I agree to the extent that the Bush Winch seems spendy, but what most are failing to realize is, yes, you can buy a decent winch for the same money, but then what? You'll need a winch bumper/mount/cradle, upgraded electrical/alternator, most of that stuff is adding weight to the front of your rig, so more lift... seeing my point? For an occasional soft recovery, seems this may be a good alternative for a weekend warrior... only thing I could see needing upgrades would be wheel studs and a lunchbox locker, which I already have... opinions?

 

This isn't a new idea. Farmers, rednecks and loggers have been doing this for decades. Use and old rim, rig it up. It isn't gonna cost ya $800 to engineer it yourself. I prefer a removable receiver hitch mounted winch myself.

 

I am pretty sure I saw this done on a McGyver episode long ago, just using the outside rim on a dual wheel. I don't think I could outfit my xj with a winch bumper, power upgrades and winch for less than what this could cost. Plus it would be more practical for the occasional time I might get hung up on an old logging road while hunting than to put on a winch setup.

From what I read, you put on the lug nuts and just keep them on instead of normal lug nuts and you are always ready to attach the device. Plus you can attach it before you head back into a place you might worry about having trouble.

As for open diffs, if only one wheel is spinning put it on that wheel and once it takes up any slack it will begin to pull out, or shift power to the wheel that isn't slipping once the winching wheel has more "traction".

 

If put it on before you need it, could be ripped off or mangled by a rock or tree stump.