lol... A hi lift jack is good to have... But he didnt ask about all this other stuff your throwing into the mix... Does it work yes... Is it safe? I wouldnt say so... Is the winch worth it? Duh... He didnt ask about snow...

 

The other stuff I'm throwing in like the snow is because you can put the hi jack in the truck so it doesn't rust, I feel as if the winch would somewhat rust and start to look kind of bad and you can't just put it in the truck whenever you want because that would just be a pain.

 

Just make sure your reicer mount is strong enough to hold and won't bend or break

 

If its hitch mounted u can and I have a hard cover for my warn... They also make canvas style... Weather isnt a issue... Most hi lifts are mounted outside anyways...

 

Because it assumes that people always wheel within range of a cell phone tower.
Responsible wheeling means you are responsible for your own recovery should the need arise.

Do you need one if your stuck in a mud hole on Cousin Clem's pig farm? Probably not.

Do you need one if your on a back country trip hundreds of miles from a paved road? darn tootin' ya do.

 

Cb radio? Other people wheelin with you? Why would you go alone?

 

I go alone quite often.
I have a winch, tools, CB, cell phone, spare parts, straps, hi-lift, cold weather gear, extra food and water.

Would I ever go without those?
No.

 

So what's your point?

 

X2

 

Oh em gee.

I cant believe this is still effing going.

Is the OP even here and posting anymore?

Good lord.

 

Yeah, I just posted a bit before...I thought it was good information. Seems like there's some valid opinions on either side and I'm getting what I was looking for out of it.

 

Did you read my reply?

 

I think it really depends on what you want to do. I don't have a winch (yet) and when I wheel (couple times I've gone I've been alone) I do it accordingly. If there's a spot I think there could be a good chance of getting stuck in, I turn around. That's not going to always save me though, I once got a Chevy Traverse stuck on the side of a mountain in NV, but since there wasn't anything to anchor to, a winch wouldn't have helped. Back home if I get stuck I would rather have a hi-lift than nothing. I don't think using a hi-lift for winching (when setup as they are designed for winching) is any more dangerous than trying to work on a rig held up by a hi-lift. Is a winch better, definitely. Is it also multiple times the cost, definitely.

If your stuck with the nearest anchor point 128 ft away, you're probably hosed anyway because you don't have more than 100 ft of cable on the <$400 winch to work with. If you have people that you might roll down the hill on top of, I'm sure they would be willing to loan you their recovery straps to get a long enough line, even with a hi-lift. lol

So ultimately it comes down to what kind of wheeling you do or plan to do, and how much risk you're willing to take for a given amount of money you want to spend on convenience. If you don't mind more headache to save money, get a hi-lift and a section of cable to keep in the back as a leader. If you have the money for the winch, go that route. I would go with something though, as others have said you should have SOME means of getting yourself out of a bind.

Personally, I'm saving for a winch that will be mounted on a hitch receiver to have the versatility of front or rear pulls. I have the hitches and cradle, just need the winch and wiring. If I had rock sliders I would have the hi-lift but right now I don't have any jack points to use a hi-lift on, so it's more worth it for me to save the money for a winch. While I would like a winch, I don't get an opportunity to wheel more than like twice a year and I usually have to go by myself when I do. That said, I go very easy and don't attempt stuff that will get me into trouble. I don't have to go super technical to have a lot of fun.

 

with the RIGHT recovery equipment youll never be stuck alone...

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Winches-a...87&t_pl=103680

 

One of those would be sweet. I keep trying to think of how I can build one myself... stupid things are pricy! In my case with the Traverse I wonder if one of those would even have helped. I got stuck because the ground was so saturated with rain/snowmelt that it was slick snot. I was sliding down the side of the hill toward a ravine every time I tried to move. I agree though, something like that would be VERY handy if you're in the desert or somewhere without many trees.