Tirfor and altenatives

[clbarclay]

Having been a nats breath away from an electric winch reality has set in an I just can't justify one.

A tirfor style winch is looking like a more practicle/justifyanble alternative. Having done a just done a search, I'm left with a couple of questions.

There are a number of other makes avalible, just put tirfor into ebay any you will se what I mean. Does anyone have any experiance of these cheaper alternatives or would it be better to just look for a second hand genuine tirfor?

Just how big (maximum line pull) do you ever really need, is one with a 1600kg lift giving about 2500kg to 3000kg pull sufficent or are the 3200kg lift models worth the extra weight/bulk/cost?

[RCRockCrawler]

We have a Tirfor in the back of our Series, and it's already paid for itself. We have one of the smaller ones, and it's still damn heavy, but damn strong. Just carrying one of the bigger ones is a 2 man job.  :)

[Range Rover Blues]

Tirfors are damn good, I have an old one that was my dad's,  Heavy though, would make a good ground anchor on it's own :roll:

It pulls really smooth but let's out a bit jerky (I've used it as an engine hoist before) and if you bust the shear pin it's a bit of a job to fix.

So I'm going to suggest you buy a Hi-Lift, Hi-Lift winching kit and 5 or 6 metres of long-link 10mm chain, like I still carry even though I've got a winch.

As demonstrated by Turtle
http://members.mud-club.com/profiles/Range%20Rover%20Blues/gallery/Greenlane%20Recce%20June%2005/0/767229-1121035497./V29ya2luZyB1cCBhIHRoaXJzdA==

The whole lot cost me a little over £100 including a brand new 5' Hi-Lift.

[clbarclay]

I already have the hi lift (only 4 ft mind) though there are times when its useful to be able to lift and pull at the same time.

Last new years laning for example when the pajaro sliped sideways into the ditch, in that case there were plenty of people to pull sideways as it was being jacked, however if there wern't so many people to hand then a tirfor or second hi lift would have worked.

Yes a hi lift can do the job, but my thinking so far is a hi lift and tirfor would make for a more versatile combination.

[drmike]

I bought a Black Rat tirfor style winch and it's very handy. I can't recall the rating but it's not all that much. I usually chuck it in the 90 when we go laning and always if I'm alone. You get a lot of control wth it as each sweep of the arm is 1" of movement.

Personally I don't want a dirty great winch stuck on the front of my 90 when I know I'd only use once every two months or so. Indeed the last time we used it in nager was last year when some ruts caught me out.

I can't understand this fixation on winches everyone seems to want/have one and unless you're entering winch challenge events I can't see you'd need one all that often. Still each to his/her own.

Mike

[J.D.]

The only reason I want a winch on the front of mine is that doing the job I do, frequently involves me driving through mud, trying to remove trees by hand, and moving boats around.

So much easier with a winch.

[drmike]

Indeed it is - I was thinking more of recreational vehicles. the number of Discos I see with winches and snorkels makes me wonder why I never get into situations where I need them. I actually took a snorkel off my 90 as the damned thing kept on getting whacked by trees.

Mike

[Range Rover Blues]

I've used my winch once in 18 months, when RRR got rolled.

Usually there are enough of us to do the job with less gear and much quicker, like a KERR or strop for example.

Though there have been times I'd wishes I'd had a winch before I got it.

For winchging BTW, the Hi-Lift is rated the same as for lifting, is that 4,000LB? and I have been known to carry 2 hi-lifts for the reasons you state.

[jjsaul]

a couple of times ive had to use a winch for both self recovery and recovery of others in woodland, ive often used 50-70ft of the winch rope...doing this with a hand winch could be a tiring and time consuming process especially with 2 tonnes of RRC on the other end...having said that hand winches do have their uses (used my hilift as one a few times)...
having said that i reckon my electric winch could easily get used 5-6 times when i go out so it was worth the money (and i bought a plasma rope as well, which i also think was worth the money on safety grounds alone)

[frosty]

the tirfors are great but the last time i used one was 4/5 yrs ago when i was in the army and if i remember rightly dont you have to roll the cable up propely otherwise itll kink and be completely u/s? (or was that the just the army way of doing things) ive got a normal farm jack which when used with a couple of strops is fine for winching but when the big summer spend occurs ill be definatly be upgrading to a extreme hilift and winching kit.

[burgerman]

I have a 3200kg draper "Tifor" style winch, Must admit i have only used it a couple or so times,  Yes it does takt a bit longer to set up, But works very well, also good if ya motor is dead/flat batterys, I would say if you are likey to use a winch regulary "ish" get one bolted on the front, if not sling one in the boot,
     Someone mentioned the possible problem of kinking the wire rope, ?? I would say due to the fact  that mine is very thick it would be virtually not possible to do when storing away, But maybe its possible with the smaller diametre rope ??

[Lucy1978]

bought mine from 'lifting Equipment' 1.6t and got a 4t snatch block as well.  The winch pulled my 101 ambi that was sat on it's axles on a single line so with a snatch block in there it'd pull a house down.  

An electric winch on the front of your truck can only pull you forwards, further into what you've got stuck in, and only for as long as the engine's running/battery is charged.  a tirfor will pull any direction for as long as you can keep going.

[muddyjames]

I have a tirfor and has been so handy. When 4 landies ties together wouldnt pull a disco out a hole my tirfor did it first time, Needed to pull some tree roots out of a derelict canal we were working on, the tirfor did it, when a mate slid sideways into a ditch, his winch pulled forwards and, yes, the tirfor pulled the front out sideways. When a landy with a winch tries to winch out a stuck car and the winching vehicle slides forwards you can anchor the tirfor to a tree and winch out with that instead.

down side is my is SERIOUSLY heavy. 30kg for the tirfor on its own before the cable etc. Mine is a 5-6 tonne pull tirfor. I got the whole kit for £100. I bought the tirfor off someone on here and then old sodbury got me the rest of the kit.

Coiling the cable up is no problem at all as you just put inside an old car tyre. Much easier to transport than a flappy 10m worth of cable!

I don't have any sheer pins for mine as my theory is I am sure I will not be strong enough to break it!!! Also I don't know where to get new ones from or where they go.

A tirfor is ace. It doesnt get used much due to the weight but when it does it is invaluable!