Need suggestions on a couple good comealongs

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Alaskajohn

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I want to add a good comealong or two on the farm/homestead to supplement or to add additional capacity to my winches. The winches are mounted on UTVs and are all rated at 3500 pounds. Sometimes these aren’t strong enough, and often you can’t get your UTVs close enough to the action. Typical uses could be pulling down spruce logs up a hill, getting vehicles unstuck, etc.

Ideally I want two. One maybe 2 ton and one maybe 5 ton. I want to order off of Amazon Prime and hopefully each would be not much more than $100.

These are the brands listed on Amazon. Any to avoid, any you recommend? Does my logic on capacity make sense?


 
I want to add a good comealong or two on the farm/homestead to supplement or to add additional capacity to my winches. The winches are mounted on UTVs and are all rated at 3500 pounds. Sometimes these aren’t strong enough, and often you can’t get your UTVs close enough to the action. Typical uses could be pulling down spruce logs up a hill, getting vehicles unstuck, etc.
When you say your 3500# winch isn't strong enough, does it just quit pulling? I use a similar size Ramsey on my 2000# Kubota RTV. It'll start dragging the RTV across the ground before it thinks about quitting.

On the comealongs, read the fine print. Most pulling pound ratings are listed as being a double-line pull. A straight shot, 1 line pull will be half that amount. Also, most comealongs have very short cables so not sure if they're really going to help when you say you can't get close to the action.

Myself, I prefer to just use a snatch block and as many nylon straps needed for the job. I use 20', 2" straps with loops on each end. They can go around the tree as well as be connected together using a clevis. When I'm pulling down a tree, it's common for me to run 80' of the straps. (Straps are cheap to replace if/as needed and can better take the impact of a tree landing on it as opposed to a cable that may get kinked). At the last strap (the one closest to your UTV), connect the snatch block and double your winch line back to your UTV or other anchor point. You'll now have twice the pulling power (but at half the speed).
 
Ideally I want two. One maybe 2 ton and one maybe 5 ton. I want to order off of Amazon Prime and hopefully each would be not much more than $100.

I know it's obvious, but you get what you pay for. I bought a Dayton chain come along with a 10' pull range. I paid almost 200 bucks for it 20 years ago, it is still going strong today, zero issues. I also bought a larger cable come along with an additional pulley and hook and a longer handle that doubles my pulling power. I don't remember the brand, but it was 500+ dollars new, it too is still going strong. With that one I can easily move a car, and I have actually moved my truck that I was using for a dead man, my truck is around 7000lbs and it moved it with ease, and that was sitting on dry pavement in park with the ebrake set, lol..
 
Thanks for everyone's replies. I have dozens of old pullies that came with the homestead or from my historical homestead in Appalachia, and I have used some frequently. I am afraid to use them for heavy loads as they have some sentimental and historical value, and it is hard to tell what their load rating is. I have many heavy duty cables, chains and straps that are rated up to 20 tons as well.

Again, I am limited to what I can get shipped to me by Amazon. I don't want to spend 8 hours drive time to get to a store and be disappointed by what I find or don't find, or to get stuck on the road by an avalanche as it is winter. The below snatch block and comealong looks like it addresses some of the issues in the comments to include the added value of the snatch block, the longer pull and the need to focus on good quality.


And this 12 ton snatch block by Warn that I am leaning towards. I can't tell if its American made, but I have always had good luck from my warn products.
1611265200847.png

I do think I will need to spend more than I originally wanted for a good comealong.

This one is US made, by Amsteel rated at three tons and has a 35 foot pull, and a three ton rating. Overkill for some of my project needs, but I it is only 24 pounds so I am sure I will have little difficulty humping this up the mountain for some of the projects I have in mind. Double line pulling capacity is 6,000 pounds dead lift and 12,000 drag/pull. Single rope capacity is 3,000 lbs dead lift and 6,000 drag/pull. It does have pully with it, but the Warn can accommodate a larger cable, which might come in handy.



1611265372877.png

These two together are about $560.

Thoughts on these? I am still reading the fine print.

Not sure why Amazon didn't list these manufacturers on the left menu. Actually had to type the manufacturers name in for them to pull up. All Chinese crap listed in the left hand selection.
 
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1611269887932.png



That is like the one I have. It moved my 7000lb truck with ease and that was without the second pulley. Of course the tires were the only footprint, but still.

Just about the same price point. The only difference is I don't think mine weighs 24lbs, or it might and I just never really thought about it. Mine is billet aluminum I believe.
 
View attachment 57332


That is like the one I have. It moved my 7000lb truck with ease and that was without the second pulley. Of course the tires were the only footprint, but still.

Just about the same price point. The only difference is I don't think mine weighs 24lbs, or it might and I just never really thought about it. Mine is billet aluminum I believe.

Thanks Curmudgeon. I would gladly pay more for an American product and am thankful that folks suggested looking for quality.
 
Thanks Curmudgeon. I would gladly pay more for an American product and am thankful that folks suggested looking for quality.

All the come-alongs and chain blocks I have I either inherited or bought at garage sales.

The first world manufactured ones seem to never break (with a bit of maintenance/servicing) - but I see the Chinese ones broken out the back of my local mechanics shop. If you might also use it to lift stuff, I would go with good quality (even if it is a couple of decades old).

Most people would never wear one out.......
 
I've gone through a few come alongs. That looks like a good one. I mostly had one or two ton rigs and tried to get them to out perform their designs. I had a great chain come along that grew legs. It is less expensive to pay twice as much once.
 
Thanks for everyone's replies. I have dozens of old pullies that came with the homestead or from my historical homestead in Appalachia, and I have used some frequently. I am afraid to use them for heavy loads as they have some sentimental and historical value, and it is hard to tell what their load rating is. I have many heavy duty cables, chains and straps that are rated up to 20 tons as well.

Again, I am limited to what I can get shipped to me by Amazon. I don't want to spend 8 hours drive time to get to a store and be disappointed by what I find or don't find, or to get stuck on the road by an avalanche as it is winter. The below snatch block and comealong looks like it addresses some of the issues in the comments to include the added value of the snatch block, the longer pull and the need to focus on good quality.


And this 12 ton snatch block by Warn that I am leaning towards. I can't tell if its American made, but I have always had good luck from my warn products.
View attachment 57324

I do think I will need to spend more than I originally wanted for a good comealong.

This one is US made, by Amsteel rated at three tons and has a 35 foot pull, and a three ton rating. Overkill for some of my project needs, but I it is only 24 pounds so I am sure I will have little difficulty humping this up the mountain for some of the projects I have in mind. Double line pulling capacity is 6,000 pounds dead lift and 12,000 drag/pull. Single rope capacity is 3,000 lbs dead lift and 6,000 drag/pull. It does have pully with it, but the Warn can accommodate a larger cable, which might come in handy.



View attachment 57326

These two together are about $560.

Thoughts on these? I am still reading the fine print.

Not sure why Amazon didn't list these manufacturers on the left menu. Actually had to type the manufacturers name in for them to pull up. All Chinese crap listed in the left hand selection.
I was given an old comealong much like the one Curmudgeon pictured, when nothing else will do the job this one will, it came from a friend that killed himself, his girlfriend told me that he may have found out that he had cancer and didn't want to burden anyone, anyway the comealong is also sentimental, helps me remember him.
 
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AJ, the come along and pulley both look to be high quality. Warn in particular has always been a high quality company.
You are on the right track IMHO

@Backtracker, This came in and I just opened it up. Everything looks super high quality as does the pulley. I certainly didn't need to order the Warn snatch block. But you can't have too many! Really happy with the purchase and already have a good half dozen projects lined up for it's use this summer. The wife even gave me some praise. After carefully inspecting the very heavy come along, after she sat it down she simply said "good job." High praise indeed.
 
So far, I haven't found anything (outdoors) these PTO winches (15,000lbs) that are the front of my mogs, can't handle.
Mog Winch.jpg


But I do use chain blocks and come alongs in the workshop (and anywhere a mog won't fit).

Coke can is just for scale.......

Over the last couple of years I have put together a good collection of slings, soft shackles and pulley blocks for each truck.
 
AJ, good news. After this I might look into that for myself. Biggest thing I do is drag logs, or something stuck. But the overkill don't hurt a thing. You know it ain't gonna break.

Hard Calibers, I'm gonna refer to you as HC if you don't mind??? Do you have a Unimog? Don't see many around here. The only guy I know that has one I met thru a Ham Radio event. My first experience with a Mog. Those things are incredible. Sure wouldn't mind finding a deal on one.
 
AJ, good news. After this I might look into that for myself. Biggest thing I do is drag logs, or something stuck. But the overkill don't hurt a thing. You know it ain't gonna break.

Hard Calibers, I'm gonna refer to you as HC if you don't mind??? Do you have a Unimog? Don't see many around here. The only guy I know that has one I met thru a Ham Radio event. My first experience with a Mog. Those things are incredible. Sure wouldn't mind finding a deal on one.

HC is fine.

I have two Unimog U1700L trucks.

Both have PTO winches.

You can get LHD Mogs milsurp from Europe or RHD Mogs milsurp from Australia.

They all comply with the US 25 year rule for "private imports" - so that means you don't have to do much in the way of mods to get them into the US or license them. Parts are available - but they don't break much anyway.

They are an amazing vehicle. The portal axles give them huge clearance and their 4WD, diff locks and coil springs make them very offroad capable.

They can forde about 4 foot deep water unprepared - I have seen them go much deeper.......

In the case of the 1700s, they can do all that and carry about 14,000lbs of cargo.

I use mine around the farm and also for camping. I kept them as stock military as possible and converted a milsurp tandem trailer (made for a mog) to a camper with roof top tent (about the biggest one they make) and space for my quad bike underneath.

The camper also has a 270 degree awning that covers the LHS and rear of the trailer - so with the rooftop tent covering the RHS, the trailer has shelter on three sides.

The big bonus of this system is that I don't have leave anything behind. I always take a fridge, freezer, chem toilet, many jerrycans of water, etc, etc, etc
 
@Hardcalibres, I like that setup! It would work up here as well. I've seen one on tracks once.
 
@Hardcalibres, I like that setup! It would work up here as well. I've seen one on tracks once.

Roof top tents are a good match to Alaska - it is harder for the bears to get up the ladder (at least without waking you so you can start shooting).

They are really comfortable and quite quick to setup.

With the level legs on the trailer (and a high lift jack) you can level up the trailer on inclined places that a ground tent would struggle.
 
I didn't see it posted but have you checked into a wyeth scott? a couple of the photos look like a wyeth

Thats the manufacturer of the one I bought. I love it and look forward to using it.

 
I do not use "Comealongs" they are cheap & they fail or wear out over time, the frames fall a part.
I use manual chain hoist, I had a 1/2 ton at work that I used for 20 years, it still worked fine when I retired & left it behind.
I have always used chains over cables for everything, when not using a winche mounted on a truck.
 
MGD n RnR kinda help me come along

Miller Genuine Draft and Rest and Relaxation? I’d choose a different beer, but it would work for me!
 
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