn't get stolen.

Is it 1/4" cable? Or synthetic rope?

 

[kelpaso1]

As BillK said, a winch for pulling and a winch for lifting are two different types of winches. A lifting winch has a brake in it, a pulling winch does not.

I think that is kinda wrong. I have used my winch on my Jeep alot to pull me up a steep hill, and when I stop winching half way up, it does not release, sending me down the hill.

........

 

[mikegt4]

It's an older winch so it has cable. When I pull cars up onto the trailer the cable drags on the top of the beavertail/deck joint so a rope would get abraded without a roller at that point. I use a lot of synthetic rope on my sailboats, it is amazing stuff but it doesn't stand up to abrasion like cable.

Just realized that it is a 3700#. I pulled my late brothers Dodge Dakota R/T pickup out of his back yard with this winch by mounting it in the R/T's receiver and hooking the cable on a series of fence posts. It had been sitting for years and was sunk about 6" into the ground.

 

[tlmartin84]

It's an older winch so it has cable. When I pull cars up onto the trailer the cable drags on the top of the beavertail/deck joint so a rope would get abraded without a roller at that point. I use a lot of synthetic rope on my sailboats, it is amazing stuff but it doesn't stand up to abrasion like cable.

Just realized that it is a 3700#. I pulled my late brothers Dodge Dakota R/T pickup out of his back yard with this winch by mounting it in the R/T's receiver and hooking the cable on a series of fence posts. It had been sitting for years and was sunk about 6" into the ground.

Did you have to ****** it?

Does it have 1/4" cable like the other winches in its weight range? (Curious since it is a warn if it might be heavier duty than a comparable sized off brand)

 

[tlmartin84]

Looks bigger than 1/4 in the picture...

 

[mikegt4]

Didn't have to ****** it, I was more worried about pulling the fence down as it was. The cable is about 1/4", it's 25 miles away so I can't measure it.

Here is how I mounted it. My trailer is short so I designed the mount to position the winch forward of the deck. I bought a drop hitch and welded a mounting plate on. My winch has a triangular 3 bolt pattern so I drilled the plate with 6 holes so that I can turn the winch 180* and slide the winch/hitch into the receiver on my tow vehicle if need be. That is how I retrieved my brother's R/T, put it on the back of the truck with a battery in the bed for power. I also use it for my boat trailer. I bolted a receiver tube in place of the hand crank winch and slide the Warn winch in place when pulling the boat out (24' sailboat). It only takes a minute to put the winch on and plug in the power cable. Sure beats hand cranking.

The R/T had been sitting for about 5 years when my son and I retrieved it from my brother's house in Florida. My nephew had let it sit a couple of years after my brother's passing before selling it to my son out of the estate. He didn't do the property any good either as you can see. We had to winch it around the corner of the house before loading it on the trailer.

 

[tlmartin84]

Do you use a set of "jumper" cable clamps to connect to the battery?

 

[Buckaroo5]

I have a manual Lug-All winch hoist....they last forever. Note that Lug-All's are rated for lifting rather than pulling. Your typical come along is rated for pulling. That's why a 3 ton Lug-All costs $700 and a 4 ton Texton at Home Depot is $50. Besides the price, you can easily see the difference in the contruction. Although the frame is aluminum, it is not light. My 3 ton unit is maybe 40 lbs.

6000-15 - 3 Ton Cable Hoist

The Lug-All model 6000-15 is a heavy-duty, industrial-grade 3-ton cable come along hoist featuring double or single line lift capabilities.

lug-all.com

 

[denis4x4]

I have a 9000 Warn winch INSIDE a tool box at the front of the trailer. Also use a remote control and rope instead of cable. There is a 12 v battery that is always hooked up to a tender and is charged from the truck through the 6 pin connector. I also have a couple of ****** blocks in the tool box. Work shop has a trolley chainfall with 1000# lifting capacity.

 

[mikegt4]

Do you use a set of "jumper" cable clamps to connect to the battery?

I just use my 20' jumper cables, mostly because I don't use the winch very often. If I used it more I would run permanent cables from my tow vehicle's battery back to the rear or mount a battery on the trailer tongue. In both cases I would use Anderson SB (or equivalent) connectors on the cable ends.

SB Series

A landing page with product descriptions, product features. drawings, technical drawings and 3D files exclusively about SB Series

www.andersonpower.com

My winch is pre "remote control" so I made a 50' extension cord for the F-N-R controller which is really handy especially when loading something by myself. I'd definitely get a wireless remote control if buying a new winch.

I used the winch to drag these two 10'x18" logs up onto my trailer. Obviously no wheels, just dragged them, I did use my ****** block a couple of times to get better direction for the cable to steer the logs.

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Money is not a concern, however weight is...

Get a hoist, a winch and probably a come along for stretching fence.

 

[tlmartin84]

LOL...Ive stretched enough fence with a come a long...a winch is the way to go. Especially with a remote.

You can be 100' away and tension it or let some off while stapling it to the posts.

 

[tlmartin84]

I just use my 20' jumper cables, mostly because I don't use the winch very often. If I used it more I would run permanent cables from my tow vehicle's battery back to the rear or mount a battery on the trailer tongue. In both cases I would use Anderson SB (or equivalent) connectors on the cable ends.

SB Series

A landing page with product descriptions, product features. drawings, technical drawings and 3D files exclusively about SB Series

www.andersonpower.com

My winch is pre "remote control" so I made a 50' extension cord for the F-N-R controller which is really handy especially when loading something by myself. I'd definitely get a wireless remote control if buying a new winch.

I used the winch to drag these two 10'x18" logs up onto my trailer. Obviously no wheels, just dragged them, I did use my ****** block a couple of times to get better direction for the cable to steer the logs.

You can add a remote for about 20 bucks.

 

[csp]

Looks bigger than 1/4 in the picture...

From Warn's website (google Warn 3700 winch), it says 43' of 7/32" diameter cable, so it's less than 1/4".

 

[matt_i]

The ****** block aka "sheaves" can be put on both ends of the array if you have the proper structure. You could have a 250 lb capacity winch if you had the proper number of strands.

That physical ideal stated, I think it would be a nightmare especially horizontally where the cables would get entangled when slack and you'd need a lot of extra takeup space on the spool.

An alternate idea to save your back would be an overhead lift in case it had to be installed on the deck of a trailer and later on something like a truck's receiver hitch. It seems like solving the ergonomic problem would be better/easier/cheaper than trying to custom design the equipment to make it lighter.