Winches: 10 things to know

In this article, we’re talking about the most popular electric winch types used by the typical off-roader, which are mounted to the front of a vehicle and are powered by the vehicle’s cranking battery. As with all expensive purchases, do the research to ensure you are buying a quality winch, with enough capacity to handle your fully-loaded vehicle, and that your chosen supplier offers a decent warranty and back-up.

1. Power rating

Winches are for some reason still rated in pounds of pulling power, and your winch needs to be rated to pull your vehicle with all its extra kit and equipment up a slope or out of a bog. The rule of thumb is to build in an extra margin of 1.5 to two times that mass. For example if your vehicle weighs 3 tons all in, you need at least a 9 500lb winch (4 309kg). If you drive a bigger Land Cruiser, a 12 000lb (5 443kg) winch will be a safer choice.

Bear in mind, the capacity is measured with just