The VRX 25-S is the entry point to Warn's US-assembled powersports range, and the argument for it is what Warn did not remove to hit the price. At 2,500 lb it is sized for ATVs and quads, and it carries the same all-metal construction, all-metal three-stage planetary gear train and full IP68 waterproof sealing as the bigger VRX winches. This is the synthetic-rope build: 50' of 3/16" Warn synthetic rope running through a hawse fairlead, with a zinc-plated clevis hook and a handlebar-mounted rocker switch so you can work the winch without letting go of the bars.
What's Included:
Warn VRX 25-S powersports winch, rated at 2,500 lb
50' of 3/16" (4.8mm) Warn synthetic rope, factory spooled on the drum
Hawse fairlead
Zinc-plated clevis hook with Warn hook strap
Handlebar-mounted rocker switch
Wiring harness and terminal hardware
Warn installation and operating instructions
Vehicle-specific winch mount kit NOT included, sold separately
Features
2,500 lb of Rated Pull for ATVs Warn rates the VRX 25-S at 2,500 lb on the first layer of the drum and publishes what happens as the drum fills rather than hiding it: 2,500 lb on layer 1, 2,141 lb on layer 2, 1,872 lb on layer 3, 1,663 lb on layer 4, 1,496 lb on layer 5. Warn positions this capacity for ATVs and quads. 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 3/16" Warn synthetic rope on a hawse fairlead This is the synthetic-rope build. 50' of 3/16" (4.8mm) Warn synthetic rope runs through a hawse fairlead, which is the correct pairing because synthetic must never run over rollers. Against steel of the same rating it saves real weight at the very front of the machine, it does not develop the broken strands that make used steel line unpleasant to handle, and if it parts under load it drops instead of whipping. That last point is the one worth paying for.
Where the VRX 25-S Sits in Warn's Range Warn sells four winches at or near 2,500 lb across its powersports lines, and the VRX 25-S is the top of them. Below it is the R25-S, which is engineered in Oregon but built offshore, sealed to IP67 and warranted for five years. The VRX 25-S is assembled in the United States, sealed to IP68 and warranted for the life of its mechanical components. Above it there is nothing at this capacity, because Warn's AXON line starts at 3,500 lb. If you want an American-built Warn on a quad, this is the smallest one there is.
All-Metal Construction, Not Just an All-Metal Claim The housing, the tie plate and the three-stage planetary gear train are all metal. There is no plastic in the load path, which is the difference between a winch that survives a season of being packed with mud and hosed off and one that develops play. The VRX 25-S carries a semi-gloss black powder coat over the castings and stainless steel fasteners throughout, so the corrosion resistance holds up after the powder coat gets chipped.
IP68 Sealing, Sealed Rather Than Gasketed Warn seals the VRX to IP68, a continuous-immersion rating. In practice that is the difference between a winch you can drown and one you cannot: the motor end, the gear case and the clutch are all sealed against water sitting on them, not merely against spray. If you ride in mud, cross water, or wash the machine down properly afterwards, this is what stops the winch from becoming a corrosion problem over a couple of seasons.
Clutch Built on Warn's Hub-Lock Engineering The free-spool clutch is derived from the 4WD hub-lock design Warn has been refining since the 1940s. Disengaging it lets you pull rope out by hand rather than powering it out, which is faster to rig and saves the battery. It engages positively rather than by feel, so you know the drum is locked before you take up load.
Load-Holding Mechanical Brake The brake engages on its own the moment the motor stops, and it is a mechanical brake rather than a reliance on gearbox friction. On a slope that is the difference between a controlled recovery and a machine that walks backwards every time you let go of the switch. It is also what lets a winch be used as a lift for a plow blade without the blade settling.
Designed, Engineered and Assembled in the USA Warn designs, engineers and assembles the VRX line in the United States, and backs the VRX 25-S with a limited lifetime warranty on mechanical components and a three year warranty on electrical components.
Fitment & Compatibility
Machine
Fit
ATVs and quads
✓ Yes, this is what Warn rates the VRX 25-S for
Two-seat UTVs and side-by-sides
● Under-winched. Step up to a 3,500 lb or larger VRX model
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 VRX 25-S bolts to a 3.0" x 4.87" (76.2mm x 123.7mm) 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 VRX 25-S at 2,500 lb and positions it for ATVs and quads. 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 4.87" (76.2mm x 123.7mm), 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: VRX 25-S
Part Number: 101020
Vehicle Class: Powersports, ATV and UTV. Not a truck or SUV winch
Rated Line Pull: 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) single line, first layer
Motor: 12V DC, permanent magnet
Gear Train: All-metal three-stage planetary
Rope: 50' of 3/16" (4.8mm) Warn synthetic rope
Fairlead: Hawse fairlead
Hook: Zinc-plated clevis hook
Brake: Automatic load-holding mechanical brake
Clutch: Free spooling, clutch based on Warn's 4WD hub-lock design
Dimensions: A 13.2" (335.3mm), B 4.74" (120.5mm), C 3.07" (78mm), D 3.94" (100.2mm), E 3.30" (83.9mm), F 3.48" (88.3mm), lettered as on Warn's drawing
Mounting Bolt Pattern: 3.0" x 4.87" (76.2mm x 123.7mm), 4 holes
Country of Origin: USA, designed, engineered and assembled in the United States
Shipping Weight: 21 lb
UPC: 012748055969
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 VRX 25-S to it on the 3.0" x 4.87" (76.2mm x 123.7mm), 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 control switch where you can reach it without taking your eyes off the machine. 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 VRX 25-S 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 been building vehicle recovery equipment since 1948, when Arthur Warn started converting surplus military Jeeps for civilian roads with a locking hub of his own design. Those hubs led to winches, and the winches made Warn the name that shows up on the front of working machines rather than show machines. The company is headquartered in Clackamas, Oregon, and the VRX line is designed, engineered and assembled in the United States.
The VRX exists because Warn refused to answer the value end of the powersports market with a thinner product. It keeps the all-metal construction and the all-metal three-stage planetary gear train from the expensive winches, it is sealed to IP68 rather than merely gasketed, and its free-spool clutch is derived from the same 4WD hub-lock engineering Warn has been refining since the 1940s. What you give up against the AXON is the digital control system, not the mechanical hardware. That is a deliberate choice, and it is why the mechanical side of the 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 VRX 25-S Powersports Winch, 2,500 lb, 50' 3/16" Synthetic Rope and Hawse Fairlead (101020)
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
Is 2,500 lb enough for my ATV?
Warn positions the 2,500 lb VRX 25-S for ATVs and quads, which is what most single-rider machines weigh once you have fuel, a rider and gear on board. If you are running a two-seat UTV or a side-by-side, step up to the VRX 35 at 3,500 lb or the VRX 45 at 4,500 lb instead. Capacity is quoted on the first layer of the drum, so keep some rope spooled off for a hard pull.
Why is the synthetic version more expensive than the steel VRX 25?
You are paying for the rope and the fairlead, not for a different winch. The 25-S carries 50' of 3/16" Warn synthetic rope and a hawse fairlead; the VRX 25 carries 50' of 3/16" steel wire rope and a roller fairlead. Everything else is identical. Synthetic is roughly six pounds lighter on the machine, it does not develop the sharp broken strands that steel does, and if it does part under load it drops rather than whipping. Steel costs less and shrugs off dragging over rock.
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 VRX 25-S uses a 3.0" x 4.87" (76.2mm x 123.7mm), 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 synthetic rope?
Keep it clean and keep it off sharp edges. Grit worked into the fibres is what wears synthetic rope from the inside, so rinse it if it has been through mud or sand and let it dry before it goes away wet for a long period. Spool it back on under light tension rather than letting it pile up loose, because a loose wrap buries into the layers underneath on the next hard pull. Watch for fuzzing and cut fibres near the hook end, which is where the wear concentrates, and never run synthetic rope over a roller fairlead. This winch ships with a hawse fairlead, which is the correct pairing.
How waterproof is it really?
The VRX is sealed to IP68, a continuous-immersion rating rather than a splash rating. Water crossings, deep mud, snow and hosing the machine down are all well inside what it covers. It is one of the genuine reasons to choose a VRX over a cheaper winch, because on a powersports machine the winch sits low and forward, directly in whatever you drive through.
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 2,500 lb rating is on the first layer of the drum. As the drum fills, leverage drops: 2,500 lb on layer 1, 2,141 lb on layer 2, 1,872 lb on layer 3, 1,663 lb on layer 4, 1,496 lb on layer 5. 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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