Using small winch w/snatch blocks. Would this work? (1 Viewer)

[Mumblix]

2002 LX470.
Ok...I got stuck in the deep slushy snow last weekend. I was rescued by some guys with a winch. I just stood there helpless feeling like a 200 pound scrotum. Never again. A front mounted winch would require a new bumper and I don't think I'd get that much use out of it.
I want to get a winch and cradle that will fit into the rear receiver hitch. Now, I'm planning on keeping it in the truck in a box until needed. Trying to maneuver around a 9000 pound winch and cradle into the hitch ain't gonna be easy. What if I got a small (lighter) 2000 pound winch and used a couple of snatch blocks to multiply the pulling force? I only needed to move the truck out of a gully to get back on the road, no more than a few feet.
Any ideas?

 

[RedHeadedStepChild]

It’s nothing I would do, but yes it could work.
You’ll need a bunch of line to get enough length and it will be very slow.
Setting aside minor frictional losses etc., the tension in the line will be uniform throughout. So if you have a 2000lb line pull, each line returning to the vehicle will be applying 2000lbs of force.
Just as you multiply the forces in the lines, the vehicle pull rate will be the line speed divided down. 2 lines 1/2 speed, 4->1/4, etc.

 

[NCFJ]

A 9K winch on a tray is not that heavy to deal with. We did it with a 12K Warn Power Plant on a tray on our FJ Cruiser, set up to work both front and rear. It was heavy, winch compressor combo but I used it plenty of times myself.

In theory you could use a 2K winch but it is pretty unrealistic. Add in carrying all the rigging required to set it up, most likely including an extra length of winch line and it can be quite cumbersome.

 

[MountaineerLC]

I wouldn't mess with a small electric winch. Check out my below link for the More Power Puller. It will run you around $400 for the 3 ton version with 35' of synthetic winch line. They're an excellent tool and I've used them to recovery 3/4 and 1 ton pickups before. They're slow and labor intensive, but they work.

More Power Puller w/ Amsteel Blue Synthetic Rope - $10 Shipping

$10 Shipping AT CSPForestry.com - as offered by CSP Forestry - gives you even more savings. Please Note: $10 shipping is only available in the USA contiguous 48 states. Give us a call at 800-592-6940 for a shipping quote. Additional freight charges may be applied if you are purchasing several...

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There really isn't any replacement for a good winch. Have you considered a hidden winch setup?

 

[flintknapper]

1. You don't need a front bumper to accommodate a low profile winch. You can use a hidden mount and modify your OEM bumper.

2. Don't bother with anything less than 6K winch (8-9K would be better). It can be one of the 'bargain' winches if used sparingly and within it's design parameters. Don't try to make a smaller winch do something it wasn't intended to do.

3. A front mounted winch will typically be more useful than a rear mounted one and running cables to the rear can be a challenge as well as being expensive.

4. Forget about manual 'come alongs'. They can be useful, but all too often... extracting yourself requires you to be using the winch/device while also at the wheel of the vehicle.

Do it right or don't do it. Someone in a 'Jeep' will come along and humiliate you soon enough.

 

[Manhattan]

@flintknapper and the other guys pretty much nailed it and covered everything... but this is the internet, so we're supposed keep beating dead horses.

Only thing I'd add is my dislike for cradle / receiver-mounted winches - for a few reasons;
- They really need to be secured in the truck - like bolted or strapped down.
- Very often, getting to the receiver is tough. I mean, you're stuck right? Often, the angle doesn't allow access to clear the cradle. You have to dig or jack the truck just to get the winch in place.
- Mounted on the rear, they really only serve to extract the truck - not aid in getting over/through an obstacle. Most of the winching I've done and seen others do falls into the later group - providing an assist to keep moving along the trail. Imagine being #3 in a line of 10 trucks on a trail and unable to clear a section. Now, #2 has got to reposition and winch or strap and pull - pulling via a strap is much (!) less desirable in rocks/tight spots. #2 is supposed to be the winch anchor for #3... and you keep the line moving.

 

[flintknapper]

@flintknapper and the other guys pretty much nailed it and covered everything... but this is the internet, so we're supposed keep beating dead horses.

Only thing I'd add is my dislike for cradle / receiver-mounted winches - for a few reasons;
- They really need to be secured in the truck - like bolted or strapped down.
- Very often, getting to the receiver is tough. I mean, you're stuck right? Often, the angle doesn't allow access to clear the cradle. You have to dig or jack the truck just to get the winch in place.
- Mounted on the rear, they really only serve to extract the truck - not aid in getting over/through an obstacle. Most of the winching I've done and seen others do falls into the later group - providing an assist to keep moving along the trail. Imagine being #3 in a line of 10 trucks on a trail and unable to clear a section. Now, #2 has got to reposition and winch or strap and pull - pulling via a strap is much (!) less desirable in rocks/tight spots. #2 is supposed to be the winch anchor for #3... and you keep the line moving.

I don't think it's "beating dead horses" to add considerations that had not been addressed. Anymore than your own post contributes to the plethora of scenarios that should be examined by the OP. But this IS the internet and one might expect someone to offer something snarky on occasion, right?

The point is: Putting an unreasonably small winch on a heavy vehicle and then using multi snatch blocks is basically a big turd of an idea...and most folks can see 'it isn't going to flush'. Yes, it could be done in an emergency..but why would anyone purposely set one up that way?

A cradle/ receiver mounted winch is a viable option...but presents its own set of potential issues. So for the average person with average needs... a front mounted winch of proper capacity will be the best answer. This isn't that complicated. Do it right or don't do it.

 

[krice118]

TT Hidden winch mount: Hidden Winch Mount 100 Series $425

Smittybuilt 9k winch - $400
Amazon product ASIN B00JXS39VC

 

[krice118]

Also, do you really want to store a winch and cradle in the trunk of your 100? that alone sounds like a pain and a huge inconvenience.

 

[flintknapper]

TT Hidden winch mount: Hidden Winch Mount 100 Series $425

Smittybuilt 9k winch - $400
Amazon product ASIN B00JXS39VC

^^^^^

And there you go.

 

[Skidoo]

A Hi-lift jack along with the Offroad Kit and about 10 foot of chain would be better than a small winch.
Link to video Hi-Lift winching
Gives you a great jack and and winch that work pulling in front or back, even the side for really bad situations.

 

[Leandro]

Agree ^^^^
A hi-lift can get you out, however nothing replaces a winch.
You can get the one at harbor freight 12000Lbs for $300 and is wireless

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Yeah just mount an inexpensive winch (Many available for $400 or less) and mount it on a hidden winch mount. Here's the cheapest good quality option that I know of:

TJM 957MTT1781ZDS Winch Frame Mount Kit for Toyota Land Cruiser 1998-2007 | Bumper Superstore

Buy this TJM 957MTT1781ZDS Winch Frame Mount Kit for Toyota Land Cruiser 1998-2007 at BumperSuperstore.com for the best online price. Free shipping on all front and rear bumper orders.

bumpersuperstore.com

 

[Ayune]

Yeah just mount an inexpensive winch (Many available for $400 or less) and mount it on a hidden winch mount. Here's the cheapest good quality option that I know of:

TJM 957MTT1781ZDS Winch Frame Mount Kit for Toyota Land Cruiser 1998-2007 | Bumper Superstore

Buy this TJM 957MTT1781ZDS Winch Frame Mount Kit for Toyota Land Cruiser 1998-2007 at BumperSuperstore.com for the best online price. Free shipping on all front and rear bumper orders.

bumpersuperstore.com

That TJM winch plate has been debunked as a standalone solution. It’s designed to mate up to a TJM bumper for full strength & support.
See: OEM Bumper Winch Mount and OEM Bumper Winch Mount

The two standalone hidden winch mounts available now are from Trail Tailor and Asfir, differences mainly being country of origin (US/Israel), price, and fitment mods relating to the bumper reinforcement strut. End result is sleek & sexy either way.

I opted for the Asfir but have not yet completed the install... still working on waterproofing the control box.[/URL]

 

[ClassyJalopy]

That TJM winch plate has been debunked as a standalone solution. It’s designed to mate up to a TJM bumper for full strength & support.
See: OEM Bumper Winch Mount and OEM Bumper Winch Mount

The two standalone hidden winch mounts available now are from Trail Tailor and Asfir, differences mainly being country of origin (US/Israel), price, and fitment mods relating to the bumper reinforcement strut. End result is sleek & sexy either way.

I opted for the Asfir but have not yet completed the install... still working on waterproofing the control box.[/URL]

Debunked? How?
I used it for a while after I bought it from another member here used. It was pretty solid for a couple of times my heavy ass truck was stuck behind a big rock going up a slope. Here's how it was mounted:

 

[4Beast]

I believe Trailtailor makes a quality hidden winch mount that sounds like what you are looking for. If you absolutely have to do a hitch mounted removable winch either front or rear (again, far from ideal), I would try to make it as painless as possible by permanently mounting Anderson plugs to the battery and winch, getting (slightly lighter) synthetic line, etc.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I wouldn't mess with a small electric winch. Check out my below link for the More Power Puller. It will run you around $400 for the 3 ton version with 35' of synthetic winch line. They're an excellent tool and I've used them to recovery 3/4 and 1 ton pickups before. They're slow and labor intensive, it they work.

More Power Puller w/ Amsteel Blue Synthetic Rope - $10 Shipping

$10 Shipping AT CSPForestry.com - as offered by CSP Forestry - gives you even more savings. Please Note: $10 shipping is only available in the USA contiguous 48 states. Give us a call at 800-592-6940 for a shipping quote. Additional freight charges may be applied if you are purchasing several...

cspforestry.com

There really isn't any replacement for a good winch. Have you considered a hidden winch setup?

Been using come-a-longs since I was a young buck. Always carried one in every vehicle for 20 years and they got me out of almost everything. Work great if you know what you’re doing, but bring lots of beer to stay hydrated during the hours-long cranking.

However, I Finally bought a winch a couple of years ago and I agree with others: a decent winch with 9k rating is the best solution. Even if you rarely need it, it’s better to have than not. Won’t be able to drive after drinking all that beer while using the come-a-long

 

[nakman]

Keep in mind the mire factor of actually being stuck... in deep snow that could be 2x your vehicle weight, more if you're downhill from where you want to be. I'd echo the "do it once, do it right" guys, I wouldn't put anything less than a 12k winch on a 100 series personally, and do it on a solid winch cradle and/or bumper, not a receiver hitch. Until then, just make sure you bring a shovel, and extra food/water.

 

[Ayune]

Debunked? How?
I used it for a while after I bought it from another member here used. It was pretty solid for a couple of times my heavy ass truck was stuck behind a big rock going up a slope. Here's how it was mounted:
View attachment 2188967

In my phone conversation with TJM they said this plate was not designed to be used standalone; The fairlead mounting tabs are intended to be supported by a metal bumper. The fairlead can obviously be left unsupported, but that's up to the individual.

Both the Trail Tailor and Asfir mounts have welded gussets on the underside to provide additional fairlead support, and may be made from thicker plate in general.