Attention all members with winches...

[bigwapitijohnny]

I am trying to get some information regarding the pros and cons of a fixed winch versus one that is removeable. Specifically, I plan on getting a custom bumper made this summer (Armorology), and I am trying to decide what would be the better option. The Warn multi mount system is something that I was thinking about using (I would love to have robinhood4x4's setup , however...back to reality). Anyway, if I could get all of the experts to chime in on this regarding fixed/removeable and why, it would be GREATLY appreciated . Thanks in advance!


Regards,

BWJ

[waskillywabbit]

My vote: put a winch on the front and be done.

[drguitarum2005]

My vote: put a winch on the front and be done.

what is your reasoning behind that vote? just curious to hear your thoughts

[waskillywabbit]

what is your reasoning behind that vote? just curious to hear your thoughts

Everyone that I've seen "bust" something on the trail was winching in reverse...although that was with a winch on the front...if the vehicles they were trying to help had had a winch on the front then they could have winched themselves up and out.

Someone will always have an exception I'm sure, but as a general rule of thumb for your average wheeler, a winch up front and a proper recovery tool package will be more than sufficient.

[Robinhood4x4]

Hi John, I got your PM, but have been pretty busy lately. The cons of a normal multimount are:

Poor approach angle
Winch is exposed to bashing
Arguably weaker in side pulls (that's what the internet rumors say anyway)
More expensive because of the extra wire that's needed and the connectors.

The obvious pro is the ability to pull backwards. This helped my friend out greatly when we were stuck in the snow.

[drguitarum2005]

what about having front and back receivers and just keeping the winch inside until needed? the only cons i can think of are the weaker side pulls and putting the winch in if youre stuck where you cant get to the receiver

[xcmountain80]

Um winch forward and hi-lift backwards.

Aaron

[Cheese]

Do any of you understand how big and heavy a winch in a cradle like this is?

I wheel, a lot, on hard rock trails. I gripe about pulling my winch controller out and trying to hook it up early before anyone needs a string. Some times it is really hard to get that SOB plugged in, let alone humping a winch around.

I have never been in a situation where being able to self-extract backward was the only way to get out. There is always another truck around.

Hoodlum did it right, nice clean install. The novelty is not worth it for me.

And you do understand after this post, I will have doomed myself, right?