Rear winch advice needed

[SkiBum1]

I am thinking of ordering the Red winch rear trailer hitch winch from the UK. Red winches are the Ineos factory integrated winch you would get from the dealer. Long story short, I don’t order the integrated winch, have a great from light bar set up and don’t want to muck with my front bumper. So Red winches has a new rear option you install whenever you need it. Seems like a good idea and I just leave it at home when I am driving to work or day to day.

Anyone have an opinion on this? It is a 5 week lead time for their new trailer hitch cradle for the ineos that also allows you to pep the rear doors with it on.

 

[anand]

A handful of companies make hitch mounted cradles for winches (and nearly every winch uses the 10"x4.5" mounting footprint).

A rear winch, while great in theory, is rarely actually put into use. Of course, you'll see large expedition trucks running them (mostly for symmetry in appearance or a "just in case" because on a 17,000lb or larger vehicle another 120lbs for a winch and mounting isn't going to make a difference).

Unfortunately, a hitch mounted winch will decrease the departure angle (I would imagine notably so, but can't be sure without seeing/measuring it), which means that if you aren't careful while wheeling with it on, you risk damaging it. If the plan is to only put it on after you're stuck, that may work, but probably not so well if you're sunken into anything (water or mud), and only if backwards is the way you want to go. I understand that with some creativity and enough winch extensions, you can make backwards be forwards, but...

Is it better than no winch? Probably. Is it actually going to be useful? That really depends on your particular use case.

 

[SkiBum1]

A handful of companies make hitch mounted cradles for winches (and nearly every winch uses the 10"x4.5" mounting footprint).

A rear winch, while great in theory, is rarely actually put into use. Of course, you'll see large expedition trucks running them (mostly for symmetry in appearance or a "just in case" because on a 17,000lb or larger vehicle another 120lbs for a winch and mounting isn't going to make a difference).

Unfortunately, a hitch mounted winch will decrease the departure angle (I would imagine notably so, but can't be sure without seeing/measuring it), which means that if you aren't careful while wheeling with it on, you risk damaging it. If the plan is to only put it on after you're stuck, that may work, but probably not so well if you're sunken into anything (water or mud), and only if backwards is the way you want to go. I understand that with some creativity and enough winch extensions, you can make backwards be forwards, but...

Is it better than no winch? Probably. Is it actually going to be useful? That really depends on your particular use case.

That is really a lot to think about. I think you are correct, but my big issue is the cost to fit a new front bumper mid section and a winch and redo my front spot lights Just just sure what to do that is cost effective.

 

[DenisM]

I am thinking of ordering the Red winch rear trailer hitch winch from the UK. Red winches are the Ineos factory integrated winch you would get from the dealer. Long story short, I don’t order the integrated winch, have a great from light bar set up and don’t want to muck with my front bumper. So Red winches has a new rear option you install whenever you need it. Seems like a good idea and I just leave it at home when I am driving to work or day to day.

Anyone have an opinion on this? It is a 5 week lead time for their new trailer hitch cradle for the ineos that also allows you to pep the rear doors with it on.

I have a winch sitting forlornly in its original packing for the past several years and I thought "at last!!" I'll get a cradle and mount it in the front and/ or rear tow hitch for "special occasions". The front tow plate option is out of the question on advice from Ineos. So I asked myself
"Have I ever been in a situation where I required a rear winch?... ".....
It can't easily be used if towing a trailer or caravan, it's probably around 60+lbs of "metal" (winch + cradle) to secure safely in the cabin, unless I decide to mount it semi-permanently on the tow hitch for the duration of the trip....
I'm not 40 something any more and the thought of physically lugging it around "just in case"...ain't gunna happen...
So in its box in the cupboard in my study it sits waiting to break free! The led light on the wireless remote was useful recently when the power was off for a couple hours!
Just my 2 cents worth..

 

[MattA]

IMO a cradle mount removable winch is great in theory, in practice no good unless you’re young and strong enough to cart around 30kg in the conditions where it would be needed
Steep and slippery conditions where you have to winch backwards are not going to good for setting up a removable winch

 

[parb]

I have a warn battery operated winch. Bought it a long time ago when I really couldn't justify the expense of a winch (read money was tight).
I've used it so little. Almost never. Got a front winch which I've used more than I thought on my other off-road vehicle.

Just installed the GP factor hidden winch. Super happy with it. Hopefully I get to test it this weekend.