Towing Equipment

The general rule when it comes to winch capacity is to take your vehicles GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) and multiply it by 1.5. This is going to determine the minimum pull that you are going to need out of a winch. However, most of the time if you are out wheeling you are going to have a lot of extra weight added to your rig and with all your after-market accessories and bigger wheels and tires. When you have that extra weight added you are going to burn up your gears if you have not made up the difference in weight with a heavier winch.  

When it comes to what type of rope you desire on your winch you have two different options, synthetic rope or steel cable.  

If you are using your winch for recovery or on the trail the synthetic rope is the best option for you because it is more flexible, lighter in weight, stronger and easier to handle. Along with being more expensive than the steel cable, the downside to this style rope is that it is extremely susceptible to UV exposure, chemicals, heat abrasion and chemicals. 

If you are using your winch for more off-roading in abrasive terrain through mud, sand or rocks the steel cable is your best bet due to it being long-lasting, durable and easy to maintain. The downsides to the steel cable is that it can fray, corrode and at times break over time and you will want to wear gloves while handling.  

 When it comes time to think about where the best place would be to mount your winch you have a few different options to choose from depending on the style of winch you choose to go with. You can have a bumper mount, a multi-mount or a winch mounting bumper. With the bumper mounted winch, it is one of the easiest to install and provides you with excellent versatility. With the multi-mount bumper, they are typically more complex and at times less durable due to the mounting point. With the bumper mounted winch, these are designed to be vehicle specific and will look like it was meant to be there since day one. 

One of the after thoughts you might have when choosing your winch is the way you are going to control you winch. With the electric winches there are two main ways to control them, either wired or wireless. With the wired you will have to stay within the distance of the winch your wire can reach. With the wireless you will have more flexibility to stand safely away from your vehicle and your winch while doing recovery.