I only drive on the beaches in Texas when surf fishing and while the sand and decomposing seaweed (think mud) can be deep, I don't think I will need a winch. Can anyone give recommendations on a clean looking front bumper without the cutout for the winch?
I'm usually with two or three trucks and we pull each other out. If you are by yourself and get stuck, you usually don't have to wait more than an hour or two before someone comes down the beach to help. Most people (strangers) are helpful in getting others out of deep sand - a couple of beers is usually appreciated as payment. If I don't want to wait around, 5-10 five gallon buckets of water thrown on the sand usually will do wonders.
There is not anything to hook the winch to on the beach unless it is another truck. Am I missing something?
No not really, except if you have a winch then not only can you help someone else but yourself if someone comes along. Besides with the cost of after market bumpers running around $600 to 1k then after words you decide you want a winch then you will pay double. Look at the comparison write ups about bumpers, get the winch bumper that looks the best, just don't install the winch. I'll bet before you know it, you will be putting one on.
__________________
If I had to Explain,you wouldn't understand.
I'm usually with two or three trucks and we pull each other out. If you are by yourself and get stuck, you usually don't have to wait more than an hour or two before someone comes down the beach to help. Most people (strangers) are helpful in getting others out of deep sand - a couple of beers is usually appreciated as payment. If I don't want to wait around, 5-10 five gallon buckets of water thrown on the sand usually will do wonders.
There is not anything to hook the winch to on the beach unless it is another truck. Am I missing something?
Ray
WHile the pullpall FJammin mentioned is ideal, it is also expensive and large to store.
If you had a winch, and a shovel and were really stuck, you could do this: dig about a 4ft deep hole, attach the cable's to a tire iron and thread cable through the center of the spare with the tire iron on the other side. Bury the spare and cover with the sand. Now you have an anchor. Most times when you are stuck in sand you don't need that much of a pull to get out. If the spare starts to pull up, just bury it deeper.
__________________
"'Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the outcome of the vote.'
-Benjamin Franklin"
2007 Supercharged Voodoo Blue
Bajarack and other various parts from TRDparts4u.com
The Pull pal is nice and the bury the spare thing is now added to the memory banks, but I have long used an old boat anchor /strap and come along. I wheel mainly in the sand as well. I have never had to be pulled out. KNocking on afke wood! But have used the anchor on my dad's truck and it worked perfect. If you carry a shovel there should be no reason why you can not get out of sand. Between the dig out and addition of water with some packing of sand by the shovel . I am having the same debate.
Having a winch just allows you to try things you may have shy away from before. If it's just sand that you wheel in, you could also consider those rubber tracks that ARB sells.
__________________
Click for the "Genie" build up
Sandoo Blue FJ
Walker Evans 2.5 dia. front shocks, adj. rear reservoir shocks, Pro Links. AP F&R bumpers, AP 1.25" UCA, Demello skid, TMax 9000 Competition winch. Viking Trail Line. 34X10.5X16 Swamper LTB. Trail Gear Sliders, Aeroflow, Lightforce Blitz 240 HID, All Pro Swing Out, .
Linear Mode
