Winch Technical Gude

[dod51e]

Hi Guys,
Looking to buy a winch on a budget but without getting it wrong.  Can anyone provide me with an idiots guide to what technical specification to look for, i.e. HP, gearing, type of motor and pulling power etc. that would be required?

Cheers

[clbarclay]

Here are some guides off the net which cover the basics on winch selection

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/winches/Winch-Tech.htm
http://www.4wheelparts.com/off-road/electric-winch.aspx

What is your budget?
I'm guessing this is just for getting yourself out of trouble on pay and plays.

As a basic specification for a RRC for recreational use I would say
8000lbs line pull minimum
Power and HP are the same thing and combined with the gear ratio, they will just alter the line speed for the same line pull (force).
Most winches for 4x4s are around 4 to 6 hp, which for recreational use should be plenty.
Electric winches are the most common type of 4x4s, though hydraulic and mechanically driven winches are also avalible with their own advantages and disadvatages.


I have a Superwinch EP9 which has so far proven capable of getting my RRC into, through and out the otherside of trouble several times without fault or taking all day about it, though If I was to buy again then I might get the newer TDS from Goodwinch which is fairly similar winch but with a few improvements.


If you keep looking you can find good winches being sold second hand for relativerly low prices, a freind bought a complete haydraulic winch setup with PTO driven pump for £350. I bought my EP9 in new-unused condition for about new price, but the price included a synthetic rope and aluminium hawse fairlead.

[dod51e]

Hi,
Thanks for the inf so far.  I have read the links and guess that a series wound motor and planetary gears are the way forward (correct m if I am wrong!).

What is the better gearing to go for, I have seen winches ranging from about 186:1 to 265:1?

As for budget....well as cheap s possible.  I have seen relatively unknown makes such as Pro-Tec on ebay from about £198 with 2 year warranty.  Would one of these be sufficient or would a better bet be a second hand unit from someone like Warn or Champion (obviously no warranty!)?

Cheers

[clbarclay]

To be honest I wouldn't worry too much about the gear ratio specifically. This combined with the torque over rpm graph for the motor and the size of the drum can be used to calculate the winches performance, such as line speed for a given load.


This sort of information is often provided by manufacturers on line. For example the data from an EP9 is on Superwinch’s website.

This example provides line speed and current for a given load (on the first layer or winch rope).


A few more examples to compare
Warn 8274
Come up DS 9.5
T-max EW-9000

The Goodwinch TDS is one winch I haven't seen a data table for, though they have been advertised as having a no load line speed of 60 ft/m

One aspect to note is the line speeds for the 8274, this winch possibly the most popular competition winch and has a no load line speed greater than pretty much any standard electric winch for a 4x4 (many 8274s used in competition have more powerful motors fitted), but under an 8000lbs load its speed is reduced to less that the EW-9000, DS 9.5 or EP9. Even for recreational use I find a quicker no load speed more useful than a quicker loaded line speed, because much of the time in my experience is spent winding rope back on the winch after a recovery or tacking up that slack during a recovery.



What the figures don't give you is how reliable they will be, one of the best source of information on this is 4x4 forums were many winches have been rated and slated. On of the reasons I got an EP9 was the number of positive comments about their performance and reliability. Its a bit like Procomp dampers, they have a lifetime warranty, but that is not much consolation if it breaks half way up a mountain in the middle of now where.

[Range Rover Blues]

A lot of the data given for winches can be a bit spurious, as tests in magazines have demonstrated in the past.  Cheaper ones tend to claim more than they deliver and few have proven to be as string as they make out.

What's your budget?  I've got to be honest and say your best bet for a bargain would be to go to Donnington in a few weeks and speak to a few dealers on the day.  I'd recomend Dave Bowyer and his new (chinese) Goldfish winch got a good review recently, it's reasonably priced and probably as waterpoof as my Superwinch if not better.