Ramsey vs Dynamic winch for Bandit 12xp

[BrianGehan]

I recently picked up a Bandit 12xp. Have always love these machines. This unit does not currently have a winch. In the market for a winch to install on this machine.

Very curious about what experience people have had with Ramsey versus Dynamic hydraulic winches from Bandit for these machines?

Also love to hear from anyone who might have a winch available for sale off a dead machine, etc.

Thanks

 

[evo]

I have a Ramsey on my mini skid and love it. Since it’s on a mini I don’t have fairleads on it, at the time it was the fastest hydraulic option I could find. Rated at 4k and there has only been a few times I’ve set it up for a double pull (mostly so I’m not skidding the machine.
In my application I do wish a few things were different, but also understand it’s essentially an impossible ask unless getting into something much bigger.

 

[jmester]

@evo
Would like to see a picture of your setup, if possible.

 

[DRBetz]

Having used two bandits with different winch options, I prefer slower and more power vs faster and weaker.

 

[BrianGehan]

Having used two bandits with different winch options, I prefer slower and more power vs faster and weaker.

DRBetz, do you happen to know whether the slower more powerful was a Ramsey or Dynamic? Definitely agree, I'll take slow/power over speed for tree work in general with other winches I used over the years.

 

[evo]

@evo
Would like to see a picture of your setup, if possible.

This is the best I can come up with without going through 100’s of photos.
We were pulling up an epic amount of timbers and other crap the previous owner terraced the bluff with. They made a path switchbacking to the water below (~100-150’ in the elevation). No doubt this caused the slide, and all the debris left voids and other gravitational hazards.

 

[evo]

I agree 100% for a chipper winch. The mini only weights 3k and the winch is more than capable of dragging the machine.
In time I want to mount a stiff leg and install a blade in the receiver hole to dig in a bit.

 

[flushcut]

View attachment 99289
This is the best I can come up with without going through 100’s of photos.
We were pulling up an epic amount of timbers and other crap the previous owner terraced the bluff with. They made a path switchbacking to the water below (~100-150’ in the elevation). No doubt this caused the slide, and all the debris left voids and other gravitational hazards.

Do you have any concern about the torque applied to the mounting plate?

 

[evo]

Do you have any concern about the torque applied to the mounting plate?

It’s holding up well. It’s far from a daily as most of my work is pruning. For bigger pulls we either curl down grounding the ‘boom’ or open the grapple and dig that in.
I did have to rebuild the upper boom from a unrelated oopsies, so it’s beefed up and added gussets

 

[DRBetz]

I unfortunately don't know the specifics of what the more powerful which is.

 

[flushcut]

It’s holding up well. It’s far from a daily as most of my work is pruning. For bigger pulls we either curl down grounding the ‘boom’ or open the grapple and dig that in.
I did have to rebuild the upper boom from a unrelated oopsies, so it’s beefed up and added gussets

I wonder if adding some guy stays from the top of the grapple to the frame of the mini would firm things up on hard pulls once you build your up grades. Chain binder maybe or something similar, easy on easy off. Anyway it’s my brain overthinking it probably.

 

[evo]

I wonder if adding some guy stays from the top of the grapple to the frame of the mini would firm things up on hard pulls once you build your up grades. Chain binder maybe or something similar, easy on easy off. Anyway it’s my brain overthinking it probably.

I don’t think one can over think

I’ve had the same thoughts, I considered chaining the boom to the lifting hook on the Vermeer. I haven’t found the need as one gets a feel for the machine. When overloaded the back end picks up like lifting a log that’s too heavy. Very similar forces and when you feel the back end get light it’s a good indication limits are being pushed.
I’ve also had thoughts of chaining the butt end to a stump for bigger pulls, that I’ve talked myself out of!

 

[flushcut]

I was thinking of support for the tilt cylinder. More or less to help spread the wear and tear.

 

[Flying~Squirrel]

Has anyone ever slapped an electric winch like a Harbor Freight Badlands to a chipper?

 

[96coal449]

Has anyone ever slapped an electric winch like a Harbor Freight Badlands to a chipper?

It's been done. I've seen a couple setup with a Badlands winch for sale. I wouldn't though. Disposable junk.

 

[southsoundtree]

Is an electric winch suitable at all for tree work?


I've considered stealing @Reg 's idea of a high lead set-up atop the chipper drum housing for my chainsaw-powered Simpson capstan.

 

[Flying~Squirrel]

Is an electric winch suitable at all for tree work?


I've considered stealing @Reg 's idea of a high lead set-up atop the chipper drum housing for my chainsaw-powered Simpson capstan.

I have one in the bumper of my truck that I've been using pretty heavily for the last 6 months. It's a bit slower than a hydraulic, but it pulls extremely hard - much harder than any gas capstan I've used. It'll surely have a shorter lifespan than a hydraulic unit, but for 250 bucks? Pretty hard to argue with as a one man start up. Especially since you can use a wireless remote, great for babysitting log skids with a Peavey, or when using redirects and the brush pile is out of sight of the truck.

Now that I'm looking at buying a cheap small chipper (or an expensive small tracked chipper) I feel like it's a no brainer, but I haven't really seen it done.

Electrical limitations of a smaller motor and alternator, perhaps?

 

[27RMT0N]

Besides the slow line speed of electric winches, the other big drawback is the duty cycle related to heat buildup. They are not made to run for extended periods of time as most stuck vehicle recoveries are a single event for a few minutes at most. A gas or hydro winch can run all day long, day after day.

 

[southsoundtree]

I would likely want to redirect my capstan from the tongue area over a rigging point on a tower. I think my remote control will be a string.

 

[Flying~Squirrel]

Besides the slow line speed of electric winches, the other big drawback is the duty cycle related to heat buildup. They are not made to run for extended periods of time as most stuck vehicle recoveries are a single event for a few minutes at most. A gas or hydro winch can run all day long, day after day.

It is very slow. But it's faster than me.

I personally haven't run into a heat issue yet, but I'm definitely constantly aware that I'm probably approaching a use ceiling / failure point at some point. Strain on the truck frame, battery, alternator, parking brake, controller, winch motor.... So far I haven't broken anything, but it's only been a few months, and I assume I'll find out soon.

The hardest I've pushed it was probably 4 hours of dragging brush piles and logs up to 1000lb across flat forest floor. I haven't maxed out the pulling power completely, yet, because I don't want to break my truck. Most days its just scootching a big log or pulling a couple brush piles up a bank. Often it's a winch pull, then a pull with the trans in 4lo.

So far using the electric truck winch as a solo I've found it really helpful, and I know I'm always going to want a winch above the chipper, so I'm surprised that I haven't seen the two combined before. But there's a lot I haven't seen and a lot I'm learning, so that doesn't mean very much.