T-max winches...update on usage?

[concretejungle]

I need a winch. I found a used M12,000 near my house for $1000. While looking around on the internet i ran across Tmax winches. I know they were discussed a while back, but at that time they were relatively new and no one had much real world usage. I think the only one i knew who had purchased one was Woody.

The prices are pretty dang good on these things. I can get a 12,000lbs Tmax for about $880 brand new.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ktmracer01]

I worked at Avenger Superchargers and I was one of their dealers. I sold several and never heard any complaints. They are very cost effective and worth the money in my opinion.

 

[TX80Fan]

I need a winch. I found a used M12,000 near my house for $1000. While looking around on the internet i ran across Tmax winches. I know they were discussed a while back, but at that time they were relatively new and no one had much real world usage. I think the only one i knew who had purchased one was Woody.

The prices are pretty dang good on these things. I can get a 12,000lbs Tmax for about $880 brand new.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Why not just buy the Summit-branded T-Max 12.5 for approx. $569.00? FWIW- I am told the T-Max winches are made in China.

I just dropped $900 for a new SuperWinch 12.5...

 

[concretejungle]

made in china? ewwwww.... didn't know that. back to researching.

If i'm going to pay $900 for a superwinch, i will just add another 100 bucks and get the warn.

 

[TX80Fan]

made in china? ewwwww.... didn't know that. back to researching.

If i'm going to pay $900 for a superwinch, i will just add another 100 bucks and get the warn.

Not a bad idea...go for it!

 

[e9999]

I have not read any horror stories about the TMaxes. Seem OK. Likely a notch in quality above the generic chinese knockoffs. But also likely no match for customer service and especially resale value compared to Warn. Quality compared to Warn, I'd suspect Warn a tad better maybe but likely not a big difference if any.

As just implied, what sold me on Warn is primarily resale value. If you buy a new one, you'll probably get a very healthy chunk back when you resell. More amazing still, if you buy a used Warn, you'll probably be able to resell without much loss at all, even 10 years down the line if the historical record continues.

 

[slow91fj90]

T_Maxx winches

I have had a Summit 10k ( T-Maxx) for about a year now, probly used it 20 times and have had zero problems or issues. Ive used it to pull out a friend 3/4 ton big block Suburban buried in a mud hole. I was on a strict budget and was in a Summit store in Ohio and saw there brand winches, I asked to see it, Sure enough, T-MAXX winch with a Summit sticker on the solenoid case. I highly recommend it for those who dont want to drop the coin for a more known brand.

 

[john_eckels]

made in china? ewwwww.... didn't know that. back to researching.

If i'm going to pay $900 for a superwinch, i will just add another 100 bucks and get the warn.

Here is the company info. It looks like they sell both branded and unbranded products. I picked up the unbranded version in the link below for under $400. I dont know if there is any difference between the branded and unbranded versions.

http://www.globalsources.com/gsol/I/Winch/p/sm/1002820761.htm

 

[MoGas]

They are probably better than a dick in your eye.

What about the MileMarker winches?

 

[83white]

They are made in China. I was a dealer once and we ran into a service issue with one that blew apart. Long story short (and I forget who), but it was branded with their names, bbut it's the same makers of a low budget setup. Their ustomer service was not a help at all, but this was then.

 

[firetruck41]

I think one of the milemarker winches is made by them, it is essentially the same, but uses bushings instead of bearings as in the Tmaxx version. There is a thread on pirate about it, there is a tmaxx vendor there that had some more info about them.

 

[concretejungle]

i emailed the customer service today asking them if their products are made in China. Here is their response within 5 hours...

"Hello Alex, T-Max winches are manufactured in China, they also originally were and have been engineered in Australia where they have been the top brand of winch for nearly 5 years now. T-Max is used and sold on all 7 continents and has been manufactured by T-Max Tool for 13 years. We have had many innovations on the market months before others here in the States, such as the first fully integrated winch, the one that still outperforms any other wireless brand anywhere. One more recent innovation, our Competition Series winch line was built to specs from teams of rock crawlers we sponsored, not some guy sitting in an office. The 9,000 has a 6.6hp series wound motor the next most powerful brand is using 4.8hp. Ours weighs 55lbs, less than anybody else of comparable capability. It can hold 80ft of 14,500 lb test line ,not the 50 ft of the other guys. The remote "joystick" works up to 200ft for better spotting capabilities. The benefit of the higher power motors is they create less heat and draw about 25% less electricity from your system, thereby lasting longer in real world use. Everything that can be a bit stronger or of more benefit is built into a T-Max, all moving parts are roller bearings, the gears are all heat treated steel machined,
second to none. Thank you for your question, Your T-Max Team"

seems like a quick response and good customer service so far.

the price is so tempting. I know i probably won't use it more than 3 to 5 times a year.

 

[NW-sickboy]

I like mine alot.... this whole "made in china... must be s***"..... prolly not as true as it once was, all manufacturing is moving to india and china anyways..

I have been very happy with mine.

 

[concretejungle]

my parents are in the furniture industry. Back-In-the-day, all furniture was designed and manufactured in the states. Now, it's designed in the states and manufactured in China. My dad, being a furniture designer, reluctantly told me that the sad thing is that the furniture coming from China is about as good a build quality as the furniture that was being produced state side.

 

[Doc]

I have the t-Max 12.5K lb winch. Haven't load tested it yet.

BUT one of the guys I occasionally wheel with pulled a JEEP sideways out of a ditch with his. It pulls like a team of clydesdales. With less poop.

I plan on using mine in 2 weekends.

 

[e9999]

I wouldn't assume automatically that something made in China is junk. Plenty of that for sure, but there is also some good stuff made, evidently. It's likely more a matter of where the designer/buyer sets the spec and quality control level (read price and marketing niche). And it's entirely conceivable that the same factory would do cheap stuff and a better version on the same premises, even have them look the same. It's not as if building winch parts is rocket science, anyway. I'm pretty sure we may be very surprised at how much of the Warn stuff is made in China, if we knew.

 

[concretejungle]

I'm waiting on a large paycheck this next week. if i get it, i'm going to jegs.com which has free shipping and getting a t-max 12,500. I should be able to have it to my door, new, for about $690.

I agree e9999, if it's simply assembled in CHina with parts manufactured elsewhere or by parts speced and designed elsewhere, can't be too big of an issue.

Doc, any issues mounting yours in your bumper? Did you have it in an ARB before you got the shortbus bumper?

 

[cruiser88]

jump on the harbor freight they have a excellent return policy

 

[Doc]

Doc, any issues mounting yours in your bumper? Did you have it in an ARB before you got the shortbus bumper?

Uses the same bolt pattern and is relatively the same size as the M8000 winch. No problems mounting mine.

Crete- check into pricing on that Summit branded 12K lb winch. That's what I have and I think I got mine to my door for about $575 or so.

The summit 12.5K lb winch is a T-max, if that wasn't clear earlier.

 

[Flacrusher]

Just to clarify. The Summit 12k / 12.5K will fit in an ARB bumper? Is there a specific bolt pattern / description to look for when considering mounting?