I have a pretty good review to give on this subject. I own a SP 700 and my wife has a 500 HO. I had a Warn 3.0 on mine and really got tired of always having to winch my wife out because of her mistakes, so for her birthday I bought a Gorilla 3000 winch off of e-bay. I paid $125.00 and was hoping that it would work every now and then for her if needed, didn't really expect anything great, just hoped that it worked. Anyway got the winch in and upon inspection noticed that the winch itself was cracked. Didn't stop it from working, but had a small crack where one of the install bolts were. Sent an e-mail to the e-bay seller and had a brand new winch in two days, with no cost and got to keep the other winch. Winch came with Winch, selonoid, mounting plate, switch, and wires. Super easy to install, "will advise that the selonoid does not match the Polaris factory winch wires, so be ready to improvise". Anyway wife used the winch for a while, no problems. Starts using it more and more come rainy season and that winch works flawlessly. Well for the moment of truth, I get stuck in a bad way, not just mud, but the bike turns sideways in the hole and the lip is about 3'. As always laugh and then hook the Warn up, SMOKED IT. Hook the wifey's winch up and pulled me out no problem. When I got home I installed the extra Gorilla that was sent to us and have had it on for over a year with no problems. It truely is a bad *** winch for the money, actually it's a bad *** winch regardless of the money. By no means am I putting Warn down and still have one on my truck, jeep, mud boat, and airboat. All I am saying is the cheap Gorilla winches off of e-bay rock and are most definetely worth the $125.00.

 

i feel the same i got a breand new wireing for mine soloni=oids remote and handlebar switch hom much better than that can you get haha thats great i love that storry

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: Elimin8r

Looking to hear opinions on some of these winches, other than Warn.



Cant afford $300 for a Warn winch but want something that will lower and raise a plow and bucket and pull me out of the mud.



So what are your opinions of some of the less expensive winches?



Whats the best bang for the buck?



Thanks.</end quote></div>

and it looks like I am not teh only one that doesn't whant to spend 300 dollars on a sticker and a winch

 

I have a viper 3000 waterproof. Installation was pretty simple, instructions left some steps out. Fit was a little large for my 700, I had to cut out some plastic to make it fit.

Performance: I am very pleased with it. I have used it about 30+ times now in deep ruts, snow drifts, up hills, and some deep mud. It has been working great. My investment was around 180.00. It came with a mount, fairlead, ****** block and all electrical items needed. Good deal for the money IMO and so far it has worked as expected.

 

Thanks Donecrashed & aqharoper, now this is what I was talking about!!!!!! We're not trying to bash anybody, just trying ti figure out what works & what doesn't.

 

BUT ITS A COOL STICKER..you can even buy the hat!!!

 

I have had my Gorilla 2500 for about a year, it came with a bad contactor but they had a new one out to me the next day. I don't use mine alot, it has never left me stranded. the Gorilla werehouse is in Plymouth, MN. it's only about a mile from where I live. so i fet comfortable purchacing from them......

smooth........

 

Awesome story!! I have a 2500 lbs. Gorilla on my 04 ATP. It has worked flawlessly. Had a 3000 lbs Warn on my 05 400....Smoked it! For the money ($100.00) it cannot be beat. Comes with everything and I mean everything. Just my .02 cents worth!

 

Other than price which origianally started this thread... Does the installaion of a winch effect the handling of the quad at all? How much weight does a winch add to the front end of an ATV? I'm curious because I've never opeatred an atv that had a winch mounted to it.

 

A winch does not affect the handling at all and adds maybe 30 lbs.