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Warn 9.0Rc winch - Mighty MiniA little Warn with lots of Pull From the February, 2009 issue of 4Wheel & Off-Road By Fred Williams Photography by Fred Williams, Leah Light, Warn Industries
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One benefit of competition motorsports is how it pushes the technology which eventually trickles down to everyday four-wheelers, and the Warn 9.0Rc winch is a perfect example. In the rockcrawling comp scene, folks are constantly hunting for smaller and lighter components, which is great for single-use tube buggies, but doesn't always apply to your average trail vehicle. Unless, of course, you drive something like a flatfender Jeep or Suzuki. We decided that this compact 54-pound winch would be the perfect addition to our Samurai project truck, seeing as the 1.3L four-cylinder engine isn't exactly a powerhouse. Since it's small enough to get into places it shouldn't be, but still runs open differentials, extrication help is often needed. The Warn 9.0Rc carries all the benefits of a larger 9,000-pound capacity winch, but has been repackaged for weight and fitment efficiencies. We installed it on a Trail Tough front bumper in under two hours, and were stuck in a rut about an hour later (the little Suzuki motor makes just getting to the trail head a slow drive). This is the first winch that Warn has ever offered with 3/8-inch synthetic rope, which offers a ton of benefits versus steel cable, especially in weight. In addition this winch comes with the new remote controller that Warn will be implementing into many new winches. If you are building a competition buggy or more likely just assembling a lightweight trail rig, this Warn winch offers a big punch in a small package.  We installed the Warn 9.0Rc...  We installed the Warn 9.0Rc rockcrawler winch on the front of our Suzuki Samurai. Though designed as a lightweight winch for competition, we figured it was perfect for-and would have a larger appeal to-owners of pint-sized 4x4s like flatfender Jeeps, Suzuki Samurais, and even some mini-trucks. The winch still has a 9,000-pound single line rating, but weighs in at only 54 pounds.  We used a front bumper from...  We used a front bumper from Trail Tough to mount the winch to our '91 Samurai. Because the winch has a narrow 6-inch mounting foot, we needed to redrill the bumper in order to line up two of the mounting holes.  Since the 9.0Rc uses synthetic...  Since the 9.0Rc uses synthetic rope, it is better to use a hawse-style fairlead than the normal roller fairlead. Since Warn was considering weight they used a polished-aluminum version. The high polish protects against snags in the rope, and the narrow opening is specific to the narrow drum Rc.  Another bonus of the controller...  Another bonus of the controller is a built-in flashlight for winching duties that occur long after the sun sets. Isn't it funny how we almost always need to winch after dark? Our only complaint is that the controller has to be plugged into the winch in order to use the light, whereas you may need the light just to find the controller plug outlet.  At the end of the synthetic...  At the end of the synthetic rope is a 360-degree swivel hook and thimble, which has a positive snapping lock to keep your recovery gear from falling out. One of the trade-offs of this smaller winch is that it only comes with 50 feet of rope. In competition rockcrawling that is usually plenty, but you'll have to decide if it's enough for your trail-riding vehicle.  Whenever winching you should...  Whenever winching you should wear gloves, but another benefit of the synthetic rope is the elimination of injury from frayed steel cable. However, a very serious problem can be rope burn. If you forget your gloves simply use the supplied Sliding Sleeve to hold the line while spooling up.  Warn has redesigned its winch...  Warn has redesigned its winch controller, and, depending on whom you ask, it's a successful upgrade. If you have been winching for years and have become accustomed to the up/out, down/in controls that Warn has used for ages, then the left/out, right/in may be a stumbling block for you. However, the controller does have a bump sticking out on the left/out side and a divot going in on the right/in side to help you learn the controls and use it in the dark or with gloves.  Synthetic line is great stuff;...  Synthetic line is great stuff; it is lightweight and easier to haul up a hill to find yourself a solid mounting point. If the rock or tree should give way, the synthetic line doesn't store as much energy as steel cable and usually just falls to the ground rather than becoming a dangerous whip. We also like how the rope doesn't kink and fray when trying to spool it in, but, unlike cable, rope must be protected from abrasion. Warn's 3/8-inch rope comes with a Ballistic Nylon Sliding Sleeve which can be used where the rope must lie over the edge of rocks.
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