BajaNomad

Front winch

805gregg - 12-24-2008 at 12:23 PM

Anyone use a winch in Baja? I just installed a TJM offroad bumper on my KJ and it's winch ready. I've never used one in over 40 years but maybe a winch would come in handy sometimes.

BajaBruno - 12-24-2008 at 01:38 PM

I've used one only rarely. I try to avoid it, because it is often so hard to find an anchor-point in Baja. I tried using a medium Danforth anchor one time, but the results were disappointing. I've since read about other techniques, but I'm lazy enough on those 100+ degree days to opt out of a particular trail rather than having to resort to creative anchor-point creation.

My current truck has a winch that can be moved to the rear, which seems comforting for those times when going further forward would just make things worse, but again, one needs a convenient anchor-point. Nowadays, if I get stopped in two wheel drive, I get out in 4WD and head back to the nearest bar. The winch is largely a bumper ornament.

TMW - 12-24-2008 at 01:47 PM

I usually carry a portable winch rated at 5000 lb dead weight 15000 lb rolling weight. But in 30 years of going to Baja I have never used a winch. And like Bajabruno says it would probably be hard to find an anchor point in most places. The only place I've seen one used is when a race car goes over the side of a hill or mtn and his chase crew pulls him back up with a winch. But that's not normal driving in Baja.

Barry A. - 12-24-2008 at 02:06 PM

I have a 9500 lb WARN winch on a "stinger" mount, which I can use on the front, or back, of all my 3 4x4 rigs. This requires that 2" trailer-hitch receivers be mounted front and back of all 3 vehicles, which I have. I use a 25 foot extention cord to run the winch on the back of each vehicle that I made up out of heavy duty welders elec. cable----works great! This eliminates the very expensive wire harness that would be required to get electrical to the back of each rig, and also allows someone else with a trailer-receiver to use my winch to get themselves out of a precarious situations. That is my thinking, anyway, and I am sticking to it.

I also have a military spec. PULL-PAL to use as an anchor point when in soft sand, or in a place with no anchor points. It really works.

Since I often am exploring solo, I consider my winch as an Insurance Policy to hopefully keep me out of trouble when stuck hopelessly in deep sand, or mud in Baja, or elsewhere.

I have used it several times to get my rig back off steep beaches where I have driven it to some remote camp spot. I have also used it to retrieve my boat, pulling it up steep beaches to where I can load it on to my boat trailer. Other uses have been to pull out folks that have driven into really amazing places that they should not have gone.

For me, the peace of mind is well worth the $1,000 or so spent------I don't go noplace without it. It also allows me to go where I would not go if I did not have it, which is usually the last 100 or 200 yards to some ideal, but iffy, campspot, and then get out of there.

I love my winch.

Barry

MICK - 12-24-2008 at 03:22 PM

Come on TW we used my winch on the pole line road trip. I do agree you don't use them much but when you need it I am glad to have one. I just bought a 10000lb Smitty built at 4wheel parts for only 400.00 I have installed it and it seems to work as good as any other one I've had.
Merry Christmas
Mick

TMW - 12-25-2008 at 09:00 AM

At my age my memory is not at its best. I remember the Dec. 07 Pole Line trip, Ken used his winch to try and pull a huge rock out of the way at the start of basketball hill. But the rock won, it pulled his jeep to it. We just drove up and around it.

805gregg - 12-25-2008 at 12:43 PM

Barry A whats a pull pal?

Oso - 12-25-2008 at 01:28 PM

I have a 2,000# el cheapo from harbor freight on the front of my old chevy. Have never used it to pull myself out of anywhere but have rescued other pendejos several times. I decided to get it after screwing my transmission trying to jerk some people out of deep sand with a tow strap. Don't have one on the "new" Toyo and probably won't bother although I do carry a come-along and tow strap.

BAJACAT - 12-26-2008 at 09:05 AM

Yes Oso there is alot of pendejos outhere, I have pull a few...so for my coment just to not hijack this thread I don't have a winch..

bajaandy - 12-26-2008 at 12:02 PM

http://www.pullpal.com/aboutPP.html

A picture of my setup -- 9K# Mile Marker on Smittybuilt bumper w/150w KC Daylighters

Ken Cooke - 12-27-2008 at 10:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
Anyone use a winch in Baja? I just installed a TJM offroad bumper on my KJ and it's winch ready. I've never used one in over 40 years but maybe a winch would come in handy sometimes.


If you are traveling alone in Baja, it is a great idea. I visited Mission Santa Maria recently, and if I had been alone, the only way out of the sticky situation I found myself would have been with my 9,000# winch. They are inexpensive and for about $600, you can have peace of mind over not having one.




[Edited on 12-27-2008 by Ken Cooke]

After the winch didn't work, we used a tow strap

Ken Cooke - 12-27-2008 at 11:15 AM

Tecate, Mexico -- July 2008
Tom flopped on his side, but after using a tow strap, he drove right out. My 9,000 pound winch just wasn't enough to pull the dead weight over. :(






Barry A. - 12-27-2008 at 11:25 AM

Ken--------I am astounded that your Mile-Marker would not pull that veh. right back upright. Do you have the hydraulic Mile-Marker, hooked into your power steering pump??

I KNOW that my 9500 WARN elec. winch would have no problem righting that vehicle.

Also, did you have a "snatch-block"----------as you know that doubles your pulling power------2 snatch-blocks (my set up-but so far never needed) gives you even more power. etc. etc.

Barry

bajalou - 12-27-2008 at 11:47 AM

The "snatch blocks" give you way lots of power. I have a 2000# 12V winch that I put 2 "snatch blocks" on the line and pulled a VW van with no suspension, just sitting with the pan on the ground, loaded with about a ton of VW parts with no trouble.

By the way, the winch ratings are almost always at the drum. Each wind of cable reduces the pulling capacity. Usually a full spool will only handle about 1/2 of the rated capacity. That's something we like to overlook in the stats for the unit.

Barry A. - 12-27-2008 at 11:56 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajalou
The "snatch blocks" give you way lots of power. I have a 2000# 12V winch that I put 2 "snatch blocks" on the line and pulled a VW van with no suspension, just sitting with the pan on the ground, loaded with about a ton of VW parts with no trouble.

By the way, the winch ratings are almost always at the drum. Each wind of cable reduces the pulling capacity. Usually a full spool will only handle about 1/2 of the rated capacity. That's something we like to overlook in the stats for the unit.


VERY GOOD POINT, Lue, and one we often over-look, and you are soooo right--------max pulling power is when the winch spool is drawn out to the last layer of cable on the spool------------that points out that for close quarters, the snatch-blocks really come in handy-------just make sure you have a 'QUALITY' snatch-block! (mine are made by WARN)

Barry

Ken Cooke - 12-27-2008 at 04:14 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Ken--------I am astounded that your Mile-Marker would not pull that veh. right back upright. Do you have the hydraulic Mile-Marker, hooked into your power steering pump??


9,000# electric Mile Marker winch. No snatch block was used. We quickly set everything up, and saw that a tow strap could work more quickly, and took it from there.

Baja&Back - 12-27-2008 at 05:36 PM

We, too, wouldn't be without a winch in Baja!

Since Wild Bill hauled our truck and trailer off a dune, I bought a 10k Cummins winch online for $500, 2" receiver mounted fore & aft, with a 1 guage extension cord like Barry A.

We pull half a doz vehicles out every year in Baja. Have dead pulled 30,000 lb motorcoaches & 5 ton trucks out of deep sand.

Just like 4WD - a waste of money until the day you need it. Then it's PRICELESS!!
:lol:

HEY KEN: love your new avitar graphic!!!:bounce:

[Edited on 12-28-2008 by Baja&Back]

805gregg - 12-27-2008 at 07:45 PM

Thanks for the replys all , I was kind of waiting to hear from you Ken. Thanks for the input, the new T-Max 9000# will get installed.

DO I GET ONE FOR CHRISTMAS TOO???

Ken Cooke - 12-27-2008 at 08:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
the new T-Max 9000# will get installed.


Great choice!! My address is....:light:

805gregg - 12-29-2008 at 12:14 PM

Sure, since I have a diesel and it's already heavy in front, I wasn't going to get a winch. I was looking around and the T-Max competion 9000# winch only weighs 60#. I found the $900+ winch on sale at 4 Wheel Parts for $371. T-Max makes the winches for Smitybuilt.

Ken Cooke - 12-29-2008 at 02:00 PM

As they say, "In these difficult times..." so often, a great winch can be had for cheap. Great price! Don't forget your winch accessories - gloves, dead weight, snatch block, etc.

805gregg - 1-2-2009 at 07:55 AM

What's a dead weight? (are you talking about my buddy Robert?), I'll be using synthetic rope, so no gloves, but I could use a snatch block.

Ken Cooke - 1-2-2009 at 10:55 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by 805gregg
What's a dead weight? (are you talking about my buddy Robert?), I'll be using synthetic rope, so no gloves, but I could use a snatch block.

Synthetic rope is always better, much stronger, and also safer for everyone involved in the recovery effort. Dead weight as in a Pull-Pal? Don't forget to get a tree-strap. With all of the rocks in Baja, you could use one around a large boulder, or perhaps just get a good tow strap from Pro-Comp with the leather ends.