Based on this revelation I’m going to yank the CCA lines out and put in the Warn supplied power and ground lines and heavy duty battery disconnect switch on the positive.
Cradle-mount winches, electrical connection, current draw
- Thread starter DeltaNu1142
- Start date
I've had to winch myself out seven times in the past five years in situations where other vehicles, recovery ropes, and a 3,000 ratchet puller with two block could get the job done. Only once did I have to winch from the front, so I was quite grateful to have the cradle winch. Granted, it's not going to have the same max amperage as a direct wiring, but that said, a 12k winch that only pulls 6k off the rear hitch is better than a front winch at the bottom of a ditch.
So, my question is why would I give that up? Not so much because I want to convince anyone to give up their front bumper-mounted winch, but because I don't know how I'd use one to get myself out of tough spots when I'm on my own and there's no one to assist.
We solve the problems we have. Some of us have solved your problems with lockers.
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Here’s where I’ve landed on this…
I’m going to front-mount my winch, conventionally, on a bumper. I think the most compelling reason is that it makes side-pulls possible, something that a cradle-mount just won’t do safely. To qualify this… I’m not saying a bumper-mounted winch gives you a 180° range of pull angle without other rigging, necessarily, but it’s closer to that than a cradle-mounted winch.
When I was thinking using a cradle-mounted winch, it was never going to be just banging around in the tub when not in use. Unsecured loads frighten me. So, I was always going to have to come up with a hard-mounted receiver in the tub somewhere. And then I’d be putting the winch in the Jeep when I thought I might need it, and taking it out when I don’t. Not ideal.
Having said all that.. I’m always going to have a rear receiver. And I have a cradle. Maybe down the line, I’ll find some bargain on a 2nd winch to mount to it and I’ll just make a long harness to power it. I can see value in having a winch at the rear, even if the safe-ish pull range is a 60° swath.
If nothing else, this thread has convinced me to make the electrical part modular, with Anderson connectors for power. That way I can add other stuff easily. A second, cradle-mounted winch for the rear is way down the mod list, but I’ll leave room for the possibility.
FYI: I stumbled on Battery Cables USA when doing wiring research. US supplier, makes custom cables of any gauge or length with whatever ends on them you want. I’m planning to go to them for the Big 7 upgrade, and maybe some other stuff too.
I’m going to front-mount my winch, conventionally, on a bumper. I think the most compelling reason is that it makes side-pulls possible, something that a cradle-mount just won’t do safely. To qualify this… I’m not saying a bumper-mounted winch gives you a 180° range of pull angle without other rigging, necessarily, but it’s closer to that than a cradle-mounted winch.
When I was thinking using a cradle-mounted winch, it was never going to be just banging around in the tub when not in use. Unsecured loads frighten me. So, I was always going to have to come up with a hard-mounted receiver in the tub somewhere. And then I’d be putting the winch in the Jeep when I thought I might need it, and taking it out when I don’t. Not ideal.
Having said all that.. I’m always going to have a rear receiver. And I have a cradle. Maybe down the line, I’ll find some bargain on a 2nd winch to mount to it and I’ll just make a long harness to power it. I can see value in having a winch at the rear, even if the safe-ish pull range is a 60° swath.
If nothing else, this thread has convinced me to make the electrical part modular, with Anderson connectors for power. That way I can add other stuff easily. A second, cradle-mounted winch for the rear is way down the mod list, but I’ll leave room for the possibility.
FYI: I stumbled on Battery Cables USA when doing wiring research. US supplier, makes custom cables of any gauge or length with whatever ends on them you want. I’m planning to go to them for the Big 7 upgrade, and maybe some other stuff too.
Can't argue with the cradle being ill-suited for this.
Especially expensive unsecured loads. I keep my winch in a secured toolbox, surrounded by rubber flooring so it can only move an inch or two, but that does take up space and weight.
Sometimes that's the only answer. Well, other than having a friend with a winch and a vehicle with enough weight/purchase to haul you out.
Nice! Thanks for mentioning that — I got a SmittyBilt winch cradle and connector for my SmittyBilt winch, only to later discover that the cable was undersized. Yes, I should have looked up the wire gauge, but I was in a hurry to replace a vehicle that had had burnt itself to the ground (at the garage — not after using the undersized winch wiring), and rushed through some of the details.
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