winch questions

All the RTV winch talk (mounting and such) got me to thinking.
You might recall I was considering changing from R4/Industrial tires to R1/Ag tires. But I decided not to at this point due to the cost. So ... adding a winch to the tractor could be a solution to getting stuck in the mud.

Do all winches come with a remote which would let you operate the winch from the drivers seat of the RTV or Tractor?

What is the ratio of vehicle weight to winch capacity you need in order to yank yourself out of a mud bog?

Any recommendations on what brand is best, or what is the advantage of one brand over the other.

What is the longest cable you can get on a winch? I thinking I would want real real long.

Doc,

Some thoughts/answers

Do all winches come with a remote? Pretty much any winch worth it's salt will have a wired and/or wireless remote. Boat and logging winches are the types I can think of that have the most limited capabilities.

Mud is quite a varying factor. I'd think a winch a 1-2 times the pulling strength of the vehicle weight is a good start. Most of us use a snatch block for doubling power.

Warn and Ramsey are the big 2 names in winches. If your life and vehicle won't depend on it (e.g. you get stuck near home and can let it sit overnight or tow it out with your truck), you can step down a bit in name brand to save some $.

ATV/UTV winches normally come with 50-100'. Larger models you would put on a truck or jeep come with longer lengths. My route is to:
A) Replace the cable with Amsteel rope. It's as strong as the cable but is very light and doesn't have the issues cable does.
B) Get a few of those 20' long, 2" wide 20K# tow straps. I attach those together for extra length with a clevis or shackle.

OK, all that said, I don't care for an ATV/UTV/truck type winch for the tractor. I prefer something more like a boat winch (an example pictured below).

My reasoning:
a) A mounted winch on a tractor always seems to be in the wrong place when you need it.
b) A mounted winch will get snagged on regularly. Think of all the crap that will get into it when brush-hogging.
c) A mounted winch's wires are hard to protect and have a tendency of getting torn out the day before you need the winch.

The picture below is an example (but not exactly the same) as what I use.
That 3-bolt plate in the 7 o'clock position in the picture mounts to the bottom of the winch on the side opposite of where the cable is used. That pear shaped oval is meant to fit over a ball on a drawbar. I find it works pretty nicely on a bucket mounted chain hook as well. Anyway, using that mount (and a chunk of chain if needed to attach to any part of your tractor), you now have a winch you can strap to your tractor to pull it in any direction. An ATV/UTV winch mounted on the front of the tractor sucks if you need to pull backwards.

It's portable. I leave it home until I need it.

Hand-crank capabilities (in case your battery is dead)

If you have a spare battery or are using the truck as your anchor point, you can have the winch away from the tractor (and the mess it's in) and only go to the stuck vehicle with the cable.

They're cheap. About $50 instead of $400. For as infrequently as you need it (I hope), they work fine. Storing it in the shop instead of on the vehicle keeps it in good shape.

Can be used on any vehicle (or elsewhere).

Anyway, that's my opinion and approach. Your mileage (or pulling power) may vary.

Very good info and insights BC. Thanks.

Could you elaborate on snatch block and how to double the strength or power of the winch?

It's basically a 1 pulley version of a block and tackle. By doubling your cable back to you, your speed is cut in half but your pulling strength has doubled.

Can't say it any better then they do.
http://www.warn.com/truck/accessories/snatch_blocks_.shtml

Used properly, the multi-purpose snatch block can double the pulling power of any winch, or change your pulling direction without damaging the wire rope. They also help to reduce heat build up and amp draw.

http://www.trailersrless.com/gas-powered-winches.html.

I've seen stuff similar to this (only much, much bigger) used on utility trucks and in the oilfield. You could do with just the winch half of this rig given that you have a tractor with a hydraulic pump if you are willing to monkey with the hydraulic lines on your bucket over rigging up electrical lines from your battery.
Also +1 on the snatch block. They don't take up much space and they will save your bacon in a pinch. It never hurts to have clevises and 100ft extra winch line in your truck toolbox if you have a need for a snatch block.
Just a thought.

Thanks guys. Just getting back to this.

I priced a 9000i Warn winch. 900+ dollars. Damn. I was not expecting to unload a grand on a winch and hardware.

then I wonder how much the synthetic line would be to replace the steel cable?

I thought this would be a good item to have the wife get me for Christmas. Not now. Way to much for a Christmas gift; dang it.