What Size Winch Do I Need?
Thursday, December 5, 2024
The first thing to know about winch weight ratings is that they don't translate directly to the size of the vehicle you need to extract.
In other words, choosing a winch size isn't simply getting one that has a weight rating for your vehicle's curb weight.
It's also true that bigger is usually better when it comes to choosing a winch.
If you're choosing a winch for a truck or SUV, the formula is fairly simple. However, if you're looking for an ATV winch, the formula is a bit different.
Keep reading for an explanation of winch weight ratings, how to use your vehicle's GVWR to choose a winch size for it, and also the formula for choosing an ATV/UTV winch.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Why It Matters
The first thing you'll need when searching for the right size of winch for your vehicle is the GVWR. This is the maximum operating weight of your truck or SUV, including passengers, fuel, gear, and any modifications.
The GVWR is set by the manufacturer, which means you don't need to figure it out. Instead, go out to your vehicle and look under the hood or at the driver's side door jamb. The GVWR may also be listed in your owner's manual.
Now you can proceed to the formula. For example, a new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in a two-door layout has a GVWR of roughly 5,000 pounds. If you multiply this by 1.5, you'll get the minimum capacity of the winch that you need. In this example, it's 7,500 pounds.
That's where you'll need to start looking at winch sizes. On the low end, you'll need a winch that's rated for 8,000 pounds, but it's usually better to get something higher, so more like 10,000 pounds.
Explaining Winch Weight Ratings
The other thing to know is that winch weight ratings don't quite tell the entire story behind how much they can pull. Essentially, the weight rating is how much the winch can pull under ideal conditions. What are ideal conditions?
A straight pull with one cable, one wrap on the drum, and a perfectly functioning electrical system.
To further explain, a winch rating assumes one wrap on the drum. An electric winch has the most power when there's only a single wrap of cable on the drum. If you have a lot of line on the drum, your winch becomes weaker. For example, let's say you have an 8,000-pound winch.
Full power is achieved when there's only one layer of cable on the drum. Make it two layers, and suddenly, your pulling power is down to 7,040 pounds. Have three layers? You're looking at only 6,195 pounds of pulling power.
This means when you're on the trail, you'll need to pull out most of your cable to get your winch's rated pulling power. In other words, this is another reason why bigger is usually better when choosing a winch.
Why Bigger Is Better
As mentioned above, 1.5 times your vehicle's GVWR is the industry standard for choosing a winch size. However, that doesn't mean you can't choose something larger.
What isn't recommended is to choose a smaller winch simply because you travel lighter than others. In most cases, you'll never wish you had a smaller winch.
On the other hand, if you get too small of a winch, there's a good chance you'll wish you had a bigger one.
A bigger winch is less likely to overheat, less likely to stall, and will give you the power you need when you need it.
To make things easier, the following is a list of five popular vehicles and the minimum winch size you should consider when shopping.
- 2009 Toyota 4Runner - 4,800 pounds GVWR, 8,000 pounds minimum winch size
- 2017 Toyota Tacoma - 5,600 pounds GVWR, 9,500 pounds minimum winch size
- 2017 Jeep Wrangler Four-Door - 5,600 pounds GVWR, 9,500 pounds minimum winch size
- 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser - 5,570 pounds GVWR, 9,500 pounds minimum winch size
- 2008 Ford F-250 Supercab 4WD - 10,000 pounds GVWR, 15,000 pounds minimum winch size
Choosing a Powersports Winch
If you're looking for a UTV or ATV winch, it depends on the size of your all-terrain vehicle. If you have an ATV, a winch between 2,500 and 3,500 pounds is usually appropriate.
For a two-seat UTV, it's best to get one between 3,500 pounds and 4,500 pounds. If you have a larger UTV with four seats, then between 4,500 and 5,500 pounds is about right.
Whether you're looking for a winch for your truck, SUV, or ATV, Enthuze has you covered with a great selection. Installation of Enthuze winches can be done at any Action Truck location in Canada.
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