I was shopping around for winches and found some very different prices, just thought that i'd share them with you guys, the sites are listed. i'm still in the planning stages and would need a custom bumper first:wave: so if anyone makes one i would certainly like one.

 

Warn M6000 622 Truckperformance 569 4wheelparts

 

Warn M6000SD 611 Truckperformance

 

Warn M8000 500 4wheelparts

 

Ramsey PatriotProfile6000 643 truckperformance

 

 

Ramsey REP 8000E 400 ntwonline

 

Ramsey REP 6000 652 truckperformance

 

Mile Marker E8000 450 4wheelparts 400 ntwonline

 

Milemarker E9000 450 4wheelparts 400 ntwonline

 

I'm looking at the milemarker E9000 or the warn M8000 although i need to do some more research still, if you have had good luck with any particular brand or have preferences, or, like Qman have used them on a subaru, let me know what you think

Haven't used one on a roo, but the warn winch on my 4 wheeler is about bulletproof. It has done some amazing stuff.

Check out the weight of some of those you listed. 60+ pounds is a lot of baggage.

Yea on average they were between 65 and 75 so my theory was to get a setup like qman has and have a nice steel bumper with a 2 inch reciever hitch so that i can take it off and stow it in the back. but the downside to that is that the bumper adds weight as well so its a vicious cycle.

Noah, 6K and 8K are way overkill. Mine is a 4500 Superwinch. It hauled a very heavy Pepe up some knarly terrain without complaint. I use a snatch block and am very happy with the results. The weight is much less than those winches you listed. You can find them on the net(Ebay) for much less. I think I paid $300 or a little more. Add to that the ATV winch plate that I also bought on EBay. I don't remember the price but it was probably under $40.00.

 

Just my opinion but you know that weight is not the Subaru's friend.

 

Ken

I make off-road bumpers for Subarus(and anything for that mater;) ). I could make it with a winch mount built in, or a recever. Just shoot me an E-mail if U are interested.

As for the winch it's self, I am with Q-man on this one, all U need is a 4000# to 6000# at the BIGEST. And then U aren't halling around a bunch of extra weight for no reason;)

I ordered one of those #2000 ones from Harbor freight for $49.

I'm hoping to get at least two uses out of it before it brakes. But for the price/size/weight, I couldn't pass it up.

 

http://usmb.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7755&highlight=harbor+freight

 

Glenn

82 Summer

01 Forester

I was wondering what the minimum line pull i would want i was going with the vehicle weight *25% but yea even 6000 is overkill, but for 400 a 9000 is not too bad, i didn't even think about ebay, probably should have, i'll check that out, but yea 4500 seems a bit more reasonable.

 

Do you find the extra battery critical?(Qman), i have an optima and that seems fine for the lights i was hoping to be able to stick with one battery but if i'm gonna do this i'm gonna do it right.

I went to Harbor Freight because they claimed to have that 2000lb unit in stock. Well it turned out that what they had was the bogus portable/boat trailer style. But they did have a 1500lb winch that looked just like the 2000 and 3000lb winches. Looking at the 1500lb unit I was actually impressed, it looked to be decent. It had servicable brushes and seemed resonably well made. My big concern is that it wasn't all that heavy, which has me thinking the motor windings might be cheezy. Anyhow, for $50 you can't go too far wrong (unless the cable snaps and rips yer head off.) I actaully ordered the 3000lb unit. I'll probably regret it but I felt like gambling and haven't cussed at China enough yet.

Question for Qman: Did you find a cheap source for power connectors and cable? Most places selling winch stuff charge insane prices for this stuff, that's why I ask.

the next question is what are the acessories i will need, if i put it on a hitch reciever plate i'll need that, but as far as snatch blocks, tree saver straps, chains and such, Qman, again i turn humbly to you, what do you carry in your winch kit?

Good lether gloves, 2 pully blocks, tree-saver, an extra 30'-60' of line or straps, 2 or 3 shakels, and somthing to throw over the winch line while pulling is what I carry.

Your Optima is a top of the line winching batt. and should serve U well. If U go for the smaller winch(4000#-6000#) U shouldn't have a problem with just one batt.

I use two batteries to make sure that I can start the car no matter what happens. My winch runs off the second battery with hard wired plugs front and rear.

 

My kit includes gloves(leather preffered), two tow straps, asst couplers, and a standard warn snatchblock(serious overkill), cable guiding tool, something to throw over the cable. This is for two reasons. One, so that the cable can be seen so someone doesn't trip or hang themselves. And to aid in slowing the cable if it should break.

 

Mike, the connectors can be had reasonable cheap through National parts chains. I used the larger ones because they handle more load. With the long wire run to the back of the Brat I didn't want the connection to solder itself.

I looked up prices for the superwinch S4500, the prices were as low as 350 for a hawse fairlead and the base for a roller was 400, the highest for the exact same winch at a different site was over 650!! it pays to shop around. the cheaper ones even came with free shipping

There are two s4500 winches on Ebay, one is brand new 250 starting bid, the other was used "twice" one day left 201, so my question is pony up for the new one or the "twice" used is probably ok

Go for the first one and if you don't get it go for the second. Hopefully you'll get all the paperwork and warranty info.

Qman? I don't want to hijack the thread, but do you know anything about the winch that came on that a-bar I bought from you? It looks like one of the lighter winches from Harbor Freight.

 

One of the reasons I snagged the a-bar was the prices I was seeing for new 2,000 and 3,000 pound winches I needed the skid plate anyway and the a-bar (almost got a deer on the N. Fork of the Snoqualmie) and the winch was a bonus even if it is a fifteen hundred pounder...

i've been scoping the winches between 4500 to 6000lbs. i figure with the 6000 i might want to be careful. cause you might see photo's of little roo hanging over a cliff as i make a short cut on a trail or be making my own trail in AZ. you never know. so i think i've been settling on the 4500. except i like the idea of having 100ft of line versus 50 ft.

still just contemplating it though.

8 more hours and i'll have a superwinch S4500!! provided that no one outbids me, but if you do no hard feelings, you want what you want.