Do you have a UTV? If yes, then you might as well need to consider buying the best UTV winch. Why? Well, there are numbers of reasons as to why buying a winch for UTV could be a necessity. This winch could pull you once you are stuck and reshape steering links or bent suspension. It will also right you once you roll or move stuff out your way and more. But choosing the right one might be a bit daunting task so being guided by this article could be a great help.
Product Comparison Table
Consider this comparison table for a quick glance of our best options:
Products | Price | My Rating |
---|---|---|
$ | ||
$$$ | ||
$ | ||
$$ | ||
$ |
**Below, you'll find my more detailed reviews about the UTV winch, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
Reviews Of The Best UTV Winch
For UTV winch reviews, let us know more about them one by one.
The Best Pick For A Solid Winch
This one is considered as a powerful winch having the ability to pull over up to 3500 pounds along with great ease of use features such as wireless remote as well as mounted controls.
It also has its remote that would make it incredibly convenient to use and would also allow you in terms of controlling the winch from the comfort of the car.
In addition, this could offer a lot more rigidity compared to other options. It also works great when it comes to hauling those heavier vehicles because of its large weight capacity along with a release mechanism that is so easy to use.

Via Amazon
User Rating:
Pros
It is durable, super strong and lightweight.
It offers great efficiency and low power consumption.
It could last for a long time.
Weatherproof.
A year of limited warranty.
Cons
The circuit breaker might not be great for mounting.
Once looking for a winch that could handle any job and something that is good and solid then this one is the best pick.
The Best Pick Super Power
If you are looking for a product with super power then this one is definitely a great choice.
For a product with great and super power features, this one stands out from the crowd. Indeed, it offers wide numbers of high-quality and superb features that every UTV owner would want to have. It has multiple mounting options on its control pack.
It also has a UV-resistant matte black textured finish and an oversized tie rod struts intended for maximum strength. And other amazing features are definitely provided by this best UTV winch.

Via Amazon
User Rating:
Pros
Super convenient wireless remote.
Awesome winch.
Great speed.
Great winch for its look.
Cons
This product is expensive.
The Best Pick For Longevity
Indeed, you are looking for a product that will last for a long period of time. With that, this one could be your best option.
This one is great for all-purpose winching such as ATV snowplow applications. It would feature permanent magnet and low amp motor that is being protected by a circuit breaker which should last for many years of pulling and towing. It also features handlebar-mounted rocker switch for great performance.
In addition to that, it features a 1.2 HP permanent magnet motor that would deliver the needed power for pulling. The gearing is also designed as a 1-stage planetary gear having a gear ratio of 136:1.
It is also backed up by a 2-year limited warranty for its mechanical parts as well as a year of warranty for those electrical parts.

Via Amazon
User Rating:
Pros
The line releases very slowly.
It is a good quality product at a very affordable price.
Instructions are easy to read making it easy to install.
Cons
It might not fit some UTV models.
The cable might not wrap flat entirely on the spool.
The Best Pick For Its Performance
You might look for a winch with enhanced performance and durability for your ATV. With that, this one from Smittybilt is the best choice.
This one is being updated with those heavy-duty features intended for enhanced performance and durability. Aside from that, this is also a complete recovery system along with the muscle as well as reliability bailing you out from any situation.
It is also waterproof and comes along with a warranty. In addition, this one from Smittybilt is definitely powerful making it capable of winding a lot faster.

Via Amazon
User Rating:
Pros
Waterproof.
Quality-made winch.
Easy installation.
Cons
The handle of the switch is hard to move.
It might not last for the longest period of time.
The Best Pick For Its Toughness
For a tough UTV winch, as well as a handy and indispensable tool, this one is the best.
For a product that will help you in getting more tasks done in less time and less effort then this one is the right choice. This one is great for construction, iron work, piece fitting, plant or equipment maintenance, garages, auto shops and machine shops.
This one could also be so ideal for ranch and farm use, hunting, camping, home improvement and a lot more. It is also designed in order to move those heavy pieces of machinery along with being a hoist to an engine block or could precisely lift a load into place.
In addition, this one could be easy to use and could be so portable. It has LED load indicator which provides user feedback once pulling or lifting and also an electronic load limiter that would prevent from overloading. This one is also available in the cordless model.

Via Amazon
User Rating:
Pros
Highly durable.
Easy to use.
Handy and indispensable tool.
Tough utility winch.
Cons
Limited duty cycle.
Name | |||||
Image | |||||
Product Dimensions | 13.4 x 4.5 x 4.8 inches | 22.3 x 9 x 5 inches | 13.2 x 4.2 x 4.2 inches | 25 x 13 x 10 inches | 19 x 12 x 12 inches |
Item Weight | 20.1 pounds | 62.4 pounds | 19.8 pounds | 83 pounds | 15 pounds |
Load Capacity | 3500 lbs | 10000 lbs | 3000 lbs | 9500 lbs | 1000 lbs |
Price | $ | $$$ | $ | $$ | $ |
Quality | A+ | A+ | A | A | A+ |
My Rating | |||||
More Details |
Electric Or Hydraulic: Which One To Choose?
There could be two kinds of winches wherein you might choose from. These are the hydraulic winches and the electric winches. But knowing about these winches will help you decide whether which one to use.
Electric winches would use an electric motor in order to wind up the winch cable. They are considered as the most common types of a winch and would have one of the two different motors – permanent magnet motors and series wound electric motors.
These winches are inexpensive and widely inexpensive. They wouldn’t need the engine to be running once used. But, they could overheat once used for a long period of time.
On the other hand, hydraulic winches are considered to be heavier-duty. These kinds of winches are resistant to fatigue, weak vehicular electrical systems and overheating. But, these winches are less common and would operate the power steering pump. And there is a need for the engine to run once using this winch.
In the end, it is still your decision whether which one from these winches you prefer to use for your UTV.
Factors To Consider Before Buying Best Winch For UTV
There could be numbers of factors that should be considered once shopping for the best UTV winch. And these factors would include the following:
Primary Use
There is a need to consider the different parts in a winch system as there are numbers of different factors that could change from a certain product to another. There is a need to exactly know what you might be using it for prior to buying and you might have a better idea of whether how to break down those variables such as the line material and the horsepower.
Brand And Quality Parts
In most cases, the price would fluctuate. There could be different grades of parts as well as equipment that are included in the package. And in some cases, some companies would have better-established names compared to others. Look around at prices prior to visiting a site and buying one.
Weight Rating
It would be smart that you avoid dipping below the 4000 pounds particularly if you have a bigger UTV and a lighter one could be used for lighter duty tasks. It would be a great option to consider heavy duty winch once you reside in an area wherein area comes a lot more often and once mud is definitely an obstacle since you would need a great amount of power.
Size
In choosing the size of the winch, there is a need to consider the length and the diameter or the strength of the winch. Make sure it matches or it perfectly fits your needs.
Accessories
There could be some other important factors that must be considered once looking for quality materials that a winch could offer. There is a need to look into the needed parts. In fact, most might overlooked the importance of winch mount. With most utility UTVs, a mount would be built in but in some cases winch mount is purchased separately and installed. You might consider this winch mount once planning to have one.
Two Types Of Cable
In addition, cable is also important. And there are two types of cable – synthetic and wire. Synthetic ropes would be newer and might generate more hype a lot more often but both of them would have their particular pros and cons.
Wire Cable
This one has composed of many small strands of the steel wire wound spirally. It would be best to wear gloves in order to protect your hand. It is also relatively heavy knowing that it is made of steel. It is also more resistant to abrasion making this as a great choice once used for working where the winch requires being used most of the time.
In addition, it is also heat-resistant. This cable would also store a lot of built-up energy wherein once it breaks it could whip back dangerously that might cause damage to you or to your side-by-side. It would be great to place something that is heavy on top once used. This might diminish this whiplash effect. And this wire rope is also a lot cheaper.
Synthetic Cable
This one is made of synthetic fibers and also safe to touch as well. It would be a lot stronger compared to wire rope having the same diameter. It is also light in weight and it floats making it great for those recreational riders who love bogs and mud.
But this one could wear out a lot faster once rubbed repetitively against different surfaces. They might be damaged due to excessive heat from too much use within a period of time. However, it could also be a lot safer once it breaks and it wouldn’t create a whiplash. Once in an emergency, you could tie a knot in it. With this, this one is a bit more expensive.
Techniques And Tips
Safety First
Indeed, while winching protecting yourself and the ones around you is your first concern. Those winches that are overloaded or once set-up improperly or coupled with some unreliable accessories are indeed prone to failure. And this failure could also mean a snapped line whipping into someone’s face. It could indeed be expensive to have a trip to an emergency room. So with that, there is a need to wear leather gloves, pay attention and also keep a person in charge of the winch controls in terms of avoiding confusion in terms of the operation.
For some other tips, consider the following:

Make sure to connect the remote control to the designated port.

Then roll out the hook.

It is important you choose an anchor point as well.

Now, pull the line to the anchor.

Connect it to the anchor point.

You have to hook the winch line as well.

And finally, begin winching.

The air flows up the shield and gathers up behind the shield, not disturbing your view of the road.

The air flows up the shield and gathers up behind the shield, not disturbing your view of the road.
You might also be guided by this video about winching techniques both for beginners and advanced ones.
Or watch this for setting up your UTV winch.
FAQS
Can I repair my own winch line?
Yes, only with a little practice it would take at least 15 minutes just to repair a broken winch line.
How can I double my winch capacity?
Just simply use a snatch block in order to double the winch capacity, then half the winch and also maintain the direct line pull into the center of the rollers.
Why is it safer to use synthetic winch lines than steel cable?
Synthetic winch ropes are so light and so they could store as much kinetic energy as heavy as the steel cables. So they wouldn’t carry as much as force as heavy steel cable would once it breaks under load.
What should I do about my vehicles wheels while winching?
Position the blocks under the vehicle’ wheels once winching.
Pick For The Best
And for the best one in terms of UTV winch, I would pick the Superwinch 1135220 Terra 35. Why? Well, some of the reasons are the following:

There is a fact that this one is definitely affordable and it has the highest rating from among the customers.

It has features that would match almost anyone’s needs when it comes to UTV winch.

This one is the best in terms of having the ability to last for the longest period of time.
So, if you are shopping for a winch for your UTV, being guided by the information in this article could be a great help. There might be a great confusion once picking from wide options so knowing what you exactly need would play a vital role in order to come up to the best UTV winch.
Like, share and comment! Feel free to suggest and ask any questions and we are willing to help!