Master lock 12volt portable winch review

If you are looking for a portable load type pulling winch your search ends with the Master Lock 2953AT 12-Volt DC Portable Winch. Now you won’t have to buy a winch for each and every vehicle because this one can be mounted temporarily or permanently to any hitch or flat surface. It can be conveniently carried using its handle.

Additionally, it is highly efficient and can easily do the pulling, hauling and lifting. You can even control it from a distance using a toggle remote.

This Master lock 12volt portable winch review will take a look at all that you need to know.

The quality of this instrument is its biggest selling factor. This electric winch is perfect for any needs that you may have when you would need to pull in a lot of loads. Here are some features that make it worth a buy.

Master lock 12volt portable winch review

Let us discuss this winch in detail, see its all the features, pros and cons.

1. Capacity: It can easily pull and lift a maximum of 2000lbs, up to 5000lbs for loads pulled through water like boats and can also roll wheeled vehicles of up to 6000 lbs, which makes it an ideal choice for automotive and towing or marine recreation. It can pull heavy boats on and off trailers. It draws 4-6 amps for a light load of up to 150 lbs and for larger loads it needs 20 amps. The winch will shut down automatically when loaded.

2. Galvanised Steel Cable with Safety Hook: The steel hook is very strong and durable. It is 30ft in length with a working length of 29ft, which has no trouble in retrieving loads. The galvanised steel cable makes it very safe and effective to operate. Being corrosion resistant, it is sturdy for use in highly abrasive terrains like mud, rocks and sand. The galvanization helps in reduces wear and tear of the cable and hardware parts that interact with it, and ideal for winching purposes. There is also a hook for extra safety.

3. 12V DC winch: It can be connected to any 12V DC power supply. It is highly efficient because of its parallel shaft gear. It has a powerful rack and a pinion gear design. It comes with power battery cables for this very purpose. It is designed with terminal clamps which can be connected to your car battery or that of your truck. It can also work perfectly in conjunction with any 12v DC power source or external adaptors.

4. Includes a steel mounting plate along with a remote control and hand crank: As it comes with a remote control, it is very easy to operate it from a distance. It also has a back up hand crank which can be used if the primary handle stops working or when you need to pull a very huge load. Its mounting plate makes it attachable to any flat surface or hitch making it very portable. The built-in carry handle makes it all the more portable. It does not require much support and can work on its own.

Pros​

Here is a look at what you would love about it.

Very handy mounting plate

Simple and easy to use

Reasonable prices and value for money

It has a portable size and weight and can easily fir in the back of your vehicle

It is a well bell with a sturdy design and is quite durable and versatile instrument

Has a hook for extra safety

Cons

So, what doesn't work as well? Here is a look.

l Very short battery and controller cables which have to be let out manually

l Doesn’t have a power out control. Reversing the polarity does not allow the motor to work in reverse. It doesn’t have a power back up either.

l The motor is pretty noisy

l The operating speed is very slow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a quick look at some of the questions that you may have, and the answers.

Q: Does it spool out?

A: Yes, it does. You can free spool it to get the exact amount of cable you need. It can be done by disengaging the clutch (nob on side) and then turning it in counter clockwise direction for the line to spool out freely. When you are ready to use the winch you can tighten it back up.

Q: How does this get anchored?

A: This can be bolted down just like any other winch. The plate at the rear has lugs that can slide into keyholes. The manual will show you how the plate can be slid over a hitch ball. For a permanent fixture, a bolt can be added through the extra holes.

Q: What is its speed?

Ans: It may come across as a little slow. However, it is powerful. With a load, the line speed is 6ft/min. Due to the change in gearshift ratio the load rating changes based on the line. It would be unsafe if it were faster.

Final Verdict

Like the product description says, it is not something meant for daily use. Depending on its usage it can last for a good amount of time. Although it has only one speed, it works satisfactorily. Its compact design, built-in handle and 30ft long cable does you a good job at whatever you want to winch.