PTO or electric winch? (1 Viewer)

[Vitek]

I would like to get some opnions about pto vs electric winch. Which one works better why, preferences etc. I heard very mixed feedback, some people says the pto's are great, strong etc, some says electric is superior cause you can steel steer and help with the engine.

The situation:
I have a hdj80 without any winch installed currently. It has a winch plate and I have an old 8 tonn warn winch which served me well on my hzj75 earlier.

I have the opportunity to obtain the PTO and everything I might need from a donor car. I definetly want to transfer a bumper and oem winch plate. However, to install the pto itself I would need to also move the transfer case and shafts as mine does not has the pto opening.

The donor car, 1994 Hdj:

So what should I do?
1. install the electric winch on my current fabricated winch mount, cut an opening on my bumper, be happy with it.
2. Get the donor car, move the bumper and winch plate, but insted of the pto install the electric winch (will it fit?)
3. Get the donor car, move the entire pto system

I lean towards option 2. In my country it has to be either OEM or its super problematic to legally install winch and get it into the car papers. With this option I could look oem and get through roadwrthy.
I would not need to change the transfer case and shafts, which would be a larger, more costly job to do.

 

[Feistl]

PTO winches are cool and have a few advantages, primarily speed. I have a PTO on a 60 series and it does work really well. Especially good when having to winch long distances or when out with mates and every vehicle needs winching. I would go up first then winch everyone else up as it faster...

however it obviously relies on the engine running... meaning if something causes your engine to stop you’ll be stuck. I got around this by fitting a rear electric winch although this obviously adds cost and weight.

for the cool factor and speed I would do it, but the reality is an electric winch is going to be cheaper and much easier to install

 

[LandLocked93]

Do number two.
And let number three pay for it. (sell the pto setup)

 

[greentruck]

US spec 80 series do not have the opening in the transfer case to accommodate the PTO drive, like your truck. A PTO winch is good for long hard pulls and unless the engine stops, is generally superior to the performance of an electric winch. However, not sure it's worth that much trouble. You should have no problem fitting an electric winch. There are several write-ups here that cover installing an electric winch in a stock bumper that might be helpful for you.