Winch & Lift

[JLexplorer]

Hi All

This is my first post I've owned a VW T6 4 motion SWB transporter for 3 years. I have converted it to a camper and have done many solo off road trips.
My question is can I fit a winch and also raise the vehicle so I have more ground clearance. Im in Victoria Australia and if anybody knows of a company that does this I would be very grateful.
Since most of my trips are solo I would feel safer with a winch fitted.
Thanks JLexplorer.

 

[Bryn23]

Seikel offer a winch, but it’s $$$, a set maxtrax would be cheaper, as a winch isn’t handy when there are no trees around.

im running 30mm Seikel lift with 225/65/R17 BFG Ko2s and have been able to get out just by lowering tire pressure.

We just did 5 river crossings solo ranging from 300-500mm last week to get into the NT, didn’t come across any crocs

Kombilife here in Aus now sell Seikel products, it’s worth asking Mark about the winch option if you want to look further into it.

I believe there are a few cheaper lift options out there, but I have had no experience with those.

 

[JLexplorer]

Seikel offer a winch, but it’s $$$, a set maxtrax would be cheaper, as a winch isn’t handy when there are no trees around.

im running 30mm Seikel lift with 225/65/R17 BFG Ko2s and have been able to get out just by lowering tire pressure.

We just did 5 river crossings solo ranging from 300-500mm last week to get into the NT, didn’t come across any crocs

Kombilife here in Aus now sell Seikel products, it’s worth asking Mark about the winch option if you want to look further into it.

I believe there are a few cheaper lift options out there, but I have had no experience with those.

Thank Bryn for your advice I will ring Mark at Kombilife and see what he says and your right about the winch is not much good without trees.
I do carry 2 sets of maxtrax and they have got me out of trouble many times but as a older sole traveler I thought the winch would give me an extra bit of safety.
How are you finding the 30mm lift has it made a big difference to your off road travels.

 

[Bryn23]

It would be nice to have a winch, but from personal experience I’ve only used a winch when there was two of us, one operated the winch and gave hand signals while one of us powered and steered the vehicle.

I guess this is we’re a wireless winch remote would come in handy.

you would have to look at some reinforced towing eyes if you wanted to use a pulley with the winch, it’s worth asking Mark about that as an option, if you decide to go with a w

The 30mm lift has been handy with clearance, the tires I’m running also gives me an extra 17mm lift, and allows me to stay under the max 50mm lift here in QLD.

The spare also fits in the tire holder, which is handy, as I don’t need to hang it if the tailgate.

apart from the lift from the seikel, I noticed that van handled a heap better than the oem setup.

I noticed that Seikel are now offering koni damper version of its off-road lift kits, although I’m not sure if they are a ship from German my option.

 

[JLexplorer]

It would be nice to have a winch, but from personal experience I’ve only used a winch when there was two of us, one operated the winch and gave hand signals while one of us powered and steered the vehicle.

I guess this is we’re a wireless winch remote would come in handy.

you would have to look at some reinforced towing eyes if you wanted to use a pulley with the winch, it’s worth asking Mark about that as an option, if you decide to go with a w

The 30mm lift has been handy with clearance, the tires I’m running also gives me an extra 17mm lift, and allows me to stay under the max 50mm lift here in QLD.

The spare also fits in the tire holder, which is handy, as I don’t need to hang it if the tailgate.

apart from the lift from the seikel, I noticed that van handled a heap better than the oem setup.

I noticed that Seikel are now offering koni damper version of its off-road lift kits, although I’m not sure if they are a ship from German my option.

Ill be talking to mark tomorrow regarding the lift and winch. The lift I will definitely get, but will have to see about the winch.
You said you have done a number of water crossing ranging from 300mm to 500mm I was wondering have you added a breather kit so water does not get into your, gear box, diff etc or is your van stock. The reason I ask is that VW recommend no deeper than 300mm but that could be for vans that are stock standard and Im sure you can go deeper with a lift.

 

[Bryn23]

The reason it is 300mm is due to the risk of the van floating, due to it the van being essentially a bathtub.

The air box is around 650mm, and as for the breathers, they are handy to have if you stop in the water

I find that when you pick you line and start driving, you create a bow wave, and the water level is reduced around the van.

now if you stop, that changes everything and odds are you will float and your factory breathers will be submerged.

I don’t enjoy the deeper crossings, but if I feel I can do it without stopping then I’ll make a calculated risk.

I’ll be looking at breathers on my next build, crafter/sprinter or the new 4x4 Iveco Daily Van.

I like to avoid water crossing, sometimes you have no choice.

 

[DaveD]

The reason it is 300mm is due to the risk of the van floating, due to it the van being essentially a bathtub.

The air box is around 650mm, and as for the breathers, they are handy to have if you stop in the water

I find that when you pick you line and start driving, you create a bow wave, and the water level is reduced around the van.

now if you stop, that changes everything and odds are you will float and your factory breathers will be submerged.

I don’t enjoy the deeper crossings, but if I feel I can do it without stopping then I’ll make a calculated risk.

I’ll be looking at breathers on my next build, crafter/sprinter or the new 4x4 Iveco Daily Van.

I like to avoid water crossing, sometimes you have no choice.

The Iveco 4x4 Daily - what an absolute beast! I'm not sure if there is any terrain that thing can't deal with!

 

[Bryn23]

The Iveco 4x4 Daily - what an absolute beast! I'm not sure if there is any terrain that thing can't deal with!

Yeah they are, front, center and rear diff locks. Word is that they are 18 months away from Australia.

I might need to raise the mezzanine floor in my workshop to work on it.

but V6 and the ability to have it replated at 4.495ton with single wheels to drive on a car licence is looking ideal.

it’ll be easier to work on as well, I change my oils at half the specified km on my T6, being based on a truck chassis will make things a little easier

 

[AussieMick]

With water crossings, I always wade it before crossing so I dont get any nasty surprises of deep holes or boulders.
I avoid them whenever I can.

 

[Bryn23]

Wise words, if you don’t know what the bottom is like you shouldnt do it.

we were lucky it was a rocky bottom so it was clear, and easier to spot crocs while walking across, wouldn’t have crossed if it was muddy, not up here

But it if wasn’t a backtrack of 12 hrs to get to get to we’re we were going, we would have given these crossings a miss.

 

[AussieMick]

I think you are right if there are crocs in the water, I certainly wouldn't be wading up in Northern Australia that's for sure.

 

[JLexplorer]

The reason it is 300mm is due to the risk of the van floating, due to it the van being essentially a bathtub.

The air box is around 650mm, and as for the breathers, they are handy to have if you stop in the water

I find that when you pick you line and start driving, you create a bow wave, and the water level is reduced around the van.

now if you stop, that changes everything and odds are you will float and your factory breathers will be submerged.

I don’t enjoy the deeper crossings, but if I feel I can do it without stopping then I’ll make a calculated risk.

I’ll be looking at breathers on my next build, crafter/sprinter or the new 4x4 Iveco Daily Van.

I like to avoid water crossing, sometimes you have no choice.

Thanks again that all makes sense to me I only asked that question because when I went to cape York late 2019 I went through quite a number of water crossing
not knowing about the breather. Some crossing were door height I guess I was lucky I didn't damage anything. Anyway I'll know better, next time.

 

[JLexplorer]

Thanks again that all makes sense to me I only asked that question because when I went to cape York late 2019 I went through quite a number of water crossing
not knowing about the breather. Some crossing were door height I guess I was lucky I didn't damage anything. Anyway I'll know better, next time.

Hi I did say I would report once I've spoken to Mark at Kombilife. In regards to the 30mm lift he tells me there is a long waiting list as the lift kits from overseas are slow in arriving and he can only get his hands on a few at a time. I will need to pay a deposit and if all goes well I might get them September or later. As far as the winch is concerned he could not help me at all.
Anyway there is ways of fitting a winch but there is a lot of prep work to do on the van before a winch can be fitted and it will cost heaps, a bit to much for the odd time you might use it. With more research I've found a cradle that a winch fits in, and this cradle has a 50mm square goose neck that fits in your toe bar and if you can fit a similar toe bar neck which shouldnt be to difficult at the front then you have a portable winch system you can use front and rear. As I all ready have a toe bar at the rear so for approx $600.00 I can have a portable rear winch which can get me out of trouble if needed. As regards to the 30mm lift I have found someone in Victoria that can supply and fit reasonable quickly if required. Hope this all makes sence.

 

[Bryn23]

Yeah the winch is big money, I’d guess it would be over 5k just to get landed in aus

it might be worth emailing Seikel direct as they can ship air freight, it may cost about the same as getting it from mark.

you could also contact trakka as they fit them and they may have a set lying around.

I think kings springs her in Aus do a lifted spring for the transporter, but I’m not sure about bigger struts and shocks.

the removable winch option might be the cheapest option.

 

[JLexplorer]

Yeah the winch is big money, I’d guess it would be over 5k just to get landed in aus

it might be worth emailing Seikel direct as they can ship air freight, it may cost about the same as getting it from mark.

you could also contact trakka as they fit them and they may have a set lying around.

I think kings springs her in Aus do a lifted spring for the transporter, but I’m not sure about bigger struts and shocks.

the removable winch option might be the cheapest option.

On another have you heard of anyone using the towing eye supplied with the van as a recovery point. is it safe as it doesent look to safe to me and what about the
rear points that come with the van are they any good.

 

[JLexplorer]

On another note have you heard of anyone using the towing eye supplied with the van as a recovery point. is it safe as it doesent look to safe to me and what about the
rear points that come with the van are they any good. I guess there not much point having a winch if the towing points are not strong enough.

 

[Bryn23]

That towing eye is just for a tow truck, it’s not designed to be used a recovery point, there is a chance you will damage the front end and the load is all on one side.

there is a 2 point recovery eye kit that involves replacing the orginal eye and adding another proper rated eye on the opposite side.

it involves a bit of work as it isn’t just a bolt on, a bit of modification on the frame is required.

Volkswagen T5 & T6 Dual Heavy Duty Recovery Points - PAIR

 

[Scruffy]

Hahahahahahahah, it really is a different world over there. But you can have your crocs, because here in the north ( England) we have a the M62 on a wet and windy Monday morning.