A winch is a mechanical device that is used to wind up a rope or wire rope (also called "cable"). In its simplest form it consists of a spool and attached crank. The spool can also be called the winch drum. More elaborate designs have gear assemblies and can be powered by electric, hydralic, pneumatic or internal combustion drives. Some may include a solenoid brake and/or a mechanical brake or ratchet that prevents it from unwinding.
The earliest literary reference to a winch can be found in the account of Herodotus of Halicarnassus on the Persian Wars, where he describes how wooden winches were used to tighten the cables for a pontoon bridge across the Hellespont in 480 B.C. Winches may have been employed even earlier in Assyria. By the 4th century BC, winch and pulley hoists were regarded by Aristotle as common for architectural use. The first recreational winch was developed in 1959. With pioneering features such as a rugged drive train, that winch company quickly became the leading brand for off-road racers, avid four wheelers, weekend adventurers and hard working ranchers.
Having a winch on your truck or SUV is a must when it comes to going off road and at the outdoor workplace. Never worry about getting your vehicle stuck in the elements again with a winch from Warn, Milemarker, Ramsey, Super winch or Magnum winches. These winches are manufactured from the highest quality materials providing you with the strength and believability that you need. We also carry a wide variety of winch accessories.
Choose a winch Manufacturer from above to see more winches. We carry Warn Winches, Superwinch, Mile Marker, Ramsey, T-Max and Magnum winches all at the lowest price available. Due to the overwhelming amount of parts we have available we cannot as yet list them all on-line. Our warehouse has thousands of parts available. If the manufacturer you are looking for is not found above, please call us at 1-800-388-8637