I was going to get a hand winch for my truck. I would really like a electric warn winch, but I can`t spend that much! I was looking at a wyeth scott hand winch. Has any one used one of these? What kind do you use?

Here is the Wyeth Scott: https://www.wyeth-scott.com/models.asp

 

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you. I just can't justify to myself to get a Warn at a $1000. Those wyeth-scott winches look pretty damn nice for the price. I just wonder how hard it would be to hand crank a stuck truck through the mud. I might just jump on this and see how it works out.

 

The numbers look good.
All it needs is a piece of four foot pipe to slide over that two foot handle.

 

"Can I use another handle or steel pipe instead of your handle?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT. The use of a cheater bar voids the warranty and puts your life in danger. Our handle (part # P7 and # P7-3) is a calibrated handle and is designed to bend when the unit is overloaded. This is the main safety device of the unit."

 

Correction.
All you need is a two foot piece of pipe to slide over just enough of their handle to move it, yet leave it exposed enough to detect bending the number one safety feature.

If I can crank more than 12,000 lbs with one hand
then a snapped cable would just bounce off my chest anyways.

 

I've used the cheap $40 hand winches from Walmart a few times, and they have always worked fine. At one point I had a Chevy 1/2 ton on 37s pulling on me and my truck wouldn't budge an inch. Hooked up the hand winch and I was out in a couple minutes. If your truck is 4x4, it shouldn't take a whole lot to get you out. In most cases if you're pulled just a few inches you can get out under your own power.

 

They work, and so do you while using them. Used and wore out plenty over the years. Get a good one that pulls on both side of the spool, they last long. Get the biggest one you can afford. General rule of thumb is that mud suction exerts 2 times the weight being pulled - 6,000# truck could need 12,000# pulling to unstick - that is worst case scenario.

If the winch is big enough, you won't need a cheater bar, nor should you use one. You break that cable and all sorts of nasty things can happen!

 

Exactly.
A cheater bar can be made completely safe.
Drill a hole six inches from the end and put a nut/bolt through the hole.
The cheater bar can now grab no more than your naked hand can.

The "too much and our handle bends" safety feature is present.

The only thing you've done is stopped kicking your own azz.

I brought up the possibilty of an extension because from the specs and the picture, the handle appears to be about 17 inches long.

 

I've used them to pull cars on to trailers and they worked fine. I would imagine it would work about the same for a truck that was stuck, though you would probably work your *** off in the process.

 

I once used a 2-ton come-a-long to pull my full-size Dodge up what seemed to be a sand mountain (probably 75' hill). I was wheeling alone (mistake #1), on a weekday (#2), 4wd was busted (#3) and knew my trans was slipping (#4). Lost 1st and 2nd in the valley. Drive didn't have enough power to go forward and reverse couldn't get traction. Got 10' from the top (in 4 hours) and ran out of trees.