Differences Between Winch Bars: Standard, Combination, & Ergo 360
Which type of flatbed winch bar is best for you?
If your truck has winch straps, a winch bar is an invaluable tool you can't go without. With a bit of muscle, winch bars give you the necessary leverage needed to securely tie your loads down and easily release them when it's time to unload. Some winch bars can even release lever binders.
With all the different winch bar options available today, how do you know which type is the smartest choice for you? This post will help you understand the options you have when it comes to buying winch bars and help you decide which type you should add to your collection of flatbed gear.
Standard Winch Bars
Standard winch bars are the obvious choice for someone who only uses synthetic web winches. These straightforward bars have a standard mushroom tip that slides right into all standard web winches. They also have a knurled handle for non-slip grip.
US Cargo Control sells standard winch bars with a black paint finish or a chrome finish. Chrome provides a bit of rust resistance and many prefer the look of chrome over the black.
Combination Winch Bars
Combination winch bars, or combo bars, take it a step further with their ability to not only tighten and release synthetic winch straps but also release lever chain binders.
There are two styles of combination winch bars: standard combination bars and square head combination bars. The square head provides an added safety factor, as the tension on lever binders can create some serious kickback. Unlike standard combination winch bars with a hollow end that slides over the lever, square head winch bars have a slight pivot point that reduces the potential force if your bar were to recoil back at you.
No matter what type of bar you have, always try to stand to one side of the
Ergo Winch Bars
If you're looking for a winch bar that's easy on your back and neck, the Ergo 360 winch bar is a perfect choice. It's available in the same three styles (standard, combo, and combo with square head) but its unique bent shape means the bar handle and tip stay parallel to each other for maximum leverage. And unlike any other winch bar, Ergo bars can rotate 360-degrees so you won't have to use low (and uncomfortable) angles when tightening the winch straps.
If that's not enough for you, the Ergo bar is also heat treated for added strength and durability.
More Flatbed Winch Accessories
Ratcheting Winch Cap
Want even more convenience? Ratcheting winch bars are a popular way to tighten winch straps because they allow you to continuously tighten without removing the bar from the winch cap. This saves you both time and energy.
Now, with our universal ratcheting winch cap, you can easily turn any winch bar into a ratcheting winch bar.
This weather-tight cap fits on weld-on winches, bolt-on winches, and slide-on winches, so you can't go wrong with it. Simply slide the ratcheting winch cap onto the standard winch cap, spin it in place, and secure with the provided bolt.
Strap Winder
Tired of wasting time winding up straps only to make a mess of it? Attach a strap winder to the side rails on your flatbed so you can keep your excess winch strap neat and secure. Adam shows how it works in the video below.
