Ramsey has been a predominant name in off-roading
since the early 1940s. Their products grace the bumpers of countless four-wheel
drive vehicles, and their owners testify to the dependability of Ramsey
products, including locking hubs, mounting systems, and winches. Ramsey's
product line expands in parallel with the burgeoning winch market, and the
recently released pinnacle of Ramsey's evolution, the Platinum 9000, represents
a substantial step forward in winch design.
Recently, we experienced an engine-disabling electrical short. After
countless attempts to troubleshoot and restart, with no truck available
to lend a pull, we decided to winch to the crest of a hill, from which
we could coast to an improved road. Solo exploration has its pleasures, but getting stuck
or broken down is not among them. At least we informed friends of our
plans (that's one rule followed), and they soon pulled up on bikes to
lend a hand... as well as an endless stream of ribbing. Winching to the crest meant traversing a quarter mile
of ravine, meadow, and gully. The soft, wet ground created significant
rolling resistance, but the rolling farm hills offered no anchor points.
We ran out 145' of cable, set the Pull Pal anchor, and winched in cable,
our motivation heightened by impending rain. Before we'd reached the
crest, our first battery was toast, so we borrowed a battery, then
continued our Keystone Cop antics: free-spool, anchor, winch,
free-spool, anchor, winch, etc. until we could coast the truck downhill
to the road ... and a waiting tow truck. This marathon would have been much worse without the
Platinum's speed and strength. We drained a duo of batteries, winching
more than 600', but the Platinum 9000 and our Pull Pal finally dragged
us out of the jam.
The Platinum 9000 builds upon the time-tested
strengths of the ProPlus line. The ProPlus 9000 was Ramsey's premium offering,
and still remains a strong choice for value. No slouch, the ProPlus relies upon
a 2.5 hp series-wound motor to pull in line at 4 feet per minute (fpm) at full
load. Under no load, it reels line in at a smokin' 32 fpm. Both the ProPlus 9000
and Platinum 9000 utilize strong planetary gears with speedy 138:1 gear ratios.
Both feature fully integrated solenoid assemblies and automatic load-holding
brakes. In fact, aside from their names, the two winches are virtually identical
save three key characteristics:
modernized appearance
longer standard cable length
more powerful electric motor
The most obvious difference between the Platinum
9000 and the rest of the Ramsey product line, and most winches in the world, for
that matter, is its striking silver/platinum color. The matching logo mounts to
a raised nameplate on the elevated solenoid bridge, and the new red knob is
easier to see at night.
Ramsey also increased the standard cable length.
Traditionally shipping winches with 95' of cable standard, Ramsey's catalog
includes 150' cable options on most of the ProPlus, Pro, and REP models. Ramsey
keeps it simpler on the Platinum, outfitting their new flagship with 150' of
5/16" cable, with no options. For some wheelers, that may not seem wise,
because extra cable means reeling out more of the stuff to get down to the
winch's maximum pull capacity on the first layer of cable. With so many slower
winches, that spells more time winching and less time 'wheeling. Fortunately,
Ramsey's final and most significant change addresses that concern: a faster
winch motor.
With few significant technological advancements,
most winch changes in recent years were cosmetic, with only marginal increases
in actual performance. Most 9000-pound winch use the same motors they have used
for years. The Warn XD9000I uses a 2.5 hp motor; the Superwinch S9000 uses a 2.0
hp motor.
Ramsey managed a 44% hp increase over the
ProPlus's 2.5-horse motor -- and that's more than just another cosmetic upgrade.
The key to the Platinum's grunt is the new class-leading 3.6 hp electric motor.
This new motor and the increased standard cable length result in a 5 pound
weight increase over the ProPlus 9000. A Platinum 9000 equipped with a roller
fairlead weighs an even 100 pounds; one equipped with a hawse fairlead weighs 95
pounds.
Installation
We expected that installing the Platinum would be
easy since we moved up from an existing Ramsey REP6000 winch (see Our
Venerable REP6000 sidebar).
Still, we wondered, would the big 3.6-horse motor
fit? Would lifting it into place on the WomBAT's custom bumper and brushguard
cause back problems?
Ramsey's cables exit the body of the winch high, out
of the way, which was helpful for our tightly packaged installation. Similarly,
the remote control outlet is thoughtfully located high on the driver's side with
an easy-to-remove sealing cap. This is a substantial improvement over the REP's
hinged cap, mounted low on the passenger's side.
The Platinum 9000, like most Ramsey winches, uses
the industry-standard 4.5" x 10" mounting hole pattern. We mounted it
onto a custom bumper that was a snug fit for our old REP6000. Despite the power
difference, the compact Platinum slipped into the same space as its aging but
faithful cousin, only slightly rubbing the spool's larger flanges on the
Trooper's plastic grill. Ramsey offers a multitude of mounting options for
virtually any vehicle out there, and the Platinum should fit most other
manufacturers' mounting systems, as well. Height may be the only concern; the
Ramsey solenoid bridge may conflict with some of the more cramped systems. The
diagram shown here will help to check for general fit.
Performance
The Platinum provides a quantum leap in performance
over the REP. The power difference is obvious from their ratings, however, the
speed difference is even more than we expected. Ramsey lists the Platinum's
no-load retrieval rate at 29 fpm. In our own testing, it sucked in 145' of cable
in just 3.75 minutes -- better than 38 fpm! The table lists statistics for
9000-pound electrical winches from Ramsey, Superwinch, and Warn. These
statistics are drawn from each manufacturer's advertising material for their own
winch.
Feet per Minute (no load)
Current Draw (no load)
FPM (@ 9000 lb)
Current Draw (9000lb load)
Weight (with roller fairlead & cable)
Ramsey Platinum 9000
29 fpm
90 amp
7 fpm
400 amp
100 lb
Warn XD9000I
30 fpm
70 amp
5 fpm
400 amp
84 lb
Superwinch S9000
25.5 fpm
78 amp
2 fpm
435 amp
95 lb
The Platinum's enhanced speed is also evident
under load. The winch delivers with numbers that almost make winching speedy.
The SGS U.S. Testing Company independently tested a Platinum 9000 against
another manufacturer's 9000 pound winch, using a constant 2700-pound load. The
Ramsey pulled 17% faster, averaging 13.6 fpm versus 11.6 fpm. SGS also conducted
stall tests on these winches against the same 2700-pound load, pulling until the
cable ran out or the winch stalled. The Platinum 9000 pulled in 146' (a full
pull, the remainder constitutes the minimum number of safe spool wraps), leaving
the other major winch far behind, stalled at 82' of a 125' cable. Ramsey's
larger motor runs cooler for longer, resulting in a longer duty cycle. Smaller
motors get hotter faster, and have shorter duty cycles.
The Platinum 9000 proved
itself in parking lot tests against the brakes. Note the Weathertech
Mat laid over the cable for safety.
Our own testing yielded similarly strong numbers for
the Platinum. We worked the Platinum in both controlled tests and actual field
use. In both situations, it performed flawlessly.
Controlled tests consisted of winching Project
WomBAT across a dry asphalt parking lot. We forcefully applied the truck's Power
Stop cross-drilled disc brakes throughout the pull, keeping the tires barely
rotating rather than skidding. The WomBAT's weight (approximately 5200 pounds)
and brakes provided substantial resistance (estimated at approximately 4000
pounds). Even when winching the entire length of the cable, with the engine at
idle, the winch did not stall. When we did the same test with the REP 6000, the
winch stalled after winding in 70' of its 100' cable.
Idaho's procrastinating spring weather allowed us
an opportunity to test the Platinum in the field, as well. As noted in the
sidebar, a marathon electrical failure-induced 600' pull session through deep
mud tested our patience, drained our batteries, but ultimately proved the
relentless pulling power of this winch.
The Platinum easily drags
the truck up a 45 degree grade toward a solid Pull
Pal winch anchor.
The same pull from the
bottom, showing the WomBAT dug in. In spite of the handicap, the Platinum yanked us right up.
Other muck extractions and staged winching situations substantiated the powered
performance claims, and even free-spooling cable is a pleasure, thanks to the
spool's minimal resistance. Don't underestimate the value of this until you
free-spool 145' of cable with the clevis and shovel in one hand, and a Pull
Pal in the other -- four times in a row. Also, the improved clutch knob is
comfortable and highly visible, with a smooth, easy throw.
With this much cable, we'd like to see the final
wraps on the drum painted colorfully. These wraps must be left on the winch for
safe pulling, and painting them provides a visual reminder for the operator.
This would be easy enough to retrofit, but would also be a nice feature.
Thus far the only negative impressions we have
had from the Platinum have been related to the paint; with minor flaking on the
clutch knob and along the clutch sleeve match lines. Other than that we have
been extremely pleased with its performance, quality, and looks.
The Ramsey REP6000 served us well, but as we built the WomBAT to be more
trail-capable, added weight demanded a stronger winch. Common wisdom
dictates that a winch should be rated to pull 1.5 times the weight of
the loaded vehicle. The Platinum 9000 is a better fit for a vehicle like
the WomBAT, with an "operational" weight of about 3 tons. We
carry a winch block for extraordinary extractions, for double-line
winching heavier loads, and for angled pulls with better control and
spooling. We used the Ramsey REP6000 on the WomBAT for 2
trouble-free years, on top of the previous owner's 6 years. That
dependability speaks well for Ramsey products, in general. We never
needed the warranty, but Ramsey stands behind their units with a limited
lifetime warrantee on their products. We fully expect
this Platinum 9000 to be the REP6000's equal in dependability and
durability, but with the bigger muscles that we now require.
The Platinum 9000 represents a substantial step
forward over other winches with smaller motors and shorter duty cycles. Ramsey's
powerful motor should make other manufacturers' designers sit up and... emulate?
More importantly, it should make potential customers take notice. The Platinum
hums along, easily leaving comparable winches mired down. It looks great,
carries the Ramsey limited lifetime warranty, has a wealth of cable, resists
stalling, and pulls tirelessly.
For other winch-related articles at Off-Road.com,
see:
http://www.off-road.com/4x4web/faqs/winches.html -- Discusses winch safety and addresses some of the most frequently asked
questions about winches: Which is better, spur, planetary, or worm gears?
Electrical or hydraulic power? Permanent magnet or series-wound electric
motors?
A powerful electrical winch can demand prodigous
amounts of electricity, and installing a winch without upgrading the electical
system can be almost asking for problems. Project WomBAT installed Hawker
Energy Products Odyssey Drycell battery to help handle these electrical
loads.
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