Winch needed

[Covo71]

Need to buy a winch, do I need to be spending over a $1000 to get a reliable winch?

[Bloodyaussie]

Not at all... runva for about $650 , tjm about $1000, kingone for about the same

Mego has a runva and it was dragging his rig through very thick mud for more than 10min and barely got warm.

[lucus30]

Not at all... runva for about $650 , tjm about $1000, kingone for about the same

Mego has a runva and it was dragging his rig through very thick mud for more than 10min and barely got warm.

Runva is what I'll be getting. Just need a bar to put it in first

[Bloodyaussie]

Runva is what I'll be getting. Just need a bar to put it in first

Same here......

[Ben-e-boy]

Same here......

I though you are getting a high mount?.....

[Bloodyaussie]

I though you are getting a high mount?.....

Shhhh!!!!!! It's a secret. .

[Covo71]

Got a nissan bar. Will the run a fit no drama's? Who sell's them? I am in bathurst but go to Sydney every few weeks. Any ideas?

[04OFF]

Tigerz 11 ! :bigthumbup:

(off I go to wash mouth out)

[Bloodyaussie]

Tigerz 11 ! :bigthumbup:

(off I go to wash mouth out)

The early winches were good but the later ones (the one I have) are not so good..

[lucus30]

Got a nissan bar. Will the run a fit no drama's? Who sell's them? I am in bathurst but go to Sydney every few weeks. Any ideas?

Road runner off road sell them. Send em an email and ask if the winch you want will fit in your bar and they should be able to tell you.

[Covo71]

Thanks everybody, good enough for me. Run a it will be

[04OFF]

The early winches were good but the later ones (the one I have) are not so good..


What year was the crossover ?

[MEGOMONSTER]

I have a Runva 12000lb winch on the ARB deluxe. I was concern about it fitting in, but no probs at all.

44868

A slight modification was needed to the opening where the rope comes out of the bar to suit the fairlead they supplied.
It had to be made slightly bigger cos the fairlead was offset.



44869

This is what I was winching out of, wasn't sure how well it would perform, with BA's help it worked hard without raising a sweat.
RUNVA was suggested by a fair few guys and thats what I went with.

[Bloodyaussie]

What year was the crossover ?

I am actually not sure but a few I have spoken to swear by the early ones and I have seen one perform again and again with no problems at all...

I have the later series and know of a few issues with mine and others I have used and dont have that real faith in it..

There is a hill not far from where we were all playing last weekend and we had to winch a dozen times to get me up and I would be concerned my winch could not do it.. Irish hated me for it as he was my winch bitch.

The winch I had then was a chinese winch that came with the car when I bought it but after this it had to go.

Irish gave me the dirtiest look at one stage like "What the f$£K were you thinking "...... it was so slippery.

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x260/jpgpz/IMG_2101_zpscbacffc7.jpg (http://s184.photobucket.com/user/jpgpz/media/IMG_2101_zpscbacffc7.jpg.html)

[Crate]

KPD in Somerville are Runva dealers also and very good customer service there.

[Rocket55]

According to the Runva site the 11XP was designed around fitting into the standard GU bar.... Also just happens to fit into all the other standard low mount bolt pattern cradles...

[NissanGQ4.2]

Have moved this thread out of the help section and into 4x4 Safety

Cheers

Toddie

[Irish]

I though you are getting a high mount?.....

I've heard there's people just giving them away for free these days...

LOL@ that pic BA, that hill sucked, was greasier than a used car salesman. Add to that your winch running on for a few seconds after you released the button each time and Jim being simply the WORST winch runner on planet earth.

I had all the rage, hahaha.


I must have got a special Tigerz winch because mine is brilliant, lol. Bit stiff to free spool, but these guns aren't just for show baby! It's never let me down, love it to bits.

[MudRunnerTD]

What year was the crossover ?

About when they sold their Soul to 4wdAction I'd say!

[MudRunnerTD]

I vote Runva too

[Covo71]

Thanks guys, I will go the 9500Q, seems to be the best bang for buck.

[MEGOMONSTER]

Thanks guys, I will go the 9500Q, seems to be the best bang for buck.

You need to ask will it be enough.
Almost 3 tonne of car ladened, stuck in the mud. ????????????
12000lbs.

[Covo71]

Hey mate, I was checking out the specs and the 9500q has a bigger motor in it. Not sure how that works. It is geared lower I am thinking but smaller motor. Doesn't make much sense to me.

[Bloodyaussie]

9500 is plenty mate....

[Rock Trol]

Hi Covo71,

The Runva EWX9500-Q should just fit into a standard Nissan steel winch bar.
I had mine installed by Pro4x4 in Adelaide a few weeks ago. Wasn't a lot of room between the motor and the chassis rail, but 2-3mm is all you need.

Now I just need to get out there and bog the car to test it out. Looks like a solid unit and of decent quality.
The warranty is the best around as well which is a bonus.

[Covo71]

Cheers mate, sounds good. Wait for the 15th

[nipagu7]

hi covo71 . the bigger motor with lower gearing makes it faster ( hence _competition winch ) . depending on you situation , faster might mean disaster . a slower winch like the xp11 or ewx1200 would be easier to control in difficult situations ,plus they are stronger 11mm rope instead of 10mm rope . just my 2cw .

[Family4x4]

So I am going to order a winch today, will the ruva 11xp be fine or get the 12xp?

[93patrol]

Either will be fine

[Patrol-Guy]

What is the Ironman 9500 like? Was thinking about one of them got a quote for one fitted for $1160.

[Family4x4]

Just ordered my Runva 11xp $620 delivered.

I ordered from

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Runva-Winch-11XP-11000lb-6-5hp-Dyneema-Rope-Life-Time-Warranty-Electric-4x4-4wd-/201017351985?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ecd915f31&_uhb=1

User name: blue33gtst

I phoned him and negotiated the price: Mb 0404075314 Cool~Flo 4x4 Accessories

The winch itself was $593 + $27 freight

[harrythomas]

I am also looking at a Runva winch and the retailer has suggested the 11XP but as my Patrol grosses 3600kg over the weighbridge I thought from what I have been reading that I should be looking at something larger. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks,
Harry.

[lucus30]

I am also looking at a Runva winch and the retailer has suggested the 11XP but as my Patrol grosses 3600kg over the weighbridge I thought from what I have been reading that I should be looking at something larger. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

Thanks,
Harry.

Nah you'll be right. If you are really stuck just double or triple line pull it

[harrythomas]

Thanks lucus30, I didn't want to buy something that could not do the work.

[v502]

Saving my money for a Warn, seen it first hand pulling on uphill.

[Family4x4]

Saving my money for a Warn, seen it first hand pulling on uphill.

When I first started looking Warn was the only brand I was going to buy. Upon further research the huge deciding factor was for more than $1000 dollars more I would be getting a product that does not have water ingress warranty.

If the manufacturer is unwilling to back the build quality of its product how much faith can you really have?

[93patrol]

I have watched all types of winches being used.

And my decision for Runva 11xp was price and warranty.

If I could fit it in my winch bar I would have brought the 9xp competion winch. Faster pulling speed and bigger motor than the others and at $800 odd it's a much better winch than the warn 9.5 that ARB wanted nearly $2000 for not fitted.

[SG1]

I'm sure you will be happy with the Runva, on our last vehicle we had a ridge ryder that we picked up for half price, done everything that all the higher priced winches do for us and that we needed, maybe comp style trucks can justify the high price for better quality, but for tourers and casual 4wdrivers as long as it works when needed(regular checking) and regularly serviced then bugger the price range of warn and the like imo.

[Covo71]

The Runva 9500q will definitely not fit in the Nissan genuine bar. My bar had a little cancer in it so I was going to replace it anyway. I got the ROX bar. Fits easy. Only used winch once, not really bogged but it works a treat.

[Sharky1]

Yep, you're spot on!! As a rule of thumb you want to double your weight at LEAST when you look at rating for a winch.

I have a GU TD42 DX with a bit of fruit. It weighs just under 2.5T & I have a runva 11xp winch & I'm still not convinced it's strong enough. It's not just the cable you need to worry about. The gearbox, clutch & motor all have to cope. I've seen many winches fail due to this. Ppl put them on their car, use them for 12mths & think how wonderful their winch is. But wait until 3 or 4 yrs has passed & you're on your own in some remote area. THAT'S when it will fail.

[Sharky1]

U gotta check the water ratings of the runva's though. They're not IP68 rated like many of the others. I bought mine due to price & warranty also however I fully expect the "fine print" to appear when it comes to the "limited lifetime warranty" if & when it breaks. Exactly what does limited mean? And what does water resistant mean? Does it have seals or does it not? It doesn't have an "R" rating.

I'm not convinced the 9500Q comp winch is better than the 11xp. The gearbox is a better design on the 9500Q but the 11xp has a stronger box, hence the load rating.

Also the 9500Q will fit a stock nissan winch bar. I have a '98 GU with a stock nissan winch bar which btw were made for nissan by ARB. I have an 11xp winch on it & the 9500q is the same size & bolt up method.

Personally I don't consider any winch with a horizontal gearbox to be worthy of comp status. And the controls look worse than a kids toy from the reject shop lol.

But on the plus side I've had mine fully submerged in water & it still works but it's still new so whether it will do the same in the future is yet to be seen. The SmittyBuilt winches are pretty good. Just over the $1000 mark (at around $1250 if you get em on special or shop around) they're a lot better than Runva, IP68 rated & the only downside is they don't have a wireless remote. But in-controls aren't hard to install.

[harrythomas]

For those who can afford to spend an extra $1000 or there about for a brand name winch (i.e. Warn), then go for it. For the rest of us it is a guessing game at trying to sort out the rest. Below is a copy of my emails between Runva and myself when I was purchasing my winch. Hope it helps anyone looking at a Runva.

Hello,

I am looking at purchasing a Runva 13.5XF Winch.

If it is submerged during a creek crossing will that affect the winch operation or its warranty?

Thanks,

Harry.


Hi Harry,

We will be able to provide you with some tips to make sure the winch is 100% waterproof so it won't void the warranty.

Kind Regards,
Runva Performance Winches


Hello,

Thanks for your reply to my question below.

With advice from the retailer I ended up installing a Runva EWX1200 with
the Dyneema Rope Cable. To fit it into the Nissan Bar I needed to
install it upside down but I did that only after the retailer sort
advise from your company for me.

My question now is can you still provide me with the tips on this model
to make sure the winch is 100% waterproof?

Looking forward to your reply.

Many thanks for your time,

Harry.


Hi Harry,

Purchase a small tube of silicon, seal the around the motor terminal with the silicon. Any joins around the bolts, seal as well.

Will take about 5 mins.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Cheers

Kind Regards,
Runva Performance Winches

Note:- I have removed the authors name on the Runva emails.

[Sharky1]

For those who can afford to spend an extra $1000 or there about for a brand name winch (i.e. Warn), then go for it. For the rest of us it is a guessing game at trying to sort out the rest. Below is a copy of my emails between Runva and myself when I was purchasing my winch. Hope it helps anyone looking at a Runva.

Hello,

I am looking at purchasing a Runva 13.5XF Winch.

If it is submerged during a creek crossing will that affect the winch operation or its warranty?

Thanks,

Harry.


Hi Harry,

We will be able to provide you with some tips to make sure the winch is 100% waterproof so it won't void the warranty.

Kind Regards,
Runva Performance Winches


Hello,

Thanks for your reply to my question below.

With advice from the retailer I ended up installing a Runva EWX1200 with
the Dyneema Rope Cable. To fit it into the Nissan Bar I needed to
install it upside down but I did that only after the retailer sort
advise from your company for me.

My question now is can you still provide me with the tips on this model
to make sure the winch is 100% waterproof?

Looking forward to your reply.

Many thanks for your time,

Harry.


Hi Harry,

Purchase a small tube of silicon, seal the around the motor terminal with the silicon. Any joins around the bolts, seal as well.

Will take about 5 mins.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Cheers

Kind Regards,
Runva Performance Winches

Note:- I have removed the authors name on the Runva emails.


Yep, & I promise you in 12mths time that silicone will have fallen off as silicone does not stay adhered to hot metal otherwise any winch could be classed as waterproof & no one would buy IP68 rated winches. I knew it was bullcrap when they only stated that they could tell you how to make it waterproof but they failed to tell you HOW until you bought one. If it was that easy & really worked they'd sell them like that. The best hope you have is to use Gutter silicone & apply check it before entering the water each time which gets annoying.

I'm not being pessimistic nor am I bagging Runva, just keeping it real. I own a Runva EWX1200 & I've had it completely submerged & it still works but it's still new so hasn't been knocked about & used excessively or been heated up & cooled down with use & seasonal weather exposure, all of which affects it's ability to stay water tight. Installing it upside down won't do anything. we're talking about total submersion here. Besides, you might get the clutch lever at the bottom, reducing risk of water entry from the top, but you're putting the power leads at the top so water will enter there. The best way to waterproof it is to keep it out of water. You really do get what you pay for with winches but hey for $700 I can buy 2 or 3 Runvas in a 10 yr period & who knows if I'll still own the car in 10yrs time?

[harrythomas]

Yep, & I promise you in 12mths time that silicone will have fallen off as silicone does not stay adhered to hot metal otherwise any winch could be classed as waterproof & no one would buy IP68 rated winches. I knew it was bullcrap when they only stated that they could tell you how to make it waterproof but they failed to tell you HOW until you bought one. If it was that easy & really worked they'd sell them like that. The best hope you have is to use Gutter silicone & apply check it before entering the water each time which gets annoying.

I'm not being pessimistic nor am I bagging Runva, just keeping it real. I own a Runva EWX1200 & I've had it completely submerged & it still works but it's still new so hasn't been knocked about & used excessively or been heated up & cooled down with use & seasonal weather exposure, all of which affects it's ability to stay water tight. Installing it upside down won't do anything. we're talking about total submersion here. Besides, you might get the clutch lever at the bottom, reducing risk of water entry from the top, but you're putting the power leads at the top so water will enter there. The best way to waterproof it is to keep it out of water. You really do get what you pay for with winches but hey for $700 I can buy 2 or 3 Runvas in a 10 yr period & who knows if I'll still own the car in 10yrs time?

It is always good to get another opinion Sharky1.

This gives prospective purchases a good overall picture so they can make an informative decision for themselves.

I would ask you though to please take the time to look at my first email where I was looking at purchasing their product and take note of their answer.

Thanks again for your input.

[warren300]

The SmittyBuilt winches are pretty good. Just over the $1000 mark (at around $1250 if you get em on special or shop around) they're a lot better than Runva, IP68 rated & the only downside is they don't have a wireless remote. But in-controls aren't hard to install.
Come on, Smittybilt winches are a just another chinese winch made for a 4x4 accessory company and there IP67/8 rating is just ambiguous marketing talk.

IP 68
The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects.
I bet if they found mud inside bye bye warranty just like warn

[BigRAWesty]

It is always good to get another opinion Sharky1.

This gives prospective purchases a good overall picture so they can make an informative decision for themselves.

I would ask you though to please take the time to look at my first email where I was looking at purchasing their product and take note of their answer.

Thanks again for your input.

Could you simple place a silicone washer under the terminals that was big enough to press against the housing when compressed?

A runva winch is on the books before Christmas hopefully so any info would be tops.

[threedogs]

U gotta check the water ratings of the runva's though. They're not IP68 rated like many of the others. I bought mine due to price & warranty also however I fully expect the "fine print" to appear when it comes to the "limited lifetime warranty" if & when it breaks. Exactly what does limited mean? And what does water resistant mean? Does it have seals or does it not? It doesn't have an "R" rating.

I'm not convinced the 9500Q comp winch is better than the 11xp. The gearbox is a better design on the 9500Q but the 11xp has a stronger box, hence the load rating.

Also the 9500Q will fit a stock nissan winch bar. I have a '98 GU with a stock nissan winch bar which btw were made for nissan by ARB. I have an 11xp winch on it & the 9500q is the same size & bolt up method.

Personally I don't consider any winch with a horizontal gearbox to be worthy of comp status. And the controls look worse than a kids toy from the reject shop lol.

But on the plus side I've had mine fully submerged in water & it still works but it's still new so whether it will do the same in the future is yet to be seen. The SmittyBuilt winches are pretty good. Just over the $1000 mark (at around $1250 if you get em on special or shop around) they're a lot better than Runva, IP68 rated & the only downside is they don't have a wireless remote. But in-controls aren't hard to install.

here is a comp set up using low mount winches

[BigRAWesty]

I've rung a runva dealer this morning and they stated the 9500 is longer than the 11xp and won't fit the patrol chassis.
Might have to investigate.

[warren300]

Depends on which 9500 model, according to Runva's website

11XP 540mm
EWX9500 540mm
EWX9500-Q 577mm
EWX1200 579mm
and
IRONMAN all 562mm
Warn 9.5xp 577mm
Warn XD9000 555mm

GQ chassis 630mm


the only isues ive read about have been with factory bars on GU,s

[BigRAWesty]

Just dropped into the local reps joint who runs them on his busses.
The 11 xp fits stock bars but the 9500q doesn't.
But....
Some manufacturers like irox mount there bars on the outside of the chassis rails. Thus allowing another 100+mm of room.

Also the water proofing.
It's nothing to do with water ingress. There are water tight.
The issue some people are having is the terminals are brass but with zinc coated nuts. The silicone aids in rust prevention.
His son snapped his terminal off due to it.
So imo a quick wipe with neverseize will stop this.

So I'm sold.
Getting a quote for the 11xp and a new deep cycle battery.
And then to make a cradle.
I love tax returns..

[threedogs]

cant you run a small amount of compressed air into the winch prior to any river crossing.
Been wanting to do that to mine for ages, I have a Warn XP 9.5
Just googled a review for my winch it states extreme duty water proofing WTF that meaning
superior water resistance

[warren300]

yeah you can and from what i understand is that you seal the winch then run two lines into it, one in and one out. The out line uses a valve so you can give the winch a very small amount of positive pressure.

[BigRAWesty]

He also mentioned the warn from his days in the cfs. Use to stuff up yearly from just washing the vehicles. Lol
Had no such problems reported with the runvas

[Covo71]

I have the 9500q in Xrox bar. Fits easy. Definitely does not fit original GU bar.

[BigRAWesty]

I have the 9500q in Xrox bar. Fits easy. Definitely does not fit original GU bar.

Is that because of the mounts are outside of chassis rails?

[threedogs]

maybe MR has done this to one of his winches

[Clunk]

Is that because of the mounts are outside of chassis rails?

What bar ave you got on yours Westy?

[Sharky1]

Come on, Smittybilt winches are a just another chinese winch made for a 4x4 accessory company and there IP67/8 rating is just ambiguous marketing talk.

I bet if they found mud inside bye bye warranty just like warn

A mate of mine has a smittybilt & I have runva. He got his at half price due to a special deal he got but the quality difference between them is huge. You tell just by looking at it. There's no comparison.

I can't speak for the warn warranty & there's clearly a story behind your comment. All I can say is if it's IP68 rated & there's mud in there & they refuse a warranty claim, I'd take it further & I can assure you I'd win. Just stand your ground. All I'm hearing here is that Warn don't like accepting warranty claims. Has anyone tried the same claim with Smittybilt to make the comparison fair?

I can see I've been shot down for my comments but I stand by them anyway. Runva don't state their winch is submersible. They only state that the relay box is waterproof & the winch itself is very watertight. A submersible IP68 rating is a whole different thing & in a small claims tribunal, it would mean the world of difference. The reason there are ratings like IP68 is so there is a standard for quality assurance. Saying a runva is as good as IP68 is like saying safety regulations in Bali are as good as worksafe OZ's. It's just not true. Don't get me wrong, they're a good winch for the money........I have one for this reason & I'm yet to read the fine print in what they term as a "Limited lifetime warranty". All I'm saying is there are better winches out there if you can afford a little more $$.

[BigRAWesty]

What bar ave you got on yours Westy?

Stock alloy. Making a cradle.

[warren300]

Sharky I don't have a problem with Smittybilt and would snap one up if I was offered the same deal as your mate.
I know what the IP 68 rating is and its great to see that manufactures are making an effort to make there winches more durable. But its still only as good as the warranty, which in Smittybilt's case is still a limited life time warranty on mechanicals and between 1 and 5 years on electrical parts depending on who's literature you read and what model you have.
So its the same warranty as your Runva winch if its 5yrs which is great don't you think
Using the IP standard in marketing gives the average consumer the belief that it will handle anything and last for ever without as much as a inspection or service.