Towing/Recovery winches,chains,straps,shackles,D-rings

[jeepasaurusrex]

I have a Warn 8274 (8,000lb) on the front of my CJ7. Best winch ever made by Warn. Fastest line speed also.

[Sportfury]

I use a simpson capstan winch, a couple blocks and a hank of rope. the beauty is the winch goes from a chainsaw to a winch in 2 minutes, weighs 10 pounds and can pull an unlimited distance. the rope seems to be the limiting factor. I use rope that has a 4k wll and add a block to get fancy. I am amazed everytime I use it.

I checked out that capstan winch and it looks pretty awesome http://www.simpsonwinchinc.com/. That is exactly what I needed last year when I got stuck down in the bottom of a canyon while chukar hunting. I want one!

[addicted]

my uncle uses something like that for pulling out elk. 

[addicted]

So what happens when you go past an electric whinches capacity?

Does it simply stop and start burning windings or is there more serious damage?

Lets say, a 2500lb winch and a 3600lb cherokee. i'm not looking to climb trees or anything.

[ICEMAN]

You can multiply the pulling force of a winch with a block, plus you can often use available traction and pulling force of the vehicle in conjunction with the winch. Your winch may only need to provide a bit of assistance to get you out...

[jeepasaurusrex]

A good rule of thumb for selecting a winch is 1.5 times the weight of the of the vehicle. One thing to consider, if your stuck in the mud, the suction from the mud will not allow you to pull your vehicle out with a sub standard winch. Go with a 8,000lb capacity winch (min.) and get it over with. I've used mine for so many more things than getting unstuck. Game recovery, logging (OK, building a really big camp fire ) stretching fence, etc. There are so many uses.

[high country]

another thing to remember is the electric winches are rated at the single layer, as cable wraps over the next layer....power goes down....as much as 15-20% per layer. with that said you just have to monitor the winch and oce you can't keep your hand on the motor, you need to stop and let it cool. if you are at max load and on a steep hill a worm gear winch will hold you, a planetary, like the re series, or the m and xd series will potentially reverse rotate and let you go backwards. I am pretty sure the 8274 will not allow it to spool out, bu I have never had one that tight.

[jeepasaurusrex]

The 8274 has a ratcheting brake on the side that will hold you. The older model had a drum/style brake that required you to hold it with your hand.

[addicted]

For now, I'm going with a BFC(big fu*&ing chain).  I found a tow hook i can attach to the front, but i'll have to take off my cow catcher that the PO put on there.

then a 2.75 inch lift and 31's in the fall 

[high country]

big chains are nice for snatch block set up or for binding a load on a trailer, but they are way hard on parts when you start tugging on them. I have pulled the bumper right off of a blazer once.....dude was bummed.

[toyman2]

the energy a chain carrys will damage alot of stuff or kill a person, a strap carrys energy also but it has no weight to carry the energy.
a chain is a bad idea it also creats a shock load that is not good for anything and is carryed through out everything including the frame of the truck.
about any Warn winch is good and trustworthy, there is a reason that a cheap winch is priced cheap

[Recurve-Elk]

I use a good strong strap.  I think its rated to 30,000lbs.  Besides that, just drive safely.