Choosing a winch: capacity, rope and mounting
The 1.5x rule, and why rope choice matters more than most people think.
The usual rule is to pick a winch rated at least 1.5 times the gross vehicle weight of the loaded truck. Gross weight, not kerb weight, and loaded means with fuel, gear and passengers.
Synthetic rope is lighter, safer when it fails and easier to handle, but it degrades under UV and abrasion and needs inspection. Steel is cheaper and tougher against rock abrasion, but stores far more energy and is dangerous when it snaps.
Mounting matters as much as capacity. A winch is only as strong as the bumper and chassis mounts behind it, so check the mount rating before you size up.
More guides
Forged vs cast vs flow-formed
Which process actually matters, and what you are paying for.
How to measure a bolt pattern
Getting this wrong is the most common ordering mistake.
Understanding offset and backspacing
Why ET decides whether the wheel rubs.
Choosing skid plates: aluminium or steel
Weight, cost and what actually protects.
Roof tents: how to work out if your roof takes one
Dynamic vs static load, and why the number on the rack is not the number that matters.
Do differential covers actually do anything?
Separating the real benefits from the marketing.
Load rating: the number to actually check
The spec that decides whether a wheel is safe on your vehicle.