PTO vs Electric (1 Viewer)

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Seth_O

Seth_O

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I spent a little time using search and couldn't find much info on the pro's and con's of the PTO winch vs a newer, electric winch (Warn, Bellview, etc.)

Thoughts on which is stronger? I have a line on a pretty sweet deal for a complete PTO setup, but am wondering if it's worth it to make the mods to my truck + $ to purchase the PTO in order to get a complete PTO winch vs just buying something new.

Understand the PTO has the cool factor, and there is likely some emotion around 'original' vs 'new', just looking for facts. I have never, once, seen anything on the winching capacity of the PTO - I assume it's tied to power output of the vehicle but I have no idea what the translates into in terms of pulling power (related to the gear being used in the tranny?)

Any thoughts? What's your preference and why?
 
Seth_O said:
I spent a little time using search and couldn't find much info on the pro's and con's of the PTO winch vs a newer, electric winch (Warn, Bellview, etc.)

Thoughts on which is stronger? I have a line on a pretty sweet deal for a complete PTO setup, but am wondering if it's worth it to make the mods to my truck + $ to purchase the PTO in order to get a complete PTO winch vs just buying something new.

Understand the PTO has the cool factor, and there is likely some emotion around 'original' vs 'new', just looking for facts. I have never, once, seen anything on the winching capacity of the PTO - I assume it's tied to power output of the vehicle but I have no idea what the translates into in terms of pulling power (related to the gear being used in the tranny?)

Any thoughts? What's your preference and why?
Click to expand...

Winching power is tied to shear pin strength - no? Dont know if that could be upgraded - probably not a good idea since it was sized specifically by Toyota for a reason.
 
Tks Poser! Now I can save the FAQ as a favorite ;)
 
I'd really like a PTO, but if I drown in a water hole or go upside down its not going to help me much.. My 8274 could pull me out of the water, or right my bus.. In my way of thinking PTOs go on diesels and electrics go on petrols.. Either way I have a Tirfor for when everything else has failed..
 
Hey,

we have had the PTO installed on my wifes DD which was our work horse too...
for working it´s perfekt, doesn´t get hot, doesn´t drain the battery...

1550326.jpg


and it is defenetly a nice piece of technik to look at...;)

you can only beat that when you have to save weight and need a quick recovery winch.
For that reason we use an electic winch with Dynema cable on our "Travelling Cruiser"....
 
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For work with the truck (skidding trees, lifting stuff that you would do all day) get a PTO. If it is for self recovery then an electric wins hands down. Each time I've been stuck with my PTO I've popped the shear pin and had to rely on others. Maybe I was really stuck but it was a little embarrasing that even with my PTO I could not get "unstuck".
 
I have the original pto on mine with mech fuel pump so self recovery won't happen. There have been many times I have cussed and swore up and down I was selling it and going electric however it's still there.
 
cruiser_guy said:
For work with the truck (skidding trees, lifting stuff that you would do all day) get a PTO. If it is for self recovery then an electric wins hands down. Each time I've been stuck with my PTO I've popped the shear pin and had to rely on others. Maybe I was really stuck but it was a little embarrasing that even with my PTO I could not get "unstuck".
Click to expand...
im not telling you to do this but toyota shear pins suck .i use a hardened cap screw in mine and have had the same pto winch on my 70 since it was new.it has pulled out cement trucks back hoes 1 dozer and hundreds of other vehicles.the same cap screw is still in there .i think the owners manual says that pin is rated at 1800lbs .there may be a happy medium so you dont ruin your winch.i also have a 10,000lb electric on the back but only used it once .by the way do you carry a snatch blockfor your winch .good luck
 
Realistically, an electric winch has a pretty short pull if the truck isn't running. I would try it out somewhere safe just to be sure, but I bet you woun't get 10 minutes of real winching out of a non-running truck. Last Wheeling trip I went on, we broke 1 electric winch, we had 2 trucks use their electric winches till the truck died. We then had to pull batteries out of running trucks to jump start non-running trucks to charge the batteries and then keep winching. I realize that a larger alternator would fix this. The Winch that kicked ass on that trip was a hydraulic winch that had the pump mounted on the PTO.
 
I run the OEM pto winch on my rig. As others have said, the stock shear pin sucks. I modified mine by using 2 3/16" mild steel pins 90' offset from each other.

With this setup, I have pulled some stupid loads and gotten my rig outta places I never thought possible.

I really like the PTO and swear by it. I know that there are downsides about it like the engine has to be running but, even electrics have there problems too. Unless you put in a duel battery setup and a larger than stock alt. , you will have very limited use of an electric winch.
 
Sounds like I need to upgrade my shear pin!! 1800 lbs is a joke if that's all the shear pin is rated for.
 
i should add i righted my truck once by engaging the winch unhooking the coil wire and cranking the starter .after that i added a 5000 lb electric as backup ,put that on my trooper and went to a 10,000 backup electric on the rear because the trails we use are narrow and deep so there is no turning around if the guy behind you gets stuck.with the pto i usually back down to the stuck truck strap up and winch them both.plus i can use my tires for help if i need to .you have to decide your needs and choose whats best for you beause the pto electric argument can go on forever good luck
 
Tks gang for the input - all good comments and thoughts. I think I am going to go with the PTO, thinking specifically about the time I got my FJ62 buried up to the axles in glue, it took a Ford V10 diesel + Dodge cummins with a 12k lb winch to get it out :(. Could've used a PTO on the front of my FJ40 then for sure. I haven't laid my rig over yet ;)
 
dang, listening to you guys has me convinced. I'm gonna be on the lookout for a PTO to mount on the rear. I'm gonna hope to find one a a salvage yard around here or maybe I'll get lucky and find one in Honduras the next time cruiser_guy decides to make a parts run and invites me along.:grinpimp: I'd look forward to even finding a ratty rusted one and taking it apart and getting it running again.
 
Winch trivia - many years ago one of the off-road magazines did a test of electric winches using a power supply that gave the winches unlimited amperage to draw on. All the winches were rated by their manufacturers at 8000 lbs. Only 2 of the winches were actually capable of meeting the 8000 lb claim. The electric motor on one of them stalled at 9000 lbs consistently. The Warn 8274 consistently broke the cable at 12000 lbs.

I don't have an owner's manual in my hand at the moment but IIRC Toyota rated the PTO winch at 3000 lbs, but from what is being posted here it seems like that was due to the strength (or lack of it) of the shear pin.
 
Another option is Hydraulic. Hoses are easier to rout than a DS, especially around a V-8 w headers. Currently sproting a 12000lb. cap. milemarker runoff the the power steering pump. I like the pto driven pump idea though. I do change my fluid quite often especially after allot of pulls.

Low speed = highest pull strength but very slow
high speed with snatch block + Cherry

FYI: I am waiting for a 8274 to come my way at which time the hydro unit remounts in the rear. FYI running dual batteries and hi amp alt. so no elec worries.
 
KOOTENAY KRUZER said:
I don't have an owner's manual in my hand at the moment but IIRC Toyota rated the PTO winch at 3000 lbs, but from what is being posted here it seems like that was due to the strength (or lack of it) of the shear pin.
Click to expand...


I just checked my owners manual and you're right. The stock shear pin capacity is 3,000 lbs. By simply replacing the pin, this winch will pull until you break the cable
 
BigRedFJ40 said:
I just checked my owners manual and you're right. The stock shear pin capacity is 3,000 lbs. By simply replacing the pin, this winch will pull until you break the cable
Click to expand...




And will also chew up the bronze driven gear...


:meh:
 
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