Winches?! Who has one? What do you think?

[Joshua Krueger]

FYI - you can save a lot of money and get this mount. Only catch is you have to move the intercooler but that's just another reason to buy more stuff!
https://www.roughcountry.com/ford-h...AcmMz8PygmvfmHNYz688tJriQj7wlyK4aAsF_EALw_wcB

 

[Ruckus08]

Agree with most of the sentiments so far. My summary: I’ve had winches last 6 vehicles, all Jeeps and Toyota’s. Used them a lot, but only twice to correct my own situation. Almost exclusively to help others or on the farm. The two times I did need it for myself I could have just as easily of used my recovery boards. Most of my Offroad life has been in NorCal including multiple rubicon trips. I’ve only ever had warn winches, 4 different models including zeon...until now. I’ve got a smittybuilt x20 12k with synthetic rope now and it works just fine. Picked up for $450. I could buy new clutch gear like 5 times for price of warn...and I’m guessing I’ll never need to replace anything based on its use thus far. Highly recommend it for what it’s worth.

 

[Dane]

Agree with most of the sentiments so far. My summary: I’ve had winches last 6 vehicles, all Jeeps and Toyota’s. Used them a lot, but only twice to correct my own situation. Almost exclusively to help others or on the farm. The two times I did need it for myself I could have just as easily of used my recovery boards. Most of my Offroad life has been in NorCal including multiple rubicon trips. I’ve only ever had warn winches, 4 different models including zeon...until now. I’ve got a smittybuilt x20 12k with synthetic rope now and it works just fine. Picked up for $450. I could buy new clutch gear like 5 times for price of warn...and I’m guessing I’ll never need to replace anything based on its use thus far. Highly recommend it for what it’s worth.

I've had to replace the brake on the 8K Smittybilt that came with my Jeep - and that winch has been USED. Brake was like $30 bucks and took me like 45 minutes (first time doing it). For a cheap winch they seem to get it done. If it ever actually dies it will get replaced with a Warn, but for sporadic use I'm fine with Smittybilt. I currently have a Tuff Stuff one in the truck simply because a friend had an extra winch, I needed one, and it was a good deal. Kinda slow, but very powerful since it's a 17.5K.

 

[dc1gator]

I'm just not the kind of person to put Volkswagen parts on a Raptor. You will maintain a very clean look using the Swarfworks mount, replace your intercooler, Warn Zeon Platinum with Baja lights attached to the Swarfworks mount and make sure, I'll say that again, make sure that you put a Warn drum light on. Otherwise you can not see the synhetic rope spooling. Expensive? Definitely but you have the best 4X4 truck in existence so why put the cheap stuff on it?

 

[04Ram2500Hemi]

I agree and figured if I really needed to use a winch... make someone ahead of me go, ha ha

My wife thinks I only have 3 guns

@waveslayer - "My wife thinks I only have 3 guns" - That's freaking hysterical!!!!

 

[Icecobra]

I've owned so many including warn smitty built super winch mile marker Ramsey etc. They all worked did what was expected and never left me stranded. I had gen 1 added front and rear reciever hitch winch. You never know or when sh it will go wrong. Proper training how to use the winch with the proper accessories is they key to using a winch. They all perform if you use them correctly. Safety is no accident. Death is permanent usually so dont just think bolt it on and head for trouble your winch will save you. Always off road with a buddy vehicle and come home safe.

 

[TurboTJ]

I really want a winch but relocating the intercooler and maybe adaptive CC makes me worry about AC/radiator/tranny cooler airflow. This will likely also make warranty claims harder “that intercooler blocked your tranny cooler which made your tranny fail”. Just speculation though

If this were a reliable simple truck, I wouldn’t give a shit about the warranty but I’m on Raptor 2 in 14 months and don’t want to pay for Ford to troubleshoot their own design shortcomings so I’m stuck keeping them happy.

As a result, I’m planning to buy a hitch mounted winch. Then I can transfer it to my next Raptor without issue.

 

[Stitch1618]

HI - did just that - Swarfworks - Addictive DD - and WARN ZEON Platinum with Factor 55- BD Lights- LOVE it!
Self installed. IF you have specific questions - let me know.

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[TrewRaptor]

HI - did just that - Swarfworks - Addictive DD - and WARN ZEON Platinum with Factor 55- BD Lights- LOVE it!
Self installed. IF you have specific questions - let me know.

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Any noticeable nose drop or changes to the front suspension? looks great.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I'm just not the kind of person to put Volkswagen parts on a Raptor. You will maintain a very clean look using the Swarfworks mount, replace your intercooler, Warn Zeon Platinum with Baja lights attached to the Swarfworks mount and make sure, I'll say that again, make sure that you put a Warn drum light on. Otherwise you can not see the synhetic rope spooling. Expensive? Definitely but you have the best 4X4 truck in existence so why put the cheap stuff on it?

Sure would like to see pics of this setup.


To the OP, here are some good threads.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to.../&share_tid=5524&share_fid=17668&share_type=t


https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...&share_tid=28620&share_fid=17668&share_type=t





@Yukon Joe