A Guide To Finding The Best Winch In The Market
A winch can be a reliable and practical tool in today's rural and off-road applications. Once known only as a specialist item that was mostly used by fireman and construction workers, is now used by a much broader group of people. The casual off-roader can even put a winch to good use these days. While winches may be expensive, they do offer many ways in which they can improve your life.
Product Name | Quality | Price | Out Rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A | $$ | |||
A | $ | |||
A+ | $$$ | |||
A+ | $$ | |||
A- | $$ |
** Below, you'll find our more detailed reviews by click in "Reviews" column, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.com.
What is a Winch?
A winch is a device that is used to haul or lift objects or other vehicles. A winch is made up of a rotating drum that is turned by a crank motor. A cable is wound around this drum and can be used to pull objects when the actual drum is turned. Winches can be mounted at the rear of your vehicle or even at the front. The front installation is popular with Jeep models.
The design of the winch dates back to ancient times when it was used to lift heavy objects during construction. This ancient technology is still very useful in today's modern times especially if a vehicle is stuck. You will be able to pull that car (or yours) out of a situation by attaching the cable wire to it and then letting the winch do its thing.
See more about off-road parts:
The cable wire is usually a steel cable or synthetic wire. The length is dependent on the winch model but can sometimes be as long as 100 feet. This durable rope is usually neatly wrapped around a drum. The drum is circular in shape and rotates in a circular motion in order to wind the rope in or out. This motion is achieved trough a spool within the winch.
A motor is used to power up the drum so that it can properly wind in the cable. Not all winches are fitted with motors, but electric motors are a convenient and faster solution. Included in your standard winch is a gear train. This item uses the power from your motor to create pulling power for the winch. This allows the winch to be able to pull almost any kind of heavy material.
Advantages of a Winch
Winches have become very popular with extreme offroading enthusiasts. It can assist you when your vehicle is stuck and needs to be pulled out. You can help other enthusiasts who don't have a winch as well. It can also assist you in navigating trough uneven or harsh terrain. Installing a winch on your vehicle can also serve as a multi-purpose tool for rural areas. Collecting firewood, stretching fences, and construction purposes are a few things you can expect to accomplish with a winch.
Installing a winch at home can also be a useful idea. You can use a winch to create a lift. You can use your lift to move heavy tools and other objects from your ground floor to the second floor. Another great use for a winch at home is for landscaping. Your winch can be used to move around heavy objects in your yard.
Steel Cable or Synthetic Wire
Steel cables have always been the go to the wire for winches for many decades. They were strong and durable and made out of long-lasting material. But steel cable can prove to be hazardous at times. The tend to store a lot of energy under a load. If for some reason the cable snaps, it will cause whiplash and will move violently trough the air and can cause some serious injury to those nearby. Synthetic rope does not store energy while under load and will just fall harmlessly to the ground if the line does break.
Finding The Best Among The Best Winche Available
Smittybilt 97495 XRC Winch
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
The 2nd Generation Smittybilt XRC Winch has been seriously upgraded to be even more durable and heavy duty. This adds to the performance and reliability of the winch. It is probably why Smittybilt offers a Lifetime Mechanical Warranty on this product. Smittybilt has been in the game for over 50 years. They started out as a company that specialized in Winches for Jeep vehicles. Today they manufacturer winches for all makes of Trucks and SUVs as well.
The XRC model offers similar performance, features and build quality to its Big Brother, the X2O. It is very powerful and durable. It is also waterproof which is a great bonus if you do a lot of extreme offroading.
Pros
- Completely Waterproof
- Corded Remote
- Lifetime Mechanical Warranty
Cons
- Free Spooling Handle can be hard to move
Superwinch 1130220 LT3000ATV
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Superwinch products are trusted by people who own all types of vehicles. Be it Off-Roading or Boating, a Superwinch winch is the choice of many users because of its great design that makes for a fast and easy installation. So when it comes to ATV specific winches, The LT3000ATV from Superwinch is regarded as one of the best choices because of its quiet, compact, and all-purpose winching. This winch can handle a maximum load of 3000lbs and features reinforced drums, ergo free spool control, and a certified Dyneema rope.
Pros
- Handheld Remote
- Quite
- Low Amp Magnet Motor
Cons
- ATV vehicles only
Smittybilt (97510) X2O Waterproof Winch
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
The Smittybilt X2O is a top of the line Winch from a company that has been in the business since the 50's. This completely waterproof winch will handle loads up to 10000lbs. You will be able to use the winch under water with its Amphibious 6.6 HP Motor. There won't be a need for you to get yourself wet too because of its wireless remote. You can now control the winch from a desired distance without having to worry about any cables.
At the premium price that you will pay for this winch, you will certainly get a powerful winch with great build quality. And you can control it wirelessly. There is also a wired cable for times when your battery may die off. It's automatic out-of-drum brake system will ensure that you don't end up melting a line. This also assists the winch in keeping it running at a cool temperature.
Pros
- Wireless Remote
- Completely Waterproof
Cons
- Cable is not flexible
Superwinch 1145220 Terra 45 ATV & Utility Winch
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
Superwinch has been producing quality winch products since the 70's. Their specialty is Jeeps, Trucks, and ATV's. The Superwinch Terra Series is a budget line of winches. These winches can be purchased according to the capacity they can handle (2500, 3500, and 4500lbs). They all come in a choice of either a steel cable or synthetic rope.
The Superwinch Terra 45 includes a mechanical load holding system with dynamic braking. This is a great safety feature that minimizes rope slippage in the case of a power failure. The motors in the Terra 45 are among the biggest and heaviest in its class and are built to last. The gears are also huge when compared to rival brands.
Pros
- Circuit Breaker Protected
- Dynamic Brake
- Heavy Duty Latched Hook
Cons
- Can be Difficult to Install with poor instructions
WARN 80010 1000AC Utility Winch
(Image source: www.amazon.com)
The WARN Brand is known for manufacturing quality products that range from hoists to vehicle bumpers. They even produce body armor for certain vehicles. Winches is another specialty of this company. WARN winches are manufactured to be used on all types of vehicles. Their catalog even includes motorcycle and ATV Winches.
The WARN 1000AC Utility Winch is a major improvement over their previous models. It is much quieter. The previous generations of winches were renown for being very loud. But it does operate at a slower speed than the older models. The planetary gear train is another improvement and will leave you with fewer free spins. The packaging and quality, however, is not as good as you would expect from a company like WARN.
Pros
- Durable Planetary Gear Train
- 1000 Pound Pulling Capacity
- Pendant Style Remote
Cons
- Not as good quality as competitors
Verdict
It's difficult choosing a favorite from a list of great winches that are so evenly matched in terms of price and features. A good winch to have installed on your vehicle would be the Smittybilt X2O is a great all rounder and is also waterproof. This is great if you plan to do some hardcore off road driving and underwater winching in rivers and lakes. Plus you can make use of the cool wireless remote if you don't feel like getting yourself wet.
The X2O is priced high and can be affordable to some especially if you are new to the winching game. Then if this is the case, the Superwinch Terra 45 is a good place to start. It's affordable and is packed with great features. You can even choose between a steel or synthetic cable. The pulling power is not as good as the X2O, but it will make a great place to start as your first winch.
