Electric Trailer Winch Recommendation for Hauling Car into Enclosed Trailer
Question:
I am hunting a electric winch to mount in the floor in the front of my enclosed car trailer to load up my street rod. I saw some videos but all i saw were ones that were mounted on open trailers. Do you have any videos or instructions on how to mount one inside a enclosed trailer? Also for a standard car what weight winch would you recomend?
asked by: Terry J
Expert Reply:
The Bull Dog Utility Winch, # BDW15020, is a great choice for the application.. This winch is designed primarily for race car trailers, open and enclosed and will control the cable feed in and out so you could stop the vehicle at any point when loading and would not have to worry about a runaway vehicle when unloading.
For installing the winch in the trailer it is hard to make a recommendation without seeing the trailer and framing under the trailer. You can mount the winch in any location that makes sense for your trailer. I have seen winches mounted underneath of cabinets in trailers that have cabinets mounted in the front end, this keeps the winch out of the way when working in the trailer. Other options would be to mount the winch on the tongue of the trailer inside a tongue box. Just make sure that, wherever you mount the winch, it can be tied into the trailer framing directly or you can have brackets welded in to support the winch for your pulling application.
You will also need to run heavy gauge wire from the vehicle battery or mount a battery on the trailer to power the winch. I added a link to wiring if you choose to run wire from the vehicle battery. It is recommended that the battery be mounted outside the enclosed portion of the trailer to prevent fumes from becoming a problem when people are in the trailer if you go with that route.
If you need to mount the winch in a position that is not in the center of the trailer, you might need a pulley block, # BDW20005, and an additional point to connect the winch to, like part # RR5K. This will allow you to make a straight pull on the vehicle to easily winch it into the trailer.
I attached an install video that shows a similar winch being installed on an open trailer.
Products Referenced in This Question
Bulldog Winch Snatch Block - Silver Zinc Coated
- Accessories and Parts
- Electric Winch
- Pulleys and Snatch Blocks
- Snatch Block
- Bulldog Winch
more information >
Brophy D-Ring Tie Down Anchor w Backing Plate - Bolt-On - 1/2" Wide - Recessed - 1,600 lbs
- Tie Down Anchors
- Trailer Tie-Down Anchors
- Truck Tie-Down Anchors
- Tie-Down Cleats and Rings
- 1600 lbs
- D-Ring
- Surface Mount - Bolt-On
- Brophy
more information >
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Bulldog Winch Trailer Winch - Synthetic Rope - Hawse Fairlead - 4,400 lbs
- Electric Winch
- Car Trailer Winch
- Trailer Winch
- 3-Stage Planetary Gear
- 2.0 HP
- 4001 - 6000 lbs
- 11 - 20 lbs
- Slow - 0 to 4 fpm
- Plug-In Remote
- Synthetic Rope
- Bulldog Winch
more information >
Continue Researching
- Article: Finding the Right Electric Winch
- Q&A: How to Power a Winch on the Trailer with the Vehicle's Battery
- Q&A: What Type of Battery is Needed for Powering Trailer Winch and Way to Charge it
- Article: How to Measure a Trailer Axle
- Q&A: Is a Fuse Required for the Bulldog 4,400 Lb Winch Trailer Winch
- Q&A: Can Magnetic Tow Lights be Used at Same Time Tow Dolly Taillights
- Q&A: Mounting Hole Spacing for the Superwinch S7500 Trailer Winch
- Q&A: Measuring Bolt Pattern of Trailer Wheel
- Q&A: Winch Recommendation for Race Car Trailer with 2,500 lb Car
- Article: Adding Electric Over Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- Article: Trailer Wiring Diagrams
- Article: 2023 Best Gifts for Haulers & Towers
- Article: How to Install E-Track in 3 Easy Steps
- Article: Brake Controller 7- and 4-Way Installation Kit (ETBC7)