A Guide on the Best Winch for Side by Side
If you are thinking to get a side-by-side winch for your motor vehicle, you have stumbled upon the ultimate best winch for a side-by-side on the web. 
It doesn’t matter what you are pulling, these winches are monsters that are up for almost any task at hand. They are great for off-roading, logging, boating, aiding another vehicle, and much more.
In our list, we have included winches for different tasks and purposes, for lighter and heavier pulling, the best UTV winch for the money, and we tried to cover mounting options that will suit most of the vehicles, especially UTV vehicles, ATV vehicles, jeeps, trucks, etc. These handy devices will be of great use in forests, off-road, as well as at the household, ranches, ranges, and other places where a good pull is needed.
Top 3 Best Winch for UTV
| winches | FEATURES | DETAILS |
|---|---|---|
 Champion Power Equipment | Line Pull:4500 lbs. Motor:1.6 HP Gear Ratio:180:1 Rope:Galvanized Steel Weight:19.7 lbs. | PriceDetail review |
 AC-DK WDEW4500 Winch Kit | Line Pull:4500 lbs. Motor:1.3 HP Gear Ratio:166:1 Rope:Steel Wire Weight:28.6 lbs. | PriceDetail review |
 FIERYRED Electric Winch Kits | Line Pull:4500 lbs. Motor:1.9 HP Gear Ratio:153:1 Rope:Synthetic Rope Weight:23.5 lbs. | PriceDetail review |
Top Rated 6 Side by Side Winch Reviews
What is the biggest challenge for a buyer these days? While you think about it, notice how many options today’s market offers to a buyer regardless of what he is thinking to purchase. That’s why reading buying guides or reviews is important if you want detailed insights on your purchase.
To make it easier for you, “we have compiled a list of six best side by side winch for the money” for your better judgment. Here it goes…
1Champion Power Equipment 14560 Wireless Winch Kit
- Line Pull: 4500 lbs.
- Rope: Galvanized Steel
- Weight: 19.7 lbs.
Champion was the best to manage to scale the power of their winches. In this article, we present the 4500lbs winch which we regard as the best side by side UTV winch on the market. Note that there are other products with greater and lesser power you can purchase according to your needs. The Champion winches come with an antenna linked to the remote control. You can also install a rocker handlebar by which you can operate the device.
A cool thing about 14560 is that is tomes with a roller fairlead which effectively coils and uncoils the aircraft-grade cable capable of withstanding wears of rough terrain as well as heavy-duty strain forces. The motor for the 4500lbs model has 1.3 hp and is powered by DC, so it can be connected to a car battery. It’s made to work extremely well with ATV and UTV vehicles.
- 4500lbs rating
- 4.6 feet per minute fully loaded pull speed/ 12.8ft when not loaded
- Comes with a remote control switch and mini-rocker handlebar switch
- Aircraft-grade cable, super-strong and durable
- Roller fairlead
2AC-DK WDEW4500 Winch Kit for Towing ATV/UTV Off-Road Trailer
- Line Pull: 4500 lbs.
- Rope: Steel Wire
- Weight: 28.6 lbs.
AC-DK winch has everything a great winch has. It’s got the power to pull up to 4500lbs of mass. It’s got a DC-power connection so you can hook it up on your 12V car battery. The AC-DK winch is equipped with a 3-stage gear train (planetary) for different speeds and pulls, and a safety feature in form of a circuit breaker. It is also weather-sealed with IP67-tier water resistance.
It’s equipped with a synthetic rope led by an aluminum fairlead to prevent it from winding the wrong way. This product comes not with one, but two wireless remote controllers that will precisely tell the machine what to do. The control over the winch is amazing given the high speed and sensitivity of the circuit. The AC-DK winch is equipped with a uniquely designed clutch break. This makes it one of the best side x side winches for delicate work out there.
- 4500lbs rating
- Synthetic rope
- 3-stage planetary gear system
- Weather-sealed
- Two remote controls
3FIERYRED S-WIN4500-ROPE-UFA Electric Winch Kits for side x side
- Line Pull: 4500 lbs.
- Rope: Synthetic Rope
- Weight: 23.5 lbs.
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The planetary gear differential in the Fieryred winch creates a 1:153 strength ratio that allows the winch an outstanding pulling strength. For this reason, we announce our strong opinion that the Fieryred winch is the best winch for UTV, and here’s why. The device fits snuggly into any UTV’s front winch socket and it matches most vehicles’ colors with its matte finish.
The synthetic rope capable of withstanding up to 23800 pounds is more than enough for a great pulling experience. This product also comes with two remote controls with a 25-meter radius signal, more than enough for any kind of off-road pull and tug. The engine is sealed and along with the rest of the construction provides a rain-tear water-resistant product. The winch comes with a forged steel hook and an alloy fairlead designed for enduring hard work.
- 4500lbs rating
- 23000lbs+ synthetic rope
- Rain-proof casing
- Two remote controls, 25-meter radius
- Forged steel hook
4ZEAK Advanced Electric Winch Off-Roading
- Line Pull: 5500 lbs.
- Rope: Galvanized Steel Rope
- Weight: 36.4 lbs.
So far we’ve been reviewing winches with the 4,5k-pound grade, and now we’ll detour to higher tiers. Zeak Advanced winch has a 5500lbs rating which makes it much stronger. With the power it can take, it seems to us the best side-by-side winch for the money.
It holds a 50ft long galvanized steel rope capable of withstanding tremendous strain. The motor packs a 1.6hp powered by a 12V battery. The most fun thing about this winch is that it contains one of the best fairleads on the market – a four-way fairlead. The downside to it is that it comes with a corded remote control, but there is no wireless remote. Nevertheless, its safety measures including circuit breaker, rain, and moisture-proof casing, and very strong dynamic break make it safe and easy enough to use with pleasure.
- 5500lbs rating
- Galvanized rope, 50 feet
- 1.6 horsepower motor
- Three-stage planetoid differential
- Corded control
5X-BULL Electric Winch for Towing
- Line Pull: 4500 lbs.
- Rope: Synthetic Rope
- Weight: 23.6 lbs.
X-Bull created a quality winch for which they put an awesome guarantee. The reason for this is the quality engineering and materials put into designing and manufacturing each and every one of these products. They have top-notch durability and provide power no matter the circumstances. There won’t be any need for worrying if the winch is taking damage or corrosion during harsh off-road trips.
IP67-tier resistance provides immunity against mud, rain, and fine dust particles found off-road. The 4500lbs rated motor packs the differential that is powerful yet built for speed, and what’s most important – it realizes automatic breaking. The winch utilizes extra-light synthetic rope that is capable of withstanding tremendous strain, as well as drag, twist, and scratch. To add at the end, we believe that the X-bull winch has one of the coolest-looking remote switches on the market.
- 4500lbs rated
- Wireless remote control and hand control
- Extra-sensitive controller casing
- Extra-light synthetic rope
- Powdered steel hook
6SuperATV Black Winch Kit for Side by Side, Waterproof Seals
- Line Pull: 3500 lbs.
- Rope: Synthetic Rope
- Weight: 30.1 lbs.
SuperATV Black Ops winch kit may not fit every bumper and it may not have the power you’d suspect, but it has durability and reliability like no other winch on the market. The motor is 3500 pounds rated, yet it is one of the best designed DC winch motors on the market. It has a powerful permanent magnet that does not lose its power easily, a 1:166 differential ratio made by an intelligently designed three-stage planetary gear system.
A hawse fairlead is built to stay and gives precision and order when spooling. Unlike many products on the market, the SuperATV Black Ops winch comes with a hook strap which can prove very useful to many. On top of that, it comes with a wireless remote, a rocker mount, and a stopper, among other basic things. Note that some mounts are bought separately in some cases.
- 3500lbs rating
- 50-foot synthetic rope
- 1:166 differential
- Ultra-high-quality materials
- Aluminum hawse fairlead
Also READ: 6 Best Bateries for Electric Winches
Buyers guide
What does it take to be sure you are looking at the best side-by-side winches? Though the details are really hard to grasp, there is a simple list of a couple of features you want to check out the best you can before deciding and purchasing a winch.
Side by Side Use
The first thing is pretty straightforward: will it fit your side by side? It is very good to double-check not only the dimensions of the winch but also the amount available for the particular winch. You can easily find the bumper dimensions and winch recommendations for your side by side in particular, and the winch dimensions and mount specifications are readily available online.
Power or Capacity
Next up is to choose the power or capacity for your winch. The price difference is not that big in some cases so it is best to simply opt for the most powerful winch you can find. A 4500lbs winch is standard and it should cover most side by side. If you choose not to bother with excess power remember the +50% rule or the 1.5x rule. It’s a simple calculation to determine the capacity of a winch – it shouldn’t be lower than 1.5 times the weight of the side by side. Most UTVs and ATVs would require from 3000lbs to 4000lbs winch capacity, but you may want to have at least 500lbs more in your winch just to be sure, for unexpected extra-hard tugging that may occur now and then.
Rope
The rope is the next thing you want to check out. The standard length on the market is about 50 feet, and of course, the more the better. This is especially true with the modern synthetic ropes that are lighter than the traditional steel ropes. The rope should be extremely sturdy to withstand the harsh terrain and excessive tugging over time.
Safety
Safety features should be also included in your winch. Stuff like a quality casing that will protect the delicate mechanism from rain, dirt, and mud, a quality brake system, a fairlead, and so on should be included in the package for the best experience. The spooling speed should matter that much because the rule of thumb for most products is the more speed the less control. Good breaks should make up for this though.
Motor
The best winch for the side x side will also have the best motor and the best electronics. We will cover these two together because they are the most complex for figuring out the quality. A motor should have a good strong magnet and a well-designed differential system. This is hard to figure out on your own if you are not an engineer, but there are user reviews that should tell you if the system works properly and for what it’s worth, for a long time. The similar goes to the electronics – check the reviews of owners and look for smooth, responsive remote switches rather than blunt ones.
FAQs
What’s the best winch for a side by side?
In our opinion, Champion 14560 is the best winch for a side-by-side you can buy. They come in different power ratings, they are easy to mount and connect, and they don’t get damaged by mud, rain, and other adversities while off-road.
What size winch should I get for my side by side?
There are winches created specifically for sideXsides, ATVs and UTVs, and so on. The best way to figure out is to get the measures of your side by side’s bumpers and compare them with side-by-side winches online.
Is a 3500pound winch enough for a Polaris Ranger?
Though 3500 pounds sounds like a whole lot more than the weight of an average UTV like Polaris Ranger, a side-by-side vehicle will be able to utilize the winch that is about 1.5 times as powerful as its weight. The safest winch you can get is probably about 4000lbs, while 3500 will be helpful in some circumstances.
What’s the best winch for a Polaris RZR?
Given the additional weight added to the vehicle, something stronger than 4000lbs is definitely recommended. In our opinion, the Zeak Advanced winch is the best winch for side by side as heavy as Polaris RZR.
Is a 2500 lb winch enough for a UTV?
Even the lightest UTVs would need a winch of about 3000lbs and even more, just to be sure the strength covers most if not all of the scenarios. A 2500lbs winch would have limited capabilities but could work for a lighter UTV.
How do I choose a winch capacity?
Choosing a winch by capacity is more than an easy task. Practically, you won’t be wrong if you get a winch with as high the capacity there is. If you still want to keep it moderate, remember the calculation: a minimum capacity a winch should have is 1.5 times the mass of the vehicle.
Conclusion
So, that was our list and journey to find you the best winch for side by side. It appears that Champion 14560 works more than well for most UTVs and ATVs out there, and will be a reliable winch for any of your endeavors. There are different models you can pick from to meet the strength requirements for your tasks, and the remote control is only going to make using the winch better and faster.
