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A 5000 lb Harbor Freight winch will do the job

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Carlsjeep View Drop Down
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    Posted: 28 Sep. 2012 at 6:22am
PLEASE CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO VIEW THE VIDEO.

If you have any doubt that a 5000 lb winch from Harbor Freight can do the job watch these videos. I forgot my camera does video and I wanted one of me climbing the hill. The first is me backing down a very steep rocky dugway to get a video of me climbing up it. I ran into a rock and dirt wall and caused the driver side rear tire to go flat and was wedged against the wall. I couldn't go up or down.


In this video we rig the winch to pull me out. Since the left rear wheel will not pull the winch is pulling me out. After the winch pulled me about 8 ft up the hill away from the wall and onto some good rocks the Jeep pulled it's self up the hill with the tire flat. I was amazed that the Jeep would pull up the steep grade with a flat tire. The tire was not damaged as best we could tell but I think the tube is shot. I took the tire to a tire shop to have it fixed. I am a firm believer in my 5000 lb winch. It has twice pulled me out of a steep sandy bank by it's self besides this dugway. That's three hard pulls with the winch doing the pulling for at least the length of the Jeep each time. None of these were easy pulls but once the winch got the Jeep moving it lightened up on the load. What surprised me was the Jeep driving about 50 ft up the rough dugway and around the turn on a flat tire.

 


Edited by Carlsjeep - 28 Sep. 2012 at 3:09pm
Life is only as good as you make it.
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plowmb View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote plowmb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2012 at 11:43am
Any winch is better than none.  I have had a 5k winch on my x90 (no real heavy wheeling) and ran 8K winches on my wheeling rigs. I was never wishing I had a smaller winch LOL...    The issue comes when you stick that same jeep in thick deep mud then you will require much more force to get it unstuck.  (I would hope you have a snatch block/pully to double the pulling force) 

The key is to figure out  to use the winch before you get hopelessly stuck.  
Glenn
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Carlsjeep View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Carlsjeep Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2012 at 3:24pm
Yes, I have a snatch block and almost 100 ft of tow straps and several link clevises. The slope was about 30 deg and very rocky with rolling stones. The sand banks in the washes were in excess of 45 deg and the winch pulled the Jeep up and over with no help from the Jeep. 

I believe my winch would pull me out of mud up to the axles with some help from the Jeep. Quick sand would be a real problem though and there are quick sand spots out here.

Someone I met at Mesa Verde told me about Amsteel rope and I will look into that.  I was real impressed with the pulling power of the 5000 lb Harbor Freight winch and just wanted everyone to know it does a fine job. If you can believe it will actually lift 5000 lb then it should be able to lift the Jeep straight up in the air hanging by the cable. l don't know how they rate the pulling power, on a grade or on a flat but I know it pulled my Jeep with little strain. I may put an amp meter on the winch to see what the load is during a hard pull. 
Life is only as good as you make it.
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plowmb View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote plowmb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2012 at 5:38pm
Yes I recommend the Amsteel rope. great product and a few of my friends started using it early when they marketed it for jeeps.  Much safer product.    

And Like I said Any winch you have  is better than the one you are thinking of buying LOL.. (as in the one mounted and able to use is the best at the time)

For most wheelers the cheaper winches work fine and will give plenty of service life.  The key as you posted is the extra's  two or 3 20' looped end tow straps and the screw type clevises. The hook type are dangerous.

another item for handling steel rope is welding gloves. Very nice to have.


Edited by plowmb - 28 Sep. 2012 at 5:45pm
Glenn
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QuebecJeep View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote QuebecJeep Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep. 2012 at 7:50pm
2x the amsteel rope! Everybody should use it.
Please keep the CJ3A alive!
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