I got bored so I decided to write up a quick post on my winches. I had one installed on top of my hitch hidden behind the bumper and under the tailgate, it is rated for 2,000lbs. It works really good for my needs. What I used it for was loading my Dragster TA up on the flatbed. The only bad thing about it is that the control cable was 3ft long.

So I found another one with a wireless remote. It is rated for 3,000lbs. I love it. I already used it. It came out sweet! I was able to steer the car while loading the car with my new remote! So the first one was still good, So I built a receiver mount for it. So if I needed I can use this one or lend it to someone else to use. Check out the pics.

I am thinking of selling my 77 Yamaha XS650. If I do I will use some of that money to buy this winch. http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-W..._pn=S%2fB97210

I bought 3 gauge wire run to the back for the winch. Also note that if needed I can use a pulley/****** block to double my pulling power off of the winch.

Old hidden rear winch.


New hidden rear winch.


New wireless hidden rear winch with roller fairlead.


Old winch mounted on receiver hitch.




Edit: Since this old post I bought a new 10,000lb winch. I bought the winch mount I wanted. Here is the post and a pic. https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen...lbs-winch.html


I haven't weighed my truck now with the 4wd or the SAS but 2wd was at 4,000lbs. So 5,000 sounds closer to the SAS weight.

Edit: Also since my last post I upgraded my winch from the 10,000lb(Smittybilt XRC10) to 12,000lb (Smittybilt XRC12). And I have put the 12,000lb rating to the test. A severely hard test where I needed every bit of that 12,000lb rating, and she still runs very strong.

 

Nice. I had a warn 8000 on my bronco and loved it. Ive also run a 9500ti and it was amazing. Make sure you have some REALLY good terminals. You can melt the 2 dollar lead ones in under a minute on heavy draw. I would keep a couple spares too.
.

 

Cool! Thanks for the tip! I didn't think of it drawing that much. I got some good terminals but I defiantly will buy some spares.

 

Good job. I've got one of the cheap $59 ones I carry in my toolbox. Mounts right over a 1 7/8" or 2" ball.

We put a ball in the front of the trailer and have used the winch to pull a broken down S10 Blazer onto it with the thing. I was amazed that the little cheazy plastic looking thing could do it, but it did!!!



I'd love to pick up one of those Warn PullzAll's, but can't really justify the cost. Be cool to have though...

 

Thanks! Ya I had one of those style winches. It couldn't hold the load. It continuously keeped blowing the internal circuit breaker. It would be sweet to have that PullzAll's

 

Today I was reading my offroad magazine and saw my small article I summited. That was cool! Since my was published in that months issue I won a free DVD copy of the new Fast and Furious. My truck has been featured in 3 magazines 5 times, now. 1 in Offroad Adventures. 2 in Offroad. And 2 in 4wheel and Offroad.

 

i am considering doing the same thing you have done with the winch in the back a little different but mounted the same..but i have a question is the 3000 pound one anough to pull your truck since mine wount be used to pull a car it will be used to pull the truck out of muddy situations.sometimes all you need is that little tug.haha.and come on everyone knows you go into a mud hole "head first" so haveing a winch on the back my be the only option in some situations.

 

no a 3000 pound winch will not be sufficient to pull a dakota out of a sticky situation. I would recommend a MINIMUM of 5000 and thats pushing it. You can get several decent brands of winchs for around 400 that are 8000 pounds. That is my personal minimum for a truck. Nothing sucks worse than going through the effort to buy and mount a winch that when you get stuck just makes noise, smokes, and breaks. Better to buy one you know will get you out.

ETA. Thats not entirely true. A 3000 pound winch may reverse you out of a low traction area. It would not be worthless. But its not going to be heavy enough to get your truck out if you are in heavy mud up to the frame or over the tires. Again....it might work for some situations, but its not going to be ideal.

 

If your stuck I would say no. Maybe once. But I wouldn't trust it to save me. You can use a ****** block or a pulley to make it a stronger pull but it just wont have the juice. These trucks weigh 4,000lbs. The general rule for getting your self unstuck is 1 1/2 times your weight. So a 6,000lb winch would be the min.

 

ya thats what i kinda figured....haveing put in a 3000 lb winch do you think a 6000 or even an 8000 would hide away in the back?