X-Bull 13.5 Winch

[Jim Oaks]

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I just came across this winch a few days while browsing Amazon. I love how the hook tucks into the fairlead and is held in place with a magnet. I've also been wanting a winch with a synthetic cable instead of the steel. This thing is $463 which doesn't seem bad for a 13.5K winch with these features. In 2000 I felt lucky to find a Warn XD9000i for $500. Seems kind of crazy to me that you can still buy winches for under $500 25-years later. This would be awesome on the front of TRS-3. TRS-3 has a 9.5K winch, but I feel like these bigger Rangers should have at least a 10K. CHECK IT OUT.


Here's a 13K for $399. I think they all come with a wired AND wireless winch. CHECK IT OUT.

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They have this 10K winch with a synthetic rope for $335, but it doesn't have that cool fairlead & hook setup. CHECK IT OUT.

I'm seriously thinking about getting one of these 13.5K winches for TRS-3 and taking the Smittybilt 9.5K and mounting it on a receiver so I can stick it on the back of TRS-2 or TRS-3.

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[85_Ranger4x4]

IIRC @Uncle Gump has one.

 

[Jim Oaks]

IIRC @Uncle Gump has one.

Oh, I have to get one now!!

 

[Robert Mangrum]

I know several.people who run the Xbulls. Brian ran that one on his 19 Ranger. It didn't come with that fancy fairhead but I am almost certain it was a 12k. They change so much daily. I want to upgrade my winch. Suspension is gonna be first. I'm hoping to get either the Eibachs or Bilstien before our Vagabond trip.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Oh, I have to get one now!!

My last feeling i have is now bruised a bit...

I did buy an X Bull... I bought the 10k version. I was going to buy that 13.5k X Bull... but the other was on sale cheap. I had lots to buy and cheaper made better financial sense in the moment.

 

[Robert Mangrum]

My last feeling i have is now bruised a bit...

I did buy an X Bull... I bought the 10k version. I was going to buy that 13.5k X Bull... but the other was on sale cheap. I had lots to buy and cheaper made better financial sense in the moment.

I've been using a Chinese Zesuper 10k for about 3 years now. You jut for to remember to run it 45 seconds on and at least 30 seconds rest. It says it's got like a 10 min duty cycle. But I find it hard to.trust that. I was gonna get the X Bull 10k but after the winch tray I had to find something cheaper. It was less than 300 on sale.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’ve been thinking of getting some 12k or larger winches as money permits with synthetic line.

I still have and use the MileMarker 8k that TRS did a bulk buy of way back when. It sat for a few years in my shed, then I built a mobile mount for it that sat for a couple years until I really kinda needed a winch and it got put on the front hitch of my F-150 where it has lived for the past few years. Now that I have it hanging on there, I find myself putting it to use more frequently. I’ve also discovered that an 8k is really not a lot of winch for a truck. Best to have a snatch block handy with one of those.

 

[Jim Oaks]

My last feeling i have is now bruised a bit...

I meant it as a positive, not a negative.

 

[Blmpkn]

What's the rule of thumb for winches again? 2.5x what the rig weighs?

 

[Robert Mangrum]

What's the rule of thumb for winches again? 2.5x what the rig weighs?

I've always herd 2x but to be honest. I'm pretty sure my truck weighs more than 5k lbs.

 

[Blmpkn]

I've always herd 2x but to be honest. I'm pretty sure my truck weighs more than 5k lbs.

Oh shit yeah... IIRC the last time I took scrap back in my '21 the scale read like 5200lbs on my way out of the yard.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I've always herd 2x but to be honest. I'm pretty sure my truck weighs more than 5k lbs.

Mine weighs 5k... with the Skamper in it.

 

[Robert Mangrum]

Mine weighs 5k... with the Skamper in it.

With the sliders and winch tray over sizes tires and all my gear. I bet mine is well over 6k now. It was right at 4900 when I dripped a load a the dump. But it was on 32s with no add-ons back then. I really want to upgrade to a 12k soon.

 

[sgtsandman]

Yeah, don't forget about all the junk loaded in the vehicle for a trip. Use that number rather than the empty weight of the truck as the measurement to work off of. Sure there is a margin of error built into the spec of the winch but the added weight is eating into that safety factor.

 

[sgtsandman]

I've been using a Chinese Zesuper 10k for about 3 years now. You jut for to remember to run it 45 seconds on and at least 30 seconds rest. It says it's got like a 10 min duty cycle. But I find it hard to.trust that. I was gonna get the X Bull 10k but after the winch tray I had to find something cheaper. It was less than 300 on sale.

All the overlanders follow advocate short pulls with a cool off period, regardless of the winch brand.