Easy to use and pretty powerful, winches powered by gasoline-based engines are a good choice when it comes to tree pulling or similar jobs in a remote environment.
They are portable, reliable and weigh around 35 lbs.
For more information and tips read this review and find your best pick.
Information On Gas Powered Portable Winches
What To Look For In A Winch?
Winches come in all shapes and sizes. Ranging from industrial types used in large-scale operations to small versatile winches for everyday use. Power sources are mainly electric, hydraulic or gas motors. Here are some general uses and specifications that might help choose the best tool for your needs.
Uses Of Portable Winching Equipment
Having a good winch in your tool shed is a must. They can serve many purposes especially if they are portable. Be it pulling a stranded boat or removing a tree that’s standing in the way you will need something powerful enough and just as lightweight to be handy. They can also be used for construction or hunting or basically any kind of heavy-duty pulling.
Characteristics Of Gas Powered Winches
Even though most of the small and portable winch supply today has batteries, going with gas (petrol) engines is just as reliable. Usual pulling power ranges from 1600 to 2200 lbs. Another important thing is the speed that comes at around 10 meters per minute depending on the drum size and the design of the winch. The casing can be steel or aluminum, robust or light. You can read more about that in the reviews section.
Optimal Prices And Where To Shop
The top brand name in this area since 2003 has been Portable Winch Co. You can find good deals for their electric and gas-powered models for sale on amazon.com. The prices are definitely fair considering the quality of the product. There are also offers with additional gear, for example, the “hunting kit” or “forestry kit” which include a transport case, polyester rope, and sling, snatch block, carabiners, a grab hook, a skidding cone, and a choker chain.
Amidst a scarce supply of gas-powered portable winches on the market we offer you detailed descriptions of the following choices as well as an alternative option.
3 Best Gas Winch Models For Sale
Best Heavy-Duty Gas-Powered Capstan Winch
Portable Winch PCW5000
Overall Dimensions & Weight
PCW5000 is compact. It has 36,2 cm in length, 37,1 cm in width and 36,1 cm in height. If you put it in inches that’s 14x15x14. Weight is an important factor in portable winches. PCW5000 model weighs 35 lbs (16 kg). This allows simple and easy maneuvering.
Design & Accessories
Portable Winches Co. take great pride in their high-quality ergonomic components and deservedly so. The gearbox is made of anodized aluminum alloy, the hardware is stainless steel and the rope is made of double-braided polyester. The fact that the rope and sling are synthetic and not wired cable makes it safer from damage. They also don’t stretch.
Engine & Gear Box
This Honda gas-powered winch is equipped with an autonomous 4-stroke Honda GXH50 cc engine. This means there is no external power source needed and the duty cycle is continuous. Gears are heat treated 3-stage spur gears, the clutch is N/A – Direct Drive and the brake is an internal anti-reversal break. Gear ratio equals 110:1.
Pulling Capacity
This high-performance tool has the strength to pull 2200 lbs (1000kg) with a standard capstan drum. The double lining doubles the pulling force and a double pulley system can give you the strength to pull up to an astounding 5 tons. That’s pretty impressive for portable gear. If you’re interested, setting up the double pulley system is explained in the manufacturer’s brochure.
Speed Capacity
There are two available speeds due to the interchangeable capstan drums. The standard 57 mm drum pulls at a 40 ft/min (12 m/min) while the optional 85 mm drum goes up to 60 ft/min (18 m/min). It’s important to emphasize that you lose strength with the larger drum, pulling force dropping down to 1400 lbs (635 kg). If speed is what you’re looking for, there is also a high-speed version of the same product.
Other Features
Capstan drum system gives us unlimited rope length. The rope doesn’t build up on the drum but rather goes through it. This comes in handy when you need a constant work cycle without interruptions. The rope also comes with a bag. Flexibility is probably what makes this model so popular though. Easy to start and easy to anchor. The 2 m polyester sling can be attached to a pole, a tree, or a stump anywhere you need. Compared to electric winches it is 4 times faster as well.
- 14x15x14 in
- 35 lbs
- Honda GXH50 cc engine
- Maximum pulling force – 2200 lbs
- Maximum speed – 60 ft/min
Best Lightweight Gas Powered Capstan Winch
Portable Winch PCW3000
Overall Dimensions
This portable gas winch model is even more compact than it’s stronger sibling PCW5000. Dimensions are 28,9 cm in length, 35 cm in width and 26,1 cm in height or to put it roughly around 13,5×11,5×10 inches. The most impressive spec though would be its weight. PCW3000 has only 20 lbs (9,5 kg). That’s 15 whole pounds lighter than the PCW5000.
Design & Accessories
PCW3000 was designed to deliver quality and power in a small format. Much like the PCW5000, it packs aluminum alloy gearbox, stainless steel hardware and double-braided polyester sling and rope with low stretch. Other accessories include a backpack carrier and a plastic carry case for safe transportation inside the vehicle.
Engine & Gear Box
The engine is 4-stroke all positions Honda GX with 35 cc displacement. Heat-treated 3-stage helical spur gears are accompanied by an anti-reversing roller clutch bearing for the brake and an N/A – Direct Drive clutch. Shafts are mounted on ball bearings and lubricated in oil. Gear ratio is 200:1.
Pulling Capacity
PCW3000 can pull 1550 lbs (700kg). Double line pulling force goes up to 3000 lbs and if assisted with pulley system the original number grows 5 times bigger. Having a tool so small and might be able to pull 7700 lbs (3500 kg) is what makes it special in the market.
Speed Capacity
As far as the speed goes, this model doesn’t have a changeable drum option. The standard 76 mm (3 in) diameter drum produces a speed of 26 ft/min (8 m/min). The rope length is still unlimited and pulling power is continuous.
- 13,5×11,5×10 in
- 20 lbs
- Honda GX35 cc engine
- Maximum pulling force – 1550 lbs
- Maximum speed – 26 ft/min
Best Chainsaw Powered Winch
Lewis Chainsaw Winch Model 400MK2
Portable winch with a twist. If you’re looking for a portable winch and you happen to own a chainsaw; take a look at this Lewis Winch model. As an easy alternative to a gas-powered engine, a gas powered chainsaw will do just fine. A combination of these two utility tools results in a resourceful and creative winching system that can serve all the needs we mentioned earlier and more. Extremely powerful and easy to assemble, this Lewis Chainsaw Winch can match any of its competitors on the market.
Design & Accessories
The housing of the 400MK2 model is made of cast-aluminum alloy. Steel gears are treated with oil lubrication (oil-bathed). It comes with a clutch and brake handle as well as a universal adaptor kit and a direct mounting kit. The drum can hold 150 ft of cable that comes with a safety hook. The cable is made of galvanized steel with a diameter of 3/16 in. It is recommended not to use synthetic rope due to the possibility of breaking the spool. It is also worth mentioning that the cable can be cut shorter for easier handling. The whole winch with the cable weighs around 35 lbs.
Which Chainsaws Are Compatible For This Winch?
Even if you don’t have one of the Husqvarna, Jonsered or Stihl types of chainsaws that can be directly mounted on the Lewis Winch, don’t worry! The universal mounting kit allows easy assembly system for any other type of chainsaw. You just have to remove your cutting bar and chain and attach the winch. There is also an adaptor for electric chainsaws available.
Pulling Capacity & Speed
Both pulling capacity and speed depend on the version of the chainsaw you’re going to use. More precisely, it’s the engine. Even though you can use less powerful chainsaws for lighter loads it is recommended to use chainsaws with a 50 cc engine or more. This results in full utilization of the winch; a pulling capacity of 4000 lbs (1800 kg) and a speed of 60-80 ft/min. Using a snatch block will enhance this performance to 8000 lbs (3600 kg).
- 35 lbs
- Maximum pulling force – 4000 lbs
- Maximum speed – 80 ft/min
Conclusion: Which Gas Powered Winch Should You Buy?
If you’re drawn to power the heavy-duty style PCW5000 portable gas-powered winch is definitely a safe bet. This gas winch will help you in any number of tricky situations. It’s fast, efficient, and reliable in all conditions. Due to its small weight, this extremely portable gas winch PCW3000 is best suited for hunters and anyone in need of pulling something in a remote location. Its versatility and size to power ratio are impressive and it’s easy to carry around.
To learn more about winches take a look at this best winch review. Thinking about different power sources? Maybe this electric winch review might help. Hydraulic winch for sale might also be worth checking out.