Now that we have gone over what rating to select when choosing a winch it is time for installment number 2...
How to know how well it will pull. <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' />
This comes down to several factors:
1. Permanent or Series Wound Motor (I will discuss Electric vs. Hydraulic in another post! <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' />)
2. High HP with Low Gearing vs. Low HP with High Gearing vs. High HP with High Gearing vs. Low HP with Low Gearing
3. Hawse or Roller Fairlead
4. Solenoids or Solid State
So let's begin with #1.
If you want low current draw and lightweight then a permanent magnet motor is the only way to go....as long as the only thing you are putting the winch on is an ATV or UTV!!! <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> These types of motors are great for short pulls or low load pulls however they will not last under the strain of extended winching.
For a Heavy Duty winch application like all Hummers are a Series Wound Motor is the only choice! These motors will be able to easily deal with the strain of extended winching and the high heat and stress loads of severe winching.
#2.
When it comes to winches remember bigger is better and here is where it really counts. Ideally the bigger the numbers the better the winch! What I mean is this, You want the highest horsepower motor and lowest gearing (numerically highest) you can possibly get. Let's think of this in terms that will be easier to understand.
Think of our Hummers, Massive weight that needs to be moved, Either you need a BIG engine with loads of Horsepower and Torque or You gear it to compensate for inadequate power, but if you have power Big Power and Amazing Gearing well then there is no load that will even make your Hummer Break a Sweat!
So you need to look for the Highest HP motor available!
This is where T-MAX is KING!!! <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> T-MAX is the ONLY manufacturer to offer a Massive 6.6hp Series-Wound Motor! <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/ohmy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/ohmy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/ohmy.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' /> This means that most extreme loads simply gets shrugged off without any worry! Milemarker is second in line with a 6.5hp Motor on some models and 4.8hp on almost all the others. Then it goes to Warn (Garbage) with a 4.6hp or less! Older Factory 12000lbs H1 winches had a pathetic 2.5hp motor!!!
When it comes to gearing, you want the lowest gearing possible (numerically high) to keep things moving. Remember the better the gearing the less strain on the motor and the lower the current draw, which leads to less heat and battery drain and longer life of all components in the circuit.
The Best Gearing Goes to T-MAX for Most Models and to Milemarker for Some...so you could say it is a tie...buut either way You Win!!! <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> T-MAX has a 15000lbs. capacity winch with 355:1 gearing which gives it extreme pulling power, Milemarker has a 12000lbs capacity winch with 295:1 gearing. Truly Two Champions of the Winching WARS!!! <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' /> <img src='
http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... >/grin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=';D' />
#3.
This one is less of a factor but still important...Friction. Friction added to an already difficult pull can put the winch load over the top and either fry the winch or worse yet snap a cable!!!
Hawse fairleads simply allow the cable to rub along a tappered steel opening to get the cable to the drum but this causes extreme friction due to metal on metal contact. For a straight line pull this is not a problem but for a severe angle this is a serious problem!
Roller Fairleads run the cable over steel rollers and greatly reduce friction regardless of whether it is a straight line pull or a severe anlge pull. So Roller Fairleads are the desired choice!
Note: whenever possible avoid any angled pulls as this puts extreme strain on the winch, on the winch mount and on the vehicle frame, so avoid it whenever possible. If not possible remember to stop every couple of feet to reposition the cable on the drum as it will pack up on one side and cause 'special' problems!
4. Solenoids SUCK!! They will fail on a fairly common basis due to heat so Solid State Electronics is the only way to go and only T-MAX and Milemarker have them!!! This is one really important feature that most people don't realize how critical this decision is. Normally most winches that use solenoiods have 4 and some have 6 lots of parts to fail when the going gets tough...all it needs is one loose connection and you are dead in the water, example Green Giant with the Warn 16.5ti.
So with the above info here are some winch specs that are good and some that are bad!
Good:
T-MAX 15000lbs
http://www.t-max.com.au/products/atmew15000.html
T-MAX 12500lbs
http://www.t-max.com.au/products/atmew12500.html
Milemarker Tough Series:
http://www.milemarker.com/products/toughseries.html
Middle ground:
T-MAX 10000lbs :
http://www.t-max.com.au/products/atmew10000.html
Mileamarker X-Series VMX8 and VSX9.5:
http://www.milemarker.com/products/xseries.html
Bad:
T-MAX 9000lbs: (Great for an H3 regardless but stay far away from if H2 or H1!!)
http://www.t-max.com.au/products/atmew9000.html
Milemarker V-Series: They are fast but....
http://www.milemarker.com/products/vseries.html
These are just some examples but check out the winch sites and do some research for yourselves and you'll see!!
Hope this helps!
Kev