If you work your machine hard in mud, rock and brush and would rather not think about the rope, the VRX 35 is the sensible pick in Warn's mid-capacity powersports slot. It carries 50' of 7/32" 7x19 aircraft wire rope over a roller fairlead, which is the combination that tolerates being dragged across ground that would chew through synthetic. The winch behind it is the full VRX: all-metal three-stage planetary gear train, IP68 sealing, load-holding mechanical brake and a 153:1 gear ratio, rated at 3,500 lb for large ATVs and two-seat UTVs.
What's Included:
Warn VRX 35 powersports winch, rated at 3,500 lb
50' of 7/32" (5.6mm) 7x19 aircraft wire rope, factory spooled on the drum
Roller 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
3,500 lb of Rated Pull for Large ATVs or two-seat UTVs Warn rates the VRX 35 at 3,500 lb on the first layer of the drum and publishes what happens as the drum fills rather than hiding it: 3,500 lb on layer 1, 2,934 lb on layer 2, 2,525 lb on layer 3, 2,216 lb on layer 4, 1,975 lb on layer 5. Warn positions this capacity for large ATVs and two-seat UTVs. 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 7/32" Steel Wire Rope on a Roller Fairlead This is the steel-rope build. 50' of 7/32" (5.6mm) 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.
Built for Ground That Destroys Synthetic Rope There is one situation where the cheaper option is also the better one, and this is it. If your winching happens in timber, over rock ledges, or across gravel and stumps, a synthetic line spends its life being abraded by exactly the surfaces you are dragging it over. The VRX 35's 7/32" steel rope does not care. You pay four pounds of extra weight and the eventual nuisance of broken strands, and in exchange you stop inspecting your rope after every recovery.
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 35 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 35 with a limited lifetime warranty on mechanical components and a three year warranty on electrical components.
Fitment & Compatibility
Machine
Fit
Large ATVs and two-seat UTVs
✓ Yes, this is what Warn rates the VRX 35 for
Smaller ATVs and quads
● Works, and gives you useful headroom over a 2,500 lb winch
Full-size and four-seat UTVs
● Consider a 4,500 lb or larger model instead
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 35 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 35 at 3,500 lb and positions it for large ATVs and two-seat UTVs. 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 35
Part Number: 101035
Vehicle Class: Powersports, ATV and UTV. Not a truck or SUV winch
Rated Line Pull: 3,500 lb (1,588 kg) single line, first layer
Motor: 12V DC, permanent magnet
Gear Train: All-metal three-stage planetary
Gear Ratio: 153:1
Rope: 50' of 7/32" (5.6mm) 7x19 aircraft wire rope
Fairlead: Roller 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 13.36" (339.4mm), B 4.74" (120.5mm), C 3.07" (78mm), D 4.10" (104.3mm), 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: 29 lb
UPC: 012748055990
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 35 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 35 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.
Returns. Unused items in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days of delivery. If an item arrives damaged, defective or wrong, return shipping is on us. See our Returns & Refunds Policy, or email support@prestigetruck.com with any question.
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.
See it on a truck
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.
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
Why is the steel rope on the VRX 35 thicker than on the VRX 35-S?
Because steel and synthetic reach the same working strength at different diameters. The VRX 35 runs 7/32" (5.6mm) steel; the 35-S runs 3/16" (4.8mm) synthetic. Both are rated for the same 3,500 lb pull. Warn's synthetic rope is stronger per unit of cross-section, so it does the same job in a thinner line, which is also why the synthetic version fits the same length of rope on the drum with less bulk.
Do I need to keep the steel rope maintained?
A little. Keep an eye out for kinks, flat spots and broken strands, and retire the rope if you find a cluster of them. Spool it back on under a light load rather than letting it pile up loosely, because a loose wrap will bury itself into the layers below under the next hard pull and can damage the rope. Wear gloves; broken strands on used steel line are sharp.
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 35 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 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?
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 3,500 lb rating is on the first layer of the drum. As the drum fills, leverage drops: 3,500 lb on layer 1, 2,934 lb on layer 2, 2,525 lb on layer 3, 2,216 lb on layer 4, 1,975 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.
What our customers say
4.5 · 2 reviews
5★14★13★02★01★0
COREY
12/21/2024
Fits my 2005 honda 400at
Its a bit overkill for my atv but mainly got it for the low amp draw. I only expect to at max pull about 2000lbs on a single line if that. Otherwise I would be worried about straightening my frame. Ive had it for a few weeks now and its worked great, havent had time to hit any water with it yet but I'll update if anything goes south. I used a if I mount and the winch had no problem mounting up.
BRUCE
07/14/2025
warn 3500
Everything hooked up nice on my 2020 kingquad 750. Had to use the negative and positive to run the winch because the yellow and blue wire was to short. Not a big deal just had to swap the wires.