fbpx

Best Winch For Car Trailer [Review & Guide]

Last updated

There are tons of choices when it comes to car trailer winches.

But picking out the best winch for car trailers is not that simple. You have to take various things into consideration to get it right.

Quick Answer – Best Winch For Car Trailer:

For your convenience, we have rounded up this post with reviews of some of the best winches for car trailers. On top of this, we are also going to share a brief yet detailed winch buying guide in this post.

And, we hope by the time you have read it, there will not be any issues to choose the best car hauler winch for you.

Best Winch for Car Trailer – Reviews

Review of Megaflint Trailer Winch

This image has an empty alt attribute

This winch is designed specifically for using with boat trailers. It can winch boats up to 6000 lbs.

Matter of fact, theoretically, it has about 30% more winching power than a usual 6000 lbs. winch. It can be run in dual modes such as power in and power out.

Thus, you can actually forward and reverse the winch mechanism at your will. Besides, this compact winch supports both manual and electric operation as well.

Next, the Megaflint trailer winch offers a corded remote control with a 9.9 feet cord. So, that you can control the winch from a safe distance.

For added security, it is equipped with the dynamic brake and mechanical friction barking system.

The winch comes with a 30 ft. wire rope. And the weight of the winch is just 27 lbs. whereas the net dimension of the winch is 9-½ inch x 7-½ inch x 10 inch.

This is a perfect option for heavy-duty users. If you need a compact yet powerful winch for your car trailer, then you can check this one out.

What Previous Buyers Said?

All the previous buyers of this winch said it is one of their best purchases yet. They loved its compact and portable design. Also, they were amazed by the high winching capacity.

Another reason for its popularity was the dual brake system. One particular buyer said he bought 3 of this winch for him, his friends and family only because of its premium service.

Pros:

  • Very powerful car trailer winch
  • Comes with two types of brakes
  • Has dual-mode operation
  • Durable and rugged built quality

Cons:

  • The winch reels in the cable a bit slow

Review of WARN 92000 Utility Winch

This image has an empty alt attribute

​​​​Anybody who researched about winches should already be familiar with Warn. This is a big brand in the Overlanding industry in the world.

And, they are well reputed for offering high performance and high-quality off-roading accessories and gears.

Likewise, the Warn 92000 is a compact, feature-rich, and powerful winch for car trailer. Because of its smaller form factor, it can be used in various tight spots.

The winch comes with a pulling capacity of up to 2000 lbs. And it also features a 1.6 hp permanent magnet motor which is very powerful.

Added to this, you will also get a 33 feet long steel rope with an all-metal forged hook for durability and reliability. The winches use a differential planetary gear train.

Additionally, it will come with a hawse fairlead and a corded remote control. That makes it suitable for using on hitch mounts or any tights spots on a trailer.

What Previous Buyers Said?

The previous buyers of this winch had mixed feelings about this winch. First off, some of the buyers said that the quality of the rope is not up to the mark.

Also, the length of the cable of the remote could be a bit longer.

On the other hand, other buyers were happy with it. They said it is perfect if you need a winch that doesn’t need much space to operate.

Also, one of them used this winch to load logs to his trailer with ease. So, it can be used as a multi-purpose winch.

Pros:

  • Comes from a reputed brand
  • Very reasonably priced
  • Compact size yet very powerful

Cons:

  • The cable length of the remote could be longer
  • The steel rope could be of better quality

Review of Bravex Electric Waterproof Winch

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B071KBG7R1&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

If you are looking for a high-end electric winch, then the Bravex electric winch could be the real deal. It is rated to pull weight up to 3500 lbs.

And it comes with both the wired and a wireless remote control system. The mounting bolt pattern it is compatible with is 3.13 inches.

Among other features, it has a 3 stage planetary gear train, 4-way roller fairlead, forged metal hook, auto-in-drum brake, permanent magnet motor and more.

The gear ratio is 153:1. The best thing about this car trailer winch is that it can be used either as a portable or a permanent winch.

The winch comes with a galvanized steel rope which has a diameter of 5.3 mm and 40 feet long.

The control box where the motor and the remote control receiver seats are entirely sealed and waterproof. Thus, those important pieces of equipment will not be damaged by any external elements.

What Previous Buyers Said?

The current owner of this particular winch is thrilled with the quality it offers. Also, they think it is one of the best winches for a car trailer for the money.

One particular user referred it to as the jack of all trades.

Pros:

  • Dual remote control mode (wired and wireless)
  • Comes with 5 years warranty
  • Water and weatherproof
  • Easy to mount or can be used as a portable winch as well

Cons:

  • You have to take it slow while rewinding the cable to the drum

Review of RUGCEL 12V Electric Winch Kit

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B07RDBSGJB&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

The RUGCEL electric winch is a multipurpose car trailer winch that comes with some great features.

The rated line pull of this winch is 3500 lbs. And, it is equipped with a 1.2 hp series wound motor.

You will also notice many advanced features like 3 stages planetary gear train with a ratio of 153:1, cam activated clutch, IP68 waterproof rating, blue-white zinc plating clevis hook, auto-in-drum braking system, etc. 

The best part about this winch is that it comes with 2 wireless remote control. At the same time, you can also control this one with a wired switch as well.

The winch can be controlled from a distance of about 50 ft. Furthermore, it also features a wire rope of 48 feet in length. 

What Previous Buyers Said?

Buyers said both the good and the bad thing about this winch. First off, many of them complained about the incomplete instruction manual.

Also, some others said that it is not that powerful as a winch. However, most of the happy buyers mentioned the total opposite. 

They said it is actually a powerful winch, but you have to mount it perfectly. And, you can ask for help from a professional in that case.

They also stated that the price of this winch is very reasonable compared to the features it is offering.

Pros:

  • Very reasonably priced
  • Comes with 2 wireless remote control
  • It is completely waterproof
  • Has 3 years of the limited warranty and lifetime technical support

Cons:

  • The instruction manual is not clear enough
  • The quality of the rope is not good

Review of Roadstar Electric Winch

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0728JYRXK&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

Now, the Roadstar electric winch might be new to some of you. But we can tell you this that it packs a lot of punch.

This is suitable for winching any large vehicles including cars, SUVs, and even smaller ones as well.

Because it has a winch capacity of about 12,500 lbs. Added to this, the Roadstar winch comes with a lot of premium features like auto-in-drum braking system, 3 stages planetary gear train with a gear ratio of 265:1, 4-way roller fairlead, etc.

It also supports both wired and wireless remote control. The wired remote has a 12 ft. cord and the wireless remote’s range is up to 30 meters.

The winch is equipped with a 6.7 hp motor and a 28-meter long cable with a diameter of 9.1 mm. 

What Previous Buyers Said?

The majority of the current owners of this winch are very pleased with its performance. However, some of the customers said that the price could be a bit lower.

Other than that, they loved the winch because of its high winching capacity and all the other advanced features.

Pros:

  • Comes with numerous rare features
  • Very powerful winch
  • Ruggedly built with iron and stainless steel

Cons:

  • Price is high

Review of Champion 4500-lb. Wireless Winch Kit

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B00BKW444A&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

If you want to buy your next car winch from a known brand, then this one from the Champion Power Equipment can be a good pick.

It comes with numerous features and accessories such as a 4-way roller fairlead, handlebar-mounted mini- rocker switch, 38 feet steel rope, wireless and wired remote control, etc. The wireless remote comes with a range of about 50 feet.

The winch is rated to pull 4500 lbs. And, it is possible due to the 1.6 hp DC motor, 3 stage planetary gear with a gear ratio of 180:1.

What Previous Buyers Said?

This is one of the few winches for car trailers that didn’t have many complaints against. Most previous buyers were very content with this winch.

They mentioned they liked it because of the winch capacity, heavy-duty built quality and the additional features that are very rare in all the other alternative winches in this category.

Pros:

  • Comes with free lifetime technical support and 2-year limited warranty
  • Heavy-duty winch for a decent price
  • The steel rope can be replaced with a synthetic one
  • Both wired and wireless remote control available

Cons:

  • The installation accessories are of cheap quality

Review of WARN 885000 Corded PullzAll 120V AC

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0043OV0IA&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

This is the 2nd Warn winch on our list today. They have so many high-quality winches that it is impossible to include only one of the Warn winches.

This time, the Warn 885000 is not that of a powerful winch. For instance, it comes with a pulling capacity of up to 1000 lbs. only. Interestingly, it is made for use in the construction sector, auto shops, pipe fitting, garages, etc.

The main selling point of this winch is its design and features. It was designed to make it portable and heavy-duty at the same time. As a result, it weighs just about 15 lbs.

And, it has a couple of versions in terms of connectivity. You can buy either the corded or the cordless Warn PullzAll electric winch.

It features a 15 feet wire rope, two industry-grade swivel hook on both ends of the rope, etc. This winch comes with a variable speed control switch, a load limiter, and an LED load indicator.

Smittybilt also has a similar winch. However, in the battle of the Smittybilt vs. Warn, we would definitely go with the latter one. 

What Previous Buyers Said?

Some users said that the 1000 lbs. pulling power is not enough for them. Whereas, it was liked by lots of the previous buyers because of the unique feature like autoload limiter, LED load indicator, portability, and its performance. You can definitely check this one out.

Pros:

  • Comes with unique features
  • Has a 1-year limited warranty
  • Portable yet powerful

Cons:

  • Not suitable for winching larger load

Review of Superwinch 1140232 Portable Winch System

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B0166H2V0C&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

From the name you might have already guessed that it is not a typical winch for car trailers. Rather, it is a full complete winching kit/system from Superwinch.

Here the winch comes inside a durable box for portability. Thus, you can take it anywhere with you effortlessly.

This one has a winch capacity of 4000 lbs. The winch also comes with multiple accessories like pulley blocs, straps, gloves, D-shackles, etc. for free.

You can choose between a synthetic or a steel rope while buying this package. Overall, this is an advanced and unique winch system.

What Previous Buyers Said?

The current owners of this winch system admired this unit. They stated that even though the price is a bit higher, it is worth it. Because it comes with some serious high-end and rare features.

Pros:

  • Superior quality winch
  • Portable
  • Comes with lots of free accessories

Cons:

  • A bit pricey

Review of Superwinch 1331200 UT3000 winch

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B001Q399RA&Format= SL450 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=dobosiconsulting 20&language=en US

This winch comes with a rated pulling capacity of 3000 lbs.

With this, you will get accessories and features like differential planetary gear train, 4-way roller fairlead, 40 feet wire rope, a handheld remote with 12 feet cable, dynamic braking system, clevis hook, 1.2 hp PM motor, and so on. Thus, you can see that it is not a bad choice after all. 

Pros:

  • It has affordable pricing
  • Comes with a LED display
  • It is a maintenance-free battery
  • This is equipped with the AGM tech
  • Comes fully charged from the factory

Cons:

  • The instruction manual is incomplete
  • The wire is not that of high quality

How to pick the Best Car Winches or Hauler Winches

Winch Size

By this time, you already know that winches come in different sizes and shapes. The size of the winch has a lot to do with the performance.

For instance, if you are going to use it in a tight space or will use it on construction sites, then you should get a smaller one.

However, if you need a winch for towing heavy cars or loads, you need a larger winch. So, first, determine what you are going to use the winch for. And, choose the winch based upon that. 

Types of Winches

Typically, there are 2 types of winches that are hydraulic and electric winches. The hydraulic winches are best for heavy-duty works.

Because these are very powerful and can be used for a long time without any issues like overheating.

In contrast, electric winches are made for pulling vehicles in different situations. They are lightweight and can’t operate for a long time continuously.

Also, mostly electric winches are cheaper than hydraulic winches. So, we have talked about only electric winches in this post.

Rope Types

There are 2 types of ropes are used in winches such as steel and synthetic rope. Now, the steel ropes are the traditional ones.

These are good for pulling large weights. But these can split easily. Also, these are very dangerous to handle with your bare hands.

However, synthetic ropes, on the other hand, are the new trend. And, these are unlikely to split easily, can handle immense pressure, and doesn’t harm the hands.

Thus, even though the synthetic ropes are a bit pricey, most users tend to use this nowadays.

Winch Capacity vs. Usage

When you are choosing a winch, the most important thing to consider is the winch capacity. The winch capacity is the amount of weight a particular winch can pull.

So, at first, you have to know the weight of your vehicle. Then to make the right choice, you can take advantage of the (Vehicle Weight x 1.5) formula. Here’s more on this…

Let’s say, your car weighs about 4000 lbs. Now, you have to multiply this by 1.5 to find out the winch capacity you will need. In this case, it would be (4000 x 1.5 = 6000 lbs.).

That means you need to buy a winch with a winch capacity or rated line pull of 6000 lbs. or more to be on the safe side for hauling a 4000 lbs. car.


Best Books On Overlanding

q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1905864876&Format= SL250 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=books overlandsite 20&language=en USir?t=books overlandsite 20&language=en US&l=li2&o=1&a=1905864876
q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1909930369&Format= SL250 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=books overlandsite 20&language=en USir?t=books overlandsite 20&language=en US&l=li3&o=1&a=1909930369
q? encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0639925707&Format= SL250 &ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=books overlandsite 20&language=en USir?t=books overlandsite 20&language=en US&l=li3&o=1&a=0639925707

Last Words – Best Winch For Car Trailer

There you have it. We have covered 10 of the best winches for car trailers in this post. Now, it’s your turn to choose the one that suits you the most. All of the included winches here are of very high quality.

And, we have included multiple types of winches in terms of the power, features, and even the pricing. So that you can find the perfect winch for your car trailer without many hassles.

Still, if you can’t quite make up your mind, we have got your back. From our perspective, if you are thinking about going with a top-branded winch, then you should choose the Superwinch 1140232 Winch System.

This might be a bit expensive. But you are getting a complete winch system with various accessories.

Otherwise, if the brand is not your concern, you can try the Roadstar Electric Winch. This is not that pricey like the Superwinch 1140232 winch system.

Yet, it has all the vital features and a very high winching capacity. So, it can be used in all kinds of situations.

So, have you decided on the next winch for your car trailer? If so, then which one? You can share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Photo of author
AUTHOR
Ferenc
Ferenc Elekes has been a devout Overlanding enthusiast for many years. During that time, Ferenc has explored 75 countries on six continents, with overland travel involved in 40 countries on three continents. From his trusty 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado with a roof-top tent, he’s blogged about experiences that can only be found in the remotest regions on Earth. Along the way, he's gained in-depth knowledge of the novel challenges overlanders encounter and practical ways to meet them. On his website, he shares informed opinions about everything from the best overland gear to how to get a vehicle unstuck. Ferenc has also written for Ih8mud, the Expedition Portal, the Overland Journal, and he is often invited as a guest to outdoors-related podcasts.
Which Overlanding Vehicle Best Fits You?!

Take the quiz to find out which overlanding vehicle best fits you and your travel style.

Overlandsite - take the quiz

Leave a Comment

What type of vehicle suits your overlanding style?