Purchase a winch that is rated at least 1 and 1/2 times the GROSS (not meaning your vehicle is gross, although some trail machines are!) VEHICLE WEIGHT (GVW). Take the rig to a truck scale and for about $5.00, weigh it. Have the dog, your buddies, the cooler, the kids, all the junk--er equipment--you carry (tent, bags, starter, axle shafts, air filter, extra oil, tools...you get my drift) and a full tank of gas. Multiply that weight by 1.5 and you have the minimum rating for the winch, usually around 8000 or 9000 pounds for most Jeeps and Land Rovers. For the big rigs like full-size Broncos and Blazers and trucks, think 10,000 or 12,000 pound winch. Of course, with the correct accessories like pulley blocks (not SNATCH blocks) you can double the capacity of any winch.
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