How to Operate a Winch

Getting stuck is an adventure. Getting unstuck is even better. At least when you have a winch on your rig. Learning how to operate a winch safely is important for any offroad driver. Although using a winch can be a lot of fun, it can also be dangerous if used improperly.

Winch Controls

Most recovery winches come with either a corded remote or a wireless remote. The remote control allows you to operate the winch from a safe distance or from inside the cab of your vehicle.

Your remote should include a "power in" and "power out" button to control the direction of the cable. If you need to power out a lot of cable, we recommend free spooling to save battery power. On most remotes, the "power in" button will only power the cable when the button is depressed. As soon as you let go of the button, the cable will stop.

If you're winching with a corded remote from inside your vehicle, roll down the window to bring the remote into the cab. Don't pinch the cord in the door or window.

If your recovery winch comes with a corded remote, you can always upgrade the remote with a wireless winch kit later on.

Freespool Clutch

Recovery winches include a clutch or freespool knob that allows you to manually spool out the winch cable. We recommend freespooling cable out to the anchor point rather than powering out.

Make sure the freespool knob or clutch is fully engaged or fully disengaged before using the winch. The winch may not operate correctly if the clutch is not fully in position.