Its the same really, you hit the remote, and it spool in, about the same.

The winch has a cut out about the size of the spool, so you can SEE the spool/spooling line...and do the usual back and forth re-spool motions you'd do with any winch.

The only real difference is you're looking down at the line on the spool, which you can see if you're within say 10' or so of the winch, rather than the spool being upright in front of the radiator grill, but blocked by the fair lead, etc.

If you manage to foul the line/overwrap it, etc, its still completely exposed at the bottom, and if you are under the winch, you have access to the full 360º circumference of the spool, etc....making clearing it about the same unless you're in mud.

I've had the winch on there for many years (Since ~2003?), and I have yet to foul it like that, but, I have looked at what I'd need to do if I did, so I wouldn't be surprised.


I need my mounts concealed: we use the trucks for work, and we go to places that include urban environments/places where people steal things that they can see.

When we had upright/exposed mounts...the fact that you have a winch sitting on the front of the truck, where people can see it, see what type, calculate its PAWN VALUE, and then plan accordingly...was too tempting, and, we LOST a few winches that way.

Since going to the concealed mount, we have not lost a single winch, not ONE got swiped....

...even though they can still see the fairlead if they look...they CAN'T see the winch w/o being very obvious...and, they typically didn't NOTICE them...out of sight/out of mind.