Have you ever encountered snow, sand, mud or large rocks when out on your truck? If yes, worry no more. Winches were designed to ensure that you are able to come out of such terrains. There are a lot of winches that can be found these days that will assist while caught up in such setups. However, do not despite the fact that the winch is rarely used, for it comes in handy in almost all situations and makes your life easier.
In these reviews, you will be able to learn different types of winches and why they are uniquely preferred and the capacity they are able to hold in regards to the size of your truck.
Top 5 Reviews
1. Smittybilt 97495 XRC winch – (9,500lbs)
Specs and Features
- weight is 78 pounds
- Load capacity is up to 9,500 lbs
- Has a 3 stage planetary gear system
- It has a corded remote
- 6.6 Hp Amphibious motor
- Clutch is a sliding ring gear
- Has a remote switch for control
- Completely waterproof
- Reasonable warranty conditions
- Lifetime warranty
- Snapping of pins when winching out
- Bad reviews
2. Smittybilt 98512-X20 Waterproof Winch – (12,000lbs)
Specs and Features
- Load capacity : 12,000 lbs
- Included synthetic rope
- Wireless remote
- Completely waterproof, state-of-the-art 500 AMP solenoid
- 3 stage planetary gear
- High level of performance
- Good speed level not too fast or too slow
- Excellent pricing
- Poor center mounts for our solenoid
- Some parts missing in the kit
Besides that, the Smittybillt is known for its life term warranty that many consumers admire for it makes them worry less. It also ensures that the customer gets unparalleled performance since the winch is checked on regularly making this winch an excellent buy that saves in any situation.
3. X-Bull 12V Winch – (13,000lbs)
Specs and Features
- Has a winch cover and overload protector
- The synthetic cable is 26 meters long
- The load capacity is 13,000 lbs
- Affordable
- Easy to use
- The synthetic rope doesn’t bunch up
- Needs a better installation manual
4. Super Winch 1135220 Terra 35 – (3,500lbs)
Specs and Features
- Has a 1.6 magnet motor mechanical load holding that is permanent
- A dynamic brake
- Has a circuit brake that has weather sealed solenoid contacts
- 4-way roller fairlead 50-inch steel wire rope
- Heavy duty latched hook with thimble
- Handheld remote
- It is affordable
- Easily usable
- Lifetime warrant
- Aesthetically its less compact
The Super Winch 1135220 Terra 35 has also been recommended by the Barlow adventures company. Since they find it effective and timely as they provide 4-wheel experiences to their clients. In fact, its build is efficient to assist in removing any sort of element that the car is stuck at, such as mud, sand or even snow.
5. Champion 4500lb ATV/UTV Wireless Winch
Specs and Features
- Weight is 30.4 pounds
- Load capacity is up to 4500lbs
- Line pull powered by 1.6 horsepower
- Wireless remote and antenna
- It is efficient
- It is convenient due to its wireless system
- Easy to mount and wire up
- Reliable due to the warranty benefits provided
- Good price
- Nuts, bolts and other hardware are not at par with the winch performance
Things to Keep in Mind When Buying Winches for Trucks
Winches are actually a good investment especially if you own trucks, jeeps or SUV. They also come in handy when you are used to taking your vehicles off-road. The winch came to solve the shovel problem when stuck while traveling and you had to dig your out.it is good to learn that winches are in different brands and sizes. There are larger heavy-duty truck winches and the small ATV models. The following are some of the things to consider before buying winches:
1. Know how a winch works
Understanding how a winch works is the same as knowing the various parts of a winch. Despite the type of winch, all parts are similar. The motor is the source of power it could be electric or hydraulic. it has the gear train, cable, braking system, fairlead, control box and the remote control which helps you run your winch from a safe distance using it. All this makes up the winch and it good to check all of them before buying. Whether it is for heavy or light duty usage.
2. Choose between electric and hydraulic
There are two types of winch styles to choose from when looking on to buy winches. The electric and hydraulic systems. Despite their differences, they both work effectively. The electric winch operates on an electric motor that is attached to your battery through cables. So all that is needed is good battery power. The hydraulic one is powered by the power steering pump instead of using electricity. It may have some demerits but off-roaders love it.
3. The line pull
This is the weight capacity of the winch or the amount it can pull. Depending on motor and cable strength and the gears. A line pull should be at least 1.5 times the trucks weight for the winch to be effective. This more power is better than to have less power and lack help. It is good to keep in mind that the heavier the line up the harder it is to mount.
4. Winch speed
It is vital to consider the speed of a winch. The gear systems are used to determine your speed. There two types of gear that determine the speed of the winch. The worm and the planetary gear. The worm gear may be slower but it efficient for longer pulls. While the planetary gear is fast and since it generates a lot of heat. It overheats the winch and is considered costly to maintain and repair. When choosing a winch to buy, determining which speed gear you want is a matter of sacrifice between heat and speed.
5. Type of winch cables
Before you invest in a winch for your desired purpose. Check whether the steel or synthetic fiber winches work better for your specific need. The steel one has a demerit cause of its weight, but it is very strong. Although steel is best on rough terrains like rocks, the fact that it can rust makes it less reliable. The synthetic fiber has great merits because it has less weight, it’s flexible and is best used for water tugging since it floats and doesn’t kink like steel. After all, all that both of them need is to be in good condition and they will be able to produce the results required.
6. Choice of cable
Keep in mind too, the amount of cable you would prefer between the synthetic and the steel cable. Once you know the need of why you need the winch. It is a choice between the steel cable that is sturdy but has a lot of weight. Alternatively, you can choose the synthetic cables that are less heavy but require a lot of skill while using since they can break easily. When buying a winch, you can do depending on the task it is used for. For instance, the synthetic cable is preferred a lot by off-roaders.
7. Mounting options
While considering to buy a winch it is crucial to know where the winch will be mounted on your truck. The options vary from one truck to another. Nevertheless, it can be mounted on the front, rear or in the middle of the truck. While choosing a winch remember it should be able to mount firmly on the truck and is able to pull as many pounds as its weight capacity.
Conclusion
A winch is a great aid to have especially for off-road adventures. There are a variety of winches in the market. Therefore, it is advised that you search for the best truck winch that will suit your specific needs. Plus, asking around other truck drivers of the performance of the common ones will help you choose a viable one. Whether the winch is heavy or light duty, the choice depends on the type of work it will handle. Consider a winch as an investment that comes in handy when stuck in snow, water, mud or rocks. This is a better option in comparison to the shovel that was originally used.