Pulling Power: Featured Winches Under $600

[Morris4x4Center]

A winch is an essential part of your Jeep. Winches are complicated wonders of engineering, and like all wonders of their kind, winches are made up of a dozen complex little pieces of metal that clink and move in unison to give you that strength of 50 men. Winches themselves can get expensive, ranging from $300-$2000. So we have assembled together some of the best entry level winches for under $600.

http://www.jeep4x4center.com/blog/?p=1127

 

[PaRenegade]

Maybe you can tell me this, since you have knowledge of the various brands. I had read somewhere that there are only 2 winch manufacturers out there, Warn and I think it was Ramsey. Since rebranding is so common in today's marketplace and with the explosion in the past 2 years of affordable 8k winches by every Tom, A BAD WORD, and Harry; I can believe this. they sell the base parts and then each company modifies the cosmetic stuff, is: different knob shapes, paint, solenoid box, etc. Can you shine any truth to this?

 

[Morris4x4Center]

Maybe you can tell me this, since you have knowledge of the various brands. I had read somewhere that there are only 2 winch manufacturers out there, Warn and I think it was Ramsey. Since rebranding is so common in today's marketplace and with the explosion in the past 2 years of affordable 8k winches by every Tom, pinkie, and Harry; I can believe this. they sell the base parts and then each company modifies the cosmetic stuff, is: different knob shapes, paint, solenoid box, etc. Can you shine any truth to this?

There are a many different plants producing winches, they are all tailored to the specs of the parent company. Its not like they are all the same with different names. Some companies put more time into research, development, and quality of parts that you can see it in the cost.

 

[alpha6]

Hey thanks for the links. Got to get one eventually and nice to see a comparison in one place.

 

[Chilly]

Can't speak specifically to winch rebranding but chain saws are a great case study in the practice. It is innacurate to say that a Jonsored is the same as a Poulan but they are owned by the same parent company. That company also owns Husqvarna and I think another budget brand or two. The strategy is to offer a product across the budget and quality spectrum. And where it makes sense they'll share components so long as they aren't crossing the cost-margin barriers. Some parts like choke handles and triggers may be the same but critical engine components may not be. Where a Jonsored has aluminum upper and lower crankcase halves a Poulan probably has a plastic lower half with aluminum inserts for the bearing cap. A homeowner may be satisfied with a Poulan and $400 remaining in his pocket. A tree trimmer will insist on the Jonsored or Husky because a broken saw costs him a LOT of money while his crew takes a 3hr lunch.

 

[PaRenegade]

Good example. Kind of like the lawn equipment industry too. MTD owns or owned about 6 or 7 competing lawn tractor companies who all shared the same parts except for paint and a few key parts that could be had at different quality levels.

But I can't see some of these "brands" creating an assembly and packaging department, like Q-tec or Northern Tool, just for winches. So I'm thinking for instance, Warn added another production line which uses cheaper parts and are only sold to other companies that contracted with them to produce and label them as their product with no sign of Warn's involvement.

 

[Chilly]

Or they buy another company with a separate manufacturing facility, share their supply chains, producing separate products to different levels of quality.

Or Brand-A makes real "Brand-A" stuff and sells their trademark priviledge and warranty management service to some other outfit to apply to their cheaper Chinese product. To the customer it still says "Brand-A" on the box, it's the same customer-facing support team, but some of the products are Brand-A in name only.

 

[cj7inthetwigs]

That's crazy, but it's the truth. I have learned that when I buy hand tools I buy name brand. Channel lock channel locks, Cresent brand Cresent wrench, klien tools for my trade (electrician) are nearly possible to beat. A few Greman brands but you basically get what you pay for. Sometimes that Warn winch for $300.00 on some 2nd rate website is exactly that meaning somewhere it Lacks something from being a $600.00 winch. I have learned if it sounds too good to be true, we'll then it is.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Chilly]

Warn would not be in the habit of accidentally selling a winch that is the functional equivalent of an 8274 for $400. They know way better than us what makes a $2k winch sell for $2k, and a $400 winch sell for $400. You do indeed get what you pay for more often than not.