Frequently Asked Questions

Choose the Right Winch and Install it properly.  First choose an installation site accessible to you. Align an unobstructed path to the car that you are loading. Prevent any metal-to-metal contact with the wire rope. Mount the winch close enough to the trailer’s front to pull the vehicle completely on. If it’s mounted under something, such as a toolbox, leave enough space to access the winch.  See Below for Trailer Tips.  Consider a pulley block. With a hook for mounting and a pulley for the wire rope, a pulley block lets you offset the winch but retain a straight shot. A pulley block can also be used to nearly double the winch’s capacity by simply attaching the pulley block’s hook directly to the load and the winch’s hook to a sturdy mount near the winch.  Wire it right.  A trailer wiring kit, like the kind available from Superwinch, makes it easy to get power for the winch from the tow vehicle’s battery.  To maintain electrical performance from the battery to the winch, we recommend dropping 3 wire sizes for every doubling of the length of the standard wire harness. Example: No. 6 to No. 3 or 2 gauge. A quick disconnect plug for the truck comes prewired with a negative lead. Simply install the special terminal to the positive side of the quick disconnect and position the plug at the rear of the truck, perhaps under the bumper.  If your tow vehicle isn’t equipped with a towing package that includes a dual-wire ground setup, Superwinch recommends installing the negative battery terminal strap provided with their winches. Take care that your wiring has fully secured leads which are clear of hot or moving parts.
Know Your Rolling Weight: For safe and sure loading, Superwinch recommends following the car and trailer load chart below. Find the column that matches your percentage of slope or grade. Determine the slope by dividing the amount of your ramp’s rise by the ramp’s length. Match the slope with the nearest weight of your car, always rounding up, and locate the corresponding winch Rated Line Pull (RLP)*. This guide is recommended for average vehicle rolling loads. Some applications may require larger winches than indicated.
Trailer Tips: Accessorize For Safety.  Maximizing winch safety and performance is as simple as attaching the proper accessories. Superwinch offers roller fairleads, recovery straps, gloves, and many more accessories designed for your special needs. * RLP - The weight the winch could pull perpendicular to the ground with a single line on the first layer of wire rope on the drum.

Car Trailers/Rolling Weight

Grade*
Rated Line Pull (RLP)	10%	20%	40%	60%	80%	100%
1,000 lb.	5,025	3,401	2,155	1,664	1,422	1,285
1,500 lb.	7,538	5,102	3,233	2,496	2,134	1,928
2,000 lb.	10,050	6,803	6,347	2,816	2,407	2,175
2,500 lb.	12,563	8,503	5,388	4,160	3,556	3,213
3,000 lb.	15,075	10,251	6,428	4,991	4,268	3,854
3,500 lb.	17,588	11,905	7,543	5,824	4,979	4,499
4,000 lb.	20,100	13,668	8,643	6,655	5,690	5,138
4,500 lb.	22,613	15,306	9,698	7,488	6,401	5,784
5,000 lb.	25,126	17,009	10,776	8,320	7,112	6,427
6,000 lb	30,151	20,408	12,931	9,983	8,535	7,712
9,000 lb.	45,226	30,612	19,397	14,975	12,802	11,568
12,500 lb.	62,812	42,492	26,926	20,825	17,786	16,071
16,500 lb.	82,911	56,089	35,542	27,489	23,478	21,213

To convert lbs. to kg multiply by .4536
*A 10% grade is a rise of one foot in ten feet.
•Winches are not intended as a load securing device.

All ratings are based on the first layer of wire rope on the drum. You could experience a loss of up to 13% pulling capacity per layer of wire rope (see example below).

Example of S5000 and the effect of each layer on Rated Line Pull (RLP) and rolling loads

S5000	RLP	10%	20%	40%	60%	80%	100%
1st Layer	5,000	2,5126	17,009	10,776	8,320	7,112	6,427
2nd Layer	4,231	24,260	14,390	9,118	7,040	6,018	5,438
3rd Layer	3,667	18,424	12,471	7,902	6,101	5,216	4,713
4th Layer	3,236	16,258	11,004	6,972	5,383	4,602	4,159
5th Layer	2,894	16,258	9,846	6,239	4,817	4,118	3,721

Many of our units come standard with 50' of wire rope or more. In some cases this may be a disadvantage. Due to the length of your trailer you may be starting on the 3rd or 4th wrap. Simply shorten the wire rope to your needs. If you can work with 30', then shorten the wire rope and your performance will improve.

NOTE: To maintain electrical performance from the battery to the winch, we recommend dropping 3 wire sizes for every doubling of the length of the standard wire harness.

Example: No. 6 to No. 3 or 3 WG