Best Car Trailer Winches or Hauler Winches Review Guide For 2023-2024

Best Car Trailer Winches or Hauler Winches Review Guide For 2023-2024 – Car trailers are a wonderful thing, but when you’ve got a dead car and you don’t have three or four buddies around to help you get it up the ramp they can seem kind of useless. That’s why you should be looking for the right car hauler winch, which will make your life infinitely easier. Even if the car is live, you’ll be able to pull it straight and make your life a lot easier. Unfortunately, with so many products on the market it can be hard to pick just one. But we’ve got you covered and will help you make an informed decision on this vital piece of hardware.

In this Best Car Trailer Winches or Hauler Winches Review Guide For 2023-2024 are our recommendations for the some of the best car hauler winches on the market today.

The Best Car Hauler Winches: Synthetic Rope vs. Steel Cable:

If you’ve grown up around winches but haven’t been paying attention to the tech for the last few decades then you might not be aware of synthetic rope.

It’s not the nylon stuff that most of us think of when we hear the word rope. Instead, it’s made of polyethylene and it’s extremely strong. In fact, it’s generally rated higher than steel cable of the same diameter which is pretty
impressive overall. It also costs a good deal more, but you’ll see the following advantages over steel cable:

• Less kinking of the line
• Less dangerous if it breaks as it stores less energy when stretched
• More “supple” allowing it to be moved without cable’s signature stiffness
• No anti-rust maintenance needed on the line
• Can be field repaired in a pinch

Of course, steel has its own advantages, including the following:

• Steel is better in rough terrain, which doesn’t matter for a car hauler much but makes a difference for a recovery winch used for off-roading
• More durable overall
• Which you choose to go with is up to you, but if you go with synthetic try to find a way to keep it out of direct sunlight when it’s not in use.

The Rolling Load Factor in Winches:

Since a car hauler winch’s use is much less strenuous than that of a recovery winch, you actually might not need a super high weight rating. That said, you’ll definitely want to ensure that you’re able to at least haul the weight of the car itself because slopes and loose gravel or sand make things weigh more than they’d seem.

Overall, a rolling load generally comes out to around ¼ of the weight of the vehicle in most cases. This is just a general rule of thumb the actual factors are extremely varied and include tire load, terrain, and slope. So just aim to make sure you have at least as much weight as the vehicle you’re planning on hauling.

For the most part, however, as long as you have the capacity to haul your vehicle as dead weight, you’ll be good to go.

WARN 96800 VR8 12V Electric Winch with Steel Cable Rope

You can never go wrong with a Warn. The WARN 96800 VR8 Winch is supremely strong and effective to bear the brand name. It also fits well enough in most Jeeps and trucks that you do not have to worry about installation.

On top of its standard properties and functions as a Jeep winch, this product also has a patented braking design that helps you control your winching.

Product Details:

• Separate control pack for various mounting options
• Durable, smooth, and reliable three-stage planetary gear train
• Series-wound motor for plenty of power and fast line speed
• Low-profile design will fit most trucks, Jeeps, and SUVs
• Exclusive brake design for superior winching control

Pros:

Made of high-quality materials.
Powerful and easy to control.

Cons:

• There are pinching issues with the cable.

Our Thoughts:

The WARN 96800 VR8 Winch is a handy piece of equipment to have especially because it is powerful and easy to control at the same time.

Superwinch 1595200 Tiger Shark

Main out of stainless steel and weather-sealed, the Superwinch Tiger Shark is a reliable winch that is made out of premium materials and is safe from damage that rain or snow can cause. It is also quite strong with a capacity of about 9,500 lbs.

But what really makes it stand out is how ergonomically sound it is. The spool control has a nice grip to it and makes it more comfortable and easy for you to spool the rope in or out. That means that it is quite easy to operate.

Product Details:

• Weather sealed 5.2 HP motor reduces damage from rain, snow and blowing dust
• Weather sealed solenoid (contactor) reduces damage from rain, snow and blowing dust
• Heavy duty 12 feet rubber hand-held remote; field proven design provides effortless switching
• Heavy duty stainless steel roller fairlead; brushed finish endures weather and wire rope abuse
• Ergonomically shaped free-spool control; easy to grip and effortless to operate

Pros:

• Looks high-quality especially with its stainless steel design.
• Has a comfortable and ergonomic spool control

Cons:

• Cable is not the strongest and has a tendency to easily getting damaged.

Our Thoughts:

This has all the standard qualities and functions of a good winch but stands out because of how ergonomic and comfortable its spool control grip is.

Smittybilt X2O COMP – Waterproof Synthetic Rope Winch

The Smittybilt 98510 X20 is one of the best truck winches there is on the market. It has an amazing capacity of 10,000 lbs and is one of the strongest winches there is. On top of that, the synthetic rope was made to be efficient and powerful.

Another property that makes this winch stand out is its IP68 waterproof rating. That means that you can use it in shallow waters and in the middle of the rain.

Product Details:

• Your purchase includes: Smittybilt X20 Comp Synthetic Rope Winch, hawse fairlead with forged hook, All required power cables to hook up to your vehicle, Rope Sleeve and Wireless Remote
• Winch can be operated with the remote or manually
• Technical Specification: 6.6 HP Amphibious motor, 3-Stage Planetary Gear System, Stainless Steel Hardware, Dynamic Braking System, 2 Solenoid Mounting Options
• Lifetime Mechanical Warranty, 5 Year Electrical Warranty
• Overall Dimensions: 22.3″L x 5.4″W x 9.4″ H. Mounting Bolt Pattern: 10” x 4.5”. Net weight: 67lbs.

Pros:

• Very powerful.
• Synthetic rope is strong.
• Completely waterproof.

Cons:

• There are issues with its wireless remote but it isn’t a glaring one.

Our Thoughts:

If you want a strong and waterproof winch, this one fits the bill.

Superwinch 1585202 LP8500 Winch Gen II

The Superwinch LP8500 is a heavy-duty winch that can pull a load of up to 8,500lbs and has a strong steel wire rope that can give you power, strength, and efficiency all in one package.

It fits very well in most trucks and Jeeps and has the versatility that makes sit usable in any condition especially with its water-sealed circuit breaker. While it isn’t exactly waterproof, it still is protected enough from the elements that you don’t have to worry about using it whenever it is raining.

Product Details:

• 12 VDC/4.5 hp weather-sealed series wound motor with a 8,500-lb pull rating
• 94′ of 5/16″ steel wire rope with heavy-duty latched hook and rope thimble and automatic, mechanical load holding braking
• 15′ rubber handheld remote for safe operating distances
• Weather-sealed solenoid and circuit breaker
• Powder-coated hawse fairlead and a free spooling lever action clutch

Pros:

• Just as powerful as any other Jeep winch.
• The steel wire is strong and durable.

Cons:

• The steel cable, though strong, is a bit outdated.

Our Thoughts:

It is a great winch for your money because of its power and versatility.

Superwinch 1145220 Terra 45 ATV & Utility Winch

Efficiently powerful, the Superwinch 1145220 Terra 45 winch is a winch that should be on the top of the list for ATV or UTV users. It is strong enough to pull 4,500 lbs and has all the standard features of a good and efficient utility winch.

Most satisfied customers have come to an agreement that this winch trumps the competition because of its easy installation. It simply fits anywhere and wiring is not as complicated as other utility winches.

Product Details:

• none

Pros:

• Strong for a utility winch.
• Functions efficiently even in the middle of tough weather.
• Easy to install.

Cons:

• Works only for ATVs and UTVs.
• The cable is not very strong.

Our Thoughts:

This Superwinch product is a great choice for utility vehicles because of its efficiency and how easy it is to install.

Conclusion:

Your options are pretty good in the modern world, but there are really only three main factors you need to look at:

• Capacity of the winch should be equal to or greater than the vehicles you want to haul
• Whether you want to go with synthetic rope or steel cable
• What the warranty on the winch looks like
• Once all of that is in order, then you’ll be good to go.

We hope that we’ve helped you decide which is the best car hauler winch for your trailer in this Best Car Trailer Winches or Hauler Winches Review Guide For 2023-2024. Pick one out, get it mounted, and enter a whole new world of convenience. Good luck!