I know most of you are looking for winches that can deliver you top performance and durability but won’t break your bank.
I know you see a lot of good winches on the market, but buying them one by one and testing them for your vehicles doesn’t sound realistic.
Buckle up your seat belt because now I am going to present you with a review guide on top 3 Ironton winches mentioning their upsides and downsides. So, what’s the best part of Ironton winches?
They are super cost-effective, durable and serve their purpose quite well. Ironton winches are distributed by Northern Tools & Equipment.
Let’s see top 3 Ironton winches short comparison first. After that, I will move to the main product review part straight away.
Ironton Winch Comparison Table
Product Image | Product Name | Product Capacity | Product Rating | Product Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 12,000 lbs Capacity | |||
 | 10,000 lbs Capacity | |||
 | 5500 lbs Capacity |
If Ironton winches winches are out of stock when you are reading this article, you can read reviews of similarly priced winches like Superwinch winches/ Smittybilt winches / Orcish winches/ Badland winches
Ironton Winch Review
Our Rating
This winch from Ironton is capable of pulling over your truck weighing equal or below 12000lb.
But as per the basic principle, you should keep the weight of your loaded truck equal or under 8000lb to get the best performance.
Why?
Your winch got to have at least 1.5 times more capacity than the loaded weight of the vehicle.
Are you wondering what the loaded weight of the vehicle is?
The loaded weight = the weight of your truck + weight of anything that your truck is carrying during the recovery process.
I must admire the handy size of the remote control.
I found it super convenient to hold and operate even after wearing gloves. The in-out button size is also perfect to push without any hassle.
The model uses a 12 volt DC, 6 HP series wound motor that is resistant to accumulating heat. This is a great feature because most of the damages a winch sustains comes from either external debris or internal overheating.
Overheating damages the internal functions of the winch. The brakes, the motor, the electricals. It can also increase the damage the cable sustains every use. So a motor that resists overheating is one great motor.
Of course, I haven’t found any technical flaws while operating the remote.
In a nutshell, this is a powerful but inexpensive winch compared to the other truck winches you see on the market. I believe you won’t regret using this.
This model can be used as a vehicle recovery tool or to haul heavy objects or to pull your boat. You can get a lot of use from this winch. It is certainly more than worth its price.
You won’t be able to do winching properly with only a winch. You’ll need some other winch accessories. Check my suggested top winch accessories list, these will make winching job much faster and safer.
- Easy to install.
- Assembling and wiring the different parts is fairly easy as well.
- Powerful winch but quiet.
- Inexpensive compared to similar capacity winches from other popular brands.
- Comes with a 2xG8.ST-M5X14mm solenoid box.
- This winch has a built-in cable tensioner to prevent tangling.
- 3 stage planetary gear, free spooling clutch, and automatic load-holding mechanical brake help you to control the towing properly.
- The 65’ aircraft-grade galvanized steel wire rope excels in quality and performance.
- Comes with a handy wired (12’) remote control.
- IP66 rated. Meaning this winch is resistant to powerful water jets.
- The motor is resistant to getting overheated.
- A wireless remote could have given this Ironton winch an extra dimension to its users.
- The remote control switch is not resistant to powerful water jets. I don’t consider this a big drawback, by the way, but it could have made the product better.
- The instruction manual could have been more pictorial and descriptive.
Our Rating
Are you looking for a quality ATV winch but don’t want to spend too much initially?
If so then I would suggest you go for this particular Ironton 5000lb electric winch.
I found this Ironton winch a well capable one for pulling over ATV/UTVs that are weighing less than 5000 lb.
If the gross weight is less than 3333lb you will get the best and safe performance from the winch without worrying about factors like overheating, or rope breaking under load.
It utilizes a 12 volt DC, 1.5 HP permanent magnet motor. The motor has a low amp draw, which is great for preventing overheating.
I was expecting a handlebar rocker switch along with the 10’ cabled remote control.
But unfortunately, this winch comes with only a 10’ cabled remote control but no handlebar rocker switch. While a remote controller is great and all, a ten foot lead does not seem like much to me.
The 50’ galvanized steel rope going through a 4-way roller fairlead works smoothly without tangling.
In terms of performance, this winch works great. It has an efficient 3 stage planetary gear train, a clutch free spooling cam and an automatic load holding brake. Those make up for a great mechanical job of pulling.
Overall, this is a quality winch for recovering your ATV/UTV during your off-roading adventure. It can also be used to load boats or haul felled trees.
- Beats its competitors in terms of pricing.
- Fairly easy to install.
- The winch is sealed against elements (mud, water) with high-quality water-resistant material.
- Automatic load holding mechanical braking system ensures safety during towing.
- 3 stage planetary gear and free spooling cam action clutch help to control the recovery process efficiently.
- Does not make too much noise during the operation.
- The remote control works flawlessly and the size is convenient to hold it properly and operate.
- If you are a fan of an integrated solenoid, you better avoid this winch as this winch comes with a non-integrated solenoid.
- You won’t get a wireless remote control with this Ironton 5000 lb ATV winch.
Our Rating
This particular winch is powerful but doesn’t make any noise during pulling your disabled vehicle.
Whether you are going to use this winch for pulling your vehicle on to a lift or a frame straightener, it performs well.
But keep in mind, the loaded weight of the vehicle must be below 1500lb better if you can keep it below 1000lb to get the best performance.
The size of the remote control is big enough to operate it smoothly, and it comes with a 9.5’ cable. While that may not grant you enough safe distance, just remember that this is not for really heavy use.9.5 feet seems enough of a distance from an operating winch of this caliber.
This winch is perfect for shop or garage use – again, this is not for heavy duty use.
The model uses a 120 volt AC, 1.3 horsepower motor. The thermal overload protection on it makes the winch a very valuable tool. Just a heads up, though: this winch is not designed for lifting – do not use it as such.
All in all, a nice little winch to pull over your disabled vehicle.
Remember, you must use this winch in dry locations only as this is an IP44 rated winch.
- The motor does not get overheated because of thermal overload protection.
- 2 stage planetary gear and free spooling clutch make your life easy during the towing process by providing a satisfactory level of control.
- Automatic load holding braking system ensures the safety you would expect from your winch.
- Easy to install and use.
- The remote control buttons are super convenient to push.
- This winch is designed for use in dry locations and it should be protected from all the elements (mud, water).
- You won’t get a wireless remote control with this winch. But the wired remote control should be a good enough solution considering the environment you will be using this winch.
- The manual lacks enough pictorial instruction.
A Brief Account About Northern Tools & Equipment
Northern Tools & Equipment is a family-owned company based in Minnesota.
Donald L. Kotula the founder, owner, and CEO of the company opened his first store back in 1981 at Burnsville, MN.
Before opening the store, he along with his family members started the journey from their garage and they were selling only cylinders, valves, and how-to manuals for log splitters.
Later they expanded their product range and introduced other tools, snow plowing parts, water pumps, air compressors, etc.
Now, Donald and his sons Ryan and Wade are managing this company and building and distributing some powerful products including Ironton winches.
After researching this company, I am convinced. They know how the power tools industry works and how to provide good customer support.
Verdict On Ironton Winch Review
In this Ironton winch review, I reviewed three winches having different capacities and configurations.
I’m sure you hate pouring your money down the drain. So knowing different benefits and drawbacks of different winches will certainly help you to make the right decision before spending your hard-earned money.
I believe, if you are looking for a quality winch at a competitive price range, Ironton winch is something you definitely should try. They are cost-effective, and they are certainly good investments.
Now it’s down to you. You know how they are. The decision is yours.
Make the most use of this guide and ask me anything you’ve in your mind.
You can also read:
I recently purchased a second-hand, but almost unused Ironton 100VAC electric hoist. This model: Ironton Double Line Electric Hoist 220-lb. Single Line/440-lb. Double Line Lift Capacity
The previous owner removed the wire cable and replaced it with a climbing rope. She intended to use it with a harness but gave up on that project. The rope is threaded through the cable retention holes. I don’t know how she got the climbing rope through a hole intended for 1/8″ cable. I’ll have to disassemble the hoist to try to get it out.
I have a few questions.
How is the cable retained in the winch? There are two holes in the side plate of the spool. Did it just thread through there and simple use friction (and extra wraps on the drum) to retain it? Or was there some sort of lug or clamp on the free end? Some description or a photo would be greatly appreciated.