What Kind of Winch Do You Need For Your ATV, UTV or Side By Side?

Everything You Need To Know About ATV and UTV Winches

We often don't think too much about winches when we're building out our ATVs or UTVs, but every so often you'll run into a situation where you absolutely need one, whether you're stuck in the mud or you're trying to help out a buddy who forgot to bring his winching system along.

So, today we want to run through everything you need to know about winches - we'll be showing you the size you might need, the type of rope you'll need, the recommended weight of the vehicle you'll be winching, and some ins and outs here and there that can help you in your search. With this, you'll be a little bit more informed and know exactly what you're looking for when you go to buy your next winch!

Table Of Contents

-What To Look For When Buying A Winch

-Best Winch Sizes For Your ATV or UTV

-What Rope Type Should You Run On Your Winch?

Check Out All Winches In Our Store!

What To Look For When Buying A Winch

Winching is something that we hear a lot about and see a lot when we're out on the trails, but we always dread the need to do it. With that said, the time will come when you're likely gonna need and wish that you had a winch. When it comes to choosing a winch, there are a lot of great brands that you can go with - you've got WARN, KFI, and Rough Country, all of which make great winches.

In terms of sizing your winch, the off-road community has always stood behind the "One and a half times the vehicle weight" rule. That works pretty well when you're in a Jeep or Tacoma, where they already weigh a lot, but when it comes to things like ATVs or side by sides that start at like 500 pounds, a 750-pound winch might not cut it. So, the guys at WARN Industries put together a little cheat sheet for us so that you can figure out, based off your CCs, what size winch you should be going with.

Best Winch Sizes For Your ATV or UTV

1500 Pound Winch

If you're riding a 300cc or smaller ATV, you should be good with a 1500-pound winch. LIke we just talked about, a 300cc ATV is probably pretty lightweight, but that 1500 pound rating gives you that extra security and insurance. It's probably a little more than one and a half times, but that's still more than enough for an entry level winch.

2500 Pound Winch

On the flip side, if you're at 300cc or above, and you're still on a medium-sized ATV, you should probably go with a 2500 pound winch. Again, this might feel like overkill, but safer is better when it comes to these winches. Having that little bit of extra weight clearance is essential when it comes time to pull stuff out or pull yourself out when you're buried in the mud.

3500 Pound Winch

Next up on the list is more of a dual purpose. A 3000-pound winch is gonna be good for larger ATVs, usually around 1100 pounds, as its capabilities are right around that sweet spot. 3000 pounds is also the properly-sized winch for a Polaris RZR, for context. These winches can pull out a side by side or a heavier UTV, and the extra weight clearance is important because as you get stuck deeper into the mud, more of it accumulates around your tires and can add some significant weight to the machine, so having more weight in your winch is a great option to getting anything unstuck more easily.

4000 Pound Winch

Last up is a 4000-pound or greater winch. This is for bigger UTVs, really - it's a side-by-side winch that you're gonna need if you're getting buried in mud. If you're a mud guy that just likes to absolutely bury your machine, this gives you that extra insurance you're gonna need to get out of anything. Also, if your setup is massive, with larger wheels and tires, cages, add-on accessories and more, this might be the only winch size that can work best for you.

Read More: What Should You Bring Along With You For ATV and UTV Riding?

What Rope Type Should You Run On Your Winch?

Now we get into a bit easier of an option to pick from for your winch - what kind of rope should you run? You really have two options here, as you can go with a wire rope or synthetic rope, both of which have their own advantages.

Wire ropes are typically made out of galvanized steel - they're extremely durable, but they do have the tendency to fray or corrode over time, which can be a problem if you're handling them without gloves. However, these ropes are able to withstand a ton of abuse, like pulling logs off a trail or anything like that.

What we've seen more recently, though, is that a lot of guys are switching to synthetic rope. Synthetic rope is said to be about 25 to 40 percent stronger than wire rope, and it's also a little bit lighter of an option. It's not as durable if you're gonna be doing a lot of utility towing or winching, but if you're winching vehicles, this is the rope type you'll want to go with.

Read More: What Are The Best Performance Mods For Your ATV or UTV?

Shop Aftermarket ATV, UTV and SXS Winches at Function Powersports

Now that you know what winch size you should go with for your ATV, UTV or SXS, you should also know that we have winches in every size in our store right now, from top brands like WARN, KFI, and Rough Country. Check out our inventory, let us know if you have any questions, and we'll get you set up with the best winch for your machine!