W/W or W/o W

[Rebelpride]

If I was planning to buy a 5 ton tractor would I want one with or without a winch. If I was to go offroading is there any situation that I cant get out of w/o a winch? I know the winch has a cool factor and is handy for recovery of self or others but is it a necessity?

 

[Heavysteven]

I love my winch and would never think about getting another truck without one.

Do I need it 99% of the time? No, but one truck pull out fee will pay for it.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Look at it as insurance. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[drgreg]

I want one on my next 5 ton. It seems like alot of winches are tore-up by guys.

 

[wreckerman893]

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

What he said.

 

[greenjeepster]

I say if it isn't going to cost you more with or without than go for it... If it is going to cost you 2 k more go without.

You can get a wrecker to yank you out of a bind 10 times before you will put out 2 K in fees.

If you get your truck stuck 10 times you are either a really slow learner or doing something you shouldn't be.

If you have a load on behind your tractor and get stuck you can forget about using the winch anyway... It is rated for the weight of the truck, not truck and trailer.

Also by the looks of your motor pool; I think you got plenty of other stuff to pull with

 

[BKubu]

RebelPride, if you plan to seriously and frequently off-road, you need a winch...no questions asked. You may not need it, but if you do, it will cost you...either in time or money. With all that said, I have owned dozens of trucks, many with a winch. I have taken many of them trail-riding and have NEVER needed a winch. Some (Kenny?!?! ) would say that I must not be really pushing my truck, then. They might be right. However, I contend that most winches are more ornaments than tools. I usually scope out the cleaner non-winch trucks because your average guy needs the winch for whatever reason. With all that said, prices determines which truck I will get. I always figure that a with winch truck is worth a grand more so bid accordingly. You can either pay at auction or after the fact...and it will run you a grand or so (except afterwards, you will also have labor) to add a winch.

 

[SixSpeed]

RebelPride, if you plan to seriously and frequently off-road, you need a winch...no questions asked.

Absolutely.

I would NEVER go off-roading without either a winch, or some equally large vehicle to pull me out.

 

[reb87]

The winch will pull out more than just the tractor. Read the recovery manual here
http://old.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid=1&fid=file&pid=63
Get some snatch blocks and read the manual

 

[91W350]

Definitely a must for serious off road guys, I would like to have one under the bed too if and when I get my M818. I want a 4x4 with a deuce bed and a large winch at both ends. I never had a 5 ton, but I really would like to own one. On my M715 and my previous M1008, I found I used the rear winch much more than the front one. Dragging loads, winching stumps.. etc... As for off road use, normally when I got stuck, I really needed to go back and find a better path. The rear winches were great for that. They were nice in recovery too, you could use blocks to square up a vehicle while winchng with the front. It wa also very handy to have an easily adjustable anchor line to keep your truck from sliding towards the load. Glen

 

[Rgdl]

What are some good sources for finding a winch for a 5-ton? I assume anything smaller than 20,000 lbs won't really cut it. Does it need to be PTO-driven or would hydraulic suffice?

 

[greenjeepster]

The winch will pull out more than just the tractor. Read the recovery manual here
http://old.steelsoldiers.com/index.php?module=pagesetter&type=file&func=get&tid=1&fid=file&pid=63
Get some snatch blocks and read the manual

How much is the tackle going to cost on top of the price of the winch?

 

[derby]

A winch can be a very handy tool. If You plan on off roading I would get one. I have had to use mine several times. I have a pto driven and a hydraulic. I like the hydraulic better due to ease of use by one operator. You could buy a truck without and add a hydraulic later.

 

[Sephirothq]

If you are going to get a tractor and use it for off roading, it might be better to get some weight over the rear axles. That 5th wheel plate does not weight as much as a cargo bed does. without any weight you don't have traction and your tires will just spin.

Also if you go for super singles that will help improve your traction over the nondirectional tires.

 

[BKubu]

RGDL, what type of 5 ton do you have? The older trucks had PTO driven winches and the later trucks have hydraulic winches (PTO runs hydraulic pump). The latter are fairly rare. They can be found, but the will also cost more. The older style complete winch kit are available for around a grand, possibly a bit more. I would contact Dave Newman at Eastern Surplus or John Winslow in Halifax, NC.

 

[Rgdl]

RGDL, what type of 5 ton do you have? The older trucks had PTO driven winches and the later trucks have hydraulic winches (PTO runs hydraulic pump). The latter are fairly rare. They can be found, but the will also cost more. The older style complete winch kit are available for around a grand, possibly a bit more. I would contact Dave Newman at Eastern Surplus or John Winslow in Halifax, NC.

Thanks Bkubu. It's an M818.

I will contact Dave.

 

[wldrbob]

i wish i could get a pull out here for 200 bucks semie and driver 4hrs 200 plus 3$ loaded mile 80 mile round trip so far 440$ tigercat skidder 250 bucks =690 $ thats in the summer it will be more in the winter if the skidder is being used and needs to take time of the job. this price was pulling out my neghbours tractor .it would have been more if he was in the bush someplace. so a winch on your truck could pay for its self in a few pulls. get a couple of good snatch blocks to.

 

[greenjeepster]

For 250.00 I can have the deuce pulled out and towed home 30 miles.

 

[ranchand]

You should get one w/w and give the winch to me

 

[wldrbob]

not here. 30 miles isnt even to town .from my place its 45 miles one way . and no cell phone service so its a long walk out of the bush . well its 3.5 miles accrost country to the nearest phone from where i cut wood. so ya my winch payed for its self quite a few times. you should realy get one there good fun .