Buying Guide for Towing Winches
Towing winches are often used in towing cars, trucks and other such vehicles. The purpose of their use is to support the vehicle, while it is being towed. They are also used to help pull and move things. They are installed on the tongue of the vehicle frame to prevent it from being damaged during towing.
The purpose of a winch is to apply a large amount of tension to a rope, generally a wire rope. Power from the vehicle's battery is transferred through the winch's motor to the gear train, causing the drum to rotate rapidly in a spinning motion. That's how winches work. Most of the towing winches have heavy-duty steel or aluminum cases and hardware. Read through our guide below to know more about towing winches.
Benefits of Towing Winches
Provides Efficiency
Towing winches are powerful and efficient machines that deploy a steady level of pressure around the vehicle. The pressure is gradually increased rather than jerking, ensuring that no part of your machinery or vehicle is damaged.
Ensures Safety
In cases where your tow bar is injured or unstable, you will be required to use a chain hitch to connect the trailer to the vehicle. It can be dangerous if the hitch ball contacts the trailer. Hence, winching is the only way to safely attach your trailer to the tow vehicle.
Portable and Convenient
A towing winch is light and portable, which makes it convenient to use and carry along anywhere. A towing winch can be highly beneficial for the ones who love off roading.
Provides Support to the Vehicle
A towing winch provides recovery support in getting a vehicle out of any situation where they are stuck. It is equipped with a wire rope or synthetic line attached to a mounting location that provides leverage in pulling a vehicle if it gets stuck.
Factors to Consider before Buying Towing Winches
Type
Towing winches come in two types: manual and electrical. The manual towing winches usually come with a lower price tag than electric ones. However, the electrical winches provide better efficiency. The electrical winches also offer better endurance but their battery gets drained out quickly when used to lift heavy material. So, make sure to look out for these things and buy the type of towing winch that best fits your requirements.
Cable Length
Towing winches should be selected based on cable length. On average, winch cables are 80-100 feet long. We recommend you to not choose cable lengths that are too short or too long. You can read the product description if you become confused to help you pick the correct cable size.
Weight
Make sure to consider the weight of the towing winch before buying. If a winch is too heavy for its mounting location, it could cause the front, rear, or side of the vehicle to be off balance, creating a host of problems. Moreover, in case of a portable winch, the heavier the winch, the harder it will be to deploy it.
Winch Capacity
Consider the winch manufacturer's line pull rating. The line pull rating is determined by the tensile strength of the drum line and the mechanical capacity of the winch. You can easily calculate the minimum line pull rating by multiplying the gross vehicle weight (GVW) by 1.5. For example, if your vehicle weighs 4000 pounds, then choose a winch with minimum capacity of 6000 pounds.
Conclusion
Winches are a valuable towing accessory. You can consider buying a towing winch if you already own a trailer and often need to pull stuck vehicles out of ditches and mud holes. A towing winch is also a good item to consider if you want to use your truck for towing and recovery on a budget. Make sure you choose a right winch to get the most out of your towing machine. You can take a look at our most reviewed and recommended selection of towing winches from the featured section above. We recommend them based on their controls and functionality, size, ease of use, and quality of material.
