Car Hauler Winch

FaSSt9602

FaSSt9602

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Jun 6, 2006
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Hey guys,

I am looking to add a winch to my 20ft dovetail car hauler for the day when I pick up a non running project or have a bad day at the track with the car, but I am not sure what size I might need.

Obvioisly it is going to be rolling weight, so I can't imagine that I would need anything crazy big. Also, the thing won't be used more than a couple times a year so I don't want to buy a $1000 warn or ramsey winch. Anyone have a good idea on the size/make/model I might need cover me with say a 4800lb car?

TIA.
Troy
 
ALWAYS get more winch than you need. I'd look at MileMarker.
 
Sams Club has had some champion 7500# for around $300. Ive got one and its been pretty good. It was enough to pull my 17,000lb duce up on the trailer.
 
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I agree the Champion from Costco is a good winch for the money. A buddy of mine tortures his on a regular basis, logging.
 
checked Costco On-Line and only found the Mile-Marker 8000 for 389.00?
 
Thanks guys...

I am going to have to check that out. Need to pick myself up a chep toolbox to mount on the trailer too to house the winch and all my straps/junk.

Troy
 
For "emergency" use in your situation, we got an El Cheapo brand from Harbor Freight. It is not bolted to the trailer (hook it around the trailer jack base), will work off of trailer pigtail power, and will pull a 6000lb vehicle onto a trailer. It weighs perhaps 40lb and fits in a standard small toolbox.

The Costco Champion should be bolted to something, needs more power than a trailer pigtail will support, and weighs about 70lb. It will tear off the handle of a standard toolbox.

I have both. One is for mounting, the other is for portable emergencies.
 
Hmmm..

What would be required to mount something like the Costco unit for power? I was going to mount the toolbox on the front of the trailer and mount the winch inside with the guides cut into the side of the box...

What would I need for power? Add a battery on the trailer?

If I went with the harbor freight cheapo, what is the rating on them?

Troy
 
quick connect cables would work VERY well on anything. And, if you swap winches the cables remain.

Don't worry about ratings if you're worried about $$...... Penny wise and dollar stupid just doesn't work.
 
McRat said:
For "emergency" use in your situation, we got an El Cheapo brand from Harbor Freight. It is not bolted to the trailer (hook it around the trailer jack base), will work off of trailer pigtail power, and will pull a 6000lb vehicle onto a trailer. It weighs perhaps 40lb and fits in a standard small toolbox.
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Is this the one that you are talking about McRat?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43331

I think that I may just go the costco route and run a dedicated quick-connect power line for the winch. I would think I could find something that could mount next the the trailer pigtail... :aiwebs_013: Anyone know of something?

Troy
 
FaSSt9602 said:
Is this the one that you are talking about McRat?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=43331

I think that I may just go the costco route and run a dedicated quick-connect power line for the winch. I would think I could find something that could mount next the the trailer pigtail... :aiwebs_013: Anyone know of something?

Troy
Click to expand...

Yes. Look at that steel plate with it. It will hook onto many different things.

It will pull a diesel pickup up onto a trailer. Barely. We have been using it for a couple of years and it still works.

The Costco/Champion unit will be permanently mounted in the new trailer, but we will still carry the ElCheapo in case someone needs help or the big winch fails.
 
Oh, the El Cheapo can be used manually with no power.

If you have lots of time on your hand.

And you like arm-wrestling gorillas as a hobby.
 
Go by your local alternator/starter shop and ask about a set of Battery quick connects, they are made in 50-500AMP ratings so just match them up with your winch load ratings and you will be good to go.
 
I've got a harbor freight 10K lb. winch that I use on my Super Duty, Rock Cralwer, and the trailer, that's mounted on a hitch mounted base, and I have a reciever tube welded to my trailer...... works great!!! (obviously) I've drug a truck up onto my trailer (that didn't roll) without a problem. I am now goin to permanately mount it to my crawler and get a 6K for the trailer/f-250

--Ryan
 
always get more then you need. The big guys got a name for a reason cheap is cheap. You never know when something will be locked, in mud, want to drag something else home, bigger is better.
 
I would buy a used warn xd 9000, 8274, 9500, m 8000, or just about any other warn before a new cheapo winch. Seach your local offroad forums and see what you can find. Normally get a nice used warn for 200-400 range.
 
Well again guys, this is just for the car hauler. I am thinking of some way to fab a receiver onto the trailer in order to have the ability IF I want to to use it on my truck, but I would rather just get a good one to mount on the truck. The one for the trailer will be used maybe twice a year at this point, unless my buddies find out that I have a car hauler and winch....lol
 
How is the M8000?? I got one at the local farm store minus the relay box. Where is a good source for the relay box?
 
FaSSt9602 said:
Well again guys, this is just for the car hauler. I am thinking of some way to fab a receiver onto the trailer in order to have the ability IF I want to to use it on my truck, but I would rather just get a good one to mount on the truck. The one for the trailer will be used maybe twice a year at this point, unless my buddies find out that I have a car hauler and winch....lol
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That is the big problem! :D

Never let anyone know you have a trailer or a pickup, or your weekends will be booked up solid by those who don't.:bang

Some of these guys are getting away from what's up with a car trailer. You can use a hand crank boat winch for cripes sake! It takes perhaps 500lb of force to load a dead car onto a trailer, and 4 large guys can do it. You are NOT pulling a 4x4 up to it's axles in mud back to shore or removing tree stumps from your land. 8000lb??? You can tear a typical racecar in half with that SOB.

If you are putting a winch on your truck, get a serious winch. It takes alot to unstick a diesel pickup. But you do not need a monster for racecar duties. It's just less money you have for other things, and more weight to haul to the track.
 
McRat said:
That is the big problem! :D

Never let anyone know you have a trailer or a pickup, or your weekends will be booked up solid by those who don't.:bang
Click to expand...
That would be the reason my trailer will be goin byby. It was used more by other people than me.
 
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