Winch recommendations, smittybilt xrc went belly up.

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halltyler

halltyler

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Threads
3
Messages
21
Location
CO and TX
I bought a UZJ100 equipped with a front ARB bumper and Smittybilt XRC winch with synthetic rope. The control box of the winch is broken at the connector mounting lugs. Further, and separately, the winch does not operate.

Asking for recommendations for replacements. I could look at a repair but I can't source the controller box part so figured I would not fool with it.

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I've personally seen the Badlands Apex do some pretty crazy pulls and just put one on mine, but I haven't had the need to use it yet.
Plus Matt's Off Road Recovery from YT uses them and that's as good a recommendation as any.
 
I've had and still have only one winch in my life: WARN VR EVO 12s. Can it be a recommendation? The powder paint started chipping off, but where I live all powder paints do this eventually.
 
Is there specific compatibility issues to be aware of with the ARB bumper? This XRC has a separate control box that mounts on the top plate...I'm a bit curious on the fitment with others, specifically regarding the controller bump and clutch handle.
 
IIRC WARN control box is relocatable. When I was looking at the winch bumper, I went ahead with WARN semi-hidden, because it clears control box. No regrets so far. I only sprayed it with Raptor before installing.
 
The Badlands control box is relocatable as well.
 
I swapped out my (raffle prize) Smittybilt for a Badlands almost 4 years ago. I've used it a few times and it's always worked. I like it. I re-located the control box to under the hood for a while so I could still use the hand-crank, now with a new radiator I moved the control back to on top of the winch. The wireless control is handier than I first thought. The whole thing seems fairly well built and worth the price.

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Warn M12K and don't look back.
Been running the same winch since the late 1990s. It's on its 2nd 80 Series, 5th winch line (orig steel, 4th synthetic), and second solenoid pack.
It always works.
 
I’ve got a Come Up on one truck and a Warn on the other. Both have worked flawlessly. One item of note, the remote for the Come Up is a handheld unit powered by a battery. Warn has an app that needs to be loaded on your smart phone. I see pros and cons to each approach but in my experience both have worked well with no issue.
 
I purchased my Warn a couple years ago. I’m blanking on the model but yes, it just has an app or a hard wired remote.
 
DrRock said:
I’ve got a Come Up on one truck and a Warn on the other. Both have worked flawlessly. One item of note, the remote for the Come Up is a handheld unit powered by a battery. Warn has an app that needs to be loaded on your smart phone. I see pros and cons to each approach but in my experience both have worked well with no issue.
Click to expand...
You can use pretty much any cheap, generic, wireless (battery powered remote) system on your Warn, if you consider that an advantage over app-driven remote

jembourbe

Post in thread 'Wiring an 8274 + Albright'

Wireless controller receiver and backup plug for wired handheld ... into Chinesium contactor.

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DrRock said:
I purchased my Warn a couple years ago. I’m blanking on the model but yes, it just has an app or a hard wired remote.
Click to expand...

Probably a Zeon Platinum. Does it also monitor battery voltage and allow you engage/disengage the clutch from the app?

Alternatively could be the Warn HUB accessory on any of their winches and some other brands too. Does similar but w/o some of the fancier options of the platinum.
 
vtl said:
IIRC WARN control box is relocatable. When I was looking at the winch bumper, I went ahead with WARN semi-hidden, because it clears control box. No regrets so far. I only sprayed it with Raptor before installing.
Click to expand...
I relocated the control box on my EVO to under the hood along with a 500a relay wired to an outfitter switch to keep power off except when required.

Most Warns and really any brand winch controller can be relocated. It’s just a matter of getting longer cables, a bracket & some routing.

The 78” cable kit for the EVO was about $80. The bracket was $100 or so. Relay was another $80.

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I've been involved in the manufacturing side of both Warn and Superwinch.

I would either buy a used Warn winch made before the Warn family sold out for the first time (1990's and older) and rebuild/upgrade it or buy a new Badlands winch. My 80 series runs an M10000 made in the early 90's. I just cleaned and regreased it, put a new motor on it, a new Albright and new synthetic line. It's a fantastic winch- Built really well inside and 100% built in Oregon.

The new winches have so many corners cut and sell for such an insane markup over what they cost to make. LKQ shareholders need 1000% return on the $250 million they spent to buy Warn you know?
 
PIP said:
I've been involved in the manufacturing side of both Warn and Superwinch.

I would either buy a used Warn winch made before the Warn family sold out for the first time (1990's and older) and rebuild/upgrade it or buy a new Badlands winch. My 80 series runs an M10000 made in the early 90's. I just cleaned and regreased it, put a new motor on it, a new Albright and new synthetic line. It's a fantastic winch- Built really well inside and 100% built in Oregon.

The new winches have so many corners cut and sell for such an insane markup over what they cost to make. LKQ shareholders need 1000% return on the $250 million they spent to buy Warn you know?
Click to expand...
but now they put a disco light on their winches 😂😂😂
 
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