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What Size Winch?

Laurie S.

Laurie S.

Well-Known Member
Staff member
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I'm going to buy the winch for my trailer this week and was wondering what size you guys recommend. Will the 2,000 pound model be sufficient to haul Trouble up into the trailer? This isn't something I'm going to use on a regular basis since I'm quite comfortable driving both cars up into the trailer without help. But, I need to haul Trouble to Phoenix in about 10 days for an install and it's not going to move under its own power unless it's on a downslope.
 
I think that you don't have to buy a heavy duty one when you use some kind of a pulley system that has the intension to reduce the power needed for the same pull effort. HYUWIM ( hope you understand what i mean)
Or if you can make sure the winch can pull in a straight line ,so without a bump or solid ramp , let the trailer stand alone and pull the car into the trailer .When the tires of the car touches the ramps , the trailer rises in the front and you have a straight line to pull the car.Slowly pull the car inside, as the front of the trailer will sink slowly when the weight of the car moves to the front.
Just make sure the trailer can't bent over to the front as your car will roll to the front panel without control.
Make sense ?
 
Seriously, it doesn't take a whole lot to get a rolling car onto a car trailer. I've had to use a come-a-long to get my car onto the trailer when my waterpump bearing exploded down at the track.
 
Yeah, I remember we did that once with Trouble when it was a rolling shell. It's a little heavier now.
 
Since you are not lifting the weight of the car, 2000# should be plenty. Two points of reference:

A coworker has a trailer with a 2000# winch. He uses it for his rock crawling rig. He says it weighs around 3000#, same as our Mustangs.

My boat weighs 3800#, and the trailer came equipped with a 1200# winch. No wheels, so higher friction (you are sliding it), but it works fine.
 
A 2K winch is small, But If you use a snatch block and double the line it should work for your loading into the trailer as a rolling load.
If it has to pull a upward load, Ie ramps or incline. A larger load winch 4-6K would be better.
 
Laurie - 2000# is plenty; review this info:

http://www.superwinch.com/Trailer_Winch_Selection.html

Having said that, I found that when I was shopping and decided I wanted a wired remote button to operate the winch, I could buy a 4000# for very little more money including the features I wanted. It will pull my Mustang with the parking brake on, dragging the back wheels (don't ask how I know).
 
That's a very good article on winches that you linked.

Something from that article to pay attention to:

WINCH INDUSTRY STANDARD Pulling capacity is determined by the load a winch can pull with only the BOTTOM LAYER of rope on the drum.


Having too many windings of cable on a winch is detrimental to the winches ability to operate at full capacity.

I see 4WD rigs running around with 150' of cable on their winches. This much cable will require 6-8 windings on the drum. Anything more than two (2) windings on the drum and you significantly reduce pulling power.

I run less than 50' of cable on my Warn 9000# winch on the front of my Jeep that results in 2.5 windings on the drum. If I need to pull from a greater distance I've got a seperate 100' cable in the back of the Jeep.

What does all of this mean?

After you've installed/positioned the winch in your trailer, pull the cable out the back until it's long enough to connect to your car. Any amount of additional cable still wound on the drum should be cut off of the cable's length.
 
That's a great article, thanks! If I understand this right, I could attach the winch to one D-ring and the pulley block to the other D-ring?
 
"Laurie S." said:
That's a great article, thanks! If I understand this right, I could attach the winch to one D-ring and the pulley block to the other D-ring?
Click to expand...

That set up would work for and off center pull, where the line cannot get a straight pull to the winch head.

For you idea to work correctly, mounting the winch to 1 D ring with the line spooled out thru a pulley block attached to the car and hooked back to the opposite D ring creating a trianglular pull. Basicly making a 2K winch having the pulling poer of a 4K winch in a straight line pull.
 
Okay, got it. I figure that's the only way I can do it because I won't be able to do a straightline pull with the winch attached to one D-ring. BTW, what's the best way to attach the winch to the D-ring?
 
Using a Clevis to attach the winch to the D ring is your safest way and easy to remove.
Just use one that is large enough to handle the load.
 
Something like this should do the trick Laurie... Browse through the local hardware store and something should catch your eye.



020418192104md.jpg
 
Thanks guys! One more question, besides Harbor Freight where else could I buy a winch locally?
 
Basing it for what your wishing to do and get it locally at Harbor,

Item# 91781-4VGA 3k 12v winch with fairlead roller
90476-6VGA mounting plate
66144-1vga Sheeve block with hook

Using a plate under the floor for reinforcing, mount the winch plate in the front of the trailer and your good to go.

Winch with assy $200.00
Battery with box $100.00

Saving your back...... Priceless
 
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