By JHILLIARD on Unrecorded Date: Edit

What is the minimuim recommended capacity of a winch, to be installed on a Max II ? I know that the winch, Recreatives sells for the MAX II,IV, and the Buffalo, is rated at 2500 LBS. Seems to me, you could go a bit lighter for use on a MAX II. I found a 1500 LB winch, but figured this might be too light. I'd like to here some first hand winching experiences to help me decide.

By Midwest atv's #1 since 2000 (Hustler) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

For a max II, I would say a good 2000 # winch would be ok. For the Max IV, a good 2500 # winch.
When I say good, I am not talking about a superwinch.

By norm howard on Unrecorded Date: Edit

What is wrong with a superwinch? I just bought a atv 2000, did I make a mistake?

By JHILLIARD on Unrecorded Date: Edit

So from what your saying, the superwinch doesn't measure up to other winches of the same rating. Can you be more specific, why it doesn't?

By Midwest atv's #1 since 2000 (Hustler) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Superwinches are not built as good. Also, they are only rated at 1/2 of what they say. Lets say you need a 2500 # winch, you would need to buy a 5000 # Superwinch. Two of the better winches, Rule and Warn, sets their ratings by you pull the winch out and begin to pull. One cable pulling. Superwinch and some other cheap brands rate their winches by having the winch cable go out and connect to a roller of sometype and then connect back to the winch. This acts as having two cables, not one and doubles the winch capabilities. I hope this explains it better. Norm, you said you bought a 2000 # Superwinch? That will act like a 1000 # winch. Yes, it will work, but it will burn up quickly if used much.

By John Martin on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The only brands I would trust would be the Warn or Ramsey brands. I have had experience with both of their larger planetery gear drive winches (8000lbs) and they both do a great job. I know these brands are more money than the Superwinches and Rule but I think the money would be well spent. For now I always like to carry a wire come-a-long to get myself unstuck or better yet try and ride with someone when you are going to go all out in all the big holes. I believe the Ramsey model winches have a remote control to operate their 2,500 lbs winch. I think this is standard for that winch, but it may be optional. The remote would be handy when you are riding by yourself and don't want to keep walking back and forth to your machine buried in the mud after hooking up the cable.

By JHILLIARD on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the reply Mr Midwest. Out of curiosity I went to superwinch.com and they claim their rating is for a single cable. But this raises another question. Is this rating a stalling load or a working load? I sure would like to hear the details from someone who has stalled out a winch, on a stuck MAX II. In addition, is the standard electrical system up to handling the draw from one of these winches under load? I'm about ready to bag the winch option, and buy straps (lets the spinning tires do the winching) instead, as mentioned elsewhere on this forum.

By Eddie Beddingfield on Unrecorded Date: Edit

My two cents on the strap and tire thing is, who wants to wrap a strap around muddy tires that are already half burried in mud . 2 It may slip off and wrap around the axle , try unwraping that while you are in the mud and water stuck. Better take a cable comealong and some straps to tie off to. Eddie

By RickMoMoBigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I've got a 3000lb. cordless remote control Ramsey on my Bigfoot it looks like my truck lock remote and i've used it some for me and others ,I think it is a great winch to have on a aatv.It also has the switch on the Argo itself of course.Rick

By John Martin on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Rick where did you buy your Ramsey? Was it very expensive and was the remote included with the winch? Thanks for the info.

By terry harrison (Th3) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

on my grizzly i have had a 2000 warn and a 2500 warn and both did not last. i went to a rule 3300 and have not had any trouble at all. i also have a rule 2500 on my max. the rule seems like a better quality product compared to the smaller warn winches that have plastic parts in them and seem to self destruct rather quickly. i do have a 9000i warn on my Zr2 s-10 and it seems to be holding up just fine.

By RickMoMoBigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John, found this site on line.Place is somewhere in alabama.I'll have to dig up the info. Remote came with and it was around $429.00 with shipping.

By Robert C Pickerd (Tugger) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

cheap winch that will never wear out? I mounted a double geared manual winch off my boat trailer to the front bumper of my Hustler and have yet to find a place that can keep me stuck long. May not be as easy as the electric but it never fails and no drain on the battery.

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I've been sold on the Warn 2500 since I saw it used a few years ago at Deepwater. An Argo dealer had a Conquest 8x8 with a Warn 2500. We burried it big time in a bad mud hole. I jumped out to hook up the winch which left three guys still in the Argo. Once hooked up, the driver put the machine in neutral and just revved the engine as the winch dragged everything. No help from spinning tires. The Argo weighs over 1000 pounds and it had at least 600 pounds of riders in it. High center all that in thick mud and you've got quite a pull.

By Howard on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Just to add more information. Harbor Freight Tool has cheap 12v
winchs on sale for 90$ part number 40114, Sure they are cheap
but how many times we actually use the winchs? Most riders will
almost never use it. This meaasge will not apply to you hardliners
on 6x6 use.

The winch they have is only 1500 lbs with 30' of cable with rocker
remote switch, again very cheap but nice to have just in case, mounts
on the max type plates with ease

Works well on my MAX 2 keep in mind that this winch should work
well on any light machine

Howard

By JHILLIARD on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Howard, coincidently this is the exact winch I was looking at to put on a MAX II when I started this thread. I had intended to use it rarely, if at all, just to save me a walk should I unavoidably get stuck while riding solo. Granted, you usually get what you pay for and that why I questioned if a 1500 lb winch would be adequate for a MAX II.

By mike martindale (Wetsu) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

jhilliard,i had a a CABELA'S superwinch (1500 lb).on my 2000 argo bigfoot for about a year and a half before i sold my machine,and had zero,zip nadda,problem with it.it cost me 159.00 dollars,and it was well worth the price.saved me and a few others here on this board a few times.if you don't want to run a single line then add the pully block and double your pulling power.but i would also suggest getting straps.or you can get a boat winch as was previosly mentioned,and crank your self right out.and they're a whole cheaper and work very well.
mike(wetsu)