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By Jody Campbell
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lectric versus Hydraulic...Hmmm...Nope, Not gonna do it. This debate rages
on like locker versus posi, coil springs versus leaf springs. We will not be
party to this competitive bashing, you can decide which is better.
The Mile Marker Hydraulic winch has impressed me from the first day I saw one
in use. Last spring I was fortunate enough to be the only journalist to cover
the Mile Marker Atlas challenge. This event was a grueling two-week adventure
through some of the toughest, most diverse terrain on the continent of Africa.
While the event was sponsored by Mile Marker winches, no one was limited to a
certain brand of winch. 14 vehicles entered the challenge and 12 were already
equipped with Milemarker winches. After two weeks of watching the competitors
abuse these winches in the Sahara desert and the Atlas Mountains, I knew this
was one tough product. After the Atlas challenge I knew we had to get one of
these winches in our hands and do some testing of our own.
We have now had our Milemarker installed on our project Jeep for about 4 months
and its there to stay. Our first real test for the 10,500-pound Mile Marker
winch was during a routine photo shoot on our project Blazer. The Blazer was
flexing it new suspension on the side of a steep hill when the tires got wedged
in a rut. A quick stab of the gas pedal produced an earth shattering snap, a
front axle and a rear axle broke at the same time! Well, now we are really
going to do some testing! We positioned the Jeep, and spooled out the cable.
The Mile Marker winch pulled the 5000-pound Blazer right up the hill without
even a slight strain. We made a few repairs, but since the rear of the Blazer
is a C-clip style axle, we had no way of retaining the wheel and tire on the
vehicle. We strapped the wheel and tire in place so that it would not come out,
but now it could not turn either! At the bottom of the testing hill was a dry
sand wash 200+ feet across. Our first attempt to tow the broken Blazer across
simply buried the Jeep in the sand. Out came the winch cable again. This was
by far the most load I have ever put on a winch before as the Blazer dug a trench
with the left rear tire 12" deep for 200+ feet. The weight of the vehicle and
the soft nature of the sand required us to strap the Jeep to another vehicle to
keep it from being pulled in toward the Blazer. It took 45 minutes of winching
and repositioning the Jeep to free the Blazer from the sandpit. During this test,
the Mile Marker winch never overheated, stalled, or even changed the idle speed
of the Jeep, it just continued to pull! We also had the opportunity to test the
winch during this year's Petersens 4-Wheel and Off-road Ultimate Adventure. We
used it numerous times to get our Jeep up, over and sometimes through
insurmountable obstacles. It never let us down and continued to impress us and
well as our friends. Needless to say we are convinced that the Mile Marker is
one strong winch. Would we recommend a Mile Marker winch to our readers?
Definitely.
Okay, with that said here are the major differences between the Mile Marker and
its electric brethren. The Mile marker is more complicated to install; hydraulic
hoses and fittings take a lot more time than a few electric cables. It is
slower than electric winches during mid to low effort pulls, but at full load an
electric can't come close to its speed and power. It will not work without the
vehicle running, but see how long an electric will last on battery power alone!
It is a bit more confusing to operate because it is a two-speed winch. The
levers on the winch must be changed from high to low or vice versa if the pull
requires it. On the plus side, the Milemarker weighs 88 lbs., some 70 lbs. less
than a similar size electric winch. The Mile Marker is incredibly quiet, no
whining or squealing as it reaches full load. The Mile Marker only draws 2 amps
under load and runs cool continuously, compared to a less powerful electric winch
that draws some 400 plus amps. The Mile Marker is completely sealed and can be
used when submerged under water. The Mile Marker can be run using the stock
power steering pump. So as you can see the decision is yours to make, we are
extremely impressed with the Mile Marker winch and look forward to years of
trouble free use.
Note: For testing purposes and to maximize the power of the winch we installed
an AGR Super P series power steering pump in the test Jeep. This pump flows
3.4 G.P.M. of fluid and produces 1500 P.S.I. It flows the optimum G.P.M. and
P.S.I. for the Mile Marker winch. The winch can be used with a stock power
steering pump, but ours was already leaking and made quite a bit of noise
during high effort steering, so rather than just replace it, we upgraded it.
Mile Marker 2 Speed Winch
Model #75-50050C
Specifications
With integrated directional control valve
1. 10,500 lb. single line maximum pull capacity @ 1500PSI
2. 2-Speed -High Gear ratio is 1 to 1, Low Gear ratio is 6 to 1 Planetary Gear set
3. Uses 2 size 6 Steel Braided High Pressure Hoses - 4' and 5'. 3000 PSI work load with 12000 PSI. Incorporates Female swivel JIC size 6 fittings on both ends.
4. Uses 10" X 4.5" bolt pattern (4 bolts, 3/8")
5. Stainless Steel fasteners and Tie Bars
6. Sealed with O-rings against the elements
7. Freespooling
8. 4 way roller fairlead
9. 100' X 3/8" galvanized cable & hook (14,400 nominal breaking strength)
10. 2.5" diameter Drum
11. 9" flange width on Drum
12. 12V Solenoid directional control valve. Flange mounted to Hydraulic Motor. 3 way with
Tandem center. Spring loaded to default to center when coils are not energized closing both ports to hydraulic motor when not in use. Has 2 Ports-P (IN FLOW), T (OUT FLOW). Energized Coil draws 2 amps. Maximum Pressure rating is 3000PSI@3.5 GPM.
13. 12 ft. Lead hand control with Rocker switch (IN or OUT)-12 V
14. 18 Cubic Inch White Hydraulic Motor (5 year warranty)- accepts solenoid valve
15. Mechanical Lock
16. Power IN or OUT
17. Shipping Weight is 97 lbs.
18. ***Optional*** Can be operated from OE Power Steering Pump with 35 Series Vehicle
Adapter Kit
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| NOTE: All ratings on a scale of 1 to 4 with flat tires equal to a half. |
| Description |
Notes |
Rating |
| Ease of Install |
A 4 plus hour install, ours took longer due the bumper and shackle reversal system the winch must line up with. Additionally, it's a bit harder to install due to the hydraulic lines that must be put into place. |
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| Ease of Use |
The Mile Marker winch is a two speed winch so it is a bit more complex due to the levers on the winch. |
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| Performance |
We have pushed this winch to its absolute limits and have not been able to stall it or damage it! |
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| Durability |
Based on the extensive testing we have already put it through, it should hold up great. |
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| Appearance |
Not as good looking as some of the electric winches on the market, but it has a durable, industrial look to it. |
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| Drivability |
N/A |
N/A |
| Comfort |
N/A |
N/A |
| Price in comparison to related products |
Price is on par with all of the electric winches of this strength. |
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| Tools Required |
A full set of wrenches, line wrenches, sockets, drill, screwdrivers, a set of wire strippers, crimpers and electrical tape. |
| Editors Notes |
While opinions vary greatly on the use of hydraulic winches versus electric, On long, full capacity pulls, the Mile Marker will continue to pull long after an electric has over heated and stalled. I'll keep mine Thanks. Additionally, after seeing the Mile Marker winches in use many times in Africa, and using it numerous times to free myself and others, I wouldn't have an electric! JC |
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