Alright I know these trucks need a 12k winch and a winch setup isn't something to cheap out on, but there's always a cheapest solution that is more than sufficient.

What's the cheapest setup?

I'd love to drop 1700 on a bumper and another 1500 on a winch but I can't.

Are there any alternatives to spending that much?

 

Smittybuilt sells a XRC winch for $599 or you can go to Harbor Freight and get theirs for $299. These are both 12K winches. As for mounting them there are tons of options. Make your own bumper, buy a bumper, or just get the cradle that mounts to the front of your bumper that holds your winch. Smittybuilt makes what they call the M1 winch bumper and you can get it off Amazon for $1199 front and $899 rear.



Like this.

 

I second the harbor freight winch, and road rhino makes a fair priced front bumper. It's a road armor knock off.

 

One thing to remember is that you get what you pay for. So I know what it is like to have to watch what I buy because I don't have a ton of money. But if you buy something that is going to break and you have to replace it then it can end up costing you more in the long run. So research good any product before you lay down your hard earned cash.

 

There are also receiver mounts for winches, that plug into your two inch hitch. You can wire it so you can use it from front, or back, and don't need to carry it around when you aren't going to need it. Or, you can stash it in the bed.... just in case.

 

And probably more to the point WM makes, when it does take a powder, it's going to be when you're using it (not when it's sitting there looking just as pretty as the expensive one)... so there will be much added aggravation getting out of your predicament without a winch on which you were relying on when you went in.

Knowing you have a winch to get out, you tend to go in with a little more bravado and less strategy/caution, so when you do get stuck, it's a much bigger challenge without a winch.

Just a little something to weigh up in your decision making.

 

Oh, and for the real economy winch, use a kangaroo jack (hi-lift jack) and some chain.

 

I built my own reciever hitch. Be nice up front but more useful out back. Plus you can tow yourself out instead of through a stuck and your winch isn't buried in the mud.