Just so yall know, we use 9k plus on little samurai's and Jeeps. 9k isn't much.

For our trucks, I wouldn't want anything less then 12k. Warn's 16.5 would be the best bet IMO. Just saying. With a winch, always better to go overkill. general rule of thumb, double your trucks total weight, and go with the next bigger size winch. 5k truck = 12k winch IMO.

Warn is great, but plenty of good companies out there.

just my 2 cents

 

My uncle has the warn power house (winch/air compressor) on his dodge. We installed a front reciever hitch and wired it all up. Its a pretty neat setup because he can run it in the front and rear. He usually keeps it in his bed secured.

 

Thats a nice winch !

If he is handy with metal, you can make a little brake, much like a reciever. Then you put the winch in the "bed reciever" you made, and put a pin through it, and its secured. Seen some rigs run a setup like that, to keep it from bouncing around when wheeling, or flying at you when rolling ! I'll see if I can dig up some pics.

 

Everyone realizes that a winch rating is the line rating. an 8k rating and a 12k rating might have same motor just different grade of winch line

 

Yes.... and no.

A winch's rating is mostly determined by its line, its motor, and its gear ratio. But the line rating doesn't = the winch rating. Different motors and planetary gear sets are used. The line rating might just be the most curcial part of the equation.

That rating given is the actual amount of force the winch MOTOR can produce in a pull using the first layer of line. So, to get this number, you need to spool out ALL of your cable. Just FYI. Thats where they get the number. If I bought an 8k winch, and it came with an 8k rated line, I'd be beyond pissed. It better be 2x or more then the rating the winch gets. This is because, by using a simple winching tool, like a ****** block, you double your motors effective pulling power.

Many things are considered when giving a winch rating. Line rating is one, along with gear ratio of the winch itself, line speed, and which layer of cable you are using, not to mention the actual winch motor itself. Just to clear it up a little bit.