X-BULL Electric Winch 12V 3000LBS Synthetic Rope Wireless remote ATV UTV Boat Trailer

A 3,000 lb winch will not drag a laden ute out of a bog, but it will free a stuck quad, pull a boat up onto its trailer, or shift a log off a fire trail. Working out which job you have is most of the buying decision. X-BULL rates this 12 V unit at 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) single-line pull.

What 9.2 metres of line means in practice

The rope measures 5.4 mm by 9.2 metres. That reaches a tree a short way off the track and not much further, which makes a tree trunk protector and a snatch block the two accessories that turn this into a usable winch in real terrain. Doubling the line back through a block also reduces the load the drum sees. Worth thinking about the anchor before you drive in, because the easiest recovery is always the one where you can still reverse toward something solid.

Three planetary stages on a small drum

Small winches get their reputation for burning out by being asked to do long pulls with the motor doing all the work. Three planetary stages cut motor speed across three sets of gears before it reaches the drum, so the 1.5 hp permanent-magnet motor spins fast and easy while the drum turns slowly and hard. Duty cycle is still 5 per cent, which is 45 seconds at maximum rated load followed by more than fourteen minutes of rest. Work in stages and keep the engine running while you pull.

Key features

• Three-stage planetary reduction: gearing does the work so the motor is not asked to hold load electrically.
• 5.4 mm synthetic rope, 9.2 m: light to carry to an anchor and easy to re-spool by hand.
• Automatic mechanical brake: the drum holds when the switch is released, so the load does not creep back.
• Wireless and wired control: a wireless remote plus a corded handheld switch, both supplied.
• Aluminium hawse fairlead: the correct fairlead for synthetic rope, included.
• Uprated relay: X-BULL fits a heavier relay in the control box, the component that carries the switching current.

Specifications

• Rated single-line pull: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg). Quoted by X-BULL as a rated pull; the drum layer is not stated.
• Synthetic rope: 5.4 mm x 9.2 m
• Motor: 12 V DC, 1.5 hp permanent magnet
• Gear train: three-stage planetary
• Brake: automatic mechanical load holding
• Duty cycle: 5 per cent (45 seconds at maximum rated load, then 14 minutes 15 seconds rest)
• Pendant controller: wired, 3.7 m
• Handlebar controller: wired, 2.4 m
• Hook: 1/4 in clevis
• Fairlead: aluminium hawse
• Certification, as stated by the supplier: CE
• Application, as stated by the supplier: ATV, UTV, boat

What's in the box

• 3,000 lb winch
• Aluminium hawse fairlead
• Clevis hook with safety clip and marker tab
• Handheld switch
• Wireless remote
• Control box
• Winch lanyards
• Set of stainless steel fitting bolts
• User manual

Safe winching, every time

• Check the rope over its whole length before you load it, and stop using it once you find cuts, glazing or heavy abrasion.
• A dampener always goes across the loaded rope, positioned near the middle of the span.
• Move bystanders out of line with the pull and out of the area the rope could reach, then keep them there until tension is off.
• The anchor and the vehicle attachment must both be rated recovery points. A tow ball, tow bar tongue or bumper is not.
• Straps are never joined to each other with a shackle.

No weight or overall dimensions are published for this model, so measure your mounting space before ordering.