A VEHICLE-MOUNTED electric winch is one of the most effective recovery tools available to four-wheel drivers, especially those who venture off the beaten track on their own. As long as the winch is in operable condition, you have the right equipment on hand, and have a solid anchor point within reach, you should be able to perform a basic winch recovery. Here’s how…
THE RIGHT WINCH
THERE are plenty of electric winches on the market, and before you slap down the hard-earned it’s important to know what one will best suit your vehicle.
Before looking at different winch brands, the first thing to figure out is what capacity winch you need to safely recover your vehicle should it become stuck. As a rule, it’s advisable that a winch should be rated to around one-and-a-half times the Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of the vehicle. The GVM of my Ford Ranger, for example, is 3200kg, so it should ideally run a winch with a capacity in the vicinity of 4800kg (10,500lb). Bearing this in mind, I have fitted a 10,000lb Warn EVO 10-S
