You know how important it is to carry a winch during your off-roading adventure.
I am NOT here to explain that.
Then why am I writing this review?
Look:
If you don’t take the right winch with you, it will make your life even harder to recover your vehicle at a crucial time.
So, you need to know about any winch before you buy it.
Agreed?
I am here to make your life easy by reviewing some quality Mile Marker winches mentioning the good and bad of each.
You can also read:
By the way, here are some of the best seller winches on Amazon:
[aawp bestseller=”offroad winch” items=”4″ button_text=”Check Price (Amazon)” description_items=”0″]Not to mention, I will cover both the electric and hydraulic winch category Mile Marker is manufacturing.
At the end of the review part, you’ll find a brief introduction of the brand “Mile Marker”. Click the quick navigation box to go to the specific part of the review you are searching for.
At a Glance
1. Mile Marker Electric Winch Reviews
An electric winch usually uses vehicle battery power for the operation.
So, draining the battery is something you may not like.
But on the flip side, an electric winch is more portable and easier to install than a hydraulic winch.
That means, most of the cases you can easily remove the winch from the front and install it to the back and vice versa.
Needless to say, an easy installation process is something you always look for transferring the winch from one vehicle to the other.
So, is electric winch handy for you?
Yes, if you want to use it for your off-roading journey where you may need to use the winch for recovering your vehicle.
Why?
Because recovering your vehicle doesn’t take too much time and power.
So, if your vehicle battery is well charged, you don’t have to worry about draining the battery to zero by the electric winch during the quick recovery process.
Now, let’s get to the review part of three Mile Marker electric winches.
i) Mile Marker SEC15(ES) 15,000lb Truck/SUV Electric Winch Review
Pros
- Powerful but lightweight winch compare to its competitors of the same capacity.
- IP68 rated and 100% submersible.
- Fully sealed and protected from every element.
- Detailed installation and operator’s guide.
- The solenoid is multi mounted. Meaning you can mount it to the side, on top or separate from the winch.
- Remote control plug and sockets have got marine grade connections. As a result, you won’t have to worry about the elements damaging these components.
- Corrosive proof and stainless steel hardware.
- The 12’ cabled remote control works flawlessly.
Cons
- Product packaging is not up to the mark.
- Comes with only a wired remote. But you can buy a plug and play wireless remote from here. Just plug it on top of the solenoid box and start using the wireless remote.
This version of the Mile Marker winch is capable of recovering your Truck/SUV if the loaded weight of the vehicle is anything less than 15000lb.
But hold on!
Let me tell you there is a golden rule of using a winch against the load that your vehicle will carry during the towing process.
Your winch got to have at least 1.5 times more capacity than the weight of the loaded vehicle.
*Loaded vehicle weight = the weight of the vehicle + the weight of any belongings you are carrying in the vehicle.
So, you should use this winch to recover your truck/SUV if the loaded weight of it is equal or below 10000lb. Otherwise, there is a chance that you won’t get the best output from this winch.
I found controlling the towing is as easy as pie because of the 3 stage planetary gear system and automatic load holding brake.
This winch comes with a 79’ high-quality synthetic rope, and it goes through an anodized aluminum hawse fairlead smoothly during the recovery process.
If you are not sure how useful a synthetic rope is, here is a brief explanation.
You can expect the same strength from a synthetic rope like the steel cable. Moreover, the synthetic rope makes the winch lightweight.
It can float underwater and does not cause you a severe injury if it breaks under load.
You just have to check if the synthetic rope has been frayed before you take the winch with you.
However, if you still believe a steel cable is a better option for you, then you can check this winch from Mile Marker. This has got the same capacity, up and downsides. Only the rope is an aircraft steel cable going through a Dacromet coated roller fairlead.
Let’s watch an unboxing video of Mile Marker SEC 15 winch.
ii) Mile Marker SEC12(ES) 12000 lbs Winch Review
Pros
- It’s an IP68 rated winch, like other winches from Mile Marker. IP68 is a little more than waterproof. (More on this later).
- It features a high-quality solenoid, which is submersible too. Furthermore, you can install the solenoid anywhere you want, as it’s a multi-mount unit.
- This unit has clockable gear housing. So, accommodating it to any winch mount or bumper is a relatively easy task.
- You are getting a heavy-duty 100’ aircraft steel cable that goes through a Dacromet coated roller fairlead.
- A 12’ wired remote control comes with the package that lets you control the winching keeping a safe distance from the vehicle.
- It’s moderately priced.
Cons
- Had it come with wireless remote control, it would have been a handy attachment at this price range.
Mile Marker SEC12 is capable of pulling over anything that weighs up to 12000 lbs. So, you can use this winch to recover your truck/jeep without any hassle whatsoever.
*To follow the rule of thumb better keep the weight of your vehicle up to 8000 lbs.
As this SEC12 is also IP68 rated, that means it’s waterproof, dust resistant, mud or snow resistant, submersible (You can immerse it in 1.5 meters of water for about 30 minutes).
Mounting the solenoid will not get you into trouble as you can fit that in various places, including over the motor or tie-bars, etc. So, a multi-mount feature eventually makes it usable with a lot of winch bumpers.
If you are keen on the synthetic rope version, here is the link for you. Expect the same performance from this synthetic rope version. However, this time you will get 92’ synthetic rope, which I believe shouldn’t matter most.
You are getting a free spooling clutch and a 3-stage planetary gear system from both the versions that help to control the towing process, no doubt. An automatic load-holding brake is also there to ensure your safety too.
As a whole, this one is a quality unit for getting your truck/jeep unstuck at an affordable price. The corrosion-free and marine-grade connections keep its users stress free in all weather conditions.
iii) Mile Marker SEC95(ES) 9,500lb Truck/Jeep/SUV Electric Winch Reviews
Pros
- IP68 rated winch hence can be used underwater.
- Major parts of the winch are sealed and protected from elements.
- Comes with submersible multi mounted solenoid. This allows you to mount the solenoid/contactor either to the side, or on top, or at a separate location from the winch.
- The cabled remote control (12’) works perfectly.
- Corrosive proof hardware.
- Marine grade remote control and socket connectors. Meaning the connections are also waterproof.
- Powerful yet lightweight winch.
- Comprehensive pictorial instruction guide.
Cons
- You will get only the wired remote control with this kit. This is a downside for wireless remote lovers. But you can buy a simple yet effective plug and play wireless remote from here. It will work with this winch like a charm.
Packaging could have been a bit more up to the standard.
This very Mile Marker winch performs like the previous model of Mile Marker SEC15(ES) that I reviewed except few things like the capacity, length of the rope, gear ratio, and of course motor HP.
This is a 9500 lb winch, so it can pull over anything weighing below or equal 9500 lb.
Having said that, ideally, you will want to keep the loaded weight of your vehicle below or equal 6333lb to get the best performance from it.
This winch comes with a 100’ synthetic rope.
Like the SEC15 model, this model also has got its aircraft cable version for your offering.
The gear ratio of SEC15 was 296:1 but this SEC95 has got 212:1 gear ratio.
What about the motor HP?
The SEC15 has got a 5.5 HP motor whereas the SEC95 has got a 4.8 HP motor.
iv) Mile Marker PE3.5(ES) 3,500 lb ATV/UTV Winch Review
Pros
- Powerful but lightweight winch.
- Comes with a waterproof solenoid.
- Both wired and handlebar mounted remote control is included with the package.
- IP68 rated winch, hence fully submersible.
- Internally sealed with O-ring, as a result, this winch is protected from every element like mud, water, snow.
- Clear pictorial instruction manual.
Cons
- A wireless remote control with the package could have made the towing process smoother in some cases.
This particular electric winch from Mile Marker is made to use dedicatedly for towing ATV/UTVs.
Mile Marker PE3.5 winch is well capable of pulling over your UTV/ATV that is weighing under 3500lb.
Best if the loaded weight of your UTV/ATV remains at 2333lb during the recovery process.
This winch comes with a 50’ synthetic rope and it goes through an aluminum hawse fairlead smoothly during the recovery process.
Similar to the previous two models this one also has got the aircraft steel cable with roller fairlead version of it. Find the aircraft cable version here.
Controlling the towing is an easy process because of the 3 stage planetary gear and automatic load holding brake system.
Overall, I believe this is a good winch for recovering your UTV/ATVs.
2. Mile Marker Hydraulic Winch Reviews
Unlike electric winches, hydraulic winches are made to withstand bigger and longer jobs.
Hydraulic winches don’t require your battery power for the operation.
If you use the hydraulic winches to recover vehicles, it will use the vehicle’s power steering system for the operation.
It beats the electric winches in terms of power, durability, efficiency.
However, installing a hydraulic winch requires more components than an electric winch.
So, if you are looking for a winch that will do hard jobs for a longer period but won’t get overheated, you should go for a hydraulic winch.
i) Mile Marker HI-Series 10,500lb Hydraulic Winch Review
Pros
- A heavy-duty and durable winch.
- Powerful winch to withstand a big job efficiently.
- This winch can be mounted to both the front and back of the vehicle as a detachable or permanent system.
- This is a hydraulic winch hence it doesn’t drain the battery for powering it up.
- Completely protected from elements like water, mud, snow and can be used underwater.
- Corrosion-resistant hardware.
- 12’ cabled remote control works smoothly.
- This winch is independent of the solenoid control valve.
Cons
- Operates a bit slow.
- You need to buy a 34 series adapter kit based on your vehicle.
I must say, the Mile Marker HI-Series 10500 lb winch is a super heavy-duty winch capable of pull over anything weighing below or equal 10500 lb.
But you know the basic principle, right?
As per the basic principle, you will get the best performance if you use this winch to pull over your vehicle or any other object that is weighing under or equal 7000 lb.
As this is a hydraulic winch, so you don’t have to worry about battery draining during the operation.
Not to mention, this particular winch uses the vehicle’s power steering system to get the power.
If you are not using the winch for your vehicle recovery but pulling something else, remember you need a hydraulic pump to operate this winch.
This very Mile Marker winch comes with a heavy-duty 100’ steel cable that goes through a roller fairlead smoothly.
I found controlling the winching process is smooth due to the planetary gear, mechanical brake, free spooling feature.
Overall, I recommend this winch as this is well capable of meeting your expectation and won’t cost you a fortune.
ii) Mile Marker HI Series 9,000 lb Hydraulic Winch Review
Pros
- A long-lasting and powerful winch.
- This winch also can be mounted to both the front and back of your vehicle as a permanent or detachable system.
- It doesn’t drain the battery during the recovering process.
- Comes with a 12’ handheld remote and it works flawlessly.
- You can use this winch underwater as this winch has got all the element-proof build.
- Independent from the solenoid control valve.
- Corrosion-resistant hardware.
Cons
- You need a 34 series valve adapter kit specific to your vehicle.
This is a perfect winch to pull over any weight up to 9000 lb, ideally 6000 lb.
Because the winch got to have at least 1.5 times more capacity than the weight it is going to pull over.
Other than that, this winch performs similar to the previous winch ( 10500 lb capacity ) that I reviewed right before this winch review.
A Brief Introduction of Mile Marker Brand
Mile Marker as a brand has been doing business for more than thirty years now.
When it is about winch, what I like most about their product is the waterproofing features they offer for their winches.
They consider sealing the major components and protecting the components from every element like water, mud, and snow.
Besides winches, they also manufacture different winch accessories, recovery gears, jeep accessories, winch replacement parts, hubs, and different mounts for vehicles.
Their customer support has improved a lot these days.
Altogether, after researching this company, I must say they know the business quite well. You won’t regret buying their product for sure.
Bottom Line
Have I kept my promise?
I promised you to provide a useful guideline on different Mile Marker winches mentioning their upsides and downsides.
I did exactly that.
On top of it, I also gave a glimpse of an idea on both electric and hydraulic winch.
Did you find this article useful? Comment below and share the love.
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