I never ride by myself so take that into consideration with my question. I have a Polaris 6x6 with a 2500# winch that came on the bike, also an AC500TBX without a winch. I am thinking about putting a winch on the AC but I really never have used the one on the 6x6 and when I have it didnt work that well. Granted it is a heavy beast and I didnt use a block a tackle.

Do you guys use your winch when other riders are with you or just a tow strap? It seems faster to just hook a strap on and imo it works much faster and better also...

I agree a winch looks cool on the front end but for looks they are expensive...

 

The first time your out by yourself and get in a little deeper than expected, which can and does happen. a winch becomes worth its weight in gold. That little water hole on the trail can become a bottomless pit. Been there done that! I havent had to use the winch too many times but it sure was nice when I did have to use it. A come-along works nice too but takes up a lot of room and is much slower. Personally I would feel naked without it (winch). Now if you NEVER ride by yourself and someone else has a winch or tow straps to get others out of the thick stuff then its probably not a big deal...Its just that one time when no one else is around. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

A WINCH IS A MUST EVEN IF YOU DO NOT RIDE IN THE MUD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE RIDING ALONE
SOME DAYS I HAVE TO USE THE WINCH 2 OR 3 TIMES TO GET MY *** OUT OF TROUBLE

 

a winch is a must in my book. ive used mine almost evertime i go out. not just b/c im stuck but to bend my buddies tie rods back when they bend them on a trail, bring logs back for a fire ,farm work, pulling friends out of mud, and it deffinatly came in handy when my buddy fell off his 400 ex and the bike went of a cliff. without it ,the bike would still be there.lol. even winching the deer into the trees to gut it. there are endless amounts of things you can do with a winch. oh yea, one important time was when i broke my axle climbing on rock boldours. the other time crossing a small section on the mississippi river and i got stuck. deffinatly paid for its self in them situatin. anyways a winch will always be on my bikes.

 

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We have an 2002 AC 500i. When one of my riding buddies get stuck, I find it much easier to back up to them and use my 8,500 lb tow rope. My tow rope has a loop at one end and a safety hook at the other end. The loop end simply drops over my 2" trailer ball, and I pull them out. I can pull out, use and re-store my tow rope much faster then my front winch.

However, there's been a few times I couldn't get traction to pull the other guy out with a tow rope. That's how deep they were sunk. Good thing "lighter machines go in the mud hole 1st" rule is used in my side of the woods. For them, I had to drive up to a medium size tree, ensure my front bumper was firm against the tree and power winch them out. If wondering, I used my spare coat so my front bumper wouldn't mark the tree's bark.

If you are on a limited financial budget, put the appropriate size power winch on your next Christmas Wish List. For now, I'd carry a hand winch / come-along in the back of my storage box. If you need something better then a tow rope, you have it. If you tend to use your come-along more then expected, then purchase a power winch. If money grew on trees, I'd have a power winch on any trail riding ATV, Go-Gart, dune buggy, etc. They can be a life saver - especially when you least expect it.

Hope this helps...

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Sumdumgi; The way to look at the winch is like a spare tire for you car. It is a safety item you shouldn't be without. The rule of thumb is if you are prepared for the worst, then it probaly won't happen. If it does you are prepared and it is no big deal.

 

Okay, maybe I do need one.
Do they work that well, my 2500 didnt budge my Polaris 6x6.
Does a block and tackle make a huge difference?
Should I get a 3.0 since I do have the heavier TBX?
Is the factory winch mount good enough?
Is there one way better than the other to mount them?
What else would you buy to go with it?

 

For sizing a winch, I'd recommend you contact your AC dealer. My AC came with a winch, so I don't know the exact size. If your unit is heavier and/or can carry more stuff in the back, you'd probably want a power winch 1 size larger. If you get stuck with stuff in your box, you don't have to dump its load - then winch yourself out.

The factory winch on my AC was a 1/4" cable (or what ever size it was). Three out of 4 times I went to use it, it's cable on the spool was wrapped around its self. If wondering, I was following its "wind in" instrucation pretty good. One day, I got so frustrated, I removed the factoy 50ft cable and installed a 15ft thicker cable. Each time I use our winch, it's cable doesn't knott up on the spool. Besides that, its thicker cable can pull more - without snapping. To compensate for the lost cable distance, I use a 8,500 pull rope. I've only had to hook my 15ft long winch cable onto my pull rope once. Therefore, having a thicker / shorter cable was a good decision for our "bush trail" riding usage.

For winch brackets and such, I'm not too sure. Ours came with our winch already mounted. Just press on the switch and use it. As stated in previous post, we mostly use our 8,500lb pull rope. It's easier (and takes less time) but when we need it, our power winch it's always ready to use.

Hope this helps.

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The 3.0 would be a good choice.

 

A whinch is the best thing I ever got on my quad. One day I was getting stuck and then diging my self into huge holes when i was going over logs, and then I tied my whinch around a tree and pressed the button on my handlebars and got out of it NO PROBLEM. Sorry but I have a question. Does the whinch drain you battery alot?