Best Winch for Car Trailer – Top Rated Hauler Winches of 2019

If you have a car trailer, then you know how useful and enjoyable thing it is for you. But, when you have a dead car, then it is not always possible that there are four-five persons around to help you get your car on the trailer. So, you should always be prepared for such situations and get a car hauler winch to make your life a lot easier.

The best car trailer winch will not help you to get your dead vehicle up on the ramp, but also help you to pull your live car straight into the trailer. Due to the tons of products available in the market claiming to be the perfect winch for car trailers, you may get confused about choosing the right product. That’s the reason I created this filtered list of the top-rated hauler winches of the year. Let’s have a look at them.

Best Winch for Car Trailer

1. Superwinch 1145220 4500lbs Terra 45 ATV

Superwinch is the name that you may know already and have heard many times when you search or discuss winches. This steel wire/synthetic rope winch has a maximum capacity of 4500lbs which makes it ideal for the trailers with light to medium-heavy vehicles.

Features of Superwinch 1145220 Terra 45 Car Trailer Winch are:

• It comes with a sealed, copper winded 1.6 hp magnet motor with a dynamic brake and mechanical load holding design to offer more power, better efficiency, and fast cooling.
• The weather-protected circuit breaker, sealed solenoid contactor, heavy duty latched hook, and a 4-way roller fairlead all-together provide reliable and secure performances always
• The steel reinforced drums will stay against the abuse of the synthetic ropes.
• Due to its universal mounting bolt pattern, it will perfectly fit with the four-bolt winch mounting kit of your ATV/UTV.
• The clockable motors help you to rotate the terminals for the perfect fit even in the tight spaces.
• A rubberized remote switch with a 10 feet extension cable allows you to stay at the safe distance while operating the winch on your car trailer.
• There are six different styles of this winch are available to help you choose the right option.
• The company provides a limited lifetime warranty on this product.

In this package, you will get one Terra 45 style winch, one 4-way standard fairlead, color-coated leads, one latched hook with thimble, a 1/4” steel rope of 55’ length, one hand-held rubber remote with a 10’ rubber, one sealed solenoid, one circuit breaker component, one hand-saver strap of 4”, one handlebar switch with an 8’ cable, one set of plastic ties, mounting hardware, and a user manual.

2. Smittybilt 97495 9500Lbs XRC Winch for Car Trailers

Since 1956, the Smittybilt company provides some of the best automobile gears in the market. This high capacity winch is also their top lined product which made its way in this list of the best car hauler winches only because of its super important specs & features. It has a robust design, reliable performance, weather resistant structure, and an affordable price making it popular among worldwide users. It will surely help you to make your car hauling effortlessly without breaking your accounts.

Characteristics of Smittybilt 97495 XRC Winch are:

• It has a 6.6HP amphibious motor with the combination of the 3-stage planetary gear system which makes it the best winch at any place.
• With the IP67 standard waterproof rating, it will deliver state-of-the-art performance in most rugged environments.
• It has a capacity of 9500 pounds which means you can use it for the heavy-duty operations too. You can choose from the 9500 pounds to 17500 pounds capacity of this winch.
• This kit comes with all the required wiring for the installation that means you will not have to purchase anything from anywhere.
• It comes with 5/16” wire rope with the length of 93.5-foot to allow you to operate the winch from a safe distance.
• The tough UV resistant coating, heavy-duty stainless steel hardware, and aluminum crossbar with over-sized design provide a stunning look as well as durability of the lifetime.
• You will get a 5-year electrical warranty and a lifetime mechanical warranty from the company.

In this package, you will get a 9500 lbs capacity heavy-duty winch, a remote control, mounting hardware, and other required wirings. You can take it anywhere as it is one of the most terrific car trailer winches out there.

3. WARN 885000 Corded PullzAll

WARN winches are one of the most sought and used lifting and pulling tools in the world. This 120V PullzAll is the latest addition to the company’s powerful portable winch lineup. It will help you to finish your job faster, more comfortable, and safer compared to the other standard utility winches for car trailers in its category. Its intuitive features and budget price helped it to make it to the third spot in this list.

Offerings of the WARN 885000 PullzAll are:

• This highly durable tool has the capacity of pulling or lifting to 1000-lb which is ideal for your light to medium weight vehicle.
• It has a variable speed control trigger with an LED indicator to help you have a quick and safe operation.
• You can easily remove the obstacle if there is any between your car and the trailer before pulling it in with the help of its easy to use lifting abilities.
• You can quickly change it from the forward to reverse motion with just a push of a button to make the positioning comfortable and convenient.
• It comes with a 7/32” wire rope with a length of 15 feet and an industrial grade rigging hook.
• There are three variants available for this tool which allows you to choose the right option according to your budget.
• The company provides a one-year warranty on the product.

Apart from pulling your car into the trailer, you can also use this variable lifting tool at auto shops, pipe fitting projects, plant/equipment maintenance, garages, construction sites, campings, and much more work needs.

4. Master Lock 2953AT Electric Car Trailer Winch

The portable electric winch from Master Lock will help you to tow your vehicle or pull the load with convenience. Its sturdy design, easy installation process, lightweight design, and an amazingly low price make it the popular choice among the users.

Features of Master Lock 2953AT Electric Winch for Car Trailer are:

• It has a pulling capacity of 2000 pounds and rolling capacity of 5000 pounds that means you can use it to tow your light to medium weight vehicles like cars, boats, trucks, trailers, etc.
• To provide additional safety to the tool, it comes with a galvanized steel cable and hook.
• You can easily mount this 12V DC powered unit to any flat surface or hitch to haul the car or boat.
• If there is an overload in pulling or towing, the winch will automatically shut down to prevent any damage.
• The toggle remote control will allow you to operate the winch from a safe distance and without any difficulty.

In this package, you will get a heavy-duty electric portable winch, one steel mounting plate, one remote control, one hand crank, one 29 feet working steel cable, and a 20 feet power cable.

5. Champion ATV/UTV Wireless Winch Kit

From the Champion Power Equipment, you get a wireless winch package for rescuing the ATV and UTV type vehicles. It comes with all the standard features to make it a reliable and performance-centric winch system for the car trailers. The customer friendly technical support and the double-year warranty adds a bonus to the package.

Characteristics of the Champion Wireless Winch Kit for ATV/UTV are:

• The wireless remote will help you to operate the winch from anywhere in the 50 feet radius.
• It comes with a 1.6HP powerful motor with a capacity of 4500 pounds which provides efficient operation of pulling or towing your vehicle.
• The included 38 feet galvanized heavy-duty cable of the aircraft standard offers reliable working in the toughest terrains.
• It is easy to assemble and install and comes with an automatic braking system to prevent any accidental damage.
• The company provides a 2-year warranty and a lifetime customer support for FREE.

This package includes an ATV/UTV winch, wireless remote, a four-way roller fairlead, a mounting channel, a 15/64” galvanized aircraft cable of 38 feet length, a mounting kit with contactor and mini-rocker handlebar switch, and other standard hardware.

6. WARN 86245 VR8000 Winch

If you want a peace of mind and confidence of work both at the same time, then you can go with the WARN 86245 high-capacity winch. It offers a flawless operation of pulling your car in any terrain condition. This VR series winch will satisfy the needs of both the professional and amateur types of users. Its powerful working and an affordable price are good enough to catch your eyes.

Features of WARN VR8000 86245 Winch are:

• It has an 8000 lbs pulling power which is enough to tow your jeep or light SUV out of the mud or take into the trailer.
• You can mount the removable control pack at the convenient place on your vehicle.
• The smooth 3-stage planetary geartrain delivers durable and reliable operation anytime anywhere.
• It comes with a 12-foot rubberized next-generation remote control which allows you to operate the winch from a safe distance.
• The 100-foot fully synthetic Spydura 3/8” wire with a full radius matte aluminum hawse delivers sturdy and secure operation.
• It has the sliding ring gear clutch and an automatic direct drive cone braking system.
• You can choose from the three available variants of this winch.

Whether you are a professional or a newbie, the WARN VR8000 winch will provide convenient, tough, secure, and reliable operation always. It doesn’t matter which terrain is like mud, snow, or rocks; this winch will help you pull your vehicle out of it.

7. X-BULL 13000 Lbs Electric  Car Trailer Winch

Last but not least, this extremely high capacity electric winch from X-BULL is making its impact on the market. It delivers waterproof and corrosion resistant performance for longer times compared to its competitors. Its rare Dyneema synthetic rope is one of the lightest and most robust cables in the world which delivers secure and reliable working.

Features of X-BULL Electric Winch for Car Trailer are:

• The 13000 Lbs load capacity is enough to pull your SUV, pickup truck, boat, or any other car into the trailer or out of the nasty terrains.
• It comes with a 3-stage planetary gear system which means it can transfer the torque up to three times more than a fixed axis gear winch.
• The automatic load holding braking system will provide a maximum safety during the use.
• It has a free-spooling clutch will helps for a quick wire rope payout. The sealed motor is weather protected to deliver the operation in any environment.
• The Dyneema cable is almost ten times stronger and lighter than steel wire.

In the box, you will get the 13000 lbs electric winch, one set of bolts, one clevis hook, one set of wire cables, an 85.3 feet Dyneema cable, one control box, two wireless remote controllers, one wired remote controller, and a user manual.

Things to consider while buying a winch for car trailers

Quick look

Winch capacity should be equal or greater than the weight of your vehicle
Battery operated (electric) or mechanical (hydraulic) winch
Synthetic rope or steel wire? Length of the cable
Weather-resistant
Warranty

Brief description

The primary thing to keep in mind while buying a winch is its load capacity. Check your vehicle’s weight and then look at what the winch can carry. You should not ignore this factor by any means. Online stores like Amazon allows you to check the year and make of your vehicle to find whether the winch will be suitable for it or not. So, take advantage of that.

You may already know that there are two types of winch available; electric and hydraulic. Electric winches run on a battery (your car’s battery). So, if your battery is not capable enough, then it is better to look for a compatible battery that can work fine for your vehicle as well the winch mounted on it.

The type and length of the cable also matter. The winch rope comes in various diameters, braiding, and thicknesses. Users mostly opt for synthetic ropes, but there is a wide range of other types of cords are available varying in strength, durability, and accuracy. Also, consider the length of the rope. Don’t go for the too long or too short length of the cable then you need. It depends on which type of automobile you are using. You can check with the seller or take help of an expert if you need for picking the right type and length.

Your winch will be facing different outside environmental conditions and a lot of other harsh elements like dust, debris, etc. So, it is needless to say that the winch you choose for your vehicle should withstand against all weather and work in a waterproof manner.

The winch should come with a satisfactory warranty period from the brand. Many people ignore this factor, but it should be kept in mind, especially when you are buying an expensive and high-end unit.

The cable retrieving if not essential, then recommended a feature to consider. The winch should be good enough to get back the housing as quickly as it comes out. It should not be stuck or tangle when the cable gets its way back to the winch cylinder.

Working of a car trailer winch

A winch for car trailer comes with various parts which do specific jobs for a complete pulling or towing operation.

Depending on the capacity of the winch, it comes with a powerful motor to haul your car quickly. It comes with a rope or cable with the length from 40 feet to 100 feet range. A drum wrapped around the rope or cable will rotate when you use the winch. A geartrain comes attached to the drum and takes power from the motor. These pieces attached to a hook or a towing component work together to tow the car on your trailer.

The comparison

Conclusion

Each winch listed in this article is a little bit different than the other. The reason behind that is to provide you an option for your every kind of need. From affordable to costly, basic to heavy-duty, you will have the right choice here according to your budget and vehicle type.

As per my research and testing, I found the Smittybilt 97495 XRC Winch best in the lot with its variable options for load capacity and durable operation. I experimented various terrain and weather conditions, and it delivered the performance as expected.

What are your thoughts? Which winch will you get for your car trailer? Are you using already one? How is it performing? You can share your inputs below.

Thanks.