Jeep Winches & Recovery

Self-recovery products are designed to help pull yourself out of trouble, and a winch is the ultimate accessory to make that happen. In fact, most off-road parks and clubs require all vehicles to have a winch installed before they head into the wilderness. But choosing the right winch can get a little complicated as there are different pulling capacities, line types and speeds, and solenoid mountings.

Generally, making sure you have enough winch for the vehicle is as simple as taking your Jeep's Gross Weight rating and multiplying it by 1.5. For example, if your vehicle's GVWR is 5,000 lbs, then an 8,000 lb winch would work, but many prefer either a 9,000 or 9,500 pound winch for the added power, as challenging and hilly terrain can put extra demand on the winch. Some go even higher as there is no detriment to utilizing a higher pulling capacity winch except for the expense.

Another key factor is line type and length. On average, 80-100 feet of line is more than adequate for off-road recovery, as the more line added, the lower the line speed drops. Most winches ship with a wire rope included, which is durable, heat-resistant, and more abrasion-resistant than synthetic line. However, synthetic has become extremely popular recently because it is lighter than wire yet stronger and, in case of breakage, simply drops dead instead of snapping back like wire.

Finally, all winches utilize either an integrated or remote solenoid pack. These are basically the electrical components that help activate the winch and supply the current, so neither the switch nor the motor is damaged. An integrated solenoid pack is usually part of the winch housing, sits above the motor to eliminate extra wiring, and essentially forms a 'bridge' over the winch, effectively protecting it from potential impact damage. A remote solenoid is externally mounted and typically sits to the side to protect against excessive heat from the motor. This way, the winch does not shut off from overheating.

Accessory items such as Hi-Lift jacks, shovels, fire extinguishers, first aid kits and gloves can augment any recovery kits, while different winch mounting kits allow you the ability to attach a winch to either factory or aftermarket bumpers.

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