Recommendations for a winch?

[Magnum_Willys]

The warn VR 12000 with rope is very light - like 70#.  Its identical to the 8k and 10k just different gear ratio.   Thats route I took, but harbor freight (badlands)  is half the cost.    I have a Warn M10000 I bought 38 years ago that is still going strong.   The VR series are imported and half the cost of Warn’s made in USA winches like the M12000. 

[Jason]

The warn VR 12000 with rope is very light - like 70#.  Its identical to the 8k and 10k just different gear ratio. Thats route I took, but harbor freight (badlands)  is half the cost.    I have a Warn M10000 I bought 38 years ago that is still going strong.   The VR series are imported and half the cost of Warn’s made in USA winches like the M12000.

The newer VR EVO 12000 is 76 lbs, the older VR12000 is 90 lbs. Both with wire rope. I think the M12000 is like 131 lbs. Definitely a weight difference. It does have a bit more rope than the other two.

[blackpowderhunter]

Found these, hmm do I need 12,000?

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/winches.html

There are lots of guys driving around with a bumper Mount that never use it.
Think long and hard.

Bumper mounts need electric to run.
They are restricted to the front of the rig, unless you do some fancy rigging.
They can over heat.
Pull strength changes depending on how much cable is on drum.
Restricted to how much cable the drum will hold.
Wire cable not fun in cold weather.
 

a main benefit of the bumper mounted ones is its always with you....
I ran a 8000lb winch set up on my tacoma once where i had a front hitch receiver, and wired front and back so i could move it to either end of the truck...
the ONE time i needed it, it was at home because i thought that trip had no chance of getting stuck...had to have a buddy come rescue me.
with that said... i have a bumper mount winch on my current hunting rig, as do my buddies, and ive heard nothing but good things about the badlands winches... i have a warn VR series that seems to be holding up fine.
someone else beat me to it but those portable winches are NOT for pulling a full size truck...the biggest one is like 2k lbs in a single line pull.  we use a chainsaw winch to pull elk out, but no way in hell its pulling a 2500 truck out.

[trophyhunt]

Agree with all of that, a portable isn't on my radar, and I like the idea of moving the winch to the front or back, but I'll do exactly what you just described. 

[blackpowderhunter]

Agree with all of that, a portable isn't on my radar, and I like the idea of moving the winch to the front or back, but I'll do exactly what you just described.

right...
just look up how to rig up a winch to pull backwards (make sure you're carrying snatch blocks, shackles, and tree straps) and you'll be fine.
but yeah it was pretty embarrassing...sunk to my frame driving down a road that looked like any other FS road and my buddy goes, at least you have a winch in the bed....dohhh 

[trophyhunt]

Is it worth 300 more dollars for the synthetic rope??  I like that 12,000 pound winch harbor has, just not sure about spending more for the rope instead of cable, well and the remote.  I guess that remote could be important

[trophyhunt]

Agree with all of that, a portable isn't on my radar, and I like the idea of moving the winch to the front or back, but I'll do exactly what you just described.

right...
just look up how to rig up a winch to pull backwards (make sure you're carrying snatch blocks, shackles, and tree straps) and you'll be fine.
but yeah it was pretty embarrassing...sunk to my frame driving down a road that looked like any other FS road and my buddy goes, at least you have a winch in the bed....dohhh 

yup, already have a couple snatch blocks and tree straps, used that for our moose hunts. 

[trophyhunt]

The badlands apex 12,000 with synthetic rope and wireless controller is high on my list, just can't find out if it can hide in my bumper or not?  I don't want a winch that sits on the top of bumper for all to see.

[syoungs]

Is it worth 300 more dollars for the synthetic rope??  I like that 12,000 pound winch harbor has, just not sure about spending more for the rope instead of cable, well and the remote.  I guess that remote could be important

The entire winch has been updated as far as I know, not just the rope and remote.

But imo, yes, its worth the money to go with a wireless remote and synthetic rope. I change the synthetic rope out on my sxs every 2 years, just to be safe. that size rope is cheap enough that I consider it insurance. I will never run metal rope again. I keep a smallish choker section of old steel cable for the times I have to pull logs etc, and plenty of tree straps and rigging in the sxs.

My last truck had a warn 15k winch. it was a beast. slow, but would pull anything when it worked. I seemed to have a lot of problems with the control box and solenoids. these newer contactor's are a huge upgrade to the solenoids of the past for sure and will be a requirement when I purchase my next winch soon.

I'm going to stick the newest badlands 12k on my f350. I would like a bit more pull, but 90% of the time I used the winches I've had before wasn't for self rescue, but pulling smaller rigs out or moving items. for the times I need to pull the loaded truck out, snatch blocks make it  happen.

[Jason]

If you end up buying a Harbor Freight winch make sure it’s the Apex 12000 lb.

Do not buy the Badlands ZXR 12000. The ZXR has a 5% duty cycle, if you pull for 45 seconds continuously then it has to rest and cool down for almost 15 minutes. These are well documented for there horrible duty cycle.

[Jason]

Also, Randy Newberg put out a video a couple years ago in collaboration with Warn on how to pull yourself backwards when stuck with a front mounted winch.

[trophyhunt]

Thanks for the info, yes the apex is my target winch, just know zero about it fitting in my stock bumper.  Thanks for all the input, appreciate it guys.

[Encore 280]

I have the Badland Apex 12000 with the synthetic wire rope and mounted it on a portable mount from Amazon so it fits the receiver hitch front and rear on my F350. Has the wireless remote and the wired remote. Haven't had to use it on the FORD yet 

[Mtnwalker]

I have the Badland Apex 12000 with the synthetic wire rope and mounted it on a portable mount from Amazon so it fits the receiver hitch front and rear on my F350. Has the wireless remote and the wired remote. Haven't had to use it on the FORD yet 

Do you keep the winch in a truck box or does it live in one of the receivers full time? I don't want to do a full winch bumper for my Ram but this sounds like a good setup.

[300rum]

Do your best to stay away from communist manufactured goods.  Warn makes much better winches you have to watch them too, though.