Winches (this is for you, Alec)

[Tiger Bait]

I talked to the dealer about the extender and they said that it state in the owners manual not to use it for trailering or winching. I haven't checke d themanual myself, but they were pretty adamant about it.

[Hummie2]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> So, now for the million dollar question. When I get my new H2 stuck, how do I figure out how much force I will need to unstick it? Maybe those books on recovery that just I ordered will help me figure something out for myself!
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Don't know anyway to calculate how much force it takes to unstick something. That is mostly a try and see situation. Hopefully the books will have a section on winch saftey. When winching I stay as far away from the cable as my remote will let me, also lay some old tarp over the winch line to slow it should it break. The new synthetic lines are supposed to be "dead" (won't fly back) if they break, but are susceptable to abraision. When using a block use a saftey rope with some slack in it tied off to another tree to stop it from flying back should it break loose from its anchor point. I had one break loose once.

Remember Paragon's 9000# winch put 9000# on the receiver, 18000# on tow hook #1, 9000# on tow hook #2, and 36000# of force on the tree.

BE SAFE

Don

BTW the rear tow hooks mount to 11 ga.(.120)also, same as the receiver.

[This message was edited by Hummie2 on 04-28-03 at 11:51 PM.]

[TheGoodHummerMan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Hummie2:
Here's the other side,notice how the weld tore out of the crossmember where the receiver joins it.

Time to build a stronger crossmember that will withstand the strain of heavy winching.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ouch! Since the front receiver is about one third as strong as the rear, it goes without saying that winching can put damaging stresses on the equipment...

Thanks for the pictures!

Are you going to replace that damaged hitch with a Class V hitch now?

Ed

[Hummie2]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Are you going to replace that damaged hitch with a Class V hitch now?

Ed <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't know if any aftermarket receiver hitches are available for the H2 yet. I did a search, but didn't find any listed for it. Let me know if you know of any.

I will probably end up and build something heavier and stronger than what came stock on the hummer.

Don

[CO Hummer]

I added the 9.5Ti with multi-mount and roller fairlead for $1065 installed (front hitch only). Had is done at Four-to-Go in Wheat Ridge. Take off $100 if you wanted the 9500i or $150 with the 9000i.

One note - When you drill the vertical hole in the multi-mount, don't line it up with pre-existing horizontal hole for two reasons. (1) To maintain the strength of the receiver, and (2) The standard setting makes the winch stick out too far. You'll want to make the inset depth deeper (2-3 inches) so that you can bring it a little closer to the vehicle.

[TheGoodHummerMan]

Does this make sense? Probably not...

The H2's maximum trailer weight limit is up to 6,700 pounds, and its gross combination weight rating (GCWR) is listed at 14,000 pounds.

I've read that "most" winches never actually achieve full-rated pulling power so if you figure that your 8,000# winch developed 7,000# and was then doubled by using the block, the force exerted on your hitch should not have exceeded its rated (GCWR) strength? Looking at the pictures, it's obvious that this was NOT the case though, but why?

Maybe your winch DID achieve a full 8,000# effort and then doubling that the force exerted would have reached 16,000# --- a full ton over the H2 hitch's (GCWR) rated strength???

I think that I'll pass on using snatch blocks, or, is there a way to attach them so that the effort is not solely being exerted on the truck's hitch?

Then too, consider that the front hitch is about one third as strong as the rear hitch... The relatively wimpy front hitch would be easily over-stressed by using just the winch itself, without any snatch block. Is it adviseable to always use the rear winch whenever possible, reserving the front hitch for very light-weight pulling only?

Sorry for so much conjecture, but as you can probably tell --- I am new to the world of winching...

Thanks, Ed

[TheGoodHummerMan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CO Hummer:
I added the 9.5Ti with multi-mount and roller fairlead for $1065 installed (front hitch only). Had is done at Four-to-Go in Wheat Ridge. Take off $100 if you wanted the 9500i or $150 with the 9000i.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Help... For someone new to offroading & winches, what are the differences between the Warn 9500Ti, 9500Si, and 9000i? What function does the optional roller fairlead perform? Will all three models connect via the front & rear H2 receivers? Isn't wiring them fairly simple?

[PARAGON]

First, the GCWR is for rolling weight, so the weight ratings really do not apply to winching. But that receiver has more force exerted on it than it's GCWR pound ratings. The force applied to the receiver when braking hard with a 7K# trailer behind it would be very high due to the inertia of the trailer. I think that Hummie2 must have had a defect in his receiver, because you would think it would drag the H2 towards the stump before it would bend the receiver.

In my opinion it is always advisable to use a snatch block. It's not just that you double the pulling power but you also attach to the vehicle at 2 different points, usually attached to different highly stressable locations.

In one instance, I buried my H2 down to the frame. I ended up using 2 snatch blocks. A double pulley one attached to a tree and the other attached to one tow hook on the front. The cable was coming from the winch, to one pulley on the tree, back to the snatch block attached to one of the tow hooks, back to the second pulley on the tree and then anchored to the second tow hook on front.

This same setup could be obtained from the rear also, since there are tow hooks on the rear. I had assumed that the chain holding the double pulley would fail before the frame members of the H2 would fail. I had tried to pull it out with just one snatch block first and it wouldn't budge. With the setup above it inched it out without much strain on the winch.

[Hummer Man]

Does the factory winch come with a harness plug for the front and the back??

[Adam in CO]

Alec,

I called the local store for the company whose link I provided in this post. They will honor the online price in the store and have 2 in stock. I'm seriously considering doing it this week. Let me know.

CO H2 Club Rocks!
aps101374@yahoo.com

[CO Hummer]

The main difference with the "Ti" is that it has a temperature sensor which alerts the user when the winch temperature gets too hot. It's not a bad idea since the H2 is such a heavy vehicle. It also looks a little nicer (smoother) and has better weather-resistant seals. After looking at all of them, I thought that the 9.5Ti had some great extra features for only a marginal increase in price. Regarding the comment about 9000lbs vs 9500lbs..I don't think the 500lbs difference is worth worrying about. All three winches have the same motor - they are just geared differently in the newer models, yeilding 9500lb capacity.

[Hummie2]

Ok guys let me clarify what happened a little.

The reason for my first reply was to answer the question of why not to use a winch larger than 9500# in the reciever(see the quote on the first pic).

No doubt I exceeded the rating of the hitch on the H2 and yes the hummer was sliding. I have had this winch for several years and never had any problem using it in other classIII receivers(you could double line it and stall the winch), but the H2 hitch is different. I don't believe my hitch had a defect, nothing looked abnormal in material or welds when I examined it after removal. Had I seen a defect you can bet I would have been in for warranty. The H2 hitch relys on its shape not material thickness(11 ga.) for its strength. Once this hitch starts to deflect alittle its strength is gone.

Could I/should I (hindsight being 20/20) rigged things differently? Yes. Had I doubled my line back to a chain sling hooked between both tow hooks this would have put 8000# load on the actual receiver and 4000# on each tow hook and the hitch would not have bent.

I would still recommend using a snatch block when ever possible. There is only half the strain on the motor, wire rope, and electrical system( most winches operating at full load capacity draw in excess of 400amps) to move the same load. Also by doubling the line back through a snatch block you pull more cable off the drum getting down to lower layer near the hub gaining a mechanical advantage and are less likely to pinch the line between other wraps on the drum.

A new hitch and permanent rear mount for the winch are in the works for my H2. I have coil suspension and the winch will fit where the air compressor does on air suspension. About 95% of my winch work is to pull some thing that won't move under its own power up onto a trailer and a rear winch is a very usefull tool. I will post pics when the mount and hitch are done.

Don

[This message was edited by Hummie2 on 04-28-03 at 02:20 PM.]

[TheGoodHummerMan]

Is the Warn MOSFET (9.5si) worth whatever it costs? Haven't found a price for it yet.

Why not go with an even more powerful winch, say a 12 or even 15 thousand pounder? The cost is about a $100 more for each step up... so it must not be the cost?

I saw that the M12000 weighs 136 pounds and the 9.5to weighs 89 pounds - 53% more weight. Maybe that's the reason? The physical size isn't so much larger, but maybe the multimount doesn't fit the larger winches?

I think I am going to choose the 9.5ti, but was just wondering out loud...

Thanks. Ed

[Tiger Bait]

The main number 9500 or 9000 has to do with the pulling capacity 9000 is 9000#. The receiver hitch models are special packages called multimount. You can put any of the ones mentioned on a multi-mount which will slide into the hitch receiver front and rear. The prepackaged one that is available at Hummer dealers includes the wiring for the front hitch mount. The rear is an option. Yes it is only postive and negative wires, but they must attach to the power block near the battery. The rear lead has to be fished through the frame to engine compartment. I got the prepackaged Hummer one (comes with an H2 decal)
with the wiring done for the rear also. $1000 for the package installed for the front an extra $100 for the rear hookup installed. I talked to several "off road experts" and they didn't recommend going higher than the 9000i (Warn also makes an 8000i both packaged as multi mounts) The Hummer package comes with the multi mount reciever post predrilled for a vertical hitch pin placement, (also comes with the hitch pin lock with keys)the basic Warn packages you have to get the verticle pin hole drilled yourself. As far as i vs. Ti or Si, check the Warn site.

[Hummie2]

Here's the other side,notice how the weld tore out of the crossmember where the receiver joins it.

Time to build a stronger crossmember that will withstand the strain of heavy winching.

[Hummie2]

Great explanation Paragon.

BTW where did you get your 2 pulley snatch block at?
I am interested in finding one.
Post a picture of it if you can.

Don

[Hummie2]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Why not go with an even more powerful winch, say a 12 or even 15 thousand pounder? The cost is about a $100 more for each step up... so it must not be the cost?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Carefull pulling too hard on your reciever mount. This is what my rear receiver looks like after I pulled too hard on it. I did this with a 8000# Warn and a double line through a snatch block trying to pull a dead stump out of the ground.

Don