We all put a lot of trust in our 4×4 winches when pulling ourselves out of a big snotty bog hole or up some gnarly rock steps, but do you actually know what is inside your 12v winch and how it works?

For instance, did you know that all that’s stopping your 4WD rolling down a hill is one tiny brake? It’d fit in the palm of your hand yet we trust it to support the full weight of our trucks. Suppose it pays to know what a good or bad one looks like, doesn’t it?

Everyone talks about the size of the engine in their truck and what lift and tyres they’re running, but not many people talk about what’s going on inside their winch. 4WD winches are just something taken for granted, it’s usually a case of “I have a winch if I get stuck she’ll be right.”

We are going to show you six things that most people might not know about their low mount winch. Things like motor size and ratios or what solenoid is in it and how big the brake is. We will explain why each component of your 4WD winch has an important job to do to assist you with safe recoveries.

The motor in your 12000lb winch is just like a starter motor on steroids. As it is a big 12V electric motor that converts electrical energy into mechanical force through a gear set similar to the reduction gears in your transfer case, this then transfers power to the drum. Most winch motors are a sealed unit to prevent water ingression, but it is always a good idea to apply some sensor safe sealant for extra protection.

The brake on your 4×4 winch is inside the drum and is connected to a hex drive shaft. The brake itself is an inertia set-up that slows the winch on release to prevent free spooling and limit tangles in your cable or rope. The brake set-up in most winches is a similar principle to the drum brakes on a 4WD, where the motion of the drum rolling out throws out brakes shoes creating an inertia resistance to slow the drum from free-spooling and running away.

The solenoid is one of the most important parts on your 12v winch. It is the component that the power cables connect to from the batteries and it also receives the signals from the controller and transfers the signal to the motor to wind in or out. A solenoid is essentially a multi direction relay, as it has the ability to divert power in two directions. There are many different ratings with the solenoids on the market but the most common are the 250Amp and the 500Amp units. Manufacturers couple the solenoid so it goes hand in hand with the motor used, this is due to the fact that the higher power the motor is, the higher amperage solenoid you would want to use.

The majority of electric 4WD winches that get sold these days are low-mount models. The difference between a high-mount and a low-mount is the configuration of the motor to the gearbox and drum. A high-mount means just that, the motor is mounted on the top of the winch and the clutch is external on the side of the winch gearbox. This makes them better to use on a bullbar that is narrow and has the cut out in the middle to accommodate the extra height. So with a low mount, the name says it all again. The motor, clutch and gearbox are all in a row with the drum assembly on a low mount. This makes them a lot wider than the high mount but allows the winch to be concealed in most bullbars. Low mount winches are a more sealed unit than a high mount as everything is inside the body.

All 4WD winches have a gearbox which houses planetary gears similar to your diff. These gears are set up at certain ratios and control the torque and speed of your winch. If you have a winch with a 218:1 one gear set it will be slower and have more torque than a gear set that has a 145:1 ratio. A good example of ratios is; a truck that does winch challenges would run a higher ratio like a 150:1 so it can pull up and over something quicker. These trucks usually run a large winch motor so they can have both torque and line speed. Whereas someone that is travelling with a camper trailer would be better going for a lower ratio like a 218:1 as they have more weight to pull and speed is not a necessity.

Many 12v winches used to run a 10-12mm steel cable, but this used to bind and lock and if left covered in mud and sand would rust and fray causing it to prematurely fail. It was also very tough on the hands of the bloke running the cable up the hill!

Most electric winches now run synthetic rope which is lighter and less likely to bind and definitely won’t rust. One of the advantages that synthetic cable has over rope is that it is more durable than rope and won’t rub through as quickly if it comes in contact with a rock or the ground during a tricky recovery. Rope is significantly lighter and reduces the weight hanging off the front of your 4WD and makes it a lot better for under water recoveries as it floats. It also has a higher breaking point then steel cable does and is much less dangerous to people and 4WDs if it ever breaks under pressure.