RUGCEL WINCH 13500lb Synthetic Rope Winch 12V Waterproof Electric Winch,2 in 1 Wireless Remote Control, for SUV, Truck & Trailer - TANK Series

This is for the NEW RUGCEL WINCH 13500lb Waterproof Electric Synthetic Rope Winch 12V with Hawse Fairlead, 2 in 1 Wireless Remote,Double color rope. The 1st thing I noticed right away was how well packaged this winch came and how much visually the packaging looked to the Badlands Apex. Having owned an Apex, I immediately knew who they were competing with. That is also where the comparison ended. From appearance only; I prefer the TANK! It’s about 3” smaller in length and a little lighter (not much). The dual color rope is very nice and thicker than the Apex synthetic rope (at least it appears to be). The winch is also slimmer and shorter than the Apex and visually appears sealed up like the Apex. The TANKs wires and control box are also very nicely done. The thermal protective sleeves on the TANK was a nice touch for sure and should also reduce weathering of the cables. I did unwind all the synthetic rope and “stretch” it while rewinding. I did notice the Tank and Apex motors were equally “winch-loud”. The Tanks speed seems to be faster and winding felt more controlled. For about $150 less than a Badlands Apex; you can get the Rugcel Tank. I definitely recommend from first glance as I haven’t torture tested the Tank yet like I have the Apex. The Apex is a 10 out of 10 highly recommend but I have no doubt the Tank will also earn that recommendation. Reminder: the reason most of these “cheap” winches fail is improper install, vehicle weight, utilization, and post trail care. For the “fan boys”, I’ve seen Warn’s fail too. For most folks, a $400 winch will do the job when you need it, especially with these new IP68/69 options. Just for good measure Warn is also a Chinese sourced half “Assembled in America” with domestic and imported parts winch; only you’ll spend 2-5x for it.

I bought this with the intention of infrequent but critical use. I advise wiring up the controller first. Alignment of the control box bolts is a bit off from the threaded bolt holes on top of the winch. The only install instructions are a wiring diagram (useful) at the back of the operating manual. The interrupt switch was a useful surprise - figured out where to put it on the fly. There was plenty of wiring cable to battery for my Jeep Gladiator. My test run was quiet and easy - worked the first time both wired and wireless. The hook clamping to the face plate with just winch taughtness is tidy and cool.

This is a nice looking winch at a great price point. Installation was easy and it seems to work fine though I have yet to use it for any significant recoveries and such. My one complaint is the manual. It is a great looking manual but it does not have any installation instructions other than where the electrical connections go. There is also nothing in the manual about how to use/charge the remote control. Also, it appears that Rugcel does not have a website, strange these days.

Just installed, looks to be well made. I have operated to make sure it works. Instructions not great but provided. Installed of 2025 JL Rubicon X had steel bumpers but will need to purchase a mounting plate, I went with RC which fits great. Will see how she does out on the trail.

Pleased with the winch so far. However, mounting it on our 2021 Gladiator was difficult since we also flat tow this rig behind a motorhome. We ended up having to purchase a separate special mounting plate for $200 in order to avoid the tow brackets and bolts. In the end, it turned out good and looks great.

Very nice looking winch and everyone knows that’s what they do most of the time

Buena calidad no le envidia marca a ningun guille nítido bien fabricado excelente muy contento compralo

Had the winch for 1 year, then the free spool/disengage lever froze up and only turns hard and will not lift or return to engage or disengage the winch motor to the spool. This makes the winch mostly useless for normal off road use. All of the screws/bolts are NOT stainless steel, they rust too. The paint has peeled off. Sorry I trusted the reviews, this is junk. 7/2025 update - finally got email from manufacture, they sent parts diagram of some winches so I can pick out the parts needed to replace the clutch assembly and get me a price for the parts as the warranty is only 1 year ( winch broke at 11 months but it has taken this long to hear back). I will see what it costs to fix and if it works. Suspect a new winch from a different brand may be what happens. UPDATE - 9/2025 Finally heard from manufacture in China (after posting this review), I listed the parts needed to possibly fix it myself, they charged me for parts & shipping, waited 4 weeks, but sent only some of the parts (from China). Critical parts not sent. Contacted them about this and no response. So be aware if the winch works great, when it breaks your not getting any REAL support or service from them. Save you money and get a different brand. Too bad most (if not all) are made in China.

I do a lot of off-roading, which means getting stuck in mud is almost guaranteed sooner or later. My friends always laugh when it happens, but since I got this winch I don’t stress anymore. It’s strong, quick, and really steady. What surprised me most is how quiet it runs. Unlike other winches that squeak and grind, this one works so smoothly it feels effortless. The waterproof design is another big plus. I once got caught in heavy rain and ended up buried in a muddy pit. The winch was completely soaked, and I honestly thought it might fail. Instead, it powered through like nothing had happened and pulled my car out with no trouble at all. That gave me a lot of confidence in its reliability. Now I don’t hesitate to take on tougher tracks. This winch has turned those frustrating moments into just another part of the adventure. If you spend time off-road, it’s the kind of gear that makes the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.

Buenas tardes tengo problema no tiene fuerza ya habia tenido uno de la misma marca y nada que ver

This product is awful. I received exactly a month ago. Tested (no load) and worked. Today, tried to winch a rolling car on a trailer (light duty) and within 2 minutes, stopped working! Now only clicks and doesn’t even turn anymore. Eventhough it says in my orders that it could be returned up to today, Amazon just keeos going in circle and cannot soeak to anybody… DON’T BUY THIS!!!

I still have to use this under load as I haven’t mounted the unit yet but it did arrive as advertised and everything was included. I did however hook it up and function tested without issue, all things worked including the remote. The unit surprisingly is well built and looks great and unlike some other cheap brands all the labels are correct. Impressed on the quality for price to date and will update after I have it installed and under load.

Retired heavy tow operator. Was looking for an 8,000lb winch decided to go bigger. First time using synthetic rope. Bought one for my pickup and use it every couple weeks. Zero issues so far. So impressed I got one for my 16' car hauler trailer.