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Come-Along Winch Suggestions?

3K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  twistedoak 
#1 ·
Had to get pulled out of mud/snow by a local logger this past weekend. He suggested getting a portable come-along winch to keep in my truck. The logger said he used Maasdam brand for pulling trees etc and they make some good ones.

Any suggestions, experiences etc??
 
#8 ·
Hitch mounted winch's are ok.....when you can or need to pull your vehicle out backwards. But when you get stuck.....sometimes backwards is not the way to go. And sometimes forward is not the way to go. I have a woods cart, all electric and with a limited slip in the rear. Sometimes you just get stuck!! I also have a winch on the front, and on the back. Both are Warn 12-V and both do a great job.

Usually, when you get stuck, you need "a little help" as the vehicle will still run and dig into wherever your at. Warn makes a 24-V 1,000-lb pull cordless model. Not cheap.....but when you get stuck......you just want out!!!
 
#9 · (Edited)
Thanks for the info Steeltrap!! I like the versatility of that one!! You're right about that "just wanting out"!! I experienced that first hand on Saturday!! My Mrs told me not to go to camp with all that snow up there....never hearing the end of that!! lol

I'm closely looking at the Maasdam 2-Ton #144SB Pow'R-Pull Cable puller(below). With an xtra recovery strap it would give me the option of various angle pulls vs just frt & back.

 
#16 ·
I'm looking closely at this pic and frankly, I don't like what I see. That "steel" looks pressed from a sheer and when your cranking it manually, if you get in a situation where it twist, I think that "thin" steel is going to twist and then your left with another mess to get out of.

If your going to go with a manual come-a-long, get one that is made of cast metals....if they make 'em.

MHO
 
#10 · (Edited)
I work with rigging all the time
and to be quite honest most cable come alongs are pieces of crap and a PITA to use.
there are one or two somewhat decent ones out there but they are as big or bigger then chain come alongs and almost as expensive
unfortunately to get into chain come along territory will cost you ,and the longer chain you get the more expensive
and you'll need 15' of chain minimum to be effective

bumper winches are best suited and believe it or not, can be cheaper then a quality chain come along with 20" of chain.
warn is the best , but there are several other good brands out there
though I would be Leary of hitch type mounts because the winch pull rating exceeds nearly all hitch mount pull ratings.
if I was mounting a winch on a vehicle i'd go with a winch plate bumper mount

no matter what type of puller you buy you will also need other types of rigging.
straps and shackles.

I haven't hung a winch off my jeep yet.
firstly nothing has stuck me yet that I needed to be winched out
and because I do have a decent recovery kit I haven't needed yet.
I carry a 1.5T Harrington chain come along with 20' of chain ,2-8' straps 1-20' strap and 4-3/4" shackles
I also carry a 30' 7/8" kinetic energy bubba strap that I use if i'm pulling another vehicle
 
#11 ·
I feel like in my 60 years I must have come-a-longed a couple miles of wire rope and chain. I used them several times a week underground to pull belt to splice, move rock, or to get my ride unstuck. In the 70s, we used them to get mine cars back on track after a wreck.

My son and I pulled my truck over 100 yards when I buried it cutting firewood. We took turns on the bar while the other powered the truck.

We used 5 ton Lug Alls at work.....they had 50 feet of 3/8 rope, and when double hooked, you could pull a loaded 3/4 ton truck out of about anywhere. A vendor gave me a new one when I retired, along with a 7/8 “ bar that’s 30 inches long. You can get a bunch of leverage with it....it’ll pull my 2500 Chevy out of anything. It is really helpful if you have someone giving the truck a little throttle while the other guy cranks. It’s been about a year since I’ve been stuck, so I’m overdo.

In addition to the come-a-long and bar, I carry a couple of 20 foot 5/16 “ chains, a shiv wheel, and a couple of long rigging straps. I also have 4 tire chains under the backseat of the truck. I’ve only had to chain up about every other year.
 
#17 ·
Per my logger's input he said the USA made Maasdam pullers are HD not imported junk.

A lil more: USA Made • 1 piece, aluminum alloy ratchet wheel
• High strength, electro-plated steel parts
• “Notch-at-a-time” letdown
• Drop forged steel slip hooks
• Non-slip plastic grip
• OSHA recommended safety latches
• Uses galvanized, aircraft-quality cable
 
#18 ·
That come a long in the pic above would be better than no come a long, but I wouldn’t want to rely on it when it really matters. Think of the purchase that may save you hours and miles of walking, not to mention the aggravation of being stuck.

We only used the best of tools in the mine, and I still demand that type of quality now I’m retired. Other than the electric winch for the skinning machine in the the garage, there isn’t a sniff of Harbor Freight type stuff at my place.
 
#21 ·
I agree with steeltrap
the lug all type are one of the better cable come alongs
the body is forged , there are 2 steel ratchet wheels
and they're just about the same price as some bumper winchs.

I've broken so many cheap cable type come alongs that I won't even mess with one anymore.
in fact more and more contractors won't even bother supplying them because they just aren't that durable.some go as far as calling them a safety hazard.
a chain design is superior in every way but cost
 
#22 ·
https://www.lug-all.com/2-ton-cable-hoist

I used these on my ride in the mine. Never had one fail. We removed the factory handle and fabricated a new one with a iron rod welded to a small piece of flat steel. The handle attaches with a wing nut.

I carry a bigger one than this in my truck, but it was a gift and is a little overkill for a come a long. I believe I’d stretch and break a 5/16 chain before it would fail.
 
#24 ·
Did you consider a Hi-Lift Jack( the big red jacks you see bolted to the Mall crawler jeeps ) 7000 pulling and lifting power. I use mine more around the house and garage than to lift or move vehicle . Tractor supply usually has them for under 100 dollars . Just another option to consider.
 
#27 ·
I saw the one model Lug All could hoist a 25,000lb or heavier commercial tug boat!! I'm mainly looking something to use it to pull my truck out of a stuck in snow or mud situation not hoist it up in the air. Guess ive been lucky or blessed lol as Saturday was the first time in 52 years.
 
#31 · (Edited)
something to keep in mind while comparing different come alongs and winchs

pay attention to the cable or chain lengths ,and if you need 1 or 2 parts to reach max capacity...
needing 2 parts cuts your working distance by 1/2

3 examples
the lug all and more power pullers linked too above are 2T and 20' cable
this means at 20' you can only pull at 1T
your effective working distance at 2T of pull is only 10'

a 1.5T 20' chain puller will pull at 1.5T from 0-20'

a bumper winch will strait line pull what ever its rated for what ever cable footage on the drum is,minus 2 wraps on the drum
if you add a snatch block ,you can double its rated pull at half the distance.
however the mounting points , aka the bumper and winch plate and anchor point and rigging
must also support the 2x rated capacity
 
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