Need some winch ideas

[tonyk72]

I'm looking to add a winch and like the idea of being able to easily move it from front to rear. I have a 2" receiver on both ends of my Max and was thinking I could use a receiver winch mount and a utility winch like the Superwinch UT3000 to move it around as needed.
I already got the UT3000. Negatives are that it only has two bolt holes for mounting. Will this be strong enough for a full load? It also has only 40' of line. Pros are that it looks easy enough to install for my intended application and has a low amp draw.

Or should I do a permanent mount with a beefier winch? TSC has the Warn Vantage 3000 for $230 on sale now and I've also been looking at the Superwinch LT3000. Both of these seem comparable, but the Warn is about $100 more.

Any other ideas?

winch mount:
Amazon.com: Extreme Max 5600.3084 Receiver Hitch Winch Mount, 2": Automotive

winch:
Superwinch, LLC - UT3000 - 3,000 lbs/12V

[locolouie]

Don't know what kind of riding you do,but it seems that the mounts might be under water or in the mud or stuck in the side of the bank, I prefer something alittle higher. I have a 3500lb winch and a snatch block and a 20 foot strap, most times it only takes a small tug to get them unstuck but sometimes it can be a pickle, good luck with what ever you do

[tbone9]

You could do something like this.

[tbone9]

Permanent rear winch

[Bazooo guy]

Rear mount works great
image.jpg

[Outlaw1]

Murphy's Law (he and I go way back) says if you need it on the front, it will be on the back and if you need it on the back, it'll be on the front. I had one on my Max lV on the front and sure enough I needed it on the back. I have some cable grooves cut on the rear of my Max ll from someone running a cable over it for some reason. The PO said he had no idea how that happened. That winch adapter looks like a workable idea. Looks like one of those things that pokes out the rear window of your truck to me. Seriously though, I am thinking of mounting my winch on the rear of my ll. For looks if no other reason. It's also easier to mount back there in my opinion. If you are looking for total interchangeability Harbor Freight has a portable 2K Marine winch (item #61237 for $80.00) that mounts over a hitch ball. I have used one for everything from pulling cars up on trailers to picking up railroad ties and it has never failed me. Just mount a power plug midway of the 6x6 and the cord will reach from either end. But, you already have the UT3000, so it's probably a moot point. I thought seriously about that myself, just nowhere on a Max ll to carry it when not in use. That's my two cents worth.

[tonyk72]

I've integrated the receiver hitches into a body band, so they (hopefully) won't be submerged in water or mud. I've been using a Maasdam 3/4 ton rope puller which works fine for minor recovery jobs. A few months ago, I got stuck trying to get out of a pond and the Max was about 1/4 full of water. I broke an axle bolt and had a tire come off a rim during the process. A group of ATVers came by and winched me out, but their winch struggled. Needless to say, it was a rough day and I had to be winched up small hills several times.
I'm also not fully committed to the UT3000, I can still ship it back to Amazon.

[riotwarrior]

I've integrated the receiver hitches into a body band, so they (hopefully) won't be submerged in water or mud. I've been using a Maasdam 3/4 ton rope puller which works fine for minor recovery jobs. A few months ago, I got stuck trying to get out of a pond and the Max was about 1/4 full of water. I broke an axle bolt and had a tire come off a rim during the process. A group of ATVers came by and winched me out, but their winch struggled. Needless to say, it was a rough day and I had to be winched up small hills several times.
I'm also not fully committed to the UT3000, I can still ship it back to Amazon.

I've seen the recievers burried in mud and debris, I would like one on my machine for sure, but to mount a winch nope.

Suggestion would be to build a mount UP HIGH out of water and mud line of sight so to speak thus keeping winch cleaner and running longer. Ever wonder why quads have the winch down low and getting packed full of mud and debri? Besides you can make a mount a bumper type thingy that can help get you up n over stuff...that's what I did!

I've built a mount for the front and still have one to fab up for rear. I've got two 2000 lb WARN winches and snatch blocks and straps n stuff.


IMO better to have two winches identical to each other not just one and if one fails a few bolts and you can swap one to front/rear as needed.

JM2CW for what it is worth

[Outlaw1]

Yep, there is always the situation when s**t happens. Can't plan for everything, but you can drown trying.

[guyvapeur]

This is a question I have pondered for many years. As a result I have come up with t his combination for my 8x8. I have a winch mounted to the front of the machine with a tow ring mounted below it, that is bolted through the hull and on frame extensions. I have a spare battery with Anderson connectors that hook up directly to the main battery. I have a second winch that has been bolted onto a frame that allows me to carry it around that is also equipped with a plug. All the ATVs in our camp have an Anderson plug with about 3 feet of cord. With this set up, I can run the main winch off the spare battery. I can run the spare winch off the main battery. I can carry the spare winch and battery into an inaccessible spot and use the winch. I can boost any machine in camp with an Anderson plug off the spare battery. I can boost any other machine if needed with my machine. The battery booster at home has a plug that takes a second to connect my batteries for charging. I also use the spare winch to pull a 26 foot boat onto a trailer. The spare winch gets year round use around the house. The spare winch does not sit out in the weather and is completely portable. I also have a 6 foot sling attached to the hitch assembly at the rear. In this way, I never have to get down and dirty to hook up. Anderson plugs are the type used on golf carts and fork lifts. They are a quick connect and heavy duty. This works for me.
Good Luck

[riotwarrior]

This is a question I have pondered for many years. As a result I have come up with t his combination for my 8x8. I have a winch mounted to the front of the machine with a tow ring mounted below it, that is bolted through the hull and on frame extensions. I have a spare battery with Anderson connectors that hook up directly to the main battery. I have a second winch that has been bolted onto a frame that allows me to carry it around that is also equipped with a plug. All the ATVs in our camp have an Anderson plug with about 3 feet of cord. With this set up, I can run the main winch off the spare battery. I can run the spare winch off the main battery. I can carry the spare winch and battery into an inaccessible spot and use the winch. I can boost any machine in camp with an Anderson plug off the spare battery. I can boost any other machine if needed with my machine. The battery booster at home has a plug that takes a second to connect my batteries for charging. I also use the spare winch to pull a 26 foot boat onto a trailer. The spare winch gets year round use around the house. The spare winch does not sit out in the weather and is completely portable. I also have a 6 foot sling attached to the hitch assembly at the rear. In this way, I never have to get down and dirty to hook up. Anderson plugs are the type used on golf carts and fork lifts. They are a quick connect and heavy duty. This works for me.
Good Luck

This is a terrific idea and one that needs some pictures depicting it to fully provide the what to where fore and how is's LOL

I can appreciate that second battery and the Anderson connector idea. That connector is how my winch was originally setup from the folks I purchased it from on a portable mount to go onto a ball for towing or into a reciever either or was the idea they had. It had a long cable with connectors similar to jumper cables and anderson connector at the winch.

Now it's all setup permanent, however you have me re-thinking my rear winch option, as I've been set on the MOUNTED setup similar to the front but this may be a more well rounded idea....maybe I can mount to rear and have a quick connect mount and the Anderson connectors...Hmm..got me thinking!

Thanks for that I love to have ideas floating around...

[guyvapeur]

I will try and get some pictures for you on the portable winch idea. Princess Auto has portable winches but I think they are a little bit on the light side. If you can visualize a chainsaw in your hands, you see what the winch would look like. The frame is a C shaped welded piece. There is a fairlead to guide the cable. There is a clevis at the front to attach the cable when doubling up with a pulley. There is a clevis to the rear to hook up to any tree, ball hitch or what have you.
A picture is what I need to clearly demonstrate..... will try a.s.a.p.

[guyvapeur]

IMG_1286.jpg Photo by guyvapeur | Photobucket
So far this is the best I can do......
The bottom piece is 1.5 inch square tubing with a plate to receive the winch. It has a clevis on the front.
The vertical piece is a piece of 1.5. tubing. It has a receiver to hold a clevis to the rear to attach the winch to a solid object. You can actually put a rod through this pipe to anchor winch when there is nothing close to tie onto.
The top piece is a piece of .5 in. rod.... The controls for the winch are mounted on a piece of .75 in pipe and slide over this bar so that you can operate and control winch.
There is a piece of .5 in. inside diameter pipe welded at the bottom. This is used with a jack handle to help spool the cable evenly when pulling. It is also used to semi-permanently mount the winch to the boat trailer when hauling in the boat.

[tonyk72]

Cool...
Keep the ideas coming, I found this item from Superwinch...No word on the release date or pricing. I sent them an email to get more info.

Winch 2 Go - Superwinch's new all-in-one – Superwinch, LLC

[guyvapeur]

I had not seen this type of portable winch before I built the one I have. That was in 2010. My Mk1 version was given to a buddy to mount on his machine. I guess I saw the first one at Princess Auto about 3 years ago. The box idea is kind of neat. The possibility exists to have a standard winch encased on the machine in this very manner......because of the front opening for the cable it would not be weatherproof but it would keep out most of the crap that messes up winches.
I checked Google (Images) tonite for portable winches and it would appear that this device is now marketed and sold by all kinds of manufacturers.