Smittybuilt vs Warn winch

[Globexradice]

I’m guessing you are not using the stock steel bumper on the jl? I was hoping to install the 9.5 cti, but have read that It will not fit on the stock bumper

I have a few aftermarket bumpers to test on our jl.

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[Mattyp1214]

Just bought a Smittybilt X20-10 on eBay using the above $100 off code. Paid $415, free shipping.

For price this looks the best... think I'm about to order it too

 

[offcamber]

The type of winching that will be done needs to be considered when chosing a winch. Heat buildup kills winches. Dragging a rig through 50 ft of mud requires a different winch capability than pulling a high centered rig forward 2 feet to get traction on a rock does. That's why some specs on Quadratec say "For ocassional use."

If there will be a lot of winching out (ex. lowering a rig down a dry waterfall), you don't want a drum brake. Drum brakes built up heat in the drum when winching out and potentially damage synthetic line wrapped on it.

If I were doing a lot of heavy winching I would get a high end winch, personal preference is a high end Warn. I hope I never have to use a winch but will install one for insurance. My winching will be rare ocassional use to get off a rock. I plan to put a Smittybilt XRC 9500 Synthetic on mine.

 

[offcamber]

My Warns were 9.5 TIs. They got used about once every few months for fairly short pulls. Neither worked after a year. The second one failed just after acting as a safety line with no actual pull involved. It over heated just reeling the rope back in. My Smittybilt once spent most of a night pulling a friends Raptor 100 yards through a muddy bog just a few feet at a time. My battery was destroyed and refused to hold a charge a few days later. The winch was hot to the touch much of the time. It still works fine six years later and at least 30 or so pulls.

 

[Sheepjeep]

I would look into superwinch whiches my talon has been running fine for 6 years now, only issues I have had was due to my fault but both easy fixes and great customer support from them. All my buddies with superwinchs never had issues as well.


Warn had a good reputation but I have not dealt with them since Transamerica (same company owns smitybilt and others) bought them. Older warns we're great and reliable and easy to service. Their newer products look to be making style a priority but if that means giving internal quality idk while keeping the same higher price tag.


Smitybilt, there is a reason it is Nick named shitybilt, they cheap out on quality and materials, I haven't gotten anything from them in 10 years or so, had a winch from them the thing died within a year took a year going back and forth with customer support to get a warranty solenoid pack and still didn't work.


The thing with winch's is you get what you pay for, and when you need to pull out someone's $30k+ rig you want the winch to work and an extra few hundred dollars to buy a better quality winch, unless you are going for looks then get the cheapest one you can find.

 

[Troybilt]

My warranty experience with Smittybilt was great. I text some photos and they mailed me my part. No questions asked, very quick delivery.

 

[JAW]

What is the best deal someone has seen on warn winches? Specifically a zeon 10-s. I found this but now it says out of stock.

https://www.discountbandit.com/vehi...Kbl0SLwG0bzTDpv_BXRRHl9BF1GaAXiYaAsL-EALw_wcB

Oddly enough, you can order the Zeon 10s from homedepot for $1082. And easy to deal with if there are issues....

 

[wanderer]

i guess that explains why i love my older ward products and don't care so much for the newer ones. That being said I have a smittybuilt 10k That i use at work, never had a problem with it.

 

[robplumm]

I'd give Engo a hard look. They're a spin-off of Mile Marker. They make a good winch...

Here's the article everyone always refers to...it's from 2011: http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/129-1107-massive-multi-winch-shootout/

Funny that they place Warn 1st....when it broke and couldn't finish. The scoring is clearly biased as you read it and Warn basically won bc...Warn.

If you can find T-Max still...I'd buy one of those in a heartbeat.

Engo and T-Max were the only two to survive the testing in the article.

 

[Tom k]

I'd give Engo a hard look. They're a spin-off of Mile Marker. They make a good winch...

Here's the article everyone always refers to...it's from 2011: http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/129-1107-massive-multi-winch-shootout/

Funny that they place Warn 1st....when it broke and couldn't finish. The scoring is clearly biased as you read it and Warn basically won bc...Warn.

If you can find T-Max still...I'd buy one of those in a heartbeat.

Engo and T-Max were the only two to survive the testing in the article.

YEah I saw that video too. I wondered with the amount of $ Warn spends advertising if it could be skewed. Thanks for the info!

 

[wanderer]

super winch looks pretty good I think

 

[Nate]

I bought a WARN, but my 2nd choice would have been Superwinch. Worth consideration at least.

I second the Superwinch.... I abused the hell out of mine. Was like a Timex

 

[Back In Black Rubi]

I owned the Smitty on my JKUR for nearly 5 years and I used it to get my ass out of trouble many of times, it also pulled a big ass tree off the trail that easily would have ended our day had it not been for that winch. I have had it submerged many times through river crossings. I had a good experience with that product.

I think I'm interested in getting the Superwinch EXP 10,000LB - Try something different than I have in the past.

 

[Mattyp1214]

I'm going to go X20, warn seems overpriced. If the price gap was a little closer I'd probably go warn. Theres plenty of people who wheel hard and don't use warn

 

[Back In Black Rubi]

I'm going to go X20, warn seems overpriced. If the price gap was a little closer I'd probably go warn. Theres plenty of people who wheel hard and don't use warn

You will be very happy with the X20

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