Can a winch bend the frame?!

[Kuhn]

I know that if I get some insane 15k lb winch, the Frame of my '02 Wrangler is going to bend... So what's the limit? As I've mentioned before, I'm the guy everybody calls if they get their compact stuck in the snow... I'd like to be able to help my friend who has a Suburban with an 8'' lift, 38'' tires, lockers, etc... The last time he got stuck we had to call a friend of a friend of a friend (you get the idea) who owned a bulldozer. This took 3 days and about $400. ...Never drive on thin ice!!

Some things to concider... I have a tow rope rated for 20k lbs. and a trailer hitch hook rated for 10k lbs. So a winch that can handle 10k lbs would be nice (maybe 12k just to be sure). I bet the whole trailer hitch bar would rip off before the 10k lbs though... What would you all say is the biggest winch I can put on a wrangler? Thanks

[Ray H]

If you are doing a straight pull, It wont be the frame thats the limit, it'll be the pull points (ie, hitch, winch mount, towhooks, etc) that will give way. Thats assuming your winch cable doesnt break or your winch doesnt simply stall first.
This is where your accessories come into play. By using snatchblocks to double or triple the winch cable you reduce the load on the cable and on the pull points and increase the power of the winch (a pulley system). This is a much safer way to perform hard pulls than just simply running the winch cable out and hoping for the best.
I think a winch in the 9000lbs range is a good match for a Jeep. If you need more winch than that, you should be using a snatchblock to reduce the stress on your pull points and cable anyway. If you want a 10000 or 12000lbs winch, more power to you but you should still be using a snatchblock.
If you really want a winch to help your friends, not so much for self recovery, look at the Milemarker Hydraulic winches. They pull strong, they dont overheat and they are just plain cool. Their big drawback is that your engine has to be running for them to work. That can be a problem for self recovery. Thats the only reason I chose electric over hydaulic when I got mine.

[Kuhn]

When I get a winch I am definately getting all the extras I can think of: Rope insead or wire, snatch blocks, tree saver, etc. And I am hoping to fabricate a mounting plate and do a bunch of welding to assure that everything stays in place. (Basically, I only want to worry about ripping off my friends bumper when he really gets stuck! lol)
I'm seriously looking at the hydraulic winches. Is the install much more difficult? And what kind of self recovery would I not be able to run my engine? If the cars in the water I won't be using a electric winch anyways. Thanks for all the input Ray!

[Kuhn]

I just thought of something... A Hydraulic winch can be used underwater. I'm getting a snorkle soon and attempting to waterproof the Jeep (I've read the waterproofing thread and I'm not sure I have the patience for everything... so it's just an attempt. lol) Since I mud a bit, and have almost submerged the Jeep above the hood when a puddle turned out to be a little more than I thought... The hydraulic winch may not be a bad idea, even for self-recovery. Any thoughts? ... Other than not blindly going through "puddles".

[Ray H]

An electric winch will work underwater also. A couple situations that come to mind where you may have to winch with the engine off-Stall in deep water (your snorkle kinda fixes that) = rolled over on your side or top - broken motor mount. What are the chances these things will happen, probably pretty slim , butit would be a shame to have a nice winch and not be able to use it.
A hydraulic winch is plumbed into the power steering pump so you lose some steering ability while winching.

[Kuhn]

Personally, I think I'll go with electric... But I can see why this is debated so much. lol