How strong of an electric winch?

[RECHRGD]

is needed to pull my 4000 lb. Charger up the ramps on a car trailer?  I want to get a 12 volt unit to mount on my trailer.  I doubt that a 4000 lb. rating would be required just to tug it up and down the ramps.  I'm not sure though and they seem to be available anywhere from 2000lb. to 6000lb. in the store I was looking in.  Thanks, Bob

[John_Kunkel]

There are a lot of factors influencing winch capacity but the most basic is the angle of the ramp you're pulling the car up; IIRC, at around 6° the winch capacity is cut in half so you'd need an 8000 lb. winch to pull a 4000 lb. car up a 6° ramp.

Of course, use of a snatch block doubles the winch power but cuts the pull speed in half.

[Daytona R/T SE]

I've got a 4500 lb Superwinch on my car trailer.

I've pulled my '71 Imperial up onto the trailer with it.

No problem 

[BigRed66]

Of course, use of a snatch block doubles the wench power but cuts the pull speed in half.

Snatch block? I thought that's what you called the ugly girlfriend at the club...hmmm..

[RECHRGD]

There are a lot of factors influencing winch capacity but the most basic is the angle of the ramp you're pulling the car up; IIRC, at around 6° the winch capacity is cut in half so you'd need an 8000 lb. winch to pull a 4000 lb. car up a 6° ramp.

Of course, use of a snatch block doubles the winch power but cuts the pull speed in half.

Now that just blows me away!  My simple mind would think that if a winch is rated at 4000 lbs., it should be able to be mounted in a tree and pull a 4000 lb. weight straight up in the air.  So if I want to pull a 4000 lb. car on wheels up a slight grade the weight of the car doubles?  I know that I've pushed cars slightly uphill in the past with my 200 lb. human body.  However physics class was over 40 years ago and I probably didn't get an 'A'.      Bob

[Troy]

Depends on how the winch is rated and what you're using it for. Pulling a 4,000 pound 4x4 out of 3' of mud requires a much different winch than pulling a 4,000 pound car with fully aired tires into an enclosed trailer. Ever watched two guys push a non-running car onto a trailer? The "line pull" is basically how much tension is required to move whatever object you're attached to. Some winches are rated by the amount of dead weight they can lift straight up while others are already compensated for pulling/sliding the weight horizontally. Obviously a rolling object on a smooth surface has minimal friction. I don't know of too many winches that are rated by rolling weight - although they may have a chart.

Handy trailer winch chart from SuperWinch:
http://www.superwinch.com/Trailer_Winch_Selection.html
This shows that a 1,000 pond winch can pull a 5,000 pound car up a 10% grade.

Now, compare that to the 4x4 chart:
http://www.superwinch.com/4x4_Winch.html
This shows that you need a 7,500 pound winch to "unstick" a 5,000 pound 4x4.

Ah, physics:
http://www.thern.com/basics.php?loc=main&section=3

Troy

[RECHRGD]

Depends on how the winch is rated and what you're using it for. Pulling a 4,000 pound 4x4 out of 3' of mud requires a much different winch than pulling a 4,000 pound car with fully aired tires into an enclosed trailer. Ever watched two guys push a non-running car onto a trailer? The "line pull" is basically how much tension is required to move whatever object you're attached to. Some winches are rated by the amount of dead weight they can lift straight up while others are already compensated for pulling/sliding the weight horizontally. Obviously a rolling object on a smooth surface has minimal friction. I don't know of too many winches that are rated by rolling weight - although they may have a chart.

Handy trailer winch chart from SuperWinch:
http://www.superwinch.com/Trailer_Winch_Selection.html
This shows that a 1,000 pond winch can pull a 5,000 pound car up a 10% grade.

Now, compare that to the 4x4 chart:
http://www.superwinch.com/4x4_Winch.html
This shows that you need a 7,500 pound winch to "unstick" a 5,000 pound 4x4.

Ah, physics:
http://www.thern.com/basics.php?loc=main&section=3

Troy

Thanks Troy!  Good information in that link.  I think a 3000 lb. rated trailer unit will more than meet my needs.  Bob

[Charger_Fan]

I agree, a 3,000lb winch would probably be just about right for most situations. When I picked up my yellow '70, the rear brakes were frozen & pushing it onto the trailer was out of the question. The guy had a 2,000lb Warn winch on his 4-wheeler & said he should give it a try. I didn't think it would do it, but sure enough, it pulled the car onto the trailer...dragging the rear wheels the whole way!
The car was minus the drivetrain & interior, so it was a bit lighter than normal & the winch was working hard (about maxed out), but I was still impressed.

[Finn]

pizza for friends will probably be cheaper lol 

[rt green]

i would probably get the biggest one for the money you want to spend. you never know what you'll end up asking it to do. who knows, you might find other jobs around the place for it to do. then there's resale when your ready to sell.

[Charger_Fan]

i would probably get the biggest one for the money you want to spend. you never know what you'll end up asking it to do. who knows, you might find other jobs around the place for it to do. then there's resale when your ready to sell.

Good point.