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A reliable ATV winch will pull your ATV, and you, to safety when you get stuck in the mud, and it’s useful for other tasks too. When heading off-road into areas you haven’t driven your ATV before the chance of getting stuck, or finding someone else who has gotten stuck, is real. Getting your four-wheeler into the mud or soft sand is fun, if you can get out again, and having a quality ATV winch is just a good idea if you spend time working on the farm, yard or trails.
Which ATV winch is the best? Will it work when I need it? Which should I buy? To answer these questions and more lets identify industry leading ATV winch manufacturers, there are several to choose from. Whichever you choose make sure the winch is rated highly enough to carry the weight of your ATV with you on it and that it has a nice cushion beyond that.
Here are the top five winches that we found were worth the price, each is made by a different winch manufacturer.
The KFI lineup of Stealth series winches are sure to be able to get you out of almost any situation you find yourself stuck in. Notable features include synthetic cables, a strong cable hook stopper, a dynamic braking system, water resistant seals and a 4-hole mounting design with a heavy duty all metal clutch. I highly recommend the SE45 model with a 4500 lb pulling capacity.
It also comes with a 14′ hand-held switch for those times where it’s safer for you to stand clear of the ATV for safety. A clearly marked dash rocker switch makes the KFI stealth series winches easy to use while seated on your ATV. A heavy duty electric contactor protects your ATVs electrical system. All of this and it has a full year warranty as well. To order your KFI winch, call (877) 346-2050 or visit kfiproducts.com.
Warn introduced their new VRX lineup of powersport winches to positive reviews. It comes with 50′ of steel cable with the option of upgrading to fully synthetic cable. A cable sleeve helps protect the cable from damage where it comes into contact with a tree stump to minimize abrasion. A durable metal construction and handle-bar mounted switch ensure ease of use and durability.
Warn VRX Powersport winches have a smooth three-stage planetary gear train and are fully waterproof. A load holding mechanical brake ensures that your winch remains in full control of whatever you are towing. An optional accessory kit including load damper is also available. To order your Warn winch, call (503) 722-3073 or visit warn.com.
Tusk’s winch has a pulling capacity of 2500-3500 pounds from a 600-800 watt motor, depending on model. Steel cable measuring 50 feet and mounting hardware with simple installation instructions are included.
A roller fairlead, mini rocker handlebar switch and clutch knob are also standard equipment on Tusk winches. Water-resistant components ensure proper function in wet conditions.
I prefer to use a Hawse fairlead with synthetic rope but the roller fairlead works just as well. If cost is a concern the price of Tusk winches is slightly lower due to not coming with a remote switch, which is great if you don’t need one or, like me, tend to lose the key fobs eventually. My friends own older Suzuki, Polaris, Honda and Yamaha ATVs and Tusk winches installed easily on all of them. To order your Tusk winch, visit tuskoffroad.com.
The Superwinch Terra Series winch is available with 2500 lb, 3500 lb and 4500 lb pulling capacities, depending on model. What I love most about Superwinch is durability. The Superwinch winch gears are extremely wide which gives them a wider griping surface. The winch drum and housing can interchange between synthetic or steel cable so that you can switch between them as needed.
Where the Superwinch Terra Series Winches excel is in the size and strength of their motors. Beefy comes to mind, which is important in harsh conditions. Dollar for dollar, or pound for pound, Superwinch is among the most reliable Winches on the market today. To order a Superwinch winch for ATV, call (800) 323-2031 America (44-1822-61-4101 UK), or visit superwinch.global
This Quadboss winch, Part Number: 608701, comes with synthetic cable called “Dyneema rope”. A dual-gear planetary system ensures quick line retrieval speed and it operates on a low-current system to conserve battery power. For safety and reliability, the Quadboss winch comes equipped with an automatic load-holding and self-locking brake. The heavy-duty 3 HP motor is rated to pull 2500 lbs, or 3-4 times the average weight of an ATV with a rider on it.
Quadboss offers ATV-specific mounting kits for most ATV Brands so make sure to specify your make and model of ATV when ordering.
Quadboss stands behind their products with a full year limited warranty. To order your QuadBoss winch, call (877) 8471558 or visit quadboss.com.
How much does your four-wheeler weigh? – If your ATV weighs 750 lbs with you on it and you’re towing an extra 1000 lbs of cargo then obviously a 1500 lb winch will not be enough. What I recommend doing, and this has worked well for me, is adding the curb weight of my ATV, the maximum tow and carry capacity of my ATV and my body weight and doubling it to come up with a minimum winch rating.
Example: A Yamaha Big Bear 400 weighs 476 lbs, can carry 165 lbs on the racks, can tow 728 lbs more and do it while carrying an adult, so add another 195 lbs.
The total ATV weight, fully loaded, is 1564 lbs. A 1500 lb winch will not suffice since getting stuck is most likely to happen when fully loaded. Doubling that total weight is a good minimum winch rating to have, when you’re stuck a winch needs to pull that weight and overcome any additional resistances and friction while pulling.
Too much winch isn’t better. Simply bolting on the strongest winch you can find may not work out as planned. Remember, your ATV battery and electrical system need to provide, and sustain, enough current to power the winch. It’s very helpful to have an ATV manual on hand so that you can research how much electrical output your quad can give you. It’s not very practical to pay for a more expensive winch that will also require a battery and wiring upgrade when it’s not needed.
Consider the terrain and intended use. Pulling an ATV out of the mud requires a stronger winch than moving an object across open trails. The suction mud creates can be quite strong and hard to overcome making it necessary to have a stronger winch.
Moving an item, such as a fallen tree, will not be as difficult. In some cases it’s possible to use the winch like a chain, locking the rope and using the ATVs engine to tow debris off the trail won’t tax the winch at all.
Get the right winch accessories for the job. When you need your winch the most you are going to depend on it being able to do it’s job properly. If you have a steel rope on your winch make sure you have a strong pair of gloves, preferably made of leather, to protect your hands. A synthetic rope needs a removable sleeve to protect it from abrasion, unlike a steel rope the synthetic rope is easily damaged. Also consider bringing a strap, tie down or additional rope. You never know when you’ll need an extension or to tie your ATV to a tree to prevent it from sliding. The accessories you will need depend on your intended use, include them in your cost analysis.
What is included with the winch? New ATV winches usually include all required wiring components including a switch, solenoid, hardware, wiring diagram and connectors.
A universal mounting plate is also typically included in the base price. Depending on your model of ATV you may need to request a four-wheeler specific mounting plate which is generally available at additional cost. Typical winch rope length is 50 feet.
Will these winch mounts fit my ATV? There is no mounting system capable of adapting to all ATVs, there are simply too many differences between models, however all winches mount to the most common ATVs and/or offer a specialized bracket that will.
Steel rope vs synthetic rope, which is better? The answer depends on your needs. Steel winch rope is stronger than synthetic winch rope but it is heavier, takes up more room and may rust over time as well. The downside of synthetic rope is that it is easier to damage from rubbing against things like tree stumps.
Can I make my own winch mounting plate? Of course but it is not recommended for several reasons. Drilling holes in the tube frame of your ATV weakens it and the risk of damage during use, to you and your ATV, is increased if catastrophic failure occurs.
It’s best to use factory mounting bracket with your winch, your warranty may be voided without one.
What is a fairlead and do I need a stopper? A winch fairlead is a guide for the rope which reduces stress on the winch motor. Fairleads come in two basic styles, aluminum and roller. Roller fairleads perform better with steel cables whereas aluminum fairleads are recommended with synthetic rope. A winch stopper is a rubber ball or block located at the end of the winch rope to prevent stress and damage from winding the rope in too far. The stopper will not fit within the rope housing and lets you know when to stop retrieving the rope.
If it breaks you’ll get hurt.We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
Written By Derrek Sigler
Updated Nov 4, 2022 12:31 PM
An ATV winch is one of the best accessories you can add to your all-terrain vehicle.
In fact, many of the newer machines come pre-wired to make adding an ATV winch easier, and there are simplified kits available now to make it easier than ever to add a winch to whatever ATV you own.
Why add a winch to your machine? Aside from the obvious advantage of making it easier to recover your ATV in the event you get stuck, you’ll also find that a good winch is essential to help with other chores, like clearing brush, plowing snow, and moving things around the yard or deer camp, like hoisting a big buck up into a tree. It’s like having an extra set of hands that can pull several thousand pounds. The best ATV winches can really make a huge improvement to your machine and help you maximize its potential.
I’ve been riding and using ATVs for several decades now, and have been testing and writing about them for almost 20 years.
I’ve used all of these ATV winches with the exception of the Badland. I’ve personally installed most of these winches, as well as a few more, and I have been on the receiving end of the bad times that come from when a winch fails. I am an admitted gearhead and love to get into the nuts and bolts of everything I am into, which includes ATVs and other power sports, including trucks, snowmobiles, boats and more, and I love to hunt and fish. My recommendations are based my own experience and that of colleagues in the industry to whom I reached out to discuss what went into the designs of these products.
Best ATV Winch Overall
Why It Made the Cut: You cannot buy a better winch than a Warn, and this is the company’s best offering to date for a 3,500-pound powersports winch. It comes with synthetic rope and a low-profile design that keeps all of the important parts sealed and away from the elements. All of the internals are heavy duty, so it will last.
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Warn sets the standard by which all other electric winches are compared, and with good reason—they work, all the time. The company is always improving their products, and the AXON is their best ATV winch to date. This one is rated for 3,500 pounds, and there is a 4,500-pound model for bigger UTVs. It is completely reliable, too, making it an easy pick for the best ATV winch. I have the equivalent truck winch on my vehicle. When I’m going on a trip, I only select gear that’s reliable and essential for road tripping, and the Warn winch is part of that.
How good are Warm ATV winches? Most of the major ATV manufacturers use Warn Winches for the accessory packages and outfitted models they sell.
I asked a rep from one of these manufacturers why that was, and his response was telling. “We chose the Warn Winch because the last thing we want is for someone to buy our machine with a winch from the factory, and have them need to bring the machine in for a warranty repair due to a failed winch. With a Warn, we don’t have to worry about that.”
Best Polaris ATV Winch
Why It Made the Cut: The only thing that can be as good or better than the top-of-the-line general-fit winch is one designed by the machine manufacturer specifically for your model ATV. That’s what Polaris set out to do, and they succeeded.
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Polaris set out to design a winch that integrates perfectly with their machines, and the Pro winch does that and more.
These winches are really high quality and the Rapid Recovery function lets you spool the synthetic rope back in 5 times faster than in normal-use mode. You just need to be aware of the switches so you don’t try to use it in Rapid Recovery mode.
These are the easiest-mounting winches on the market. Polaris designed their ATVs to have a winch mounted, and the wiring is pre-done. The mounting hardware is also part of the design of the winch, so you can have it on the machine in 20 to 30 minutes.
Best Bargain Winch
Why It Made the Cut: There are several ATV winches in the $100 range, and this one is and always has been the best option. Superwinch is a big brand that has been at this a long time. Their winches are solid performers, and owners like them.
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For a simple winch, this unit from Superwinch actually packs a lot of value into the package.
You get the winch and all the wiring, as well as 50 feet of steel cable, a roller fairlead, a snatch block hook, and a D-shackle—everything you’d need for a basic recovery. Superwinch is a major brand, too. Superwinch used to be the standard equipment winches for Can-Am, and the value packed into this package is hard to beat.
Best Mud Winch
Why It Made the Cut: There are only a few ATV accessory companies known for making gear that will withstand hard-core elements, and SuperATV is one of them. This winch can handle anything from use on the farm or hunting property, all the way to extreme mud bogging.
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The SuperATV winch is from a family-owned, ATV-specific business that specializes in performance.
The company is well known for ATV accessories and parts that include things like windshields, lift kits, bumpers, and more. What is to like about the SuperATV winch kit is that the wiring is heavy duty and includes enough to mount to virtually any machine. You also get a synthetic rope with a rubber bump-stop and aluminum fairlead.
Best Honda ATV Winch
Why It Made the Cut: While Kolpin makes Quick Mount Winch Kits for other machines, this is one of the best units you can get for Honda ATVs. It is a high-quality ATV winch that is pre-mounted and wired for a Honda, making installation much easier.
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There are three reasons this ATV winch gets included.
First, I have mounted winches to several Honda ATVs over the years, and the job isn’t easy or quick. This kit cuts that time by 3/4ths, and makes it much easier. Second, there is no guesswork into the cables and wiring, as it is all set to the perfect sizing. Third, Kolpin is owned by Polaris, so the overall quality is outstanding. How well do I like this particular ATV winch setup? I have it on my own Honda ATV. Kolpin makes a wide range of these kits, too, so it’s likely that there’s a model for your ATV, no matter the brand.
Best Harbor Freight ATV Winch
SEE IT
Why It Made the Cut: Harbor Freight incorporated the elements of higher-priced ATV winches into their newer ZXR series from Badland. For recovery purposes, and some other uses, these are pretty good winches for the money.
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All jokes aside, there are quality products available at Harbor Freight stores, and any serious off-roader on a budget knows that the Badland ATV winches are actually quite good for the money.
Durability is a question mark simply because I haven’t had the opportunity to test these out yet, but owners of Badlands ATV winches give them very high marks. For most uses, you’ll never have an issue with Badland ATV winches.
I’ve used most of the major-brand ATV winches on the market today, and they are not all created equal. I’m not, however, going to say “Buy this winch and this winch alone.” Not everyone has the same needs and budget for a winch. Here are some things to remember before making a purchase:
BudgetYou can spend less than $100 on a winch, or you can jump to well over $500 and up depending upon what brand you buy. Is that cheaper winch from Harbor Freight going to be of the same quality as a top-of-the-line Warn ATV winch? No, it’s not. But depending upon how much you expect to use the winch and how much you want to spend on it, you might be able to save some money.
You also need to consider how much use you plan to get from your ATV winch. I know this can be a bit tricky, because you won’t know exactly how much you’ll use the winch until you actually have one on your machine. Here’s something I learned from a mechanic when it came to this very topic: Make a list of every task you want to use a winch for, and then double it.
There are some really high-use activities, such as snow plowing, when you’re constantly using the winch to raise and lower the plow blade, along with some relatively low-use activities, like recovering your machine when it’s stuck in mud or snow. If you’re only keeping the winch on your machine in the off-chance you may get stuck, that’s not a high-use activity. On the other hand, if you do a lot of mudding, or use your ATV to plow a lot of snow, you’re going to be using it a lot. I don’t often go mudding, but I have buried a machine more than once while working on spring food plots with an ATV using a Ground Hog Max plow.
If you use a winch often, or if you use it for activities that require you to pull a lot of weight, definitely go with a high-quality ATV winch.
How big of a winch do you need? The pulling capacity of an ATV winch is set by how much weight the winch can pull with no resistance other than the weight itself—and that’s not just the weight of your ATV. I argued with this point with my neighbor when he wanted to add an ATV winch to his Polaris Sportsman. “The machine can’t weigh more than 600 pounds,” he said. “Why do I need to buy a 2,500-pound winch?” I told him that it’s not just the weight of the machine that comes into play here. If you’re stuck in mud, you also have to consider the weight of the mud, and the force of the mud’s suction against the machine. The same goes for snow. Plus you have to take gravity into account if an incline is involved.
Here’s a basic guide to how much pulling capacity is adequate for various ATV types:
It is becoming more common for utility ATVs, like Polaris Sportsman models, to come with a 3,500-pound winch from the factory.
This is a result of customer feedback, as more people realize that bigger can be better, and if the prices are close, it never hurts to get a bigger winch.
Winches come with either a synthetic rope or a steel cable, and there are pros and cons to each.
Synthetic Rope Pros:
Synthetic Rope Cons:
Steel cable Pros:
Steel Cable Cons:
The old rule when picking how big of an ATV winch you need was that you went by multiplying the weight of your ATV by 1.
5. However, most manufacturers are now going closer to doubling the weight of your machine as a minimum. Remember, the winch will only pull the rated weight when there is nothing acting against that weight, so think of it as a 1,500-pound winch pulling 1,500 pounds of weight with nothing acting against that weight. Since that is never the case, you need a winch that is capable of pulling more than the weight of the ATV.
The conversation of who makes the best ATV winch will always start and end with one brand name – Warn. Warn winches are simply the best because no one has been in the business of making the highest quality winches longer than Warn has. They are pricey, but they are also worth the cost due to longevity and quality.
Q: How can I increase the pulling capacity of my ATV winch?There is really only one way to increase the capability of your winch, and that is with a snatch block. A snatch block is a pulley through which you run your winch line and run the hook end of your winch back to your machine.
You then attach the snatch block to a stationary object, or to whatever you want to move with the ATV. By adding the pulley, you are effectively doubling your pulling capability. This is why it is always a good idea to have a tow strap and snatch block as part of your reliable off-roading gear. A 2,500-pound winch might not get you out of the mud, but 5,000 pounds of pulling capability might.
Yes, a 2,500-pound capacity winch should be plenty big enough for your ATV. That’s enough pulling capacity to cover any ATV currently on the market. Can you go bigger? Sure, and you can even go smaller, although I would not recommend going smaller than 1,500 pounds.
Q: How do I know what winches will fit my ATV?Most ATV winches use a general mount, but most ATVs require a winch-mounting plate to attach the winch to the machine. Be sure to check what type of plate your specific ATV requires, and never wing it when it comes to mounting.
That can cause damage to both the winch and the ATV.
An ATV winch is really a simple tool in that it pulls line back onto a spool using gearing that helps create pulling power. The differences between a bad ATV winch and the best ATV winches are small, but extremely important. It isn’t about the most power, or the highest cost. It is all about doing the job repeatedly and effectively every time you call upon the winch to do so. The winches on this list will do that.
I consider an ATV winch to be an important part of the machine, and I have one on every machine I own, with the exception of a go-fast sport machine that I kept from my youth. It may seem intimidating to add a winch to your ATV, but it is doable with a few tools, so time and modest mechanical ability. It is one of the most practical accessories you can add to your ATV.
Recently, the most frequent question from our customers sounds something like this:
- I want to buy a towbar, a protective arc and thresholds of your production, do they need to be made as changes to the vehicle design and what will happen to me if the traffic police stop me?
Let's try to figure out whether it is necessary or not?
The only document confirming the vehicle's compliance with the requirements of the technical regulations of the Customs Union (TR TS 018/2011) "On the safety of wheeled vehicles", adopted by the Decision of the Commission of the Customs Union dated 09.
12.2011 No. 877 (as amended) is "Vehicle Type Approval" (hereinafter - OTTS).
After passing all the tests and checks for compliance with the requirements of TR CU 018/2011, an accredited certification body issues an OTTS for a certain make and model, this document is issued for a certain batch of vehicles indicating the VIN numbers (*********** *001 - **************999) and lists all equipment approved for installation (if not installed when sold by the manufacturer) and use on public roads without a change to vehicle structure. Simply put: everything that is inscribed in a specific OTTS is already allowed for operation on a given batch of cars. nine0003
Example: 2019 Pajero Sport III
On page No. 6 in the appendix we find the interesting list of approved equipment for this type of vehicle:
Based on the information specified in the documents above, the car (included in the batch included in the OTTS) can be used with a tow bar (TSU), side steps, lower protection of the front and rear bumpers.
Naturally, the OTTS does not specify the manufacturer of these structures and it can be anything: the main condition is the presence of a certificate/declaration of conformity for the manufactured products or the presence of a document confirming that there is no need to issue a certificate/declaration of conformity. nine0003
And now, the question is: where can I get a certificate of conformity for a towbar, an arc, thresholds purchased from Pajero Shop? We answer: we do not have a certificate of conformity for products, because we do not mass-produce it, as stated in the officially issued conclusion of VNIIS:
What is the opinion of VNIIS? - A response to a supplier or manufacturer of products about whether the product is subject to mandatory certification or declaration is also referred to as a "rejection letter". This document is drawn up taking into account the requirements of regulatory documents within the framework of the current technical regulations of the Customs Union, and indicates that the products specified in it are not subject to mandatory confirmation of conformity.
nine0003
What is VNIIS? - All-Russian Research Institute of Certification, which determines whether a product needs a certificate / declaration?
Conclusions: in order to understand whether you need to make changes to the vehicle design for the purchased towbar, protective arch and thresholds, you need:
- see what is allowed to put on your car;
- download the OTTS from your car and the conclusion of VNIIS (rejection letter); nine0003
- print out the OTTS and the conclusion of "VNIIS";
- put in the glove compartment of your car and communicate with the traffic police officer in the language of documents, and not in words: it seemed to me a couple there 🤣
PySy: if you are not satisfied with our Exemption letter, then you can download any certificate on Yandex. Pictures and carry it with you 😉
Detailed instructions on how to communicate with traffic police
(original)
A winch is a must when traveling off-road.
It allows you to pull a stuck ATV out of mud, water or deep ruts. Many models of CFMOTO ATVs and ATVs have a winch from the factory, for others it needs to be purchased separately. In this article, we will tell you how the winch works, what to look for when choosing, and also give useful tips on how to use it.
The ATV winch is a drum with a cable. An electric motor is located on one side of the drum, and a gearbox on the other. Rotation from the electric motor to the gearbox transmits a shaft that passes inside the drum. The gears of the planetary mechanism are located in the gearbox. nine0003
Reducer reduces speed and increases traction. The rotation from the gearbox is transmitted to the drum, which winds the cable, creating traction and gradually pulling out the stuck equipment.
One of the key parameters to consider when choosing a winch is traction. It determines the maximum weight of the load that can be torn off the surface.
With each skein of the drum, the winch force decreases.
Thrust is measured in pounds (labeled on winches as lbs), 1 lb = 0.45 kg. The force depends on a number of features: the diameter of the drum, the number of wound turns, the power of the electric motor, as well as the gear ratio of the gearbox.
It is not always necessary to choose the most powerful and fastest winch: the more powerful the mechanism, the more difficult it is to handle. Beginners can harm equipment and even their health - it is not uncommon for a broken cable or a broken hook to cause injury.
Fits ATV cubic capacity:
Steel - cheap and easy. Requires work with gloves, not repairable.
May cause injury if mishandled. nine0003
Synthetic - requires maintenance but is easy to use. It does not "shoot", and if the cable is damaged or torn, it can be braided on the spot.
Most experts believe that material choice should be based on personal preference: some riders lean towards steel over time, others towards synthetics.
The winch is installed on a special platform on the ATV frame. If there is no platform, you need to buy it and install it according to the instructions. The site has standard anchor points that fit classic winches up to 3,500 feet of pull. nine0003
When choosing a winch, pay attention to the width of the drum:
With certain skills, you can modify the fasteners and install almost any winch - the main thing is not to make the fasteners “to break” and not to strengthen weak points. If the ATV is under warranty, it is advisable not to touch the frame and buy a regular winch. nine0003
Installing the winch is easy, but the connection will have to be tricky. To lay the wiring, it is advisable to remove the plastic from the ATV. The winch must be connected to the control unit and battery. It is recommended to keep the power cable as short as possible to avoid current loss. All wires must be hidden in the corrugation so that they do not come into contact with the frame and are protected from moisture.
