I have used winches in the past and can confirm that all the statements Moneypit made are true. If you want a 12 to 16k winch, I would use an electric winch. Mount an extra battery right beside the winch to have a short cable and put on a heavy alternator. I have a 16k winch on the nose of my car hauler trailer and want nothing to do with the way we did it 40 years ago. For heavier winches, hydraulic is the only way to go.
