Electric Winch, 5400 kg Load Capacity, 12V DC Truck Winch with Φ9.1 mm x 23 m Synthetic Rope, Wireless & Wired Remote Control, IP55 Waterproof for Towing Off-Road SUV Jeep Trailer Boat

Most winches sit unused for months, then get asked to do everything in one muddy afternoon. What matters on that afternoon is a drum that turns under real load and a remote that connects first time. This one combines a 5.5 HP motor with a deep 265:1 reduction and 23 m of synthetic line.

265 to 1 is a lot of reduction

Reduction ratio is the number that decides how hard a winch pulls for a given motor. At 265:1 the drum turns once for every 265 turns of the armature, and all of that gearing down is torque multiplication. Spread across three planetary stages, the multiplication happens in three smaller steps, so each gear set is under less strain than a single deep reduction would put it. The cost is line speed: a recovery on this winch is a slow business. The benefit is that slow, heavy, sustained pulling is exactly what it is geared to do.

Twenty-three metres on the drum

The rope is 9.1 mm 12-strand synthetic, 23 m long, which the supplier rates against sunlight, wear and breakage. Twenty-three metres is a working length rather than a generous one, so a tree-trunk protector and an extension strap are worth carrying for the times the only solid anchor sits further back than that. The wireless remote reaches about 18 m (59 ft), far enough to stand off to the side of the rope instead of in line with it, and a 3 m (9.8 ft) wired remote is included for when the battery in the handset has gone flat in the glovebox.

What IP55 actually covers

IP55 describes two things: enough sealing to keep dust out of the working parts, and enough to shrug off water sprayed from any angle. Rain, road spray and a hose-down after a beach trip are all inside that. Full immersion is not, so treat a deep crossing as something to protect the winch from rather than test it with. The body is coated alloy, and the coating is what stops salt from a boat ramp finding bare metal.

Key features

• 265:1 reduction: deep gearing that favours steady pulling force over line speed.
• 5.5 HP motor: 12 V, running off the vehicle's own battery and charging system.
• 9.1 mm synthetic rope: 23 m of 12-strand line, lighter over the front axle than steel of the same length.
• Two-remote control: wireless out to about 18 m, plus a wired handset as backup.
• IP55 coated alloy body: sealed against dust and sprayed water.

Specifications

• Rated capacity (product title): 5400 kg
• Rated pull (supplier feature text): 12,000 lbs
• Basis of rating: not stated by the supplier
• Motor: 5.5 HP, 12 V DC
• Gearing: three-stage planetary, 265:1
• Rope: 9.1 mm (0.36 in) 12-strand synthetic, 23 m (75.5 ft)
• Sealing: IP55
• Housing: coated alloy
• Wireless remote range: 59 ft as quoted by the supplier (about 18 m)
• Wired remote lead: 9.8 ft as quoted by the supplier (about 3 m)

What's in the box

• The winch: synthetic rope already wound onto the drum.
• Fairlead: feeds the line through the bar or mounting plate.
• Hook: fitted to the running end.
• Power cables: to run the supply back to the battery.
• Wireless and wired remotes: both controllers, so there is a fallback on the day.

Read this before you winch

• The capacity figures above are the supplier's own, in the supplier's own units, listed separately rather than merged. No conversion, rounding or interpretation has been applied, and the basis of the rating is not given.
• The supplier claims no standard, certification or test rating, so this listing claims none either.
• Rated for recovery pulling. There is no lifting or suspension rating in the supplier's information, so it should not be used as a hoist.
• The supplier describes the mounting as suiting most SUVs, utes and Jeeps. Check your own bolt pattern and confirm the bar, cradle and chassis mounts are rated for winching loads before fitting.
• Keep a damper over the line, stand clear of its arc, and inspect the rope for cuts, glazing and UV degradation before each use.

A reasonable match for a heavier 4WD or a boat-and-trailer setup where the winch needs to be there and working on the day it is finally called on.