Winch
- Thread starter MattMayTJ
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Utah_jeepster
Super Moderator
It isnt motor size or alternator power output that determines your winch. Your 98 weighs around 3092-3832 lbs depending on transmission and other add ons. General rule of thumb is you double the pulling weight and round up to the nearest winch. Putting a 9500-12,000lb winch on is just hood decoration. Your jeep without tail hooking to another vehicle can safely pull 8000lbs without dragging itself into the mud puddle. Now using a pulley can increase pulling strength, how many wire wraps you have on the drum, ect ect but for self rescue and general use most CJ,YJ, and TJ's need no more than a 8000lbs winch.
black87yj
New member
a tv show called power block did a show on harbor freight tools and stuff. most of their winches that sell for $399.00 would cost $1200.00 for a warn or milemarker. even though it is made in china , they say it is the best of the chinese made stuff. i've no practical experience, just passing a thought . I'm tempted to try one but have too many irons in the fire to spend the money yet.
Jester32
New member
But if you save up for 2 more months. The warn xp9.5 has been the best and fasted winch I've ever owned. It has crazy line speeds and a crazy duty cycle near 95 %. Most cheaper winches are about 35 %. So they will last long time if you can put up with 3 min pull time and ten min cool down time.
rez rocker
New member
i run a smittybuilt 8000 for five years. used many times, for many things. never a problem,and at a 399 dollar price, i am very satisfied
Midnightsecurity
New member
Here food for thought: I recently had all the same questions choosing a winch...
My 99TJ weighs in at approx 3800lbs, as mentioned before take your jeeps weight and X by 2 =8000lb winch is ideal. That'll get you out of pretty much any jam. The reason for a winch that's good for double the weight, is simply when you or someone else are stuck in a mud pit, on a hill, etc, is that physics adds more pull to your line.
Your stock alternator is plenty good, I had a 880CC Amp battery and upgraded to a 1300CC amp, just for shits and giggles.
You can most defiantly bolt a winch plate to your stock bumper, use a good grade bolt though! Don't want that to be falling off when you need it most...
I bought a smittybuilt XRC8000lb winch, cost was $680 Canadian $, it is a little slow with line speed, but when your stuck it gets the job done and then some! You can buy a pulley (aka "snatch block") and that will come close to double your pulling power, but take care when using it, your jeep tjs frame is only good for 10,000lbs of pull.
Best of luck, hope this was able to help you out, and as always when winching take proper caution !
My 99TJ weighs in at approx 3800lbs, as mentioned before take your jeeps weight and X by 2 =8000lb winch is ideal. That'll get you out of pretty much any jam. The reason for a winch that's good for double the weight, is simply when you or someone else are stuck in a mud pit, on a hill, etc, is that physics adds more pull to your line.
Your stock alternator is plenty good, I had a 880CC Amp battery and upgraded to a 1300CC amp, just for shits and giggles.
You can most defiantly bolt a winch plate to your stock bumper, use a good grade bolt though! Don't want that to be falling off when you need it most...
I bought a smittybuilt XRC8000lb winch, cost was $680 Canadian $, it is a little slow with line speed, but when your stuck it gets the job done and then some! You can buy a pulley (aka "snatch block") and that will come close to double your pulling power, but take care when using it, your jeep tjs frame is only good for 10,000lbs of pull.
Best of luck, hope this was able to help you out, and as always when winching take proper caution !
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O_M_Jeep
New member
For about a year and a half I have been running a Rugged Ridge 8500 lb I paid $300 for from Quadratec (you can find them with cheaper shipping), I have winched everything from Jeeps to full size Ram Chargers to new and old FJs and never had a problem, you can also get 18k lbs snatch blocks from 4wheelparts.com for $25, I have 2 of them and they work perfectly and are greaseable. There is a huge amount of information out there when it comes to winches, I know this wont be popular, but it has to be said, winches are mostly made by the same companies and then badged by different companies, so a lot of the differences in price are the premium for the name on it.
If I were buying another winch I would look at Badlands from Harbor Frieght, yeah, I know, it goes against logic but a jeep magazine just did a very comprehensive test and while the first Badlands they got didnt work out of the box, the next one they got was one of the only ones still working at the end of the testing, and HF usualy stands behind their warrantees out of habit lol.
With a stock bumper about any winch plate will work, if you are going to replace the bumper any time soon, try to plan ahead when buying a plate and get the raised winch plate that works with most aftermarket bumpers that dont have an intergrated mount.
If I were buying another winch I would look at Badlands from Harbor Frieght, yeah, I know, it goes against logic but a jeep magazine just did a very comprehensive test and while the first Badlands they got didnt work out of the box, the next one they got was one of the only ones still working at the end of the testing, and HF usualy stands behind their warrantees out of habit lol.
With a stock bumper about any winch plate will work, if you are going to replace the bumper any time soon, try to plan ahead when buying a plate and get the raised winch plate that works with most aftermarket bumpers that dont have an intergrated mount.
BlaketheSnake
New member
I've had a Warn XD9000i for nearly 14 years....never once has it failed me.
Robert_Stephens
New member
I have mounted front and rear the MM 12,000 lb. and they have worked really well and the first time I've had them front and rear on any of the Jeeps I've had. With VEX, I've had since 1990 and rebuilt from a total, and have shipped it all over the planet and it and the winches have worked out real well. The 1/2" line is super heavy on the winches and works really well in hoisting and pulling both me in and out of jams and everyone else.
MM also have a great winding app for their solenoids and have never had any trouble with them at all. I use both front and rear pretty often with no errors.
Robert
MM also have a great winding app for their solenoids and have never had any trouble with them at all. I use both front and rear pretty often with no errors.
Robert
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