Getting Started with Warn Winches

Winches are one of the most important utilities for an off-road vehicle to have. While most drivers install tires, recovery bumpers and other accessories, they tend to forget winches altogether. A winch can be the difference between a safe off-roading trip and a disastrous one; therefore, anyone who has an off-roading vehicle needs to consider a winch as part of their off-roading upgrade purchase.

Why Use Winches?

Winches may not be a flashy accessory, but they are an obvious one that every off-roading vehicle should have installed. When an off-roading vehicle gets stuck, it will remain stuck without a winch to pull it out. Warn Winches provide high-quality winches that offer safety and security during an off-roading adventure, but before purchasing the biggest winch available, drivers need to consider a few other features and accessories for the best winch purchase and experience.

Electric

There is a plethora of winch types available today including hydraulic, ATV, electric and utility models. For off-roading, it is recommended that a driver stick to electric winches only. If, however, a vehicle will be doing heavy-duty off-roading or requires additional towing and pulling features, then hydraulic winches would be a better fit.

Winch Math

In order to select the right winch, a driver needs to pick one that has a weight capacity that is 1.5 times the weight of the vehicle it is being installed on. This can be calculated by taking the weight of the vehicle provided by the manufacturer, multiplying it by 1.5 and selecting a winch that meets that load standard. For example:  a 5,000 pound Jeep would need a minimum 7,500 pound winch.

Accessories

Though a winch is fine on its own, there are accessories a driver can add-on to create a more efficient, safer winch as well as maximum power.

Mounts – No matter the weight capacity of the winch, if it has a poor mount it is not going to be as effective. Therefore, look for universal mounts that allow you to place your winch on a variety of vehicle types using any flat surface. In addition to the surface, make sure the mount you select is manufactured for the correct weight load of the winch you are installing.

Synthetic Rope – Though synthetic rope is pricier than regular wire rope, it provides more stability and lasts longer. Synthetic rope is lighter than wire and it is easier to splice or tie into knots. Since regular rope is easily damaged by heat, it also has a shorter life than synthetic rope.