Tips for Choosing a Winch for Your Jeep or Sport Vehicle
If you take any vehicle off-roading or tend to drive in deep snow, mud, and other such surfaces, you would do well to invest in a good winch. This type of rope can be attached to a nearby tree or large rock or other anchor and help to pull your vehicle out when it's stuck. This can mean added safety for your vehicle and also avoiding bills for calling a tow truck to assist. Note a few tips for choosing a winch for your jeep or other sport vehicle, so you know you get the best one for your needs.
Towing capacity
A winch might be rated according to the weight of a vehicle, but remember that when a vehicle is stuck in snow or mud, it will be giving added resistance to that winch. If you were using the winch just to tow your vehicle along the road, you might buy the same strength as your vehicle's weight; for pulling the vehicle out from being stuck, consider going up to something twice the vehicle's weight to ensure you get a winch that is strong enough to manage.
Synthetic versus wire
A synthetic rope is more lightweight than a wire rope, so it can be easier to pull out of the spool and won't weigh down your vehicle as much as wire. Synthetic is also better for pulling through mud, as the synthetic material will allow the mud to easily slide off the rope.
Wire is stronger and more durable and better for larger and heavier vehicles, and it may not snap as easily when pulling your vehicle out of deep pits and heavy snow. However, it will be heavier, and you may need to work more slowly with wire so that it doesn't get tangled in the spool when you unravel it.
Motor type
Note that winches usually come with a series wound motor, which will be stronger and run cooler than what is called a permanent magnet motor. The magnet motor will be used for lightweight towing and hauling, but the series wound motor is better for pulling a vehicle out of mud and snow and other rough terrain. Because it will operate more coolly, you can also run it longer before you need to stop and let the motor cool. The series wound motor may be more expensive but it can be worth that extra investment for the heavy-duty work it does.