The reason you ride an ATV is that so you can dare to ride in all kinds of terrains; be it dirty, rocky, muddy, marshy or however else, whenever you are on your ATV the whole world’s a path. Known generally as the toy for the rough riders, ATVs are built to make through any kind of terrain and that usually gives the confidence to the riders who escape to off road for a gruelling and thrilling experience.
Getting in trouble is quite a possibility. In fact, if you are doing it right there’s every chance you have got yourself stuck somewhere sometime or the other. After all, are we all not safe and cautious enough in our day-to-day lives, that we have to do so on an adventure ride as well. An ATV aficionado is aware of the risks in riding rough, but a real enthusiast will probably take the risks of the terrain, but will yet be prepared.
It’s the reason why we give you best ATV winch reviews to help you get a comprehensive guide to choose the most suitable products and also bring more convenience to your adventure.
Quick Comparison: Top 4 Best ATV Winches
ATV Winch | ||||
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Pull Power | 4000 lbs | 4500 lbs | 4000 lbs | 3000 lbs |
Safety Features | - Fully sealed motor and the drive train - Three-stage planetary gear train | - An all steel wide gear and a machined-in, oil pocket bronze bearings - Circuit breaker protected and weather sealed solenoid contact | - Sealed low amp motor - Mechanical and dynamic brake | - Sealed low amp Motor - Mechanical and dynamic brake |
Cable Material And Length | Wire – 55 ft | Wire – 55 ft | Synthetic – 50 ft | Wire – 50 ft |
Price | $$$ | $$ | $$ | $ |
Quality | A+ | A+ | A+ | A |
My Rating |
Below, you'll find my more detailed reviews about the ATV winches, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
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Why You Should Buy An ATV Winch?
Winches to ATV riders is the ideal preparation for trouble. What a Winch does is simple; it exerts force which pulls one object towards another object with the help of a rope or a cable. The cable being tied to 2 objects, the winch pulls closer the one which has lesser mass towards the other.
A winch comes to rescue when your ATV gets stuck in a deep puddle, a mud hole or gets in a jam which you can’t power the ATV out from. An ATV winch could help haul out the ATV from the fix, once the other end of the line is tied to a large mass which could act as the anchor.
Be it hauling yourself out of danger or pulling a fellow ATV out of trouble, having a Winch available with you every time you head out on the terrain, can only have advantages of which the above 2 are most common.
For better understanding a ATV Winch works, read here.
What To Consider When Looking For The Best ATV Winch
An ATV Winch is priceless when you find yourself in trouble, but even when you are not in trouble on an ATV adventure ride, a well chosen ATV Winch will help you be at peace, knowing that you have prepared for an untoward event.
While purchasing a new Winch for your ATV, you must keep in mind the below-defining factors:
THE LINE PULL
Essentially this means just about how much weight the winch can pull. This is as important as the horse-power in your automobile and pretty much defines just how effective and ultimately useful the winch will be.
While looking for the best ATV winch, you need to know just how much weight will it be required to pull to get you out of trouble, if any such event comes to pass. You would want to calculate the weight of your ATV, the weight of cargo or accessories you usually carry or are likely to plus your own weight if needs be.
The general ruling is that one should calculate the pull required to be about 1.5 times the weight you need to be pulled, just in case. Consider, that no one really suffers from overcapacity of the winch, but winch might be rendered useless if you don’t have enough power.
THE MATERIAL OF THE ROPE
The community of avid ATV riders is generally divided into the type of rope material to be used for their winch. Steel and Synthetic ropes are both widely used for winches and both seem to have their sets of advantages and disadvantages. So you need to know which rope material to use based on your use and what they have to offer:
Steel Ropes
They have been used for the longest time for winching for their advantages. Steel is more durable and does not fray easily and hence is the more preferred choice in abrasive terrains like mud, rock, sand etc. It is also more affordable than the synthetic and also requires less maintenance.
At the same time, it is likelier to rust or develop sharp burrs with time. One should always take the precaution of wearing leather gloves while operating a steel chain. Steel also is harder to spool and when it breaks can become projectile.
Synthetic Ropes
They are new to winches and have become rather popular in recent years. It is lighter than steel and is easier to spool and store. A major advantage is that it is flexible and easier to handle, is largely impervious to climate or environmental conditions and if broken can also be repaired easily even out in the field.
On the other hand, a synthetic rope is susceptible to chemical, heat and abrasion which tend to weaken the rope. It also has the propensity of holding water and can become heavy or even freeze in too cold a weather, becoming impossible to use.
You may read more in detail about the rope material here.
POWER EFFICIENCY
ATV winches are electric and they are to be hooked to your ATV’s battery for power. In such a scenario, you need to know that the motor of the winch is efficient and does not suck your battery dry of power. Here you must consider the amp draw of the motor and the type of motor.
A general rule is that the Permanent magnet motors are more energy efficient than Series-wound motors.
Here’s a video to help you understand how to make a Winch work for you.
Best ATV Winches For You To Choose
Based on the above factors and the general riding tendencies of the new age ATV enthusiast, we have shortlisted the below ATV winches which are the best (according to us) available in the market today:
Warn 89040 Vantage 4000
Pros
Pulls twice as fast as the other winches
High Quality components
Easy and great installation
Great price for the Pull power
Cons
Physically large and not all that portable
Warn are sometimes claimed to have a poor customer service
The Warn Vintage 4000 pulls up to 4000 lbs weight but pulls faster than most of its competitors. It has a highly efficient motor which ensures optimum energy saving without putting undue pressure on your ATV battery. Warn Vintage is known for its high utility equipment and the pulling power of this Winch is quite a credit to the reputation of the company.
The high-strength composite gear housing and the all metal gears ensure durability and the handlebar controls are also an advantage to easy some tedious tasks and also keeps you safe at the time of hauling your ride, by enabling you to operate the winch remotely.
Features
Pulling Capacity: 4000 lbs
Motor Type: 12V Permanent Magnet Motor
Rope Length: 55 feet
Rope Material: Wire
Special Offerings
Fully covered motor and the drive train to ensure safety from perils of weather
A three-stage planetary gear train for a smooth operation
Handlebar-mounted remote control included for safety and convenience
Comes with a Fairlead Plate
Superwinch 1145220
Pros
Top quality with a life time warranty
Great load pulling power
Powerful and efficient motor
Durable product and not expensive
Cons
Poorly written installation instructions
Superwinch is yet another highly reputed brand by Terra. Crafted to give you complete confidence no matter the terrain, the Superwinch Terra 45 uses a monster 4500 lb pulling capacity with a 55 feet long sturdy wire. A tough and durable device, the Superwinch Terra 45 is compatible and is easily mounted to any ATV.
It also a number of safety features, like the rubberized remote with a nearly 10 feet long cable, mechanical braking and the dynamic load holding.
For a detailed description of this winch, read here.
Features
Pulling Capacity: 4500 lbs
Motor Type: 1.6hp Permanent Magnet Motor
Rope Length: 55 feet
Rope Material: Wire
Special Offerings
High-efficiency, low amp draw sealed Motor with mechanical load holding and a dynamic brake
An all steel gear twice wider than those in the competition and a machined-in, oil pocket bronze bearings
A circuit breaker protected and weather sealed solenoid contact
A 4-way roller fairlead, a sturdy latched hook with a thimble
Superwinch 1140230
Pros
The best value winch with Synthetic rope
Synthetic rope is easier and safer to handle
Great price
Sufficient power to haul you out of a situation
Cons
Cable does not seem to spool smoothly and spindles at times
Superwinch’s reliable and proven winch which offers sufficient power and abundant safety features. Though not as large and strong as some other winches, this is a compact unit with but very little loss in power.
The synthetic cable ensures easy handleability with lightness of weight and ease of spooling. The 12 feet long remote cord helps you to control the action from a safe distance. Weights merely 22 pounds, and helps you in keeping light on the ride.
Features
Pulling Capacity: 4000 lbs
Motor Type: 1.4hp Permanent Magnet Motor
Rope Length: 50 feet
Rope Material: Synthetic
Special Offerings
Aluminum Hawse and a Dyneema Synthetic Rope
Sealed low amp motor
Includes a handlebar mounted rocker switch and handheld remote
Mechanical and dynamic brake
Check this video for a detailed description:
Superwinch 1130220
Pros
Lightweight and easy to install
Compact but sprightly power
Easy to use and convenient safety features
Great Price
Cons
Not powerful enough to inspire confidence at a tough terrain
A Superwinch 3000lbs winch to get the job done, even though it does not command a large amount of power. A compact and efficient winch usually help you out through a less risky terrain, it is easy to mount on your ATV. Also, it is easy to use and convenient with the remote control and the handlebar rocker, an ideal winch for the lightweight adventurers.
Features
Pulling Capacity: 3000 lbs
Motor Type: 1.2hp Permanent Magnet Motor
Rope Length: 50 feet
Rope Material: Wire
Special Offerings
Sealed low amp Motor
Roller fairlead and mounting plate
Handle held remote and handlebar mounted rocker
Mechanical and dynamic brake
Choosing The Best One
The 4 winches discussed above have variable power and variable features but largely have the same characteristics that an ATV enthusiast will consider before making a decision. However, the pulling capacity of the winch and the safety features are the aspects which I found to be most weighted when finalizing upon the right ATV winch.
I choose the Superwinch Terra 1145220 as the best ATV winch since it gives me a lot of hauling power and adequate amount of safety features to keep me at peace, even when my ATV ride has not run into any trouble yet.
ATV Winch | ||||
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Image |
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Pull Power | 4000 lbs | 4500 lbs | 4000 lbs | 3000 lbs |
Safety Features | - Fully sealed motor and the drive train - Three-stage planetary gear train | - An all steel wide gear and a machined-in, oil pocket bronze bearings - Circuit breaker protected and weather sealed solenoid contact | - Sealed low amp motor - Mechanical and dynamic brake | - Sealed low amp Motor - Mechanical and dynamic brake |
Cable Material And Length | Wire – 55 ft | Wire – 55 ft | Synthetic – 50 ft | Wire – 50 ft |
Price | $$$ | $$ | $$ | $ |
Quality | A+ | A+ | A+ | A |
My Rating |
Conclusion
So, now we know why having an ATV winch is important, and we know which the best ATV Winches available in the market are. Based on your needs (ATV vehicles types) and preferences (of the terrain), find yourself the winch which will help you in times of trouble.
To learn a little more about how careful to be while operating a Winch, please read here.
Please let us know what you think about our article of best ATV winch reviews! Don't hesitate to leave some comments below!
