THE PORTAL HUB - Pinzgauers, Haflingers, Volvo 303s and more!

The latest winch for sale is a like-new legendary Warn M12000, which is the gold standard for heavier winches, but this one has a very unique factory waterproofing upgrade, plus it comes with 100ft of new 3/8" Dyneema Spydura rope.

It was used once and removed and stored for a few years. It has some transport/storage battle scars but is 100% perfect mechanically.

It's getting a NEW 24v Warn motor plus a new Albright waterproof contactor and remote.

$1500 Pics to come as soon as I can.

Vince,
In your opinion is it the right size for a stock C303 (not built out with a heavy interior and OVERloaded with gear)? Or is it really more winch than it needs?
Thanks, Rick

It's probably a little more than you need. A 6x6 outfitted for exploration/camping would be a better fit.

You can get away with a standard 8-9K model, or if you want a higher-performance/fast winch that will last 30 years, a Warn 8274 is ideal, which I'm working on right now. It's about the same money as the 12K. Here's a pic of an identical 8274 that I just finished (without cable mounted) but this one is sold already I think. I have one more though...actually that one I'm working on is period accurate! It's from 1978! (the one below is from 1980 but look exactly the same)

I've also got a really nice Warn M8000 from the 1980's on the shelf that I'll be doing a full break-down on. It appears to have never been used and was stored inside an old truck bumper sitting around for many years here in Ca.. It's the more conventional planetary design that you see most of the time. It will have a new upgraded 24v motor and Albright contactor system. The motor would push the pull rating a little higher than stock but I dont know exactly how much. It would handle most of what you'd ever run into with a single line, unless you are often bogging yourself deep in mud holes or climbing rock gardens, although in case you ever needed the extra pull, you use a snatch block to double your power to 16,000lbs. I like them a lot because they weigh almost nothing noticeable with syn. cable and are easy to mount. The price is around $850-900 on those.

Is there any difference in the drum or cable attachment on the M8000 if you choose to use synthetic as opposed to wire?
Even though the shipping across country will be $$, I'm interested in that winch because it would be 100% American made.
Thanks, Rick

Those use a simple crimped electrical type connector on the wire or rope which bolts into the side of the drum with a small allen bolt, so its the same set-up either way. As you may know the connection to the drum is not designed to support any tension at all, but it's simply a way to keep the rope from unwinding when there isn't much wire/rope left on the drum. You always leave at least 5-6 wraps on the drum.

What I do now is use the strap retention technique when mounting syn rope to drums. This makes it much safer if you are on the last bit of rope because it wont let the final few wraps to go out in case you forget.