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ProMark Offroad Blog

Choosing an ATV Plow Lift System

Electric Winch

An ATV winch makes it easy to raise and lower your plow blade.

If you already own on ATV, why not put it to work in the winter with an ATV snow plow kit? You can clear your driveway, your neighbor’s driveway, and the sidewalks with less than half the time and effort it takes to shovel. Plus, it’s a lot more fun.

To operate your ATV plow, you’ll need some type of lift, either a manual hand lift, an electric winch, or an electric lift kit.

1. Manual Lift

A manual plow lift is simple to use and install. Fewer parts mean that it’s less likely to break and easier to fix if it does. The manual hand lift makes it quick to lift and lower the plow blade with very little effort. It’s also the cheapest option, unless you already own a winch.

2. Electric Winch

If you already own an ATV winch, you can put it to work raising and lowering the plow. Using the thumb switch is the only effort needed to lift and drop the blade. We recommend choosing a winch with a mechanical brake. ProMark ATV winches with a mechanical brake include the XT Series and Outback Series.

If you don’t already own a winch, you might want to consider purchasing one. An ATV winch comes in handy for recovery, landscaping, yard work, forestry, and farm chores, as well as plowing snow.

3. Electric Lift Kit

Special lift kits are available for operating a snow plow. They save wear and tear on your electric winch, and they provide an extra boost of power. Since these electric lifts are designed specifically for lifting and lowering a plow, they are less versatile than an electric winch.

Winch Pulling Power

Electric Winch

Electric winches require cooling periods to prevent overheating on long pulls.

Electric winches are rated by maximum pulling capacity. For example, a 10,000 lb winch can safely handle up to 10,000 pounds without breaking or stalling, under the right pulling conditions.

The maximum pulling capacity is based on the first layer of cable on the drum. If you rig up your winch with more than one layer remaining on the drum, the pulling capacity drops for each added layer of cable on the drum. As the layers increase, pulling power decreases.

How to Get More Winch Power

If you need more pulling power, spool out more cable. You can do this either by choosing an anchor point further away from the vehicle or by using a snatch block to double back the cable. A double line pull increases your winch power by almost doubling the capacity.

Be careful not to exceed the maximum rated capacity for your winch. If you think the load will be close to the maximum winch rating, rig up a double line pull for extra power. If you exceed the winch’s rating, the cable could snap, the winch could stall, or you could damage your winch. Exceeding the winch’s rating is dangerous, since a snapped cable can cause major damage to anyone or anything in its way.

How to Prevent Overheating

Unlike hydraulic winches, electric winches are not designed for long, continuous pulls. If you need to winch over a long distance, stop winching and let the motor cool down every so often to prevent overheating. If the motor becomes uncomfortably hot to the touch, that means you need to take a break. Wait five minutes or so—until the motor feels cooler to the touch—and continue winching.

Electric Winch Wiring and Installation Tips

Midnight Recovery Winch Wiring

Winch wiring diagram for the Midnight Series recovery winch

Learning how to properly route the electrical wiring for your ATV winch or recovery winch is important for correct operation and for your own safety. The installation tips below provide a few key tips for winch wiring. Consult the instruction manual included with your winch for more information.

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Routing the Wiring

Do not route electrical wiring over sharp edges or in places where they will touch parts that become hot. If the wiring is allowed to chafe or melt, this could damage the insulation that protects the wiring and cause a short circuit. Ensure that the wiring harness does not interfere or come in contact with any hot or moving engine, suspension, steering, braking, or exhaust parts.

Avoid routing the wiring through or near moving parts. In the case of wiring a handlebar thumbswitch on an ATV, make sure there is enough room to fully turn the handlebars without stretching the wiring. Then cable tie the wiring to hard points on the handlebars and bike to secure it in place. Secure the switch and wiring to the handlebar with black electrical tape to prevent rotation.

Protect the Wires from Damage

Insulate and protect all exposed wiring. Use insulating terminal boots as needed to prevent shorting and reduce the risk of electrical hazards.

Winch wiring for ATV and UTV winches

Winch wiring for ATV and UTV winches

When attaching wires to the winch motor or solenoid terminals, hold the inner nut with a wrench while tightening the outer nut with a second wrench. Do not allow the terminals to rotate in their housings. Rotation could cause internal wire damage or part misalignment.

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Install all electrical wiring only after the winch is mounted on the vehicle. Do not attempt to install wiring when the battery is connected. After installing and securing all wiring, take a minute to ensure that your system is properly installed and free from restrictions. Then you may attach the wires to the positive and negative terminals of the battery.

Is Your Battery Up to Snuff?

Make sure that your battery or power supply meets the minimum requirements for the operation of your winch. A 12 volt DC battery is required for most electric winches. Even with sufficient battery power, you will need to make sure not to overload or overheat the winch. Electric winches are designed for intermittent use. For long pulls, stop winching periodically and allow the motor to cool before resuming operation. If the winch is under heavy use, we suggest installing an auxiliary battery and heavy-duty alternator to handle the load.