Best Winches for Jeeps, ATVs & Trucks

If you own an all-terrain vehicle and have taken your truck and ATV for long-distance driving frequently, you would have known the importance of a winch. No matter how hard you drive and your experience in off-roading you would have required a winch many times in your driving endeavors.

A winch is indeed the most important tool to have in your vehicle, as you will never know when the terrain will turn rough against you. There could nothing worse than getting your truck stuck in a ditch, or under the rocks and between trees.

A winch helps in towing trucks that get stuck in the mud, sand, and even water. We have listed the best of winches available in our guide here along with buying tips to help you choose the best winch.

 

Best Winches for Jeeps, ATVs & Trucks

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Quick Answer: The 5 Best Winches for Jeeps, ATVs & Trucks – [2023]

1. Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC Winch
2. Superwinch 1130220 LT3000ATV 12 VDC winch
3. WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric 12V Winch with Steel Cable Wire Rope
4. ORCISH 12V IP67 Waterproof Synthetic Rope Winch Electric Jeep Truck winches
5. Westin 1140230 Black LT4000SR Winch

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Best Winches for Jeeps, ATVs & Trucks Reviews

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#1. Smittybilt GEN 2 XRC Winch

 

This is a completely waterproof Winch that features 500 AMP Solenoid. You will get the complete kit with all the wiring for installation. The new generation series of the smittybit winches have a number of heavy-duty features to enhance its durability and performance.

The XRC serves as a complete recovery system with all the reliability features to bail the user out of any complex situation. These products have a complete lifetime mechanical warranty and a 5 years’ electrical warranty.

The winch has a waterproof rating of IP67 and its motor belongs to the 6.6 hp series wound. You can operate the winch with the help of a remote switch and its gear train follows a three-stage planetary motion.

The winch features a sliding ring gear and its brake comprises an automatic in-drum system. The diameter of its drum is 2.5” and it comes in a textured black finish. Overall, it is an amazing little winch that can tow your vehicle like an expert.

#2. Superwinch 1130220 LT3000ATV 12 VDC winch

 

Superwinch is the best choice for all-terrain vehicle owners. This winch is compact, quiet, versatile, and is indeed an all-purpose winch. This is ideal for truck owners looking for a durable and larger winch with brand name reliability and functionality.

The winch is constructed of a low amp and a permanent magnet motor that comprises a circuit breaker for optimal protection. As this winch delivers the most optimal and reliable performance, it has become the brand that most people trust and recognize.

You can also use this winch for casual ATV snowplow applications. With the help of the mount plate kit, you can install the winch on your UTV and ATV and you can be sure to endure 3,000 pounds of versatile pulling power for your vehicle easily.

Its ergonomic free spool control gets it’s clutch easy to engage and disengage. Its automatic load-holding feature and dynamic braking system minimize the possibility of wire rope slipping, in the event of a power surge or failure.

#3. WARN 26502 M8000 Series Electric 12V Winch with Steel Cable Wire Rope

 

The M8000 ATV winches are popular among truck owners for more than 20 years. this winch has a capacity of over 8000 pounds and renders tremendous value and reliability among its users. Owing to its low-profile design, it allows for a range of mounting options, thus making it the perfect choice for trucks, jeeps, and SUVs.

This winch is efficient, compact, and has 4.8 hp power with a series wound motor and three-stage planetary gear train. The winch also comes with a 100-feet wire rope with a fairlead and features a powder coating finish with chip resistance.

As if features an 8000 pound pulling power, it can pull your vehicle practically out of any situation. Its new next-gen remote control stands up to even rough treatments off-road.

The ergonomic pistol grip handle can sit comfortably in the hand, its ultra-weather and mud resistant features help in good sealing. Its intuitive operation makes it the best winch in the industry.

#4. ORCISH 12V IP67 Waterproof Synthetic Rope Winch Electric Jeep Truck winches

 

This high grade professional electrical winch has a waterproof rating of IP67. It also enjoys excellent sealing performance and this electric winch maintains consistent performance, in all weather and in all terrain. Since this electrical winch adopts a copper gear, it enjoys a higher density and a better wear-resistant performance.

Its high-quality brake clutch is also durable and sturdy. The well-knit steel plate of the winch is extremely thick and can thus withstand tremendous pressure.

The anti-rotation wire rope of the winch is capable of withstanding great pressure. You can put the anti-rotation wire rope to action for a long time. This electric winch has higher traction of about 13,000 pounds and can easily tow many SUVs.

The next time your vehicle gets stuck in mud or water, you can put this electric winch to pull it out and it also helps in saving a lot of time and strength.

#5. Westin 1140230 Black LT4000SR Winch

 

The Westin winch is one of the powerful winches for all-terrain vehicles and it has a secure steel rope that can fit all ATV and UTV. As it follows a mount bolt pattern, attachment with the vehicles is easy and simple.

The winch is quiet and extremely reliable in operation and comprises of powerful motors, ergonomic clutch and steel drums.

Other features of this winch that would make you buy this for your ATV instantly are its roller fairlead and a handheld remote of 15” length.

The product comes with battery hookup cables and has a gear ratio of 153:1. This synthetic rope winch carries high value and comes with a bottom mounting plate.

Buyer’s Guide For Best Winches for Jeeps ATVs & Trucks

Different Types of Jeep Winches:

Jeep Winches are predominantly categorized into two types, namely hydraulic winches and electric winches.

Hydraulic winches: These work when you connect it directly with the power steering system of the jeep. These winches offer the vehicle a heavy-duty pulling power and also extends the durability of the vehicle. But these winches can also be a little costly.

Electric winches: These are common and widely used over hydraulic winches and are powered by the battery of the vehicle. These winches thus carry less amount of power and take away more power from the vehicle when it is in use. They are convenient to use and are thus quite easy.

 

How To Choose The Best Winch For The Jeeps ATVs & Trucks – Buying Tips:

Pulling Power:

The rated pulling power of the vehicle is an important parameter to consider before buying a winch. This is the quantum of how much weight it can pull. All of the winches have ratings to pull different weights as attracting the cable to vehicles that are too heavy can actually end by damaging the vehicle, the winch, and also you. It is good to check the quantum of weight that the winch is rated for, before engaging it.

Winch Rope Length:

Longer the rope and the cable length of the winch, better it is. However, a winch cable or rope that is too long can snarl or jam up. But a long rope can be costly and thus most of the users go for a rope length that is neither too long or too short.

Mounting of The Winch Rope:

The winch mounting depends on how often you will require the winch and in what ways you will be using it. The powerful winches are those that attach to the jeep permanently and directly. The common location of connecting a winch rope is the front bumper. You can choose to have smaller winches to carry around, by sacrificing power for mobility.

Type of The Winch Rope:

There are generally two types of winch rope, namely the synthetic rope and ropes with a steel or wire cable. Both these types of ropes are strong enough and have their shortcomings as well. For example, the majority of the synthetic ropes are flexible, lightweight, easy to handle and they can float easily in water.

At the same time, they are also susceptible to abrasions and endure constant UV exposure. Wire ropes on the other have are resistant to abrasions and exposure to the UV rays, but they can rust easily and can cause serious injury, in the event of an accident. If you have to choose between synthetic and steel cables, our recommendation will be synthetic ropes.

Speed of The Rope Line:

The line speed is the denotation of how fast the winch can pull the cable or the rope under a load. The majority of the quality winches for vehicles, that we have in our list can pull about 2-5 feet/minute. It is important to have a faster line speed, for a better winch. But however, faster line speed demands a lot of power to deliver.

Power:

You can either choose to have an electric winch or a hydraulic one. If you are choosing an electric winch, ensure that you have a large battery to feed the winch. If you prefer to use a hydraulic winch, make sure that is powerful but, do remember that you can use it only when the vehicle is on. The best way to choose the winch is knowing how and where you will use it.

Motor Power of The Winch:

Just like a car, the motor power of the winch is estimated in horsepower, and the higher the horsepower, the better is the power of the winch. In general, high gear winches have higher speed and lower torque combinations, whereas low gear winches are just the opposite. If you are searching for a fast winch with a lot of power, then the best choice is to opt for a high gear winch.

Safety and Control:

Commonly, winches operate with the help of remote control from a safe distance. It is mandatory to use the winches with utmost safety. Follow the safety guidelines given by the manufacturer so as to keep track of the winch and to operate them safely and efficiently.

 

Best Winches For Vehicles- FAQs:

What is the purpose of a recovery winch?

A winch is a pulling device that comes to use in mobilizing vehicles and things that are too heavy to lift by bare hands. Winches are of paramount use and importance in all-terrain vehicles that at times get stuck in mud or sand. Some people use these winches for boats, trailers, and even in wakeboarding.

What is a hand, hydraulic and electric winch?

Depending on the mode of operation, winches can be of the manual type, hydraulic winch, or electric winch. Hydraulic winches are units that work with the help of fluid pressure. The electric winch gets its power by the vehicle’s battery.

What is the meaning of fairlead on a winch?

A fairlead is a small ring that guides a rope that runs through it. The aim of this mechanism is to avoid chafing of the rope. If your winch doesn’t have a fairlead, then the winch rope can endure more wear and tear.

Should I buy synthetic or steel winch ropes?

You can choose this, depending on what suits you best. But our choice is synthetic ropes.

What is a winch plate?

The winch plate helps in mounting the winch to the ATV. Make sure if you already have a mounting plate or else, order them with the winch as not all winches come with a mounting plate.

 

Advantages of Using Jeep Winches:

There are tremendous benefits of jeep winches and some of them are as follows,

1. They help in pulling heavy objects and benefits those who do a lot of off-roading.

They are excellent in pulling heavy objects easily and they help in loading and unloading a vehicle on the trailer. Winches are also beneficial in pulling the vehicle and freeing it from mud, water, and even sand. With the help of a winch, it is possible to free the jeep from almost any hurdle.

2. They add additional power to the vehicle

It is always possible to do any type of off-loading to pull a vehicle from a stuck or trapped one, it can get a lot easier with the help of a winch. They add a lot of torque, power, and leverage to your shifting force and helps in pulling out the vehicle from almost anything, with just half the force.

3. It keeps vehicle damage to a minimum:

Attaching a cable or a towline from one vehicle to another can be damaging to either of them. Though some of the vehicles have provisions to hook up a line, some of them do not have this provision. Hooking a line to a vehicle improperly and using it to pull something can in fact result in severe damage. But using a winch reduces the possibility of harm to the vehicles possibly.

4. Saves time and money:

Using a vehicle is towing a vehicle out of a hurdle that helps in saving time and money. Instead of spending hours in recovering the jeep when getting stuck, you can use a hook it up with a winch and pull it off within a few minutes. If the vehicle is stuck in a place for too long, there is a high chance for the water, mud, sand particles, and snow to infiltrate the engine. So it is better to use a winch rather than wait.

 

Final Words:

A winch undoubtedly helps you to tow your vehicle out of mud and sand and adds tremendous strength to the pulling power. Our lists comprise of the best winches available for your jeeps, trucks, and all-terrain vehicles and we hope our guide helps you to choose the winch carefully. Happy towing and long hours of riding without getting stuck.