How to Wire a Winch on an ATV

You’re having the time of your life - your hair blowing in the wind. Mud splashing up your leg. Dirt - is - everywhere. But oh no! Then it happens. The moment that every ATV’er dreads. The mud wins the battle - your ATV is stuck. This can be a huge problem - unless you have ATV accessories and winch accessories - then it’s no problem at all!

What is a winch?

Let’s start with some ATV basics. A winch is something that every ATVer should not only know about, but also should have on hand if they ever get into a muddy situation. In such a case, a winch can help to pull you out. It can also help to pull you out of water, up a steep incline, or in times when your ATV does not have enough power to move on its own.

Unfortunately, most people don’t realise that they need a winch until they actually need a winch. So if you’re looking at ATV accessories and winch accessories now (before you get into a situation) then you’re already two steps ahead of the game.

How Does a Winch Work?

The concept of a winch is simple. In the easiest terms, a winch is a cable or rope that can help to pull your ATV when it needs an extra push. As long as you have something heavier than your ATV to hook the winch up to, you’ll be able to pull your ATV out of almost any situation. You can also use a winch to do other things, like pull a heavy log out of the ground.

When it comes to ATV accessories and winch accessories, the main type of winch that you’ll be considering is an electric winch. All you need to do is hook some wires to your battery (which will act as your power source) and you’re ready to start pulling!

But how do you hook it up?

How to Wire a Winch on an ATV:

Before you can actually wire your winch, you’ll need to mount your winch onto the ATV. To do this, you’ll need a mounting plate. You can use the instruction manual from your ATV and your mounting plate to ensure that you install it properly. When installing your plate and winch, you’ll want to make sure that no wires are in the way and that the path for your winch line is unobstructed.

Now you can wire your winch:

Step 1: Mount your contractor (relay box) below the driver's seat. This will act as your central wiring point.

Step 2: Run the wires from your contractor to the winch. Be sure to follow instructions in your manual to ensure that they are connected properly.

Step 3: Mount the control switches near your steering mechanism.

Step 4: Using a voltage metre, find your hot lead and connect it to your winch switch.

Step 5: Connect the remaining switch wire to your contractor.

If you have any trouble with the instructions above, be sure to check the instruction manual that comes with your winch. Then, be sure to check out other ATV accessories and winch accessories that can help you out in sticky situations!