What brand winch do you have/like?

[aauman88]

Well first ride today on the Pioneer 1000-5 with new Viper Elite SE 6000lb winch and 65’ synthetic cable. My buddy also had the same winch in the 45’ rope version. First few pulls went great then mine smoked the motor. Bypassed contactor/solenoid to verify and it is locked down completely. My buddy was attempting to pull me out after mine died and his synthetic rope snapped at the end. Hoping they warranty it but I’m not holding my breathe so getting prepared to see which way to go.

I don’t want to count on another person to get me out so what’s the best option? I’m happy with the Viper mount with way it hooks straight to frame. The Warn Axon 5500 looks great but I can’t seem to find many real world reviews.

Is 5500/6000lb large enough for Pioneer? And what brand holds up the best? Wife doesn’t like me adding stuff on the buggy and when it fails the first ride out it makes it worse.

Pics attached of the hole that took out both winches. Im in the red one, wife sitting on hood and mother in law on buggy with me. There was a serious suction on the buggy and it took several UTV/ATV’s to push/pull me out. No damage I don’t think other than winches

 

[Choogsbro]

Vipermax 4000 widespool. 9 years old and has never failed.

 

[Baldeagle]

Well first ride today on the Pioneer 1000-5 with new Viper Elite SE 6000lb winch and 65’ synthetic cable. My buddy also had the same winch in the 45’ rope version. First few pulls went great then mine smoked the motor. Bypassed contactor/solenoid to verify and it is locked down completely. My buddy was attempting to pull me out after mine died and his synthetic rope snapped at the end. Hoping they warranty it but I’m not holding my breathe so getting prepared to see which way to go.

I don’t want to count on another person to get me out so what’s the best option? I’m happy with the Viper mount with way it hooks straight to frame. The Warn Axon 5500 looks great but I can’t seem to find many real world reviews.

Is 5500/6000lb large enough for Pioneer? And what brand holds up the best? Wife doesn’t like me adding stuff on the buggy and when it fails the first ride out it makes it worse.

Pics attached of the hole that took out both winches. Im in the red one, wife sitting on hood and mother in law on buggy with me. There was a serious suction on the buggy and it took several UTV/ATV’s to push/pull me out. No damage I don’t think other than winches

View attachment 119138 View attachment 119139

I’ve always run Warn winches. I have a 700-4 pioneer and my son has a 1000-5 pioneer. We do a lot of muskeg and mud in Alberta and BC. Lots of suction. That mud hole looks familiar. I run a 4500 and son a 6000. Both Warn. I am very careful to never stall the winch out. That will smoke any electric. I always carry at least 2 snatch blocks. That gives me the equivalent of about a 12000 winch when I need it. Also carry 2 spare 50’ winch lines as the snatch block limit the line pull.

Always use synthetic line. Hate steel cable. What we’ve been doing for a couple years is to have the loop braided in both ends. Then it’s a quick change of the winch cable if you do need to. Just run the end through the loop on the drum end. Works great for quick change and if you get to the end it’s way stronger than the crimped eye and screw. We also both run 7500# line. On the hook end we put a short piece of 5000# line. I just bought a couple lengths of the 5000# line and made jumpers about 3’ long with a loop braided into both ends. So far that short sacrificial piece has broken before the main line. And sons 6000 can break it before his winch stalls. I have broken the lead line with my 4500 aw well. But I’m still pretty careful with the stalling.

I’ve tried a few other electric winches but have never been happier than with Warns. Both on vehicles and ATV/ UTVs.

I have bought quite a bit of winch line online. Significantly cheaper. Not sure of cost in US. In Canada 50’ of 7000# is generally about $100. Online I get 50’ of 7000# for $24 and 5000# for $18. Canadian.

Happy winching. If I wasn’t clear and anyone would like a little more info. Just ask.

Sorry. Reply got a little long.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[aauman88]

Great ideas with the sacrificial line. We had snatch blocks but not enough extra line to use them. Looks like will definitely be getting extra 50’ line for each. Thanks

 

[Russ989]

Vipermax 4000 widespool. 9 years old and has never failed.

Hey @Choogsbro, is that 4000 on your wolverine? I’m looking at a viper for my 700-4 but not sure if I should get 4000 or 4500 or even a 5000.

 

[ToddACimer]

I would definitely get a winch cable extension and use a snatch block next time. I've been really happy with my superwinch terra45

 

[Backwoods]

I have the viper bought from here used it twice I am very happy so far. I have also had very good service from super winch, I think synthetic is the way to go. It doesn't take long to Jack up a steel cable.

 

[Russ989]

I have the viper bought from here used it twice I am very happy so far. I have also had very good service from super winch, I think synthetic is the way to go. It doesn't take long to Jack up a steel cable.

What size did you go with?

 

[Mudwing]

I have a Viper Midnight 4500 synthetic. Haven’t used it yet but happy with it.

 

[Neohio]

Not know what was in front of your machine, but using a tree strap 7' off the ground would have helped "lift" your front end out of the mud and move you forward.
Sometimes it is about your winching strategy and not the size of your winch.

 

[Montecresto]

Well first ride today on the Pioneer 1000-5 with new Viper Elite SE 6000lb winch and 65’ synthetic cable. My buddy also had the same winch in the 45’ rope version. First few pulls went great then mine smoked the motor. Bypassed contactor/solenoid to verify and it is locked down completely. My buddy was attempting to pull me out after mine died and his synthetic rope snapped at the end. Hoping they warranty it but I’m not holding my breathe so getting prepared to see which way to go.

I don’t want to count on another person to get me out so what’s the best option? I’m happy with the Viper mount with way it hooks straight to frame. The Warn Axon 5500 looks great but I can’t seem to find many real world reviews.

Is 5500/6000lb large enough for Pioneer? And what brand holds up the best? Wife doesn’t like me adding stuff on the buggy and when it fails the first ride out it makes it worse.

Pics attached of the hole that took out both winches. Im in the red one, wife sitting on hood and mother in law on buggy with me. There was a serious suction on the buggy and it took several UTV/ATV’s to push/pull me out. No damage I don’t think other than winches

View attachment 119138 View attachment 119139

I haven’t put one on my 1000-3 yet, but as soon as I can swallow the price, it will be this sexy one.....

Warn Axon 55 Winches 101155

 

[Backwoods]

What size did you go with?

I think it's a 3000lb. Since the 700 weighs a little over 1200 lbs it seems to pull it well but sometimes I wonder if I should have went 4500 from what I read on here. If it ever lets me down I will cuss and go order the 4500

 

[Backwoods]

I haven’t put one on my 1000-3 yet, but as soon as I can swallow the price, it will be this sexy one.....

Warn Axon 55 Winches 101155

Those are good looking winchs

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

I have KFI but my favorite winch is the one you never have to use.

 

[aauman88]

Not know what was in front of your machine, but using a tree strap 7' off the ground would have helped "lift" your front end out of the mud and move you forward.
Sometimes it is about your winching strategy and not the size of your winch.

Yes that’s when the winch quit. My buddy hooked it head high and I was pulling up and his winch was hooked to me pulling me forward. I quickly seen it’s more about technique not shear power on the first couple of pulls. Hard to know when it stalls with engine running but only way I can think to know visibly when it stalls is to find a ampmeter for dash

 

[aauman88]

I have KFI but my favorite winch is the one you never have to use.

I agree totally but I don’t want to be scared of holes. The machine is plenty capable but we are riding same trails guys are running 40-44” tires so your going to get stuck.

 

[aauman88]

I haven’t put one on my 1000-3 yet, but as soon as I can swallow the price, it will be this sexy one.....

Warn Axon 55 Winches 101155

Yes those are awesome looking winches for sure. Wish I’d known if it would for sure got but I couldn’t find anyone that actually had done it

 

[Russ989]

I have a Viper Midnight 4500 synthetic. Haven’t used it yet but happy with it.

Yeah, I remember you talking about how much that one cost you lol. In sleep that is.

 

[Russ989]

I haven’t put one on my 1000-3 yet, but as soon as I can swallow the price, it will be this sexy one.....

Warn Axon 55 Winches 101155

I was looking at one myself but I don’t know if I can get passed the price. I bet it’s a nice winch though.

 

[jwfirebird]

I agree totally but I don’t want to be scared of holes. The machine is plenty capable but we are riding same trails guys are running 40-44” tires so your going to get stuck.

with winches you really have to take advise with a grain of salt, unless they do your exact terrain not likely going to apply. for clay soil that has been rutted you are dragging a ton of force, kind of like he said skeg or ice and real wet use needs a reliable winch like the warn 45+ or superwinch terra 45. i seriously beat my winches, the ice/half froze swamp and clay here are the worst you will encounter and i ride couple times a month or more. warns other people use in this always work and i always buy superwinches, they are just as good had some over 12 years with only one contactor wearing out. i use doubling pully and terra 45 on my pioneer because i got it from amazon for 240 plus 20 for the rope.
everyone just useing it here and there to tip it off a rock or up some small loose ruts really never had the terrain for experience to judge. 4500 winch can pick up the whole machine in a second without even working, alot different having 2000 lbs on clay all the way