What are the thoughts on the current winches nowadays?

rlynch356

Adventurist
I'm looking for a new winch for my d90 (~9-10k-ish size, the truck weighs 4,600 lbs and may get heavier)..
My Superwinch is headed to my daughters truck.. It has served me well for 15 years or so and is still going strong..

Some of the winches I have been looking at are the ..

Come-Up Seal Gen 2 9.5 or 12 RS
Warn Xeon line (I don't like the big top braces or centrally mounted solenoid box though - I like to be able to get in there if needed.)
Warn VR (?)
Red Winch explorer (not too interested in the air system requirement but it is cool when I have played with them)

Who else makes a quality winch these days?

Not really interested in wireless controllers or other stuff just a quality winch that is proven in the field.
Needs to have an external brake of course, since I will run authentic rope on it (safe-xtract)
I cannot use an 8274 on my bumper, loved my last one on the 110 but this bumper is feet down and not compatible. The Husky requires a different bumper as well.

Open to thoughts on it from everyone..
 
I'm rocking the Warn 9.5 XP on my LJ. I absolutely love everything about it.
  • It's Warn (so it's a reputable brand with good customer service).
  • Made in the USA (because that's a thing I believe in).
  • It's super fast (which is great when I do a 2:1 and my line speed drops in half).
  • I like the non-integrated solenoid pack (meaning I'm not blocking the precious airflow into my Jeeps tiny radiator).
  • I love the classic look (don't get me wrong, their Xeon and VR winches are sexy, but I like the classic look a little more).
 
Come-Up Seal Gen 2 9.5 or 12 RS
Warn Xeon line (I don't like the big top braces or centrally mounted solenoid box though - I like to be able to get in there if needed.)
Warn VR (?)
Red Winch explorer (

Come Up. Made in Taiwan not the CCP. Excellent quality, I like them.

Warn Zeon. I have one. It’s excellent. They make a non-wireless version which I have, I prefer an actual hard wire controller. They also make a solenoid relocation kit for that integrated solenoid too.

Warn VR. Their budget line, made overseas somewhere. Still a good option.

Red winch. Not familiar with their brand.

*Superwinch. Since they got bought out by Westin, their brand has suffered. I’m a fan of the Talon as it’s a good design, but when you put a current production Superwinch next to a Warn it looks and feels cheap right down to the packaging. At one time they were made in USA or UK, now... Made in China.

Not mentioned are Smittybilt, Harbor Freight, Badlands etc. I don’t personally recommend any of those brands to friends or family.

YMMV. ;)
 
I had forgotten about the XP.. good option..

Red Winch - is an English company, made in England (motors are made in Taiwan, I believe) - all CNC milled components, With a drum air brake mechanism for 0% overrun. They are almost too fast.
But since it requires another system (the Air system) to be 100% functional, I am not going to really look at it in depth... too many eggs in one ARB CKMPT12 basket..

I omitted the Smittybuilt and the others on purpose... they are not up for consideration.
 
I had forgotten about the XP.. good option..

Red Winch - is an English company, made in England (motors are made in Taiwan, I believe) - all CNC milled components, With a drum air brake mechanism for 0% overrun. They are almost too fast.
But since it requires another system (the Air system) to be 100% functional, I am not going to really look at it in depth... too many eggs in one ARB CKMPT12 basket..

I omitted the Smittybuilt and the others on purpose... they are not up for consideration.

XP? If you mean Superwinch EXP, it's no longer made. There was a lawsuit with Warn over the design, that also fed into the company going belly up. Sadly, I think spare parts will be tough for those left holding the bag with an EXP.

It's since been re-spawned under Westin as the SX line minus some of the bells and whistles the EXP had.
 
I was thinking about the WARN 9.5 XP Dean mentioned above..

Wasn't aware of the super winch drama - I basically stopped following them after the 2nd sale of the company..
 
I was thinking about the WARN 9.5 XP Dean mentioned above..

Wasn't aware of the super winch drama - I basically stopped following them after the 2nd sale of the company..

I think Warn stopped making the 9/9.5 style winches, most brands are going to a 8/10/12 sizing.

On a Land Rover Defender D-90 type, I'd recommend a Warn Zeon 10-S

It's a solid unit with a hard wired remote (my preference) and no fancy bells and whistles. Made in USA too.

:canoe
 
I think Warn stopped making the 9/9.5 style winches, most brands are going to a 8/10/12 sizing.

Nope. They still make the 9.5 XP in both a steel cable and synthetic version. They even still make the compact - and wicked fast - 9.0 RC competition winch. They also still make the 9XD and M8000 which are also non-integrated solenoid packs.


(This is what happens when you spent over a year in off-road retail and sell a ton of Warn winches. :p).
 
Nope. They still make the 9.5 XP in both a steel cable and synthetic version. They even still make the compact - and wicked fast - 9.0 RC competition winch. They also still make the 9XD and M8000 which are also non-integrated solenoid packs.


(This is what happens when you spent over a year in off-road retail and sell a ton of Warn winches.:p).

Yeah, last I heard they are phasing those out my friend. Too many SKU's and PN's makes the bean counters nervous.
 
Yeah, last I heard they are phasing those out my friend. Too many SKU's and PN's makes the bean counters nervous.

Bummer, because there are a lot of advantages to that form-factor over the Xeon style. Not to mention the serviceability of the "older" designs. I'll have to keep an ear out to see what the timeline is for phasing them out. May need to pick up another one or two to squirrel away for a rainy day.
 
Bummer, because there are a lot of advantages to that form-factor over the Xeon style. Not to mention the serviceability of the "older" designs. I'll have to keep an ear out to see what the timeline is for phasing them out. May need to pick up another one or two to squirrel away for a rainy day.

As far as form factor goes, the M8000/M12000 style will be around for a long time I think as one of their "classic" designs.

As far as "serviceability" goes, you and I are dinosaurs amigo. Very few of us these days want to service or maintain anything it seems ;)
 
HAHA I resemble that.. I'm driving a 95' daily.. with a 15 year old EP9 winch that normally gets services every few years.. hopefully I'll be able to get parts for it, but I'm doubting it lately with what's happened to Superwinch (last time I looked there was nothing available for it anymore)
 
I'd like to upgrade to a Come Up Winch, I originally ran a Smittybilt on my truck (gift from the wife) it was so noisy it gave me weird thoughts it would stop working.

I swapped it out for the winch on my farm trailer Badlands ZXR 12,000lb. I spool'd off the cable, removed the cable tensioner, prep the drum & spool'd on 75ft of MasterPull's 7\16" Classic Synthetic Rope, and replaced the roller fairlead with a Factor 55.

I've never had to use the winch in a recovery situation (knock on wood), but I pulled quite a few large tree's blocking my path deep in the National Forest to our destination. It's slow but it hasn't failed me in the uses I've been in. Having any kind of winch on a vehicle IMO whether cheap or expensive is better than NOT having one @ all if you're into offroad adventures. I carry plenty of recovery gear underneath my rear seat as extra 50ft. of 7\16" MasterPul Classic Synthetic Rope in case of breaking the one on the drum.

010.JPG
SAM_3161.JPG
 
Last edited:
Good discussion. The Warn xp is the old Warn HS9500 renamed. Hell of a winch. Had an HS on my 2003 Rubicon when the vehicle burned. Always worked even in crazy situations.
 
Back
Top Bottom