Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Guys, my old man is going to buy me a hand winch for my birthday/xmas. Now he is a fussy bastard and won't buy crap and I'll put in if necessary. He has seen a couple but they are only rated to 1600kg, fine for my sierra but not good enough for the cruiser. Won't be used that often but more for insurance purposes, that and the fact I had to walk out of the forest and be ferried home by Daddy to fetch the cruiser when I got the Sierra stuck.

Where would give the best deal and which winch should we go for. I will only consider stuff that is NATA approved and lifting capable. Won't be lifting with it but when a 40G truck is on the other end I'm not playing games.

aldi was selling a 1600kg hand winch for $300 or something in a plastic case........

they are all pretty much the same design just different colors from what I can see......

If real worried about the cruiser I hear Warn make a nice leccy winch to hang off the front of it....

One of the reviews I saw on them, the genuine Tirfor (which I have) required 44 full pumps per metre, the Big Haul or Magnum only 41 pumps per metre. So that's another thing to consider, when even 41 pumps is flamin hard work, if you had to pull yourself more than half a dozen metres, the extra 3 pumps per metre will start to add up and feel like a thousand extra (I had to pull myself about 6 metres up hill with all 4 wheels hanging into ruts and just sliding on her diffs. It WAS NOT a fun job.

I paid around $500 for the Tirfor (IIRC) but that was as a full set with gloves shackles, blocks, etc.
The Big Hauls are around $400 last time I looked.

woul dbe interesting to see a comparo between the weights nessecary to pump the handles between the big hual and the tirfor .. if the tirfor is 44 pumps V 41 pumps but takes 5Kg less effort per pump ... then the extra couple of pumps my well be worth it .. ( Like using 1st instead of 2nd gear)

I use the 1600kg Big Haul and would suspect it is generally cheaper than a Tirfor.

I certainly rang around before buying the big haul and it was the best value for money and a good quality winch.

Got a good deal from the local 4BY shop in the end that decided what unit I would buy.

Cheers Struth

I had a Black Rat one a while back. I couldn't fault it, even dragged a mates Defender out of a mud bog with the handbrake on (he's dead now)

just cruizin' wrote:He has seen a couple but they are only rated to 1600kg, fine for my sierra but not good enough for the cruiser.

The ratings are for LIFTING, not PULLING - so 1600kg is find for a landbruiser unless you want to lift it off the ground. I have an Anchor brand (I don't think it is made anymore) which I am happy with - it is a direct copy of the tirfor.

One of the reviews I saw on them, the genuine Tirfor (which I have) required 44 full pumps per metre, the Big Haul or Magnum only 41 pumps per metre.

Enzookiel - this means the tirfor has a lower ratio - which is BETTER because it means you can pull more weight with the same effort on the lever.

this isnt really helpful but i couldnt help myself, you ask where can i get a GOOD handwinch? is there such a thing? they are all such hardwork

As a rigger I have used Tirfor hand winches many, many times to both pull, lift, and hold some incredible loads. And i cannot fault it, and have never seen one or heard of one fail (winch, not rope or swages, etc)

I am led to beleive that the other brands are just as good, and probably are. But from personal experience i can only comment on the Tirfor.

IMHO i find the 44pulls V 40pulls or wotever to be a load of shite. Sometimes these magazine blokes should just go back to pulling what they pull best.

GQ Bear wrote:As a rigger I have used Tirfor hand winches many, many times to both pull, lift, and hold some incredible loads. And i cannot fault it, and have never seen one or heard of one fail (winch, not rope or swages, etc)

I am led to beleive that the other brands are just as good, and probably are. But from personal experience i can only comment on the Tirfor.

IMHO i find the 44pulls V 40pulls or wotever to be a load of shite. Sometimes these magazine blokes should just go back to pulling what they pull best.

what do they pull best?

Shadow wrote:

GQ Bear wrote:As a rigger I have used Tirfor hand winches many, many times to both pull, lift, and hold some incredible loads. And i cannot fault it, and have never seen one or heard of one fail (winch, not rope or swages, etc)

I am led to beleive that the other brands are just as good, and probably are. But from personal experience i can only comment on the Tirfor.

IMHO i find the 44pulls V 40pulls or wotever to be a load of shite. Sometimes these magazine blokes should just go back to pulling what they pull best.

what do they pull best?

I think he was referring to an 'Axel Whitehead'

(That is what it will be known as from now)

Madmac wrote:this isnt really helpful but i couldnt help myself, you ask where can i get a GOOD handwinch? is there such a thing? they are all such hardwork

Hardwork yes but they get the job done better then being stuck and walking for a few hours and then leaving a vehicle in the bush unattended. The arguement for electric winches will be lost on me for the cost of two winches for two vehicles and two winch bars let alone carrying all that weight all the time for little use. Plus then I can pull back and sideways as well.

ISUZUROVER wrote:

just cruizin' wrote:He has seen a couple but they are only rated to 1600kg, fine for my sierra but not good enough for the cruiser.

The ratings are for LIFTING, not PULLING - so 1600kg is find for a landbruiser unless you want to lift it off the ground. I have an Anchor brand (I don't think it is made anymore) which I am happy with - it is a direct copy of the tirfor.

The ones I've seen rated for 1600kg lift are also rated for 2500kg pull, my cruiser would be right on the limit if not over and I'd rather keep a little up my sleeve, I know they have safety margins built in but rateings are there for a reason. I know I could use a block but guys are talking about 3 extra pumps being an issue let alone an extra 40 odd.

You said the CHEAPEST place, don't know where that is, but if ur interested in a secondhand one, i've got one for a good price. Only been used once to test it out.

Magnum brand, same as all the others i think.

have a look here

http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum/show ... hp?t=20639

just cruizin' wrote:
The ones I've seen rated for 1600kg lift are also rated for 2500kg pull, my cruiser would be right on the limit if not over and I'd rather keep a little up my sleeve, I know they have safety margins built in but rateings are there for a reason. I know I could use a block but guys are talking about 3 extra pumps being an issue let alone an extra 40 odd.

Your cruiser may WEIGH 2500kg but it doesn't take that much effort to PULL it. I have recovered a couple of 2000kg land rovers with a tirfor and my anchor and they have both worked fine.