Most people don’t think they need a winch until they really do. Stuck up to your doors in mud or stranded out in the middle of nowhere is not the time to realize you should have bought a winch. By then it is a bit too late to make any difference. Hopefully, you have a stout tow strap and a friend to try to pull you out. Sometimes only the precise pulling power of a winch will do.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality winch. Sure, premium winches with all the bells and whistles still run north of $1,000. But a reliable winch with solid features doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg. Smittybilt winches are a perfect example of this. Smittybilt’s XRC line of winches has combined features, quality, and an affordable price point since their introduction years ago. And, they are reliable too, which is essential to us.
Now Smittybilt unleashes its third-generation winch, the XRC Gen3. Like the previous versions, the XRC Gen3 winches are reliable and high quality. And, the new Gen3 comes with a ton of features. Even better is that it still comes in at the affordable price point that Smittybilt winches are known for. Let’s check out Smittybilt’s newest Gen3 winch.
Visually the new XRC Gen3 winch looks different from the previous generation. But the differences go beyond just being skin deep. Inside the XRC Gen3 is a best-in-class seven horsepower motor. The motor is not only more powerful than the Gen2’s 6.6 horsepower motor, but draws 10% fewer amps as well. And, a new set of forged steel gears helps make the Gen3 stronger with a 12% faster line speed too.
The XRC Gen3 might look a little thick, but that extra thickness comes from removable body panels. They act as protection for the main body of the winch. The panels are removable if desired, as well as replaceable if damaged. The control box can also be relocated for mounting solutions that require it.
Also built into the Gen3 controller is a load indicator system. It uses a series of LED lights to show the status of the motor. As more load is placed upon the motor, the lights change color from blue to red. This not only lets you know exactly what is going on with the motor, but helps to prevent damage from overloading the winch. Another LED light is located in the tie bar of the winch so that you can monitor spooling at night.
The Smittybilt XRC Gen3 is available in either 9.5K or 12K ratings. Both versions are available with steel or synthetic cables. A forged hook is included along with a fairlead (hawse for synthetic cable, roller for steel cable) and a moveable control box bracket. The steel Gen3 9.5K winch is priced at $429.99 and $579.99 for the synthetic cable version. The bigger 12K steel Gen3 will set you back $549.99 with steel cable or $699.99 for a synthetic one.
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