tow bar winch

[parkin287]

not sure if this has been covered before but has anyone ever used or got a tow bar mounted winch and are they any good? if so what type of mount and winch size? thanks

[bushy]

I've a 4000lb tow ball winch from David Bowers goodwinch. It is useful but very difficult to pay in neatly on the drum as it swivels on the towball. I would be careful with a winch any bigger , would the towball take it?

[RobRainford]

We've got a fairly cheap one. Clips onto the battery with very long cables! It's 3000lb but very very slow! So slow it's not even worth setting up!

 

I would choose something more substantial if I was to buy one!

[blazer]

I mounted a 8,000lb winch to the draw bar of my old L200 4 life. I was lucky in that it was a square section draw bar which was bent out by design. So with a 2ft piece of heavy angle fixed to the tow plate I could mount the winch plate with additional clamps. The cables run in a protected route to the battery via a fuse and isolator switch, with 2 doubled up connectors so I can remove the winch. With the number plate covered I fitted an extra plate to the top. I have a combination hitch mounted underneath, so with a farm type plate say 18" long with 2 big holes I can run the winch cable though a pulley and back to the plate in the hitch, which doubles the pulling power. To stop the truck being pulled back I used wedges at first then got a local lad to make me up a winch fork (sorry forgot the proper name) which also goes from the hitch to the ground - works a treat.

 

I leave the engine running if working hard, it can pull out say a 20"dia ash tree 20 ' long, or say 18" dia hangups. I have used it to pull trees say 15" dia 60' high while felling with 3 - 1 tonne slings only 10 ' up but acting as a spring, then the winch cable - worked a treat, top twigs hit the truck.

 

Overall it really helps and above all make work safer, if of interest I will try and get my son to put up some pictures:thumbup1:

[Danny Boy]

i have a front & back winch cradle which i got & never ended up using.

 

pm me if interested as i'm thinking of selling it for £100 plus postage.

 

i'll try & dig up some photos too.