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What Is a Wireless Winch?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

A wireless winch is a device often mounted to the front of an off-road vehicle or to the back of a towing vehicle that is used to lift or pull heavy objects. The difference between a wireless winch and other types of winches is the manner in which the unit is controlled: a typical winch will use a handheld controller connected by a cable or wire to the device body, whereas a wireless device will feature a hand controller with no wire or cable. It will instead transmit control signals to the winch using a radio frequency or other communication method.

The size and function of a wireless winch can vary depending on how it is being used, though in most cases, the way in which items are hauled will be quite similar. A long cable is wrapped around a pulley numerous times; this pulley is attached to a motor that can turn the wheel in one direction or the other, depending on which way the user wants the cable to move. When the user activates the motor to turn the pulley in one direction, the cable will be fed out so it can be secured to a solid or heavy object. When the pulley turns in the other direction, the cable is retracted, thereby moving the heavy object or, conversely, pulling the vehicle to which the wireless winch is attached.

Woman holding a book
Woman holding a book

A more traditional winch system requires the user to stand beside the winch unit and plug in a hand controller which is used to activate the pulley. A wireless winch features a controller that does not need to be plugged in; instead, the user is free to move about the vehicle to monitor the progress of the vehicle or the item being moved. The wireless winch system is safer than a wired version as well, since the user is free to move away from the winch system and protect himself or herself from getting caught in the moving pulley or getting injured by the moving vehicle. The user will also be free to operate the winch from inside the vehicle, which can come in handy if the user must also drive the vehicle at the same time.

The cost of a wireless winch system may be higher than that of a wired system, but the price difference will not be too significant. The price will vary more according to the size and weight capacity of the system; the cable will be thicker or thinner according to the weight capacity, and the motor size will vary as well.

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      Woman holding a book