The AXON 45 is the steel-rope build of Warn's most popular side-by-side winch. It pulls 4,500 lb on 50' of 1/4" 7x19 aircraft wire rope over a roller fairlead, with a 239:1 gear ratio and the full AXON control package behind it: the Motactor combined motor and contactor, the Rockerbar digital control switch, and the HUB Wireless Receiver included in the box so Plow Mode and phone control work immediately. Sealing is IP68 and IP69K, which covers immersion and pressure washing alike.
What's Included:
Warn AXON 45 powersports winch, rated at 4,500 lb
50' of 1/4" (6.4mm) 7x19 aircraft wire rope, factory spooled on the drum
Roller fairlead
Black forged hook with Warn hook strap
Rockerbar digital control switch and HUB Wireless Receiver, plus a corded remote socket and wiring harness
Warn installation and operating instructions
Vehicle-specific winch mount kit NOT included, sold separately
Features
4,500 lb of Rated Pull for UTVs and side-by-sides Warn rates the AXON 45 at 4,500 lb on the first layer of the drum and publishes what happens as the drum fills rather than hiding it: 4,500 lb on layer 1, 3,749 lb on layer 2, 3,212 lb on layer 3, 2,810 lb on layer 4. Warn positions this capacity for UTVs and side-by-sides. Pull enough rope off to work on the lower layers for a hard recovery, or rig a snatch block and halve the load on the line.
50' of 1/4" Steel Wire Rope on a Roller Fairlead This is the steel-rope build. 50' of 1/4" (6.4mm) 7x19 aircraft wire rope runs over a roller fairlead, which is the combination that survives being dragged across rock, gravel and stumps without you having to think about the line. It costs less than synthetic and it is far more tolerant of abrasion and heat. The trade is weight and the broken strands steel eventually develops, so wear gloves once the rope has some seasons on it.
The Best-Documented Steel-Rope AXON This is the same winch as the AXON 45-S, including the HUB Wireless Receiver in the box and the published 239:1 gear ratio, differing only in that it carries 1/4" steel rope on a roller fairlead. That makes it the pick for anyone who wants the flagship control system and Plow Mode on a machine that works in abrasive ground. It weighs about six and a half pounds more than the synthetic version, and every ounce of that is line.
Plow Mode: Travel Limits and One-Touch Blade Control Plow Mode turns the AXON 45 into a proper plow lift instead of a winch you are using as one. You program an upper and a lower travel limit, and the winch will not run the blade past either, which is what stops you from over-raising into the rack or dropping the blade further than the linkage wants to go. The one-touch Auto Move option runs the blade to a limit on its own, so you are not holding a control down with one hand while steering with the other. Plow Mode runs through the Warn app and needs a HUB Wireless Receiver and a smartphone to work, and the HUB receiver is included with this model.
Motactor: Motor and Contactor in One Sealed Unit Combining the motor and the contactor into a single sealed assembly is the AXON's most practical piece of engineering. It shortens the install because there is no control box to mount and wire, and it removes the pair of exposed high-current terminals that sit between motor and contactor on an ordinary winch. Fewer connections in the weather is fewer things to fail.
Digital Control With Real Feedback The AXON's control system is digital rather than a simple polarity switch. The rockerbar switch reports motor temperature, load information and vehicle battery condition, so you can see the winch working hard before it stops working. On a long or repeated pull that is the difference between backing off for a minute and cooking a motor.
One-Piece Tie Plate for Structural Rigidity AXON uses a single-piece tie plate rather than separate tie bars. It resists the twisting that a hard off-center pull puts through a winch body, which keeps the gear train and drum in alignment under exactly the loads that would otherwise start opening a housing up.
IP68 and IP69K Sealing IP68 covers continuous immersion. IP69K adds high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down, which is the rating that actually matters to most owners, because more winches are killed by a pressure washer held too close than by a water crossing. Between the two ratings there is very little an ATV or side-by-side winch encounters that is outside the specification.
Designed, Engineered, Tested and Assembled in the USA Warn designs, engineers, tests and assembles the AXON line in the United States. The AXON 45 is covered by Warn's limited lifetime warranty on mechanical components and a three year warranty on electrical components.
Fitment & Compatibility
Machine
Fit
UTVs and side-by-sides
✓ Yes, this is what Warn rates the AXON 45 for
Large ATVs
● Works, with plenty of headroom
Four-seat and heavily loaded UTVs
● Consider the 5,500 lb AXON 55 for more margin
Full-size trucks and SUVs
✗ No. This is a powersports winch. Warn builds a separate truck and SUV winch line for those vehicles
Any machine without a winch mount fitted
● Requires a vehicle-specific mount kit, which is sold separately. The AXON 45 bolts to a 3.0" x 6.59" (76.2mm x 167.4mm) pattern
Fit guidance: This is a universal-fit powersports winch, not a vehicle-specific part, so there is no year, make and model lookup for it. You size it by machine and by how hard you expect the winch to work: Warn rates the AXON 45 at 4,500 lb and positions it for UTVs and side-by-sides. A winch running near its rating draws its highest current, runs its hottest and moves the line slowest, so buying a size up is buying margin rather than bragging rights. The fitment question that actually decides whether you can use this winch is the mount. Powersports winches bolt to a vehicle-specific mount kit that is sold separately, and the mount has to match both the bolt pattern (3.0" x 6.59" (76.2mm x 167.4mm), 4 holes) and the physical space behind your bumper. Confirm the mount kit for your machine before ordering. Do not use this winch to recover a full-size truck or SUV; it is not rated for that and Warn builds a separate line for it.
Specifications
Model: AXON 45
Part Number: 110245
Vehicle Class: Powersports, ATV and UTV. Not a truck or SUV winch
Rated Line Pull: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg) single line, first layer
Motor: 12V DC, permanent magnet
Gear Train: All-metal three-stage planetary
Gear Ratio: 239:1
Rope: 50' of 1/4" (6.4mm) 7x19 aircraft wire rope
Fairlead: Roller fairlead
Hook: Black forged hook
Brake: Automatic load-holding mechanical brake
Clutch: Free spooling, clutch based on Warn's 4WD hub-lock design
Controls Included: Rockerbar digital control switch and HUB Wireless Receiver, plus a corded remote socket and wiring harness; the corded remote itself is sold separately
Motor and Contactor: Warn Motactor, motor and contactor combined in one unit
Plow Mode: Programmable upper and lower blade travel limits with one-touch Auto Move. Requires a HUB Wireless Receiver and a smartphone; the HUB receiver is included with this model
Waterproof Rating: IP68/IP69K
Finish: Satin black powder coat with stainless steel fasteners
Mount Type: Fixed mount. A vehicle-specific winch mount kit is required and sold separately
Line Speed, No Load: 16.3 ft/min (5.0 m/min), 33 amps
Line Speed at Rated Pull: 6.7 ft/min (2.0 m/min), 208 amps
Dimensions: A 15.0" (381.8mm), B 4.82" (122.5mm), C 5.19" (132mm), D 5.02" (127.6mm), lettered as on Warn's drawing
Mounting Bolt Pattern: 3.0" x 6.59" (76.2mm x 167.4mm), 4 holes
Country of Origin: USA, designed, engineered, tested and assembled in the United States
Shipping Weight: 35 lb
UPC: 012748121732
Warranty: Limited lifetime mechanical, 3 year electrical
Installation
Type: Bolt-in to a vehicle-specific powersports winch mount kit, plus a battery connection · Time: About 1 to 2 hours, most of it the mount and the wiring · Tools: Metric sockets and wrenches, a torque wrench, and wire cutters or crimpers for routing the battery leads · Difficulty: Straightforward for anyone comfortable working on their own machine
The winch itself is four bolts. The work is the mount and the wiring. Fit the vehicle-specific mount kit for your machine first, then bolt the AXON 45 to it on the 3.0" x 6.59" (76.2mm x 167.4mm), 4 holes pattern and torque the fasteners to Warn's specification. Route the power leads to the battery away from moving suspension, hot exhaust and steering components, and keep the run as short and as well supported as you can. Mount the Rockerbar switch where you can reach it without taking your eyes off the machine, and put the HUB Wireless Receiver somewhere dry and clear of metal that would shield its signal. Before you rely on it, disengage the clutch and pull the rope out by hand, then power it back in under a light load so the first layer beds evenly on the drum. A winch spooled loose from the factory will bury its own line into the lower layers on the first hard pull.
Resources
Everything you need for your Warn AXON 45 Powersports Winch, in one place.
VRX & AXON Winch Operator's Manual (PDF), Warn's operator manual for the VRX and AXON families, covering mounting, electrical connections, first time operation, rigging and maintenance.
Warranty. Warn limited lifetime warranty on mechanical components and a three year warranty on electrical components.
Free shipping. This item ships free to the lower 48 states. Because it is an oversized item, it ships by freight and typically arrives in 3 to 7 business days.
Inspect on delivery. Please inspect the packaging before signing. If you see any damage, note it on the delivery receipt and contact us right away, and we will make it right.
About Warn
Warn Industries has built vehicle recovery gear since 1948, starting with Arthur Warn's locking hub for surplus military Jeeps and growing into the winch brand that off-roaders, ranchers, utility crews and rescue teams reach for by name. The company designs and engineers in Clackamas, Oregon, and the AXON is designed, engineered, tested and assembled in the United States.
AXON is the top of Warn's powersports range and the place where the company puts its newer thinking. The Motactor combines the motor and the contactor into a single sealed unit, which removes a separate control box from the install and shortens the wiring run. The control system is digital rather than a simple polarity switch, so the winch reports motor temperature, load and battery condition back to you instead of just running until something gives. Sealing is rated IP68 and IP69K, which covers high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down as well as immersion. Plow Mode, the feature this generation is named for, turns the same winch into a plow lift with programmable travel limits. The mechanical warranty runs for the life of the product.
Prestige Truck is an authorized Warn dealer. Every winch we ship is new and factory boxed, carries the full Warn factory warranty, and is supported through Warn's own dealer and service network.
Compare The Range
How this compares to similar models
The closest alternatives side by side, so you do not have to keep tabs open.
Model
This OneWarn AXON 45 Powersports Winch, 4,500 lb, 50' 1/4" Steel Rope and Roller Fairlead (110245)
Plowing Just Got Easier: Introducing WARN AXON Plow Mode
Warn's own walkthrough of Plow Mode, the feature this generation of AXON is named for.
It shows how you set the upper and lower travel limits so the blade cannot be raised or dropped past the point where it damages something, and how the one-touch Auto Move option runs the blade to either limit without you holding a control through the whole travel.
WARN AXON And VRX Powersports Winches
Warn's side-by-side look at its two US-assembled powersports lines.
Useful if you are weighing the digital control system and Motactor of the AXON against the simpler, less expensive VRX, because it lays out what each line is actually built for rather than just listing features.
Powersports Basic Guide To Winching
Warn's own primer for anyone new to running a winch on an ATV or side-by-side. It covers the parts of the winch, what the recovery accessories are for, and how to rig a pull without hurting yourself or the machine.
This is a general technique guide from Warn, not an installation walkthrough for this part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on specs, fit and support
What is the pull-by-layer on the AXON 45?
Warn publishes it rather than quoting only the headline number: 4,500 lb on the first layer of the drum, 3,749 lb on the second, 3,212 lb on the third and 2,810 lb on the fourth. If you are rigging a hard pull, spool out enough rope to work on the lower layers, or run a snatch block to halve the load on the line.
How much heavier is it than the synthetic AXON 45-S?
About six and a half pounds: roughly 35 lb against 28.5 lb. That is the steel rope and roller fairlead. Both winches share the same 15.0" body, the same 3.0" x 6.59" bolt pattern and the same 239:1 gear ratio, so the choice is purely about the line.
Do I need anything else to fit this winch to my machine?
Yes, a mount. Powersports winches are universal in the sense that they are not tied to one model, but they bolt to a vehicle-specific winch mount kit that is made for your machine and sold separately. The AXON 45 uses a 3.0" x 6.59" (76.2mm x 167.4mm), 4 holes bolt pattern, so the mount has to match that pattern and there has to be room behind your bumper for a winch of this size. Confirm the mount kit for your year, make and model before ordering, and check the electrical connection to the battery while you are at it.
How do I look after the steel rope?
Watch for kinks, flat spots and broken strands, and retire the rope if you find a cluster of them in one place. Spool it back under light tension so it lies in even wraps; a loose wrap will bury itself into the layers below under the next load and damage the rope. Wear gloves when handling used steel line, because broken strands are sharp. Steel is far more tolerant of abrasion than synthetic, which is the main reason to choose it, and it runs correctly over the roller fairlead this winch ships with.
How waterproof is it really?
IP68 and IP69K together. The first says you can submerge it; the second says you can pressure wash it. The second is the one that saves more winches in practice, because a jet washer held close to a seal generates far higher local pressure than sitting under a foot of water ever does, and it is something almost every owner does to their machine regularly.
Does it really pull its full rating no matter how much rope is out?
No, and Warn publishes the honest numbers instead of only the headline. The 4,500 lb rating is on the first layer of the drum. As the drum fills, leverage drops: 4,500 lb on layer 1, 3,749 lb on layer 2, 3,212 lb on layer 3, 2,810 lb on layer 4. For a hard pull, spool out enough rope to work on the lower layers, or rig a snatch block, which halves the load on the line and doubles what the winch can move.
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