Convince me I should not start with a rear winch.

I am considering a winch but do not want to buy a new front bumper. Is there any reason not to use a hitch mounted winch? I see advanatages to being able to install and remove when I daily drive vs. play outdoors. I do not anticipate any extreme off road like rock crawling.

 

​

 

Helpful.... Thanks for the deep and considered reply.

 

Hitch mounted is great for recovering others, but if you're jammed up, getting it installed and using it isn't always ideal.

Do you really need a winch at all? Do you solo or go in small groups?

I've been a test dummy for winches many times, but not once did we really need it.

I'm a fan of daisy chain tow straps haha.

 

I say go for it …

 

I think that I will be solo the majority of the time if not all. I would install before leaving the house for any off highway and remove to daily drive the truck.

I do wonder if I need a winch at all but in the northeast there are 5 seasons spring, summer, fall, winter and mud.

 

Installing it while off-road is a great way to destroy it in short order with the horrible overhang and departure angle. A removable rear winch is best left secured in the bed until you’re stuck and need it.

 

Thank you. I would not have thought of that but it makes sense.

 

If you leave it in, it will eat dirt on any steep departure. (unless someone else has more direct experience)

I leave my tow shackle in, and it constantly gets banged up on every truck I offroad.

 

You'll need a good bit more heavy gauge wire run to the back, just something to consider.
I do like the idea of keeping the winch out of the weather when not in use..

 

Food for thought……

https://www.4xinnovations.com/2016--2023-Tacoma-Front-Hidden-Hitch-Receiver_p_191.html

 

I did this on a Wrangler a few years back. Put a hitch bumper up front and ran power to the front and rear. Loved it because it kept my two door nice and light as a daily and gave me options to winch in the front and rear when needed.

I ended up having to sell the Jeep when I moved overseas and never used it nearly enough to justify the cost of the winch, but it was a fun project.

 

How many times have you needed to winch?

How many times did you want to be pulled in reverse? (There are ways to pull forward with a rear winch, but...)

 

ur welcome lol

 

This is something I've been considering. Some of the mountains I spend time in don't have many people around like Colorado does. I'd much rather use a recovery rope, but no guaranty anyone will be nearby. I'm looking at this one on Amazon:

$672 Champion Power Equipment 12000-lb.Truck/SUV Synthetic Rope Winch Kit with Speed Mount

https://www.amazon.com/Champion-000...itch+Mounted+Winch&qid=1672809325&sr=8-5&th=1

Says it is max 400 amps. I always have an extra 100ah lifepo4 battery in the bed, but I have no idea if that would work. I think lithium is about 100 amp max

 

I would only use a hitch based winch if I had a hitch in the front and rear. Most of the time you are going to want to winch forward, but there are times winching backwards could be useful.

I was also worried about leaving an expensive tool like a winch attached to the outside of my truck permanently, but I have come to think they are designed to handle the elements (at least the quality ones).

An alternative are the standalone winches that have their own gasoline motor. They are spendy though.

Also you can winch with a hi-lift jack but it is a PITA.

 

Lots of questions. Ever been stuck? Have traction boards? A shovel? Snow chains? A compressor? Decent tires? Is your truck a 4x4 or 2wd. Do you go solo into unknown spots with no cell service? If no to the solo part, got snatch straps? Are the places you drive sandy and barren or…? Also, got any experience?

My emotional sociology suggests 75% of people that buy a winch for their Tacoma don’t use them, like, ever. And if they do, they could have gotten out without one using the above stuff.

Here’s a totally unrelated picture of a bunch of truck dorks in SoCal. Near the old tin mines by Lake Matthews. “Also great weather for watching trucks get stuck because they tried to send clay-dominant trails three seconds after the most rain we’ve had in the region in months.”

YMMV.

 

I’m part of the front winch gang, however I did buy the necessary things to run the line to the back of the truck to reverse winch. that paired with some traction boards I think I’m mostly covered.

I didn’t like the overhang of temporary winch options, departure angle especially is bad enough with the hitch where it is. Maybe it’s a great option if you’re just in mud and don’t have to climb things I suppose.

also some of the front hitch mounts have been known to bend. I don’t think they’re made with winching in mind.



Pic for reference https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/anyone-use-the-hitch-winch-setup.161050/

 

I considered adding a front hitch and having the flexibility to move a winch front or rear, but aside from the over hang issues, my main concern is the angle of the pull. With my bumper the winch is mounted centered and as close to the frame rails as possible. This helps when you have a pull at an awkward angle. When you have it hitch mounted it’s putting a TON of lateral stress on a small pivot point if you’re doing a pull at a severe angle. The stock hitch wasn’t designed with that in mind, let alone a likely more flimsy front hitch.

I’ll also add half the fun of having a winch in the bumper at all times is using it when I wasn’t expecting to. Pulling a stranger out of a ditch at the ski hill or a beached large truck on a mild forest road. That’s the best.