Author Topic: atv winches (Read 1307 times)

steve66 · « **on:** April 05, 2006, 01:55:08 PM »

what are your oppions on atv winches? are they worth the money? do they kill your battery? i have been thinking of getting one for mine. will it hurt them if they are submerged in water since they are electrical?

Sourdough · « **Reply #1 on:** April 05, 2006, 02:41:40 PM »

Here in Alaska winches only last two years. They are worth their weight in gold when you need them. I started out with a 1500lb on a Suzuki 250 4WD, it lasted two years. Then I went with a 1000lb on a Honda 300 4WD, it also lasted two years. My Kawasaki 750 4WD has a 2500 lb winch on it, I'll see how long it last. Our winches are under water a lot due to their locations. I think after a couple of years the seals shrink due to the wet dry cycles and start leaking.

steve66 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:20:38 AM »

its actually a suzuki 250 4wd that i want to put one on.

markc · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2006, 03:11:50 AM »

If you get stuck and don't have a winch, what are your options for getting unstuck? I have a Warn 2500# on my Rhino and often carry a hand operated comealong as well. If you never travel where you can get stuck then I guess they would be a waste of money. If you do often travel to extreme locations or terraines, then yes they are well worth every penny you will spend on one... I use mine for raising up game for skinning, and pulled a mimosa tree up in my future flower bed. I haven't stuck the Rhino yet, but it's only a matter of time...

Special Ed · « **Reply #4 on:** April 06, 2006, 03:57:54 AM »

A winch is definately a must on an ATV. They come in handy for lots of other things besides getting yourself unstuck.
I've used mine for skidding small logs & trees, getting deer out of the swamp & straightening pole barn poles before bracing them.
I also carry a short strap to go around trees with, snatch block & a 100' extension cable.

Ed

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** April 06, 2006, 06:58:25 AM »

When I bought my Yamaha Bruin 350 4x2 the Warn 1500 was only $69 extra and 4x4 was about $1000 extra so I opted for the winch rather than 4x4. I really don't expect to use it much off of my small farm so the extra $1000 for 4x4 just didn't make sense to me as much as I'd liked to have had it. Here in Bama where I am it's illegal to use a four wheeler on government land of any kind except on one recreational trail that is full of folks who think they are on a race track. No thanks. I have no permission on private land other than my own to use one so it won't see much use except as a work vehicle here on my land.

So far I've not had to unfurl the cable a single time, may never. But if I have to use it even once to get unstuck when I'd otherwise have needed to walk very far it will have been worth it to me.

steve66 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 06, 2006, 01:59:51 PM »

man u cant use it on public land that sucks

up hre in canada you can run anywhere u want on crown(public) land. you can even run them down the sides of roads as long as they are insured. i havent got my bike in to a situation YET that 4wd hasnt got me out of but its only a matter of time. i know i would feal more comfortable going through the deeper stuff if i had a winch. also it would make travleing through snow a little easier, so i could get back to those big fish lakes in the winter time :grin:

K.K · « **Reply #7 on:** April 06, 2006, 03:21:54 PM »

I have a 2500 lbs Warn on my Grizzly. It has gotten me out of some tough spots. I'm a big man, but I can't even lift that thing off of the springs, so when you need it, it's a life-saver. I also use it to run my plow in the winter. I wouldn't be without one.

Graybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** April 06, 2006, 04:31:16 PM »

Bama doesn't title or license four wheelers. Therefore you best not be caught on a public road with one paved or dirt. State and federal public land is off limits here except for that one ORV trail on Cheaha Mtn. and it's a recreational trail mostly used by kids and other lunatics that wanna see how fast they can go and how high they can jump.

On private land it's strictly the owner's call. Some see no problem but some do. I'm amazed so many sell here really but a lot of folks do hunt private land on leases.

marylandeer · « **Reply #9 on:** April 07, 2006, 02:20:43 AM »

I don't have a winch on my Yamaha Kodiak 450 4x4. I have never been stuck before but I know I could be. I have had to lock the front differential and use all four wheels and a lot of body english to get out of mud holes. I carry one of those come-a-long things. It's rated for 3,000# and dosen't have a motor or any seale to leak. You just hook it up and crank away. I have never taken it ouf of my rack bag but it's there if I need it. I think I paid 20 bucks for it at Sears.

steve66 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 08, 2006, 10:34:56 AM »

well i bought a winch today. i got a champion 2000lb winch. i got it for 69.99. i just happened to see it. it is 100 bucks cheaper then the cheapest one i had found so far. heres a link to their site that shows the winche that i bought.

http://cpeauto.com/de2000lb_winch.htm

it was another 150 bucks to get the mounting kit though :?

all prices are canadian

markc · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2006, 06:48:00 AM »

We used the winch on a guys Kawasaki Mule Trans this friday to raise a large feral hog from a deep ravine in Normangy Tx. So there are lots of uses for them besides getting unstuck. Good decision to buy one I think.

camsdaddy · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2006, 04:51:14 AM »

I do some trail riding and generally someone is around to push you through or pull you out. however a few weeks ago I was out playig in the swamp alone and let me tell you a winch would have been priceless. I have looked all over and am thinking of a venom off of ebay someguys on some other boards have tried them and like them pretty well and they come with a mounting kit for a litttle over $100 if I ever let my tightwad self spurge I will let you know how I like it.

bubbadoyle · « **Reply #13 on:** May 11, 2006, 11:33:21 AM »

I have a Gorilla 3000 lb winch on my artic cat 650. It cost me about $130 including shipping off of ebay. It looks identical to the warn on my brothers four wheeler. Somewhere I read where Gorilla purchases these from a manufacturer and then tests them themselves. Someon on an ATV forum said that they purchased them from Warn, I don't know if that is true but it looks identical.