[Nathan]

Hi all,
have had a bit of a look around but can't seem to find anything out there that appears to fit the newer model Jimnys in the way of concealed winches. e.g. Jimnybits has hidden winch plate, but it says not for 2014 models onwards. Anyone got a solution for newer model Jimnys? Don't really want to go a full on bullbar given the weight.

So I've picked up relatively cheap portable winch as an experiment - this one: [url=http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/T-REX-6500lbs-Electric-Boat-Winch-Portable-Detachable-12V-ATV-4wd-4x4-Trailer-/381679886208]T-REX 6500lbs Electric Boat Winch Portable Detachable 12V ATV 4wd 4x4 Trailer[url]. Only a couple hundred bucks, comes with couple of remote controls too and I'm hoping should be more than enough to pull a light 4WD like a jimny. Got it and it appears to work - was running it off a motorbike battery I had handy - so might take that along as an auxiliary battery.
The plan is to use an equaliser strap (or bowshackle - although sounds like the less bits of metal involved in winching/towing the better) through the plate it comes with (which allows you to mount it onto a towball and perhaps to make a box to sit it in so that it can keep out of the muck a bit.

Have ordered some recovery points (only ones I could find were off aliexpress - [url=https://www.aliexpress.com/item/SUZUKI-Jimny-tow-hook-towing-hook-for-original-front-bumper/32262505329.html]towing hook for Suzuki Jimny[url] - look like the APIO ones except appear to be available and thicker steel) for the front. For the rear I've installed a Hayman Reese tow kit it can hook onto easily enough.

Other thing I was thinking was to just go a cheapy handpuller - again, the light weight of the Jimny means stuff that the bigger 4WDs would struggle with become a bit more realistic with a car that weighs just over a tonne. Would be hard work, but might get the job done for least sacrificed space/weight onboard (as the winch is not super light or super small).

Picked up some decent Just straps recovery gear - although gave up finding a snatch strap that's within the 2-3 times vehicle weight range - they don't go small enough! Have a snatch block to double the pulling power if needed.

So what have Jimny owners gone with to tow yourself out? What I wanted was a bit of extra self recovery capability - happy enough doing a bit of hand cranking if needed.

[Kor3y101]

The only issue I see with those portable winches if your trying to self recover is;
They would work fine if your just caught up on a ledge or got your axles crossed up with easy access, but 9/10 times you can free yourself with a bit of track building or just reversing back. So the winch comes out when your really stuck! Which is either in water, on a stupid steep incline or in mud or somewhere there's not easy access. Which means that you're going to have a really difficult time setting up the winch and plugging in batteries etc, that's if you can even get to it! So I'd suggest using your recovery points and the handwinch. Although an electric is very handy for situations where track building doesn't work.

Also, even though the winch is a small model, they still use substantial battery power under load.
I guess it's a compromise between space and ease of use. But you definitely need something to be able to self recover, so kudos to you going down that route!

[Reubs]

If you don't intend to do trips where you know you need to use a winch but need one for just-in-case such as when out on your own, have you considered a Tirfor or similar hand winch?

I have one because I am usually out on my own and don't believe in calling out mates to help when it is raining, you are 100kms out of town, some distance from the nearest named track and bogged in a position where the lightest tug on a snatch strap would pull you out. That said, a medium size Tirfor will lift a Jimny out of a substantial bog with ease.

Hand winches are strong, reliable, require minimal maintenance and easily stowed as the cable and handle are separate to the body of the winch. In a Vitara, mine sits under the front passenger seat, the winch cable sits under the driver's seat and the handle is stowed alongside my shovel, axe and tyre levers. Complete with the cable it is about 30kg. You can use a handwinch to pull backwards, forwards, sideways, roll a vehicle over, lift a vehicle, lower a vehicle down a hill etc. I was lucky to score mine cheap when a Suzuki club was selling off unused assets (most of those guys have their own electric winches) but they come up for sale cheaply occasionally. On most big multi-vehicle trips I have been on about half of the electric winches in the group aren't working at any given time but I know my Tirfor is good for it should it be needed.

Downsides to a handwinch is couch potatoes find them to be hard work and it does take a while to walk the winch up 20m of cable if that is required as each stroke of the handle moves the winch only about 1.5".

Mine was pretty handy one time when I had some starter motor troubles and I winched backwards about 15m up a slope to roll-start the car. Winching myself in the dark in cold rain was still favourable to waiting hours for someone to drive out to me to help give the Vitara a push.

[Gwagensteve]

^this. All of this.

[Auto]

On that note..
Is a hi lift jack a suitable alternative to Tirfor hand winch? I already have one and I wouldn't mind avoiding the expense of a which manual or electric.
Also, how likely is to rip out the door of its hinges if I attach the jack onto the spar?. The spare already looks pretty heavy as is with the mud tyre, the jack weighs over 10kg as well.
Thanks!