There has always been a debate on which type of winch is better – is it PTO winch or Electric winch? There are numerous forums that ask and discuss the mentioned topic. Though that is the case, nowadays, you would rarely hear it.
Electric winches have stared to dominate the winch industry or market. In fact, this type of winch is easy to find everywhere. All you have to do is click that button, pay for it and surely, you will be able to find it at your front door right away.
PTO winch on the other hand, is a bit more difficult to find on the internet. Though that is the case, do not get discouraged as PTO winches come with some advantages over the electric winches.
What are PTO Winches
PTO winches are not as popular as electric winches but they are faster and it is more reliable. However, they are not your typical vehicle recovery winch. They rely on the car’s transmission for it to run. This means that as long as your engine runs, your PTO will be able to do its job efficiently.
How Do PTO Winches Work?
PTO winches often are used on trucks, tractors and off-road vehicles. The reason behind this is because these vehicles typically have one or more areas where you could mount your PTO winch. This means, before purchasing a PTO winch, it is important that you ensure that your vehicle is compatible to the winch that you are planning to purchase. In fact, PTO winch manufacturers would request for you to submit your car’s specifications before allowing you to purchase one.
Installing PTO winch is a bit more challenging as you will always have to remember that you will have to connect your winch to the gearbox.
A PTO winch is powered by the gearbox which is not directly attached to it. However, a hydraulic system stands in between the winch and the gearbox. The hydraulic systems are tubes filled with hydraulic fluids which runs the winch.
How Much Power Does a PTO Winch Have?
As mentioned earlier, a PTO winch relies on the vehicle’s gearbox to work. Hence, the power of a PTO would depend on how powerful your engine is.
Electric Winches
What Are Electric Winches
Electric winches, as mentioned above, are one of the most common winches in the market. You will not have any difficulties in finding different types of electric winches with different weight capacity. Yes, you will find a lot of electrical winches. They are easy to install too.
How Do Electric Winches Work?
Electric winches are ran by electric motor which is connected to a car’s battery. This means, you will have to start your car which means this type of winch is not made for winding a winch. Hence, you will have to be wary of your battery heating up.
How Much Power Does an Electric Winch Have?
This would depend on the capacity of the winch that you have bought. There are some winches that have 2000 lbs capacity rating and some would have 12000 lbs capacity rating.
Which is Better?
Electric winches are very popular nowadays. They have become reliable and they are no longer prone to overheating as well. They have been developing over the years and has become one of the most trusted winches.
PTO winches on the other hand do not have any developments over the years and are the same as it was before. They are difficult to find and difficult to install. They are a bit on the expensive side as well. Though that is the case, they are very reliable.
