First off, I was not hurrying, you can't slow down a winch.... Hurrying a recovery is when people get hurt and equipment gets trashed. I've seen smoke come off the solenoids on cheap winches when they died on two trucks in our group on separate runs. Never seen it happen on a quality winch, not saying its not possible just less probable. Both events were fully out single line pulls with no closer anchors available. This was when I was just starting into the scene 4 or 5 years ago so I was not in charge of any recovery ops just an observer.
There is actually a way to slow down a winch and that is to simply stop it and let it cool.
And that, my friend, is why most winches fail, including Warns. Operator abuse. Failure to rig properly for the situation. Etc.
It's not because of faults with the winch, even the cheap ones. Sure, those happen and, yes, you can spend for higher quality.
However, there's an area where things can definitely be improved on most of the cheaper winches and that's the scrawny set of cables supplied with them. Could even be the issue in the examples you cited, but I don't know. Best to make your own, phat and happy.
Looking back on it now, sure we could have deadman anchored a rig to the point and snatch strapped off that. But come on dude. If you have a Warn VR10000 winch on your FJ40 and you got stuck in a mud hole you would pull your cable out to the tree and winch like that dude did. It was not a "big hurry". It was "I've got a 10,000lb warn I can pull myself out".
I'd say there's no more point in abusing a quality winch than a, ahem, lesser quality winch. What you describe is more about ego than the winch. If an easy pull, then yeah, single line it. But don't do it just because it's a Warn. I suspect the Warn people would tell you the same.
Secondly to say that a cheap winch will do 99.9% of what the more expensive winches will do but then suggest it should be snatched for every pull to 'not be in a hurry' would leave me to believe that the cheap winches are only about 50% as capable as the more expensive ones.
Yes snatch blocks are great tools and when used correctly are much safer than a single line pull. But snatching isn't always an option. When its not and you need to get un-stuck I personally wouldn't want to doubt the ability of my winch to do a single line pull.
I get it you like cheap winches, thats fine and it will probably be OK if you only use it several times a year but one day its going to fail mid pull regardless if you snatch it every time. If you don't ever plan on pushing your rig to explore its limits off-road then a badlands is probably OK. But if you are that kind of a adventure seeker (if you're considering buying a winch then you most likely are) then save up for a couple more months and buy quality.
I don't agree that my well-maintained and properly used winch will one day fail just like that. But you're making essentially the same point I'm making if you can just over look my "love of cheap wenches"...err, whatever. It's to source your winch to meet your needs. If you plan on regularly doing trails the require winching to get through, then yeah, buy that Warn. You're going to need it.
On the other hand, getting stuck ceased being entertainment for me several decades ago. And I've been stuck a remarkably few times since. In fact, so few I don't recall when. I owned an Isuzu Rodeo for 16 years and didn't get stuck once in it. Did everything requested of it in Colorado high country, except Holy Cross City. It was still eager (had the factory big tire package, but we're only talking 31s) but I hate body damage on nearly new vehicles
Yes, your intended use should be kept in mind.
You've got to ask yourself "am I comfortable being stranded with a broken winch and a stuck rig in a situation that could really suck?" because it could happen. Yea it may happen on a trail run with others who can help. Or it could happen when you are out alone and you're in a precarious spot on a normally easy trail 10 miles away from cell service and 50 miles away from the nearest town.
Now your stranded, your truck is stuck, its snowing and its getting dark... These things happen to people. Take away is that its better to have equipment that you can rely on all the time. I run lots of trails and my winch gets used regularly so my stance is certainly biased so take it for what its worth.
Thats my buck o five.
I'm pretty darn confident I won't end up with a broken winch stuck somewhere. I know what it can do and I'll treat it like a valued partner. In most cases (I did say 99% not 99.99%) that will cover things, based on past experience with a variety of winches and other recovery techniques.
Fundamentally, we're probably closer than you may think here. But you'll have to consider what I'm doing works well for me. Just because you have a great winch doesn't mean I've got a funky one. I know its limits and how to achieve what I need in spite of those if I treat it with respect.
