SMITTYBILT XRC8 Winch arrived today... details, pictures, etc...

[KevinKrupp]

its been about 5 months since i got mine so i thought i would give yall an update. good news is that it has worked well and got me out of just about every situation that i needed it too. How ever the cable got kinked up pretty bad the 1st couple times i used it so there are a few ugly (maybe weak) spots in the line. the hardware all around the outside is rusted so all the bolts arnt very pretty anymore. the 3d stickers on the outside have watter spots that dont come out, not that thats important.
just the other day i some friends wanted to see how well it worked. and i descovered that it has a bad connection in the controler/ solenoid connector now. you have to wiggle it all around to sometimes make a connection and its a real pain. im gonna have to go check it out tommorow or something.
im gonna call up 4wheel parts or smittybilt this week and see if they can replace the control box. idk. i have mixed feelings about this winch now. i love the price, but the quality is def not up to par with the high end companies like warn.

[4x4grey88]

Get yourself a Snatch block because a snatch blocks are one of the most useful pieces of recovery gear that you can have in your Jeep. Used properly, the multi-purpose snatch block can double or triple the pulling power of any winch, or change your Jeep's pulling direction without damaging the wire rope. They also help to reduce winch heat build up and amp draw.

Also try to get a cover made.

I have used a snatch block to pull a full sized Blazer out of the mud to his doors using my Milemarker 8000. I know that I would not have be able to do this without a snatch block.

Has anyone notice the similarities between the MileMarker and Smittybuilt Winches..

[Ryan_Tj_on_37s]

i dont remeber if it was this thread or another one on this forum. but there was a picture or the heat shrink in the control box and it was labeled. Mile Marker. i dont think it gets any clearer than that.

[Duck Dodgers]

Anymore input on this winch? One thing I have noticed that no one can keep them in stock.

Big-n-Broke.... how's it holding up since the cable kink?

[BamaWrangler]

Well after reading this thread, along with other reviews I ordered mine just a few minutes ago. $284.95 with free shipping from winchdepot.com

[WillysEdition04]

If I order one I plan to paint it Dark Green Lusterless (military issue) to match my theme.
Explained in detail here: 2004 Willys Pkg Theme Mods
Any ideas on how difficult it will be to remove/re-adhere the emblems? I'll also replace the cable with synthetic line in OD green.

[20minToRockies]

Originally Posted by WillysEdition04

If I order one I plan to paint it Dark Green Lusterless (military issue) to match my theme.
Explained in detail here: 2004 Willys Pkg Theme Mods
Any ideas on how difficult it will be to remove/re-adhere the emblems? I'll also replace the cable with synthetic line in OD green.

I'm sorry but your going to put $100 - $150 worth of line on a $270 winch?

[sportcoupe]

Originally Posted by 20minToRockies

I'm sorry but your going to put $100 - $150 worth of line on a $270 winch?

I don't see why not. You want him to put the cheapest line he can find and risk serious injury when it fails?

Seriously, the SmittyBilt is a decent winch. The reason it's cheap is because they skimped on some items like the solenoid (cheaply made with no backup like warn uses) and steel line cable (low quality). The winch itself is pretty decent.

[WillysEdition04]

Originally Posted by 20minToRockies

I'm sorry but your going to put $100 - $150 worth of line on a $270 winch?

I've seen way to many near misses from damaged and busted cables to take that kind of risk with them.

So my thinking: Spend $300 on a winch that I can upgrade to synth. line for $119 = $419
vs.
Spend the money on a "higher quality" more expensive winch and run a setup I'm not comfortable with.

I had a Ramsey 8.5 on my 98 and it didn't take long for the cable to be rendered useless. Even with the cover on, the amount of salt they throw down on these roads finds its way into EVERYTHING! And the townships keep buying those 'saline' system trucks. All liquid deicer. Which is even more damaging to vehicles and gets into every crack in the road, thawing it, and cracking it more. Gotta love advances in technology for a better world.

[20minToRockies]

Yeah I hear ya.

Try living here. They sand/salt the roads about once a week during the middle of winter. I actually just had a very, very close call on my Honda CBR the other day. Taking a corner, hit some sand and was about 5 degrees away from low-sliding the bike. If everyone would just buy a Jeep then there would be no need for it.

[WillysEdition04]

That "sand" is most likely #9 gravel. About 20% crushed stone and 80% natural. which means its very round and smooth. I would compare it to Nerds candy. Like little ball bearings on the road for ya!

[redhatman]

So pretty much the only thing I am reading wrong with this is the bad crimped connections? Certainly not something that would stop me for $299 shipped, I know how to solder...

[SuB8HaVeN]

Sorry to dig this topic back up, but I just bought one of these and noticed that my model is just about entirely different from everyone else's here on this page. I bought mine from 4 Wheel Parts a few days ago for $299 plus tax. I was about to buy one from Harbor Freight but decided on the Smittybilt instead.



I got to looking at the specs and reviews online and realized my box had different specs. My box says 5.5hp series wound motor, with a 172.8:1 gear ratio. I think originally the XRC8 had a 4.1hp permanent magnet motor. The user guide also mentions the series wound motor, and the specs seem to be entirely different than the 4.1hp XRC8.



The winch, control box, and remote are all very different than what is originally pictured in this post.



Inside the control box, looks much beefier than the original post pictures.




For $299, I'm impressed. I had to shell out $120 for a Warn winch plate to get it mounted by this weekend, but the winch plate from Warn is a very beefy bolt-on kit that requires no modification or drilling. I did have to ditch my tow hooks which erks me, but the winch should do better than tow hooks. The line speed seems to be very quick with no load, I almost had my hand eaten in the fairlead. The construction of the unit isn't top notch, but it's $299. The hex-head screws on the control box and the one supplied to mount the control box are soft as plastic, so they strip out easy. The hardware they supply to mount the winch to the winch mount plate is pretty cheap as well. I wanted to run and grab some Grade 5 or 8 from Lowe's but was strapped for time. The bolts on the terminals are mixed between metric and sae, that's how you can tell it's probably made in China...

Anyways, I'll have to let you guys know how it does. I'm taking my CJ out trailriding all weekend and camping with some friends. It should see some use...

[alwaysready]

My crimped connections were just fine..
had to use it today. 1st time for a real stuck.
chevy extended cab 4x4 2500 street tires loaded with tools = not a trail truck.
Dad calls whatchya doing?
me: busy doing...
dad: can you come get me out im stuck in the mud a field.
Me where, ill be there...
started using a 30' strap as seen in pic. pulled him prolly 75' No winch just pulling with the XJ
then he was down onto the frame and the corn stalks were gathering up in between the rear axle and the trans. Time to WINCH
it was like a road grader after that just draggin the frame and corn stalks across the field
yes when i began winching we needed the 30' strap too he must have been 120' from the street cause i didnt have enough cable..
I had no issues with the winch it started and ran flawlessly.
real life saver.. ran it for a while let it cool. ran it let it cool realized my volts were at 9 so i let the battery charge back up then winched the rest of the way then he had to get unstuck off the pile of corn stalks and mud that we drug up a couple back and forths and he got over it.
then i had to play delivery man(they were surveying 20 acres) i had to run them to the back to stake out and come back. i walked on the mud most all the time.. too bad he sank LIKE A ROCK.(as the commercial goes..)



SuB8HaVeN:
ya my control is different and your engagement lever is on the end where mine is on top..
Hmm otherwise looks the same..

[cnskate]

I recently mounted mine and it looks like the one above. Only problem is the installed the clutch backwards or something. When the lever is on engaged it free spools and vice-versa. I did a 90 foot pool and the voltmeter barely moved.