Tifor

[MuddyMachine]

I have just been given a 5ton tirfor winch, which is in good condition.
Is it worth using over an electric one as it would only be use occasionaly for self recovery? Are they any safer? Besides the manual work needed to use it are there any other cons to owning one?

[PUX]

i would say easy to use if in the right hands and very cheap compared to a electric winch and can be stowed out the way the only thing is it involves plenty of effort so make sure u have a goood co-driver  :lol: (i will stick to me electric winch  :lol: )

[Henry Webster]

They do have some huge advantages over electric winches if it is just for self recovery.  

You can use them from any angle and the back - no need for a second winch and useful if you have fallen on your side!

You can use them when the engine is dead - slow and hard work, but beats a hydraulic or electric hands down here.

It doesn't affect your approach or departure angle as it lives in the car.

Significantly lighter, leaves you potentially less likely to get stuck in the first place.

Regards

H

[stevegreen]

I have a Tirfor and a Warn - I would recommend the Tirfor over the Warn any day.

They are definitely:

* safer - the low line speed makes sure of this - many times I have watched people winch too fast with an electric winch
* more reliable - no electrics required & take alot of abuse
* more versatile - as has already been stated can be used from any angle and used to recover another vehicle even when you cant get yours in the ideal position to winch

and full line load can be taken at any time not just on the last wrap on the drum as on an electric winch.

Just make sure that you have "proper" Tirfor cable and keep a few spare shear pins (usually stored in the T bar).

The only drawbacks are:

* the weight of it for lugging about especially across muddy ground
* securing it safely in the back of the motor - it will kill/maim if you roll and it hits you
* storing and handling the cable - David Bowyer recommends an old tyre to reel it into.  However, the best solution is from Tirfor - the coilamatic.  Its a drum that fits on a baseplate and attaches to the winch.  The cable sits inside and the drum rotates in both directions when reeling in or out.

[TimM]

I've heard that an elecric winch (or any mounted winch) needs declaring on your insurance, potentially putting hte premium up - this won't apply for a hand winch  

[Range Rover Blues]

GIVEN, my favourite price.  That has to be one of the biggest plusses :D

Seriously, a good peice of kit and as you have it, keep it.  Even with an electric winch it's sensible to have access to a manual winch, electrics brake and cables snap when you least need it to happen.  Even as a back up it's worth having.  Good pull in and pay-out mechanism too, very useful.  Spend your money somewhere else now and put the Tirfor in the boot

Tim, I have that problem with insirance, I'm looking into a removable winch.  Even when I have one I'll be keeping the Hi-Lift winching kit as a back-up.

[Skywalker]

Tirfor is an excellent piece of kit, just have lots of weetabix before going laning  :oops:

Dave

[Devon-Rover]

Ditto.

After a bit of offroading tho other day here is a Tirfor in action pulling my mate out of a sticky patch. And my it is hard work.
Needless to say my series just flew over the same bit of ground and didn't need winching  :lol:   :D  
Tell you what though it does keep you warm when it is cold

http://members.mud-club.com/galleryimages/200d61bebb77477b25fc86e53f2cbe5e

[muddyjames]

I have a tirfor and it pulled a disco out of a hole with ease where 5 landies all linked together couldnt budge the disco, you can use it on other things not just your disco for example pulling out tree roots if you have an annoying tree in your garden, it is cheaper, cable is likely to break as you have to be muscle man to get the tension up on it and the sheer pin will break first, you can keep it in the car or in the house where it is safe. I have a 5tonne one and it is fab. Here is a pic of me using it to pull matt h out a ditch and we had to tirfor him backwards then use his winch to pull him forward as well as use mine to pull the front round with the tirfor at 90degrees to the disco. cant do that easily with out a tirfor.

http://members.mud-club.com/profiles/muddyjames/gallery/Guess%20Who%20is%20stuck

Fantastic bit of kit and if you were given it keep hold of it.

[wing nut]

for those of us have never seen one ,could you show a piccy please  :lol:  :lol:

[muddyjames]

will take a pic tomorrow for you. Mine weighs 30kg before you start weighing the cable, tyre, tree strop, shackles, handle etc

[davidlandy]

Tirfor, great bit of kit, but just call me lazy - electric for me any day!

[Manicminer]

for those of us have never seen one ,could you show a piccy please  :lol:  :lol:

[wing nut]

looks a nice bit of kit how much do these go for ? :lol:  :lol:

[muddyjames]

they can be really expensive to buy. I paid just under £100 for the whole kit but I bought most of it at old sodbury and the tirfor was from a guy on here who was closing his shop down.

I think you can look at spending probably £500 is my gues for a 5 tonne one. Maybe more?

[MuddyMachine]

I will post a pick of mine at the weekend. its a bit more heavey duty :)
Ive seen them recover up to 8 ton. not saying you should try it, but it has been done

[Bush Tucker Man]

Aren't 'Civvie' & Military specification Tirfors rated differantly??

Civvie quote a pulled load
Military as lifted load

Obviously both have a decent safety factor as well.

[stevegreen]

Aren't 'Civvie' & Military specification Tirfors rated differantly??

Only seen the civvy ones but they usually quote a WLL for lifting and this is linked to the model, eg T516 lifts 1,600kg.

If you find it hard work, then try the 2 man technique, half the effort or double the line speed, whichever suits  :)

or you could try the hydraulic version!

[stevegreen]

Aren't 'Civvie' & Military specification Tirfors rated differantly??

Only seen the civvy ones but they usually quote a WLL for lifting and this is linked to the model, eg T516 lifts 1,600kg.

If you find it hard work, then try the 2 man technique, half the effort or double the line speed, whichever suits  :)

or you could try the hydraulic version!

[thermidorthelobster]

I have just been given a 5ton tirfor winch, which is in good condition.
Is it worth using over an electric one as it would only be use occasionaly for self recovery?

Nah, they're lousy.  Tell you what, I'll take it off your hands as a favour.   8)

[wing nut]

they will never pull that bridge down in the picture lol :lol:  :lol:

[Wolfie]

They do have some huge advantages over electric winches if it is just for self recovery.

You forgot to mention that a Fiesta would look silly with an 8274 on the front  :lol:

Regards

Wolfie

[Henry Webster]

You forgot to mention that a Fiesta would look silly with an 8274 on the front  :lol:

Could be useful however! :lol:

I find the most economic kind of winch is someone elses! :lol: