Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi All

I've been offered a Thomas electric winch for a good price ($350).

What's the story with these units. I'm not using it for winch comps or anything, just as insurance in case I, or one of the people I'm out with, get in some strife.

I know "Warns are the best" , I'd just like feedback from those who have direct knowledge of this product....or if you'd like to sell me a better winch for $350


Regards

unless you can find a warn for $350, id buy it if you want a winch. i got a thomas 8000 punder, if i could be assed to fit it, i would.

For $350 it's either mates rates, or it's fucked and you are going to be rebuilding it.

Just make sure you check out the internals/controller - otherwise it won't be a $350 winch

Otherwise, who cares, use it, abuse it and throw it away when it breaks - you won't lose a lot of money.

mickyd555 wrote:unless you can find a warn for $350, id buy it if you want a winch. i got a thomas 8000 punder, if i could be assed to fit it, i would.

Have you ever had any problems with it Mick??


Regards

foad wrote:For $350 it's either mates rates, or it's ***** and you are going to be rebuilding it.

Just make sure you check out the internals/controller - otherwise it won't be a $350 winch

Otherwise, who cares, use it, abuse it and throw it away when it breaks - you won't lose a lot of money.

My thoughts exactly........its off an import Safari...seems in good nick..looks good. Is there anything in particular for me to look for, keeping in mind that I don't know sh*t about winches??


Regards

If you do a search on this forum in the tech sections you should find some good information.

You want to open it up and inspect the internals for wear - failing that if its still on the car test it out, listen for any obviously bad noises.

I'd buy it either way, it's a risk but it's one worth taking for that price.

foad wrote:If you do a search on this forum in the tech sections you should find some good information.

You want to open it up and inspect the internals for wear - failing that if its still on the car test it out, listen for any obviously bad noises.

I'd buy it either way, it's a risk but it's one worth taking for that price.

Ta Foad....much appreciated.


Regards

bigbluemav wrote:

mickyd555 wrote:unless you can find a warn for $350, id buy it if you want a winch. i got a thomas 8000 punder, if i could be assed to fit it, i would.

Have you ever had any problems with it Mick??


Regards

ive never actually had it on my truck. i "aquired" it from work one day. ive got no winch cable and i need a new bar to fit it. but when i first got it, i asked around about it. i found out it was a good strong winch, and apparently is mostly used in industry rather than for comps and the like. its actually off a tow truck i think, so it should be able to cop a hiding.

mickyd555 wrote:

bigbluemav wrote:

mickyd555 wrote:unless you can find a warn for $350, id buy it if you want a winch. i got a thomas 8000 punder, if i could be assed to fit it, i would.

Have you ever had any problems with it Mick??


Regards

ive never actually had it on my truck. i "aquired" it from work one day. ive got no winch cable and i need a new bar to fit it. but when i first got it, i asked around about it. i found out it was a good strong winch, and apparently is mostly used in industry rather than for comps and the like. its actually off a tow truck i think, so it should be able to cop a hiding.

Now that's interesting!!! Ta Mick!!

I had one, an EW8000 from memory, had it on the troopy for nearly 20 years, always had plenty of grunt, slower than a Warn but much more heavy duty. Well built, bronze bearings and gears, very strong and reliable
They were made by Thomas Industries in Qld, you could fit a hand crank to them too. I've probably still got the owners manual here somewhere.

hey bigbluemav, i just read ozhumvee's post and remembered a few things. i can put a hand crank on mine, and there in marooka if ya need bits. 2 coin st from memory, but i dont have a phone no.


good luck

ozhumvee wrote:I had one, an EW8000 from memory, had it on the troopy for nearly 20 years, always had plenty of grunt, slower than a Warn but much more heavy duty. Well built, bronze bearings and gears, very strong and reliable
They were made by Thomas Industries in Qld, you could fit a hand crank to them too. I've probably still got the owners manual here somewhere.

Ta Oz

Your positive info is much appreciated!!


Regards

mickyd555 wrote:hey bigbluemav, i just read ozhumvee's post and remembered a few things. i can put a hand crank on mine, and there in marooka if ya need bits. 2 coin st from memory, but i dont have a phone no.


good luck

Ta again Mick!!

This thread has been extremely helpful, ta to all. I'm glad it didn't turn into the usual "buy a Warn buy a Warn" crap.

Much appreciated!!

That's good news - it means there is a good chance you will be able to rebuild it if need be.

Half the reason people cry about "get a warn" is because you know you can get the parts needed to rebuild them if need be.

There are cheap chinese winches on ebay for $600 new, which probably arn't too bad, but would be throwaways when they break unless you can find spares for them.

ok, now im all excited and motivated to put my winch on...........

and now i remember that i have a pic of one mounted on a MQ bar, i kept it for reference, but i have never had any luck with posting pics. ill give it a go though

awesome winches ...... not fast BUT it could be with same mods you would do to a warn ...
there is a lot of support from industrial applications ...... can buy of the shelf hydraulic conversion for it OR can get 24V motor


I have 8000lb front PTO and 8000lb rear electric THOMAS no probs with either
thomas PTO winch load rating is only limited by the shear pin in the drive shaft .... but i dont have one
enough grunt to drag my 45 and a mates 75 troopie outta door handle deep mud at same time

I took the shear pin out of my thomas pto too and have been wondering was this a good move... Im wondering what the load rating is without one and am scared to push it too hard incase of major damage. ToyTruck.. how hard a flogging will they take before destroying them?
thanks..

Something else that I remembered when I saw the photo, if winching at an acute angle to the fairlead you may bend the side roller mounts causing the top one to fall out. an easy cure is to weld a piece of flat bar across the top to tie the two mounts together.
If the winch has a hand crank it comes out the front of the gear casing through one of the blank lumps on the casting.
Uses ATF in the gearbox and 90 grade in the worm.
There are a couple of grease nipples and also an oil cap on the motor (90 grade).
Look after it and strip it down and clean it occasionally and it will last for years .
I do have the manual and installation instructions. pm me with a email addy and I'll scan them.

Peter

Here is the website

http://www.dbeh.com.au/index.php?id=1

i bought my PTO thomas off a guy whos HERO story was that THE winch i was buying off him which was in a shorty40 , had dragged 2 broken patrols up a 40 degree hill ( as dead weight not assisted by the patrols).
i didnt believe a word until i did a simillar thing
i tried snatching my mates troopy out of a mud hole , ended up breaking thru the hard crust . both vehicles bogged down and the winch dragged us out .
At the time my hj45 weighed 2600kgs and the 75 troopie was loaded !
and some thing i shouldnt admit to is using the winch as a snatch strap anchor point

not sure if you have rebuilt one but they are tuff , the dog clutch engages by 3/4 of an inch and its all brass bushes to take the load
gearbox end is 50 to 1 worm reduction doesnt need any braking when you stop winching on a steep hill
electric winches actually have 466 to 1 reduction ( reduction gears in winch to elec motor gearbox)

EDIT: WA dealer "Hydraulic Hoist and Winch" was nice enough to give me break down diagram
P.S. can email full size pic if you PM me

Mine came with the troopy but wasnt hooked up and i had to rebuild the drive shafts, and replace the chain and sprockets that sit behind the winch body...
parts were very hard to come by and cos of this i did some modifications..
anyway the upshot is its a hell of a lot more heavy duty than before but i still have this fear of it going bang one day.

I have an electric thomas and it works really well. Like the others said, it may be slower than a warn but it is very tough and built as "tough as dogs balls".

sambo wrote:I have an electric thomas and it works really well. Like the others said, it may be slower than a warn but it is very tough and built as "tough as dogs balls".

same here, slow but reliable. i give it

sambo wrote:I have an electric thomas and it works really well. Like the others said, it may be slower than a warn but it is very tough and built as "tough as dogs balls".

Can vouch for Sam's- it works really well. It was pulling his rig basically sideways up to the axles in mud!!

Thanks all for the replies.....overall very positive....now I've just got to mount/install it!!!


Regards

Very easy to mount especially on 40 series Tojo's, it just sat on the front chassis rails, the recovery hooks were reattached to the winch frame and it was done.
To fit it to my HJ75 and HZJ75 troopies I made the winch frame into chassis extensions which bolted on to the mounting points at the front of the chassis and then bolted the bullbar to the winch.