Question- what is the BEST winch to use on crank up feeders. Max weight would be 350 lbs. I'm looking for a good reliable cable type for this, not a cheap boat winch.

Boss buck makes great components, winch, cable,, header etc. use the double pulley system!

Get rid of the winch & purchase a come-along. Some very good ones can be bought for $25-35. A little slower but far safer and less strain on the person.

I like this idea, those cranks can be tough

Get rid of the winch and the come along and get a stand and fill.

another vote for stand and fill.

I tried the 200# Boss Buck stand and fill, hogs tore up the downspouts. Penned the areas and went to 300# crank up feeders. But I put boat winches on them-huge mistake. I like the winch Cast suggested, and actually the come-along sounds good, but will the come-along hold up to the dirt and grime of being in the open all the time? Stand and fill- who makes one that holds three hundred pounds and I can actually stand and fill. I'm 70 years old, and lifting corn up high is just not as easy as it once was. And thanks for the suggestions!

A buzz box welder and 7014 rods is your friend. A barrel holds 300lbs?

I have used come alongs on my feeders for about 8 years with no problems. They have worked great for this old man. I will be 74 come Dec.

An All Seasons 600# stand and fill (or equivalent) will serve you better than well and cut the number of times you have to feed in half. Buy once, cry once... best advice I've heard for hunting related stuff. Never try and do it on the cheap, you'll just have to do it again.

I use a trailer winch with a double run, stainless, block and tackle. Makes it so easy

You have a picture of the setup?

I use a Boss Buck wench, double pully and a Dewalt 18v drill motor with a 3/4" socket to raise the barrel once full.

I've been building Winch feeders for over ten years and will not sell one without a brake winch. I have seen a friend almost hurt badly when a boat winch claw didn't grab. I have had great success with the Dutton-Lainson brand. I'm sure there are others but I have never had a failure with one. They do cost more but when your'e building something to withstand wild boar and mad cows it has to be reliable.

Redchevy, I do not have any pics of the set up. I will attempt to explain. A eye bolt thru a leg at about knee level (give or take a little). A pulley at top of feeder tripod with the come along hook in the barrel cross arm. Basically just like you would set it up with a winch, only change is winch is replaced with a come along. Some of the come alongs have a pulley that used instead of buying one. Clear as mud ??????

use the 1500 lb. winches they sell at harbor freight and get you a jump box (like you jump off a car or truck) works great!! if you forget your jump box make sure you get a set of jumper cables for the lease. you can raise or lower with jumper cables from your four wheeler or truck.

I have built winch feeders for more than 15 years and let me say this: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE USE A BOAT WINCH. Get a Dutton-Lainson brake winch they are the best. They may cost a little more but keep this much in mind if a boat winch gog fails the barrel comes down a whole lot faster than it it went up.I have always supplied the 800 pound version with my feeders and have never heard of one failing to hold. you can get larger one if you like but don't take a chance on a boat winch, my personal ones are over 15 years old.
Here is one on amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Dutton-Lains...n-lainson&qid=1577383318&sr=8-12

Use a 6 volt electric winch from Harbor Freight, a 6 volt lawn mower battery, and bolt the winch onto one of the feeder legs. Much easier than trying to crank up 300lbs!!!

Hang em High is the BEST winch up feeder PERIOD

Premium Zinc Chromate Paint, Premium Brake Winch from Dutton-Lainson---Premium Design

Mine have been in the field non-stop since 2006---we use Texas Hunter 12Volt Slingers

***I like most Boss Buck feeders, but not the winch up system

I’ll 2nd hang-em high feeders

I'll third that that on the Hang em High Feeders.

We have 10 of these on one of our ranches and have had no problems. We bought them about 10 years ago. They are heavily built out of good material. They use top quality winches and also offer an electric drill winch as an option. The feeder is tall enough that cattle cannot reach the timer box. We do not have pens around most of the feeders and the cattle and hogs have not been able to turn one over yet. They have a plate with a hole at the bottom of each leg where we drove 1/2 inch rebar into the ground at a 45 degree angle and bent them over. What made us buy these feeders is the metal lid stays at the top of the feeder and the barrel pulls up tight against it inside a band to make it waterproof.. No more chewed up plastic lids from squirrels and racoons or barrel bands that don't fit after use. No rain water that can accumulate on the lid to freeze and crack the lid. No more spoiled and moldy corn. We haven't regretted buying these because they eliminated all of the problems we had with other feeders we tried or built. They only sell the feeder assembly and you can put any timer box you want on it. The one thing I really like is you can fill them on the ground. For us old guys, that's a plus. No more climbing ladders with sacks or buckets of corn. I don't trust myself on ladders anymore. Buy one and you won't regret spending the little extra on a quality feeder.


hangemhighfeeders.com/

They are good feeders, very reliable and just like the way Oldrancher describes them, but I need to sell the last 2 we have and go to the Stand and Fill feeders.
The reason for that is my FIL fills our feeders most of the time and he has a hard time filling and cranking up those feeders.
He also has to fill them up more often and does not fill them all the way up since he has a hard time cranking them up.
We are very appreciative of what he does to help but it is very hard on him. We are just West of Childress, Tx.

Reading over this thread there are lots of great suggestions. The only thing I'll add is this...

If your "wench's" name is Boss Buck, you might want to check the undercarriage!