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Mon Oct 25, 2010 5:59 pm

I am trying to figure out how much winch I need for my Syncro. I was thinking 8000lbs. The prices vary so wildly I am not sure which one would be best. I dont want to be harbor freighten it at 3 am in the wild with the made in china in my hand. :evil:

Mon Oct 25, 2010 6:01 pm

I prefer the GRIPHOIST a TIRFOR style winch that GOWESTY really has a GREAT price on.. I mean you can't touch their price even on used units on Ebay. I don't know how or where they made the arrangement with ARB for the Magnum handwinch but these are NO COME_ALONG.. they are a true winch, rated for horizontal & verticle loads.
few electric winchs would allow verticle loads in the safety manual/liability instructions.
a BIG plus of the Griphoist style winch is in extraction of a vehicle down a gully or DEEP in a mud hole. you can stand and operate by the anchor point..

there was a great image laden review just a few weeks ago.. I'll search for it.. HERE IT IS-- GRIPHOIST RECOVERY

the griphoist stows under my back bench, it's flat enough that I don't mind the loss of space, and made a false floor to go ontop of it.

like I mentioned in the other thread I have & use regularly a 3/4 ton unit, and it has been VERY satisfactory.. the 5ton is overkill but well that's not bad in recovery gear..

I rate the hilift about as stable as the oem vanagon jack.. I'll use it but on flat ground and with NOONE else nearby.. treat it like a jack with a 4yr old around.. always aware & cautious.

Best

Dan in NY

Mon Oct 25, 2010 7:53 pm

All electric winches are made in China these days. I would say 8000lb would be the minimum. Word from people who sell winches on a daily basis is that the Superwinch brand holds up the best. Hard part on a Syncro is mounting in a way that is strong enough.

Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:05 pm

euromog wrote: Hard part on a Syncro is mounting in a way that is strong enough.
and what is the best way to mount a winch?

Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:10 pm

at very least it should be tied in to the bumper mounts at the frame imagine where you would put the hooks to winch it up a flatbed

Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:22 pm

Quote: it should be tied in to the bumper mounts at the frame imagine where you would put the hooks to winch it up a flatbed
We don't have that on the front of a vanagon. If you wanted to get to the frame rails you would have to burn a hole through the front deformation panel to get to it. Something custom for sure but not a easily bolted on deal.

Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:37 pm

Gary Lee makes a vanagon bolt on winch mount..
His racks and such get great reviews. I'm sure his quality and engineering carry thru.

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/rack/winch/winch.htm

Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:44 pm

I am aware of gary's offering for a winch mount and I am sure that it is adequate.
If I decided that I had the need for a winch I would do some surgery to ensure a super stout attachment point myself.

Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:25 am

syncrodoka wrote: Quote: it should be tied in to the bumper mounts at the frame imagine where you would put the hooks to winch it up a flatbed
We don't have that on the front of a vanagon. If you wanted to get to the frame rails you would have to burn a hole through the front deformation panel to get to it. Something custom for sure but not a easily bolted on deal.

something custom was the point i was trying to make.... i would agree not an easy bolt on affair. what do you call the part of your van the bumper brackets bolt to?

Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:32 am

syncrodoka wrote: I am aware of gary's offering for a winch mount and I am sure that it is adequate.
If I decided that I had the need for a winch I would do some surgery to ensure a super stout attachment point myself. It is pretty dam stout.

Tue Oct 26, 2010 1:00 pm

Not all winches are made in China. Warn winches are still made right here in Clackamas, Oregon. I'm a little biased because I used to work for them designing winches. But just like everything else, you get what you pay for. The patented brake inside the Warn winches is the best in the business by far, and nobody else can touch the performance. Plus, you can send your winch into the service department if you need it rebuilt. Try that with a Harbor Freight winch. For a fully loaded syncro, I would go with a 9000 lb. winch. It may seem like overkill, but its not. You want at least 1.5 times the fully weighted vehicle, but more is better, and the 9k winches don't weigh more or cost that much more than the 8k winches. But everybody is right, mounting is key. Its got to be solid or it will bend the mount or rip itself off. If a winch is your last resort between walking home and driving home, think of it as cheap insurance.

Joe

Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:39 pm

Quote: what do you call the part of your van the bumper brackets bolt to?
Officially it is called the deformation element but I just call it a deformation panel. I wasn't trying to say that you are wrong just simply add to your statement.
If I needed a winch I would burn a hole through it and attach to the frame rails that run the length of the car in a parallel line to the pull of the winch rather than the deformation panel that is perpendicular to the pull.

Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:43 pm

Warn 8274-50 is an excellent choice but hard to install and need cutting in the grille,Otherwise the 9.5xp is compact design and it does have a 6hp motor...Also has the fastest speed in pulling in load...

Tue Oct 26, 2010 3:52 pm

syncrodoka wrote: Quote: what do you call the part of your van the bumper brackets bolt to?
Officially it is called the deformation element but I just call it a deformation panel. I wasn't trying to say that you are wrong just simply add to your statement.
If I needed a winch I would burn a hole through it and attach to the frame rails that run the length of the car in a parallel line to the pull of the winch rather than the deformation panel that is perpendicular to the pull.
When you need a winch it is already to late.

Tue Oct 26, 2010 4:04 pm

Quote: When you need a winch it is already to late.
A tow strap to my back bumper works great. It is a large piece of C-channel and is very stout. :)

Tue Oct 26, 2010 5:17 pm

syncrodoka wrote: Quote: When you need a winch it is already to late.
A tow strap to my back bumper works great. It is a large piece of C-channel and is very stout. :) How will that work if you are the only one there?

Tue Oct 26, 2010 6:20 pm

Quote: How will that work if you are the only one there? If there is nobody there I go old school and break out the shovel, highlift or maxtrax as needed. Not pretty but it gets the job done. :wink:

Tue Oct 26, 2010 7:01 pm

Somebody has no sense of humor...

Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:34 pm

Henning has made a copy of the Jagdwagen winch carrier for the older style steel bumpers.

http://www.syncro-services.com/index_modi_eng.html

Tue Oct 26, 2010 10:15 pm

If you have a receiver hitch on your rear bumper you can mount the winch to that. It would be simpler to mount that way and it would be easily removable.

Most Jeeps and trucks have the winch mounted on the front bumper which is great if you REALLY want to winch yourself through a swamp or over a cliff, but if your main purpose for having a winch is to pull yourself out after getting stuck, the rear is a great place to have the winch.