Are you looking for a 4wd winch for your jeep? It should be kept in mind that there are certain things which you should take into consideration before purchasing a winch. After all a winch is an investment and it is something which you might not be using all the time. In fact If you only use your jeep to drive around a simple trek it might not even be necessary to use one at all. However trouble can happen at any time and having a winch handy can save you from a lot of distress.
Things to consider before buying a 4wd winch
- The first thing which you need to consider when buying a winch is the line pull rating that it has. It refers to the mechanical capacity of the winch and the tensile strength of its line on the drum. You should understand that the capacity of the winch is based upon its first cable. Usually a winch has three or four layers with the first one having the lowest gear ratio along with the highest pull.
- Do considered the line length on the drum so that you can reach further than a necessary. The maximum full capacity of the winch is in its first layer of line so in order to get the best effect you would have to spool out a lot of cable. A drum with more line length means that it could get snarled up or jammed up. Season pros prefer a winch which has less line but still carries an extra 50 foot length just in case to be used as an extension.
- You must also consider the speed of the winch. When unloaded most of the winches work pretty fast but when it comes to carrying a load they can slow down to quite an extent. If you are looking for a winch which is fast while carrying a load you would need to use lots of electrical power and for that you need dual battery system in your jeep.
- There are winch motors which come with a variety of horse power rating. If you are looking for a fast winch with has all the strength in its pull you would need a powerful motor along with tall gears. The key is to compare loaded and unloaded line speed so that you can find a winch which is in keeping with your jeeps ability to deliver electricity.
- An electrical winch comes with two types of Motors one with a permanent magnet and the series wound. The permanent magnet Motors are usually found in lower priced winches and use low amps compared to the heavy duty series. However these are not as durable as the series won’t winches and therefore might lose power when the weather turns cold. If you are looking for heavy duty usage you should definitely consider the series wound winch Motors.
- You also have the option of choosing an electrical or a hydraulic winch, each have their own set of advantages.
Make sure that you speak with a professional to know which 4×4 winches you should be investing in.