Undersized Winch Results

[2nd 392]

I agree, if you have the chance to chose get a 10 or a 12. Unless the OP have money to waste: getting the snatch block, shackle, tree saver / strap and make due with what you have would be the course of action. Especially as is concern look to be for self recovery, this is where the use of snatch block is the easiest and provide the most return. The cable length is always the issue

I got the 3A stuck (to the hood, the rear bumper and sinking) in a quicksand hole playing in the dunes. It took 2 5’s and an FJ 40 with a (broken) winch together with all the cable and chain between us to get the FJ’s rear wheels on solid ground to get it out.
It took a lotta quarters at the car wash to remove the evidence so Dad didn’t find out.

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[Pape]

I got the 3A stuck (to the hood, the rear bumper and sinking) in a quicksand hole playing in the dunes. It took 2 5’s and an FJ 40 with a (broken) winch together with all the cable and chain between us to get the FJ’s rear wheels on solid ground to get it out.
It took a lotta quarters at the car wash to remove the evidence so Dad didn’t find out.

So the 3 vehicles where back to back for the last guy to be on solid ground ?
was it a winch pull or a engine pull ?

 

[2nd 392]

So the 3 vehicles where back to back for the last guy to be on solid ground ?
was it a winch pull or a engine pull ?

All 4 together they couldn’t budge it, just dug holes in the sand. The winch was broken, but the cable was enough to get his rear wheels on solid ground for an engine pull with all 4.

 

[Pape]

All 4 together they couldn’t budge it, just dug holes in the sand. The winch was broken, but the cable was enough to get his rear wheels on solid ground for an engine pull with all 4.

ho man, that is hard on the frame. I was once lift and pull from the hitch and it slightly crooked the hitch cross member

 

[2nd 392]

ho man, that is hard on the frame. I was once lift and pull from the hitch and it slightly crooked the hitch cross member

Dad made a stout, reinforced iron bumper sufficient to pull semi’s around the farmers market to his truck service garage. Also in front, when an idjit slammed on his brakes with a green light I slammed on the brakes and they failed, pedal to the floor. The impact knocked his PU’s Barden Bumper to the ground and got the rear end, slightly tweaking the left end of Dad’s bumper. Of course, it was all my fault anyway. It still has the slight tweak, but you have to look for it.

 

[YBABRAT]

Jeep oem winch also has one issue that most don't compare with aftermarket. Jeep OEM winch has an 80 foot line. Most Warn winches have 100 foot lines. IMO Jeep oem is a bare minimum winch setup. You can get by with it, but you need to add recovery gear to what is already in the recovery bag.

 

[grimmjeeper]

I had a 9K winch on my old XJ. Needed to winch a full size chevy truck out of a Texas mud hole. You could barely see the tops of his 38" swampers. And he had hydrolocked his engine, so he was dead weight.

Hooked a Tacoma behind me. A K5 Blazer was hooked to him. My winch just pulled the 3 of us towards the pit.

We unhooked and I went around to the other side. I had my front tires on a berm and we put a strap around a big tree behind me. We doubled the winch line back to get on the last layer of the winch along with doubling the pulling power.

Th winch struggled but we got him out. It was a fun day learning the limits of your gear.

Properly used, a modest winch can get the job done.

A very small winch can roll a jeep along on flat ground easily. How much winch you really need is based on what kind of stuck you're in.

But it also pays to consider how big your friend's Jeeps are and what kind of stuck they can get themselves into.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

Wow, thank you all for the responses!!

Here's the longer story... On my 2025 JLURX, I ordered it with the winch so I didn't have to do it and so it would be level. After I ordered, I found out it's an 8k winch and not a 10k or a 12k. The factory winch is the premium Warn Zeon model. On my old 2021, before I traded it in, I installed a Warn VR EVO 10k winch and removed it before I traded it in.

A month ago, I got stuck going uphill in sand while towing a ~2k pound trailer. The winch worked and I was able to get out. But it got me thinking how would a person know that the winch is undersized. Nothing would move?

I still have the evo....but I wonder if I should swap the zeon with the evo. I know the zeon is higher quality but the evo is rated for more. I'm tempted to just leave the zeon on and get one of those lighter pullies. The pulley I have now is very heavy and very metal.

Going back, if you try to pull 10k with an 8k winch, would it just not move?

 

[Pape]

BY knowing warn the winch will just not be able to pull, may trigger a breaker in the winch.
Snatch block heavy or light do the same job, only manipulation will be different. Make sure they are properly rated for your winch. Also be sure that anything on the other side of the snatch is rated for the double of you winch and maybe factor some head room.

Personally and as other have pointed out the biggest issue I get with winch is the have a suitable anchors

 

[Zandcwhite]

If the load is too much for the winch it still stall and not move. Unless you just hold the button even though it's clearly not moving you shouldn't trip anything or burn anything up. At that point you'll know you need a snatch block. With synthetic line is just get an aluminum snatch ring and call it good. Worst case and stuck bad enough you might need a 2nd one.

 

[YBABRAT]

I have an EVO VR 10 and after some 1st year maintenance... The OEM Zeon is better in the long run. I found minor surface rust on the motor armature. Cleaned it and sealed the mating surfaces better than WARN Chinese manufacturing. The Zeon is built better in every way. Though if I had taken the time to completely disassemble my Evo before I installed it, I would have saved time and effort in making the build quality with factory assembly better. The Evo once gone through, is a capable winch and should have a long life. Just disappointing on the lack of proper workmanship.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Wow, thank you all for the responses!!

Here's the longer story... On my 2025 JLURX, I ordered it with the winch so I didn't have to do it and so it would be level. After I ordered, I found out it's an 8k winch and not a 10k or a 12k. The factory winch is the premium Warn Zeon model. On my old 2021, before I traded it in, I installed a Warn VR EVO 10k winch and removed it before I traded it in.

A month ago, I got stuck going uphill in sand while towing a ~2k pound trailer. The winch worked and I was able to get out. But it got me thinking how would a person know that the winch is undersized. Nothing would move?

I still have the evo....but I wonder if I should swap the zeon with the evo. I know the zeon is higher quality but the evo is rated for more. I'm tempted to just leave the zeon on and get one of those lighter pullies. The pulley I have now is very heavy and very metal.

Going back, if you try to pull 10k with an 8k winch, would it just not move?

If you're trying to lift 10K pounds straight up with an 8K winch, it won't lift the load.

The short answer to your question is: "It depends."

If you're trying to pull a rolling Jeep out of a stuck, there are a hundred variables that will determine what happens. An easy stuck may only require a couple hundred pounds of force to get the Jeep moving. On the other hand, burying your Jeep in a deep mud hole with the frame resting on hump of solid bottom but the tires not touching solid ground, it may take 20K pounds of force or more to budge it.

 

[nagoya10]

While Jeep rates the factory winch at 8000 lbs, it’s supposed to be closer to 9000 lbs.

 

[Snacktime]

Correct answer is you need another jeep to put the winch on.

 

[GearWhore]

If you're trying to lift 10K pounds straight up with an 8K winch, it won't lift the load.

The short answer to your question is: "It depends."

If you're trying to pull a rolling Jeep out of a stuck, there are a hundred variables that will determine what happens. An easy stuck may only require a couple hundred pounds of force to get the Jeep moving. On the other hand, burying your Jeep in a deep mud hole with the frame resting on hump of solid bottom but the tires not touching solid ground, it may take 20K pounds of force or more to budge it.

Anyone else reminded of the winch scene from "The Gods Must be Crazy"?

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