So I temporarily bolted my trailer winch to the front bumper to load it on the tow dolly. I need to buy a dedicated winch for it, any recommendations?
There is some debate on what the proper winch sizing is. The general rule of thump for straps and attachment points is the break limit should be three times the working load. How that information is listed on the equipment varies. Some state only the break limit, some only the working load, and some both.
So, based on that, you will need to figure out which winch is right for you. Some say an 8 or 9 thousand pound winch is all you need. Some say 12,000 pounds. I haven’t looked that closely at winches yet to say if the load rating listed for winches is the working load or the breaking load. Based on previous conversations, I’m inclined to say it’s the breaking load and I would look for something that meets or exceeds three times the weight of your vehicle.
Part of the reason for that is because if you are stuck in mud, you are not only fighting the linear force of the vehicle weight but the added weight of pulling the vehicle up out of the mud as well as any resistance caused by the mud sucking on the tires as they try to break free. Plus any upward incline there may be. The amount of force needed for that is going to be much higher than a vehicle stuck on a flat, hard surface.
Then there is the consideration of what kind of line to use. Both have their pluses and minuses.
Steel cable/wire rope can cut a person in half if it breaks. Synthetic rope will not, not to say it won’t hurt you.
Steel cable/wire rope is more weather UV resistant but can corrode from the inside out, hiding a potential failure point. Synthetic rope is much more visibly obvious.
Steel cable/wire rope is harder to work with since it will be more stiff and inflexible but tends to be thinner in diameter than synthetic rope.
Steel cable/wire rope is cheaper and easier to get than synthetic rope.
Steel cable/wire rope can have pieces of wire sticking out that can stab or cut your hand. Synthetic rope will not.
Properly maintained, both will serve you well. Both need to be cleaned from time to time and after a messy recovery. There is a protective cable lube out there to help prevent the cable from rusting from the inside out.
Both still need something to keep the line from flying if it breaks and the use of leather gloves.
If my wallet gives me the choice, I would get a 12,000 pound winch with synthetic line. The first compromise would be to get the same rating but with wire rope.
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