If you are a fan of off road travels and adventures, there is a huge possibility that you will get stuck in mud or rocky terrain one of these days. Unfortunately, when this happens, your driving skills may not be sufficient to get you out of these sticky situations. This is why you need an off road winch.
Given its importance, you want an off road winch that works perfectly for your vehicle. You do not want the disappointment of discovering that your winch cannot pull your truck when it gets stuck; hence this guide. This guide will provide everything you need to know about getting an ideal off road winch and at the end we will also review the best off road winches out there!
Here’s What We Cover
Why Do I Need an Off Road Winch?
A winch is a mechanically operated device that adjusts tension in a cable or rope by letting the cable out or pulling it in. Using this mechanism, the winch allows you to pull a truck by anchoring the cable from the winch to another truck, a tree, or a rock. Here’s when a 4wd winch may come in handy:
✅ Get You Out of Sticky Situations
To keep it simple, you need an off road winch to pull your vehicle out of mud or rocky terrain. One of the characteristics of off road terrain is the unpredictability of the landscape, and there is no telling what type of terrain you will get while off roading. Thus, it is better to have a 4×4 winch that helps you pull your vehicle out of any sticky situation.
✅ Helps with a Truck Rollover
Owing to the unpredictability of the off road terrain, your truck might roll over. If this happens, the winch is one of the few pieces of equipment that helps you get the truck upright without causing more damage to the truck.
✅ Helps To Get Inoperable Trucks Out of the Trail
As with all kinds of vehicles, your 4×4 might develop a mechanical fault that renders it inoperable during your ride in the rough terrain. When this happens, your only chance of getting the truck out of the trail is with a winch. A winch allows you to anchor the inoperable truck to another vehicle, dragging it out of the trail to get it repaired.
Factors to Consider While Buying an Off Road Winch
Having understood why you need an off road winch, let us examine the essential factors while choosing the best 4×4 winch.
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Also, check out our article on truck winching techniques to get a head start on how to do it right.
Pulling Capacity
Given that the primary purpose of an off road winch is to pull a vehicle out of sticky situations, it is no surprise that the first feature you should look out for is the winch’s pulling capacity. Winches come in different sizes and capacities. Therefore, to get the ideal 4wd winch for your truck, you need to consider your vehicle’s weight in relation to the pulling capacity of the winch you are getting.
The idea is to get a winch double your truck’s weight. For instance, mid-size trucks such as Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma require a winch weighing 9000 or 9500 pounds. This is because these mid-size trucks usually weigh between 4000 and 4500 pounds.
For full-size trucks such as Chevy 1500 or the Ford F-150, you will need a winch with a minimum pulling capacity of 12000 or 12500 pounds, and with bigger diesel trucks, the minimum pulling capacity for the winch is between 16500 and 18000 pounds.
Power Source
The power source of most 4×4 winches is either electric or hydraulic. With an electric winch, the winch uses the vehicle’s battery to power and turn the motor. As a result of this power source, electric winches have faster-winding speeds and are easier to use. An electric winch also has the advantage of a remote control that allows you to operate the winch from a safe distance.
With a hydraulic winch, the power source is the vehicle’s steering pump which is used to power the winch and turn its motor. The hydraulic winch has the advantage of being unaffected by low battery and water, the significant downsides of an electric winch. As a result, the hydraulic winch is best suited for muddy or wet areas.
However, it is essential to mention that hydraulic winches require extra plumbing and hydraulic lines, which means installing them is a little tricky. Also, it only fits on a few trucks or winch mounts.
Cable Type
An integral component of the winch is its cable; therefore, it is important to factor it into choosing the best off road winch. There are two types of cable available for 4wd winches, and they are steel cable and synthetic cable.
Steel cables are the most common type of winch cables. They are solid, durable, and can withstand long-standing friction against rocks and other rough surfaces. However, they corrode after years of continuous use and may break under tension, causing accidents and damage to the vehicles or people in the vicinity.
This disadvantage gave rise to the popularity and adoption of synthetic cable as an alternative. Synthetic cables are lighter and, as a result, hold less potential energy. If a synthetic cable breaks under tension, the chances of an accident or damage are significantly reduced.
However, while the synthetic cable is as strong as the steel cable, it cannot withstand abrasions and friction against rocks as a steel cable does.
Winch Motors
The motor is another crucial part of the winch, and it is the mechanism that controls the release and tightening of the cable. Most electric 4×4 winches use a permanent magnet motor or a series wound motor.
With a permanent magnet motor, there are no field coils, and the stator uses permanent magnets. This translates to less power drain on the vehicle’s battery used to power the winch. However, this motor generates more heat and tends to be overheated; therefore, it is best suited for lightweight and medium-duty operations.
In contrast, the series wound motor uses field coils, which are connected in series to the armature coil. These field coils require more current to generate the magnetic field needed to move the armature, and as a result, an electric winch with this motor drains the battery more.
On the upside, the series wound motor winch is very efficient and powerful. Therefore, you can use them for heavy-duty operations.
Winching is serious business! So please find more useful info at the TakeTheTruck.com blog.
To complete your setup, you will also want to check out the following add-ons;
- A sturdy truck winch mount
- A protective truck winch cover
- The right winch plate for your Jeep
- A strong Jeep winch bumper
Best Off Road Winch On The Market
You can cover a lot of ground on off road trails with an excellent 4WD system and high ground clearance. However, while driving down unbeaten paths, you are bound to encounter situations where your truck needs more to get free when it gets stuck. That’s where an off road winch comes in. A good off road winch can free your truck from the deepest ditches and most challenging entanglements and will do so without you needing another person’s assistance. Thus, truck winches are must-have tools for serious off roaders.
When choosing an off road winch, it is advised that you select one that can comfortably handle your truck’s weight. Your truck winch’s capacity ought to be twice your truck’s weight. Also, bigger is better for truck winches because, along with providing more power, larger winches have a smaller likelihood of overheating and stalling. They also need less time to cool down after use, which is good.
Let’s now get into the reviews!
1. Champion 10,000-lb. Truck/SUV Winch Kit with Remote Control
Champion Power Equipment is rated one of the best power equipment brands and offers some of the most powerful winches for heavy applications. One of its top-rated products is the Champion 10,000-lb Truck/SUV Winch Kit with Remote Control Kit, which has a pulling capacity of 10,000 pounds and is powered by a 3.6 horsepower DC series wound motor.
Even when pulling high-capacity loads, this winch is efficient. Its motor delivers speeds of up to 3.9 feet per minute. It also has an 85-foot-long pulling cable made from galvanized super-duty aircraft-grade steel for guaranteed strength and durability. Champion Power Equipment offers a two-year long warranty period on its components.
2. Superwinch 1510200 LP10000 Winch
This is the best winch for trucks with medium-heavy winch horsepower needs at a budget-friendly price. It can lift 5000 pounds on a single rope. The system has 85 feet of steel cable, a 5.1 horsepower motor, and an automatic load-holding facility that improves pulling safety.
It also has a mechanical load-holding brake system that locks the cable to prevent accidents in case of a power failure. In addition, you can perform wireless operations with this winch at a safe distance thanks to its rubberized remote and 12-foot cable.
3. Smittybilt XRC GEN2 9.5K Waterproof Winch with Steel Cable – 97495
The heavy-duty Smittybilt X20 is an excellent option for customers looking for a budget-friendly yet waterproof winch. It features a synthetic rope with a 10,000-pound maximum load capacity, and its wireless function gives it an edge over other winch options in the same pricing range.
It is powered by a 6.6 horsepower amphibious motor which is also resistant to water damage. The motor also comes with a three-stage planetary gear system and dual-solenoid truck-bed winch mount option, so you can easily mount the device on any vehicle.
Smittybilt also offers a lifetime warranty on all mechanical parts. While it may not be the perfect option, it provides superior durability and is made from high-quality materials.
4. WARN 103251 VR EVO 8-S Electric 12V DC Winch with Synthetic Rope
WARN is another reliable winch manufacturer with highly durable products. Its 103251 winch kit is excellent for long-hail usage and is comparably better than most similarly priced options on the market. It is ideal for small jeeps and lighter 4WDs.
This winch’s high pulling capacity is thanks to its high-power wound series motor and a planetary gear that allows a high line speed of upwards of 25 feet per minute under load. It also has a 90-foot-long, 3/8 inch-diameter steel rope.
The brand provides a lifetime warranty for mechanical parts and seven years for electrical components.
5. Rugged Ridge 15100.01 8,500Lb Winch with Steel Cable
This is an excellent option for those who need a tow truck winch. It has a 5.5 HP series wound motor and a rugged 3-stage planetary gearbox with a 172.8:1 gear ratio. The additional pulling power is worth the cost, which is not that much.
With this winch, you are guaranteed to be able to pull out stuck cars, SUVs, or trucks, regardless of where they have gotten stuck.
It is also made from corrosion-resistant materials, so rust will not be a concern. This winch can take a lot of abuse and still keep running, and it also has a 94-foot steel cable. The unit also has an automatic load-holding brake system, which is typical in the premium options.
6. STEGODON New 9500 lb. Load Capacity Electric Winch S3
The Stegodon’s New 9,500 lb Electric Winch S3 is one of the more affordable winch options on the list. Despite being a high-capacity option, it has a unique aesthetic that differentiates it from the rest. It has a pulling capacity of 9,500 pounds thanks to its 3-stage planetary gearbox and 5.5 HP series wound motor. Providing a line speed of 24.6 feet per minute without load and 6.6 feet per minute with a full load, the Stegodon winch is fast.
It is also backed by a 500 AMP solenoid and a contractor, making it efficient on muddy terrain. The brand provides a lifetime warranty period on the mechanical parts but only a year’s warranty for the electrical components. Aside from the high pulling capacity and high-efficiency planetary gear, customers can also look forward to a florescent synthetic rope.
7. FIERYRED 5500LBS Electric Winch Synthetic Rope Kits for ATV UTV Off Road
This FIERYRED ATV/UTV winch is the most affordable winch option in the market at present, considering the lifting capacity of 5,500 pounds. Its motor has a 1.9 horsepower rating and a two-stage gear system. It may not be as powerful as the other options on the list, but it has innovative features like dual wireless remote controls with a range of 25 meters.
Its synthetic rope is much better and more advanced than others in the same class. It also has a line speed of 2.6 feet per minute under full load, though it can speed up to 10.8 feet per minute without any load. FIERYRED also provides a one-year warranty on the winch components.
So What Is The Best Off Road Winch On The Market?
In the end, there is no one size fits all best off road winch out there. If you understand the trade-offs discussed above you will be able to make a sound decision that suits your specific needs.
Remember that the efficiency of your truck winch’s operation is directly connected to the sturdiness of the truck winch mount you install onto your truck. The sturdier the truck winch mount, the greater the loads your winch can handle. The same applies to when you want to install a truck bed winch. Your truck bed winch mount must be strong enough to withstand your winch’s weight/pulling power and the weight of the loads the winch will pull onto your truck’s cargo bed.