Which Winch

[88xj]

I have been looking into getting a winch, but I don't have a lot of money for one. My ideal setup would be something like a Warn m8000 in an ARB bullbar, but that would end up costing over 1300 bucks. I have found the Warn for around $600 dollars.

My question is how to mount it. I was looking for something cheap to use for now until I can afford the bullbar. I was thinking of something along the lines of this setup. Does anybody know how it is mounted or how much it would cost?
http://www.gaisch.at/CherokeeAustria/images/fun/images/Pic04.jpg

Also I have been looking at those 300 Chicago Electrics form Harbor Freights. Has anybody else tried them out? Those that have how are the holding up?

TIA
Doug

[Chris S]

Jeep made a winch mount for the XJ for a while. I see them all the time around here because our local power company has a fleet of early 80s XJs that they use for line maintenance. Maybe you can find one in a wrecker.
They are basically like the tow hook mounts, but they extend a few inches farther forward to make room behind the bumper for a winch. There is a big peice of C-channel that mounts behind the bumper for the winch to be bolted to.

I was going to buy one fo those cheap winches until I spotted a good deal on a used one. From what I've heard as long as you ALWAYS double line them, don't overheat them, and you are willing to live with a line speed that would bore a snail then they are fine.

[88xj]

Just thought I would mention that I found out that the bumper in my post above is actually a complete replacement bumper made by taubenreuther, a german company. It is 1/4" thick material, superstout, but expencive. ($900) Although those end pieces really look like stock plastic to me.

http://www.gaisch.at/CherokeeAustria/specs/specs.html

However I did find a pic of the bumper mounts that you were talking about over on JU. Here are some pics of wheelr's jeep. I still haven't been able to find a set of them so I may just end up saving for a bumper in addition to a winch.:(

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=1362094&a=10153969&f=
He's the white one.

[cherokeefever]

Have you considered a Mile-Marker hydrualic-powered winch setup? I am gonna get one put on mine b/c it would be mroe reliable than an electric one and would beless strain on the electrical system. If you choose to go with an electric model, make sure you have a high-output alternator and battery, and some way to keep the idle up a bit to compensate for the drain an eleetric winch puts on a charging system. Jeep has an option on their police-package Cherokees that allows the idle to be "bumped' up to 120RPMs while the rig is not moving and has a ldraw ocuring on the charging system. It works pretty much the same way that the AC kicker solenoid does, but at a higher RPM setting. I have ot yet been able to get any information on this option, buit I think the same thig could be duplicated by adding a manual switch inot the AC kicker solenoid's activation circuit. Will de trying this out on my Cherokees inthe very near future and will have a better idea of how the curcuit works with the manual rocker switch added then.