Venom, Gorilla, & Winch Questions

[SURVEYOR]

I've been doing some research here and other boards on Venom, Gorilla, and other winches. I wish I had the money to buy a Ramsey, but my $'s not there. So it's between a Venom & Gorilla. Both have good points and bad.

The Gorilla has less reported break down problems, but only the ebay seller to go through for problems. The Gorilla's fairhead is reported to be cheapy made. That would be my biggest consern. The seller had over 3000 feed backs with a 99.9 rating.

The Venom has a better warrenty. A factory here in the states, has a few more reported break downs. A better fairhead. A cheaper mounting plate. No email addy. No prone number to call.

My questions are,

I own a 2002 250 Cat 2x4 that is dry weight 530 lbs. One heavy little Cat. What size winch should I get?

I know nothing about winches. I read where riders winch them selves and others out. I read about snow plowing. I read about free spooling the cable out, and winching the cable back in. But do winches power out as well as in? As to say I want to winch my Cat down a creek bank, then winch back up the other bank?

The Venom & Gorrila are within $1 of each other shipped, so that is a flip of a coin there.

I mostly use my Cat to deer hunt. I just sold my 84 200M that has done a great job for many years, and want to put the money back in the Cat.

Thanks,

[Paladin]

go to an arctic cat dealer and buy a warn 2500# kit for your cat. it will come with everything to in stall it on your bike including instructions. I know they are expense, but if your going to depend on it in a tight place, I'd want one that fit and works. good luck in what ever you decide

[markc]

Sorry, but I am not very familiar with the Venom or Gorilla winches.  Who makes them?  What are their costs?   I am with Paladin, Warn #2500 would be more than sufficient for you cat 250.   Buy the proper straps and snatch block and you will be happy.   I have the Warn #2500 on my Rhino and so far it has been fine...

[SURVEYOR]

Venom has an Ebay store. These guys are selling a lot of winches! Check this out,

http://stores.ebay.com/Venom-Outdoors

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I went back to page 50 viewing Readers feedback comments, and was just in May 2006!

Gorilla has a ebay store them selves.

http://stores.ebay.com/Outdoor2You

Feedback:   99.9% Positive
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I also went back to page 50 viewing Readers feedback comments, and was just in April 2006!

I'm in the wrong buisness?

[Paladin]

sounds like you have made up your mind. go for it. one question, if it brakes (man made ya know)where ya gonna get the parts?

[markc]

Well, the price is certainly cheaper.  I hope it works out well for you.  Please give us some reports as you use the winch, let us kow how it holds up...  Durability would be a big question for me.   Good luck.

[SURVEYOR]

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/venom-atv-winch/OEM%20Replacement%20Parts/

That's why I'm leaning that way.

[JD11]

For a period of time I kept up on quite a few of the bigger ATV sites concerning the opinions of the guys who bought Venoms and they were all really pleased with them, including guys that worked them continiously doing snow plow work.   I so far don't feel I need one though, but a Venom would be my choice after the reviews, etc.

[SURVEYOR]

Thanks Guys!

A Venom 2.5 is what I'm going to get. I really don't need a winch. But I could come up with some cool uses. I'm getting older, so being able to winch deer out the woods, up a tree, get one of the deer lifts, be able to winch across some ditches, and pull me out of tight spots. And what else comes along. Having one while not using it is better than needing one once in a while.

Surveyor

[bearfat]

Buy the proper straps and snatch block and you will be happy. I have the Warn #2500 on my Rhino and so far it has been fine...

I have a Warn 2.5 on my Polaris. It is the first winch I've had on an ATV and have found very little infomation on using them. I did get a snatch block and it seems like a guy should almost always be using it to put less strain on the cable and winch motor? I also got some really heavy duty straps, and hooks and stuff for it.

Surveyor its been almost 3 months since you got yours. How's it working out? Ever make it across that creek bed?

I did use mine last week to pull apart a couple big old rotten cedars causing problems on my trail, but the real test will be going up and down what we call "Fox Hill" behind my cabin if I have to drag out a deer this fall from one of the stands back there. Pic below shows "Fox Hill" with the ATV barely in sight on top of it. Always scary going up and down it.



I could avoid "Fox Hill" but it would be a days work to cut a trail around it. What we are really avoiding is making a direct easy trail to one particularly good tree stand. It has been such a good buck producer. One year 3 different guys each got a buck all within a week from the stand. "Fox Hill" has detered outsiders from using it, at least using it easily.

[Lives2hunt]

Who can point me in the right direction on how to use a winch for all the many things they can be used for? The more I hear it sounds like there is a winch in my future. Not to change the subject but how easy or difficult is it to install & wire them up???  Remember I'm a newby so I don't know anything yet.

[bearfat]

Lives2hunt I'm with you in not knowing how to use them and my MV7 came with front and rear winches!!

I read the Warn winch manuals and they talked about overloading the winch with a straight dead weight pull so I got the snatch block they recommended to cut the strain. I usually forget the dang thing.

They had a couple of diagrams showing proper technique of winching but I was hoping for more. They make books solely on how to tie a knot, how about winching?

Guess I'll just keep experimenting.

I can't help you with the installing and wiring. I've replaced head gaskets on engines but when it comes to electrical I just don't get it and have to pay someone that does. I replaced all the wiring on a little trailer last month and it took me two days to figure out the ground was bad.

Attached a pic of some he man rigging. But I feel like I'm all dresssed up and have no where to go. I did use it to pull a tree though. I had used the winch originally to persuade the tree to lean more in a particular direction before I dropped it with the chainsaw but wondered later if the  rigging below wouldn't have done the same thing without the strain to the winch?



Wouldn't it pay to have a trailer hitch receiver mounted in front of machine too for winching, I mean designed from the get go by the manufacturer to put a more even stress on the ATV through the frame? Those winch plate bolts must be taking alot of pressure.




Taken from Warn web site showing snatch block in operation. The bottom triple line with 2 snatch blocks puts least amount of stress on winch.They run about $50.00 a piece which is better than replacing a winch I guess and it gives more pulling power. I suppose I better pick up another.

[Lives2hunt]

Thanks again BF! The drawings were a big help but I have so much to learn, but until hunting season ends I can't spare much if you know what I mean.  They seem to be very reasonable on EBAY about $19.00 for the 8,000 lb snatch block .  I bought a  new Plano rear mount box for only $83.00 at the Acadamy Sports store today. Just now wondering where I'm going to strap on the deer I hope to take this weekend, ha.

[bearfat]

Doooohhhhh!

I just paid $51.00 plus tax for a 7000 pound snatch block yesterday!!!

I have been getting actual heavy duty military line for about $20-30 for 60 feet. (Green stuff on picture above) at a place called "The Sportsmans Guide"    http://www.sportsmansguide.com/

Yaaa don't drag that big 10 pointer in the mud this weekend.

I used a plain old come-a-long with the last two ATV's and while slow they certainly got the job done and for $50.00 you can get one heck of a come-a-long. I use to use mountain climbing line (5000 pound test) with the come-a-long when I was into tree trimming part time and was very pleased with the pulling power. You have to tie off the knots a certain way or you never get then untied when you crank down on the come-a-long. I'd insert a short 1" wooden dowel into the knot and then simply twist it out later.

Another option is to customize a heavy duty boat hand winch since there is no guarantee one will have electrical power say if you flip the ATV and need to set it back over. I did use one on my Honda Foreman which did not have a power winch.

Yaaa...I'd say if one wants to be totally prepared out in the sticks a hand winch or come-a-long along with a power winch on the machine is "prepared".

[Lives2hunt]

bearfat thats great advice and thats what I'm going to do now. Get a comealong at Harbor Freight for only $15.99 for a 4000 lb winch or $19.99 for an 8000 lb winch. The 8000 lb one weights  14lbs which is twice the weight but also twice the power for $4.00 more. Can't see any reason not to get the 8000 lb one.

[Lives2hunt]

Well I picked up the 4000LB comealong for only $10.95 WOW!! I've got 36' of the 1 & 1/2 tow straps with tow hooks already but I'm sure I need more but can anyone tell me how much wire cable I should get? Whats the minimum size you would recommend?

[DirtyDan]

First- if it is not a WARN or Ransey I would not part with my hard earned cash.

Next- winching ain't rocket science, guys. A little trial and error will teach you a lot. The main points are: make the pull as straight as possible, so you don't bend something. And as high or low as necessary to line up with the fairlead. Don't kink the line and if possible let it wrap on the spool without crossing over itself and making a rat's nest. Be aware that crap happens and things break. Cables snap, trees fall, are uprooted, rocks roll, etc. Don't be too stubborn to stop and redo the anchor point if things don't look right. Time is less expensive than machinery or body parts. If the anchor point is solid enough, a single line pull (Warn 2.5) will lift all but the biggest UTV off the ground. I can't imagine a situation where a triple line would be needed. Usually you won't have enough line to make a double line pull. Think about all of the wierdest possible outcomes before you get a bind on things. BE SAFE. HAve fun.

A come-along is the least expensive and will definitely do the job, but it is very slow. You have to keep redoing the rigging 'cause you reel in all the cable and have to take up slack, anchor the machine, let out all your cable and take another bite. This might turn out to be impossible if not highly impracticle when on a steep grade or in knee deep mud. Just my $0.02