Especially since you don't need something serious, just buy a heavy duty manual cable puller and some good steel line, throw them in the trunk and never worry about getting stuck again, and never worry about winching from water, or with a dead/overheating battery. Nor insane costs for bumper/winch combos plus installs.

Or second, mount the winch in the trunk behind the rear seats inside. You dont always have to go forward when you are stuck... and you wont have to worry about theft, rust/exposure to elements on that nice piece of equipment.

 

Can we see a picture of this bumper please?

 

Save your money, sounds like you won't be needing one.

 

Mike, Grand Kodiak --

Yes, I completely agree -- the cost, weight, complexity of going with a winch doesn't make sense for my uses right now.

I do like GK's idea of a manual cable puller. That way I'd at least have "worst-case scenario" coverage for the times when I go offroad. Do you have any specific recommendations, or links to what I'd need to buy? Maybe something like this? http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...9163_200319163

Thanks again,
RedAustinIX (Ed)

 

i think you want to be looking for something twice that size.

That one only have a twenty foot cable and in order the reach the maxium of 5000 lbs you need to double up the cable leaving you ten feet of cable at best. And even at that your truck weights in at more than 5000 lbs.

 

What I'm going to do is fab up a FRONT Trailer hitch adapter/ rock slider. Bolt it between the frame rails and use a Hitch mounted winch... I can move it to the front or the rear.. Keep it safe in the rear with the gear when not needed...

John

 

Here it is...I was recovering a D90 from a mud pit at the time this shot was taken at Conclave 2012 a few weeks ago...

 

a much better idea is a shovel to recover yourself from small mishaps, solid recovery points front and rear, and a strap to allow another vehicle to pull you out without having to borrow theirs and put wear on it

 

Depends on how you anticipate getting stuck. Pulling the truck vertically over say a smooth rock face that you lose grip on a 45 degree slope, 5000lbs will probably be enough. Or if you are stuck in sand or snow bank etc. If you need to pull the truck out of a 3 foot ditch on the side of a collapse dirt road, depending on the angle and if you have someone to help you steer etc, it might be enough. If you are stuck axle deep in mud however? Depends, they say you want at least double the weight of the vehicle to do a difficult recovery like that, where a 6000lbs truck might require 12,000lbs of force to unsuck it from the mud, or pull it vertically OVER a rock on an incline thats jammed up on the transmission or axles? You'll at least need the weight of your truck, plus you'd like some wiggle room for saftey when you consider dynamic forces. A small slip or change in traction or swinging of the truck while the wire is under tension might for a half second dynamically far exceed 5000lbs etc.

But for trail driving and worried about getting stuck on because of a lack of traction issue, say on a dirt incline during a heavy rain storm etc, a manual cable puller of that size would probably be all you need. Its at the very least a cheap, zero maintence backup plan.

And yes double the shovel idea, I have a folding "soldier style" entrenching shovel folded up in the back, along with tow straps, chain puller, duct tape, flairs, water, antifreeze, oil, lots of tools, my old plugs that still work, hatchet, hand saw, electric drill and impact wrench etc I'm a have and not need kinda guy, especially when owning "the most reliable unreliable car in the world" haha. a good jack and a shovel and you can usually get out of most situations. Before my disco I had nothing but rear wheel sports cars, all winter I'd have a shovel and jack, when I got stuck, jack up the rear, shovel out buildup and dump under the stuck tires and you where normally on your way. if not, use the cable puller and pull the car back about 5-10 feet, then try going forward again with more gas and on a slightly different track!


edit: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...1810_200511810

8,000lbs for $50? Probably far more then enough. And PS, youll still want good mounts and a working cable, straps or chain, dont skimp there its realitivly cheap, match or go over the cable pullers max weight for the working end that youd be wrapping around a tree, other truck etc.