Superwinch Tigershark range

[BogMonster]

Still looking at sensibly priced winch options for the new Puma.

What does anybody think of the Superwinch Tigershark range? Prices seem quite reasonable and the old Superwinches seemed decent enough.

Thanks.

[Maverik]

hmm winches...

After opening up quite a few planetary type winches I've not been overly impressed with what I've seen, I've mainly worked on Warn's but had some Chinese ones through too. I'd say it depends on what you're going to use it for, to me all the planetary ones are much of a muchness looking at the gear sets the quality between Warn and Chinese looks pretty much the same, (ok the materials can be different, but I like to think I've got a decent eye when looking at bits of metal) we run Warns on the MR trucks and I have to strip them down from new and properly lubricate/grease the gearboxes, as what they put in them (very stiff grease) is pants and doesn't cover all the gear, any water just attacks the un protected steel parts and then the box is caput. you also don't seem to be freely able to get spares for the gearboxes which is a pain.

I've just changed to a husky winch purely for the fact that they can be re-built so easily and parts are easy to get, they're full of oil rather than greaae and they are bomb proof, just like a landy you can just keep re-building them. Not everyone's cup of tea as they are slow, but I don't need speed in my winching activities.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you're only going to be doing light use, spend as little cash as you can on a product you like the look of, be it Chinese or not. If its to be a regular working winch then you need to invest a little bit and generally the cost goes into the motor rather than anything else.

[BogMonster]

Interesting thoughts, ta. I currently run a Milemarker on my old Tdi 110 which is slow but will pull a house and it's the third vehicle I have had it on, and maybe 15 years later it has been utterly dependable having done literally nothing to it apart from paint the mount a couple of times. I don't even know if they are still available but in any case with what it cost at the time, for relatively occasional use it is a lot of money to have tied up so not really an option.

However - when you have a Land Rover buried to the doors in peat then whatever I get has to be able to cut the mustard when needs require it, even if it is only once or twice a year. I actually use my MM more for other things than self-recovery, as it happens I had to winch somebody out last night but that was the first actual recovery it has done in over a year.

[BogMonster]

Anybody else got a view on this product?

Question in my mind at the moment is whether to go for the Tigershark, or the Goldfish. Goodwinch don't seem to offer a decent high-level mount (ideally looking for something like the old lightweight Milemarker bikini mount but nothing like that appears to be available) but I need to get something on the way as it will take a couple of months to get here

[landroversforever]

I've not looked inside any of my low line winches but the inside of the Husky is rather beefy.

If going for a lowline I'd look at the Goldfish range personally... David's show one seems to live in a tank of water and still works. After all they were designed to be well sealed hence the name! 

Milemarker is going to pull all day, as would the Husky. Goldfish too, but might need a snatchblock? 

[Bowie69]

I'd say goldfish still probably.

David has a new range 'Bullwinch' which look great, and only slightly more money given they have dyneema rope as standard -they're just not proven yet I guess.

[V8 Freak]

Steve,

I've not got the Tiger Shark, but did go for a Talon 12.5iSR back in 2013

(Link for reference http://www.electricwinchshop.co.uk/superwinchtalon12-5isr12v.html)

It's not used in anger regularly but on the handful of times I've needed it, it's been up to the job. Earlier this year it pulled me up a slope when I was dug into sand and didn't complain.

I took the gubbins off the top and installed my own wiring using an Albright relay though....

Over the years the UK weather has taken it's toll on the appearance, so it's off at the moment for a refresh. 

I'll hopefully have time to open it up and get it through the parts washer this weekend before visiting Steve G for some blasting and paint....

I'm hopeful I can run the gears in one shot or decent grease like the last winch, but that will depend on how it seals and if I can figure an adaptation to permit me to fill it after assembly etc.

I'll share the pics of the internals if you are interested.

[BogMonster]

Ta. That seems quite tatty for a 4 year old winch? My Milemarker doesn't look that bad and it's probably kicking 13 or 14 years now I should think.

I have now ordered a TDS9.5 Goldfish, toyed with the idea of getting the TDS12 but figured that as the line speed is only half, I would be as well to go with the smaller version and have a good line speed for light pulls and can still double line it and get a decent speed.

[V8 Freak]

I don’t think it’s just age.. It’s been battered at the front for around 50k miles too....   Good ole English salt in the winter as well as all the other stuff from our roads getting thrown at it....

The next 4 years will see it look a lot better with. Proper paint job and a lot less miles on British roads.

Didn’t get it apart this weekend and the next few are already fully committed.

[BogMonster]

I've never been sure if it is better to put a cover on the winch, and having it probably sitting there damp all the time from condensation, or better to have it out in the open where at least salty deposits get washed off when you wash it and it will dry out properly on a fine day.

[Bowie69]

Perhaps once mounted give it a spray with some clear cavity wax to protect it?

They do take a beating mounted that far up front.

[Ruuman]

I have a tigershark on my 130, I got it out the work skip!

The winch overall is pretty good, I'd say the same as all the chinese ones and it had an albright in the control box.

Only thing that let it down was the wander lead and most importantly the socket. It ruins a perfectly good winch. The pins are tiny and bend and the socket was very badly soldered together (this was the reason it was in the skip)

I wired it up to a switch in the cab bypassing the socket and it's been rock solid.

For a general recovery winch it's perfect, you won't win any competitions, but for a bit of general use and green laning it would be fine.

[BogMonster]

Thanks. I ordered a TDS9.5 anyway as I hadn't had a response from the Superwinch supplier after a few days, so we'll see what that is like.