
First READ THIS MANUAL.
If you still need help, call us from 9 am to 4 pm
(central time) Monday – Friday.
(615) 641-2542
Every installation can be different. If you have
any questions or difficulty installing this
product, TRAC is here to help!
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
For ELECTRIC TRAILER WINCH Models:
T10128-C Lite Cruiser (cable)
T10129-S Lite Cruiser (strap)
T10130-Csw Salt Water Series Lite Cruiser (cable)

Remote Control on 9’ Cord
6 66996 10124 6
6 66996 10125 3
6 66996 10128 4
6 66996 10130 7
UNPACKING
When unpacking, inspect for any damage that may have occurred during transit.
Make sure any loose bolts, nuts, etc. are tightened before putting unit into service.
GENERAL SAFETY INFORMATION - Throughout this manual potential safety hazards will be
noted with the following terms. Please read and understand these terms before operating the product.
Danger means a hazard that WILL
cause death or serious injury if the
warning is ignored.
Warning means a hazard that COULD
cause death or serious injury if the
warning is ignored.
Caution means a hazard that MAY cause
minor or moderate injury if the warning
is ignored. It may also mean hazard that
will only cause damage to property.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
Trailer winches are used for launching and loading boats on trailers. Please read and save these instructions. Read
carefully before attempting to install, operate or maintain the winch. Protect yourself and others by observing all safety
information. Failure to comply with instructions could result in personal injury and/or property damage!
SPECIFICATIONS
Various load conditions will affect winch performance. The line pull required for a
specialized application depends on the weight of the load, condition of the trailer, and the
incline of the loading ramp. The chart below is a guideline only.

NOTE: Note means any additional information pertaining
to the product or its proper usage.
The following safety precautions must be followed at all
times:
1: Read all manuals included with this product carefully.
Be thoroughly familiar with the controls and the proper
use of the equipment. Only persons well acquainted with
these rules of safe operation should be allowed to use the
winch.
Always unplug the wiring harness to prevent
accidental starting before attempting to install,
service, relocate or perform maintenance.
2. Never use the winch to lift or move people or animals.
3. Stand away from the winch when in use and keep
children away from winch area at all times.
Always stand clear of the area behind and
between the load or anchor point and the winch.
Serious injury could occur, if the cable breaks.
4. Always keep hands clear of cable spool (drum area).
5. Do not wear loose fitting clothing, scarves, or neck ties.
Loose clothing may become caught in moving parts and
result in serious personal injury.
6. Never use the winch for overhead lifting.
7. Always wire the winch with circuit breakers. Failure to
use the breakers could cause overheating, thus creating a
potential fire hazard or motor damage.
Always leave a minimum of five wraps of cable
on the drum at the bottom layer to achieve a
rated load.
8. Inspect the cable for weak or worn condition, or
kinking (short tight twist or curl) before each use.
9. When replacing the cable, always use a Trailer winch
cable with the rating and cable strength.
10. Never substitute rope for cable. Possible injury could
occur.
11. Do not attempt to pull a load greater than the rated
load of the winch.
12. Do not use the winch to solely hold or support the
boat. When the boat is on the trailer, secure the boat
with tie-downs. Always use tie-down straps to hold the
boat to the trailer. Damage could occur to the winch or
the boat if boat-to-trailer tie-down straps are not used.
13. Never wrap the winch cable around the load. Use
suitable chain to prevent the cable from kinking or
fraying.
14. Always wear leather gloves when handling the
cable. Steel cable can cause hand injuries.
After using the winch, always disconnect the
power cord from the socket to avoid moisture
collection in the socket and prevent the
possibility of short circuiting.
15. Do not operate the winch under the influence of
drugs, alcohol, or other medication.
Do not use the winch to solely secure boat to
trailer during transit. Use separate tie-down
straps to secure the boat to the trailer.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
The Following Safety Precautions Must Be Followed At All Times

Winch Installation
Install the electric winch in the same location as the
existing hand winch. Remove the hand winch from the
winch stand. Install the electric winch unit using three
(3) 3/8” Grade 5 machine bolts, nuts and washers
(included). If the winch stand does not have three holes,
you may have to drill two holes for the two bolts which
are located at the rear-end (end that has a printed label).
Locate the three mounting bolts that came in the box.
Remove the nut, and 2 washers from the bolts. Adjust
retaining ring by unscrewing it to allow about 1/4 inch of
space between the retaining ring and head of bolt.
Insert head of bolt into keyhole on bottom of winch.
Slide bolt head along the slot. Two bolts are to be located
at the rear-end of the winch (below the label). Tighten
retaining ring by threading the ring tight to the bottom of
the winch. This will hold the bolts while you lower the
winch onto the trailer’s winch stand. Align the bolts
with the bolt holes on the winch stand. Install flat washer,
lock washer and nut.
NOTE: The cable (as it exits the winch) and the bow eye
on the boat should be at the same height when the boat
is in the fully loaded position on the trailer. If the bow
eye is too high, extra stress is exerted on the boat’s bow
eye and stern. If the winch is too low, it will pull the
boat into the bunks instead of along them. To achieve
equal height of the winch and boat, raise or lower the
winch stand. In most cases, the trailer manufacturer will
have an adapter or optional winch stands. TRAC does
not offer winch stands due the great variety of trailers.
Eight (8) inches clearance is required between the
winch and bow eye to prevent the cable hook from
being drawn into the winch drum. If necessary,
relocate winch stand or bow stop to obtain clearance.
To permanently wire the winch, refer to figure below
and follow the outlined procedures.
1. Attach circuit breaker to positive (+) battery post.
Never attach circuit breaker to battery negative.
2. Run positive wire (not included) through or under the
vehicle to from the battery to the rear of the vehicle.
Attach at suitable intervals to the vehicle frame. Use
nylon wire ties (not supplied) to secure the wire to the
vehicle frame about every 12 inches. Avoid sharp edges
or places where the wire might rub.
3. Attach negative wire (ground wire) to the vehicle
frame using a bolt and lock nut. Before attaching the
ground wire, clean the metal with wire brush or
sandpaper. As an option the negative wire can be run
(along with positive wire) to battery negative terminal.
4. At rear of vehicle, install a suitable 12v socket, such as
used for a trolling motor. Install the socket at rear of
the vehicle and plug at end of the winch battery cable.
Optional Wiring – An auxiliary battery may be used and
can be installed on the trailer, or secured in the bed of a
truck. If auxiliary battery is used, it should be a Marine
battery. Batteries not designed for deep discharge (deep
cycle) may not provide current required.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
The winch comes with 9’ of battery wire suitable to reach the rear of the tow vehicle or nearby battery. Vehicle Wiring
Kit (item T10135) can be purchased separately. When the tow vehicle is running, its alternator/generator provides
optimum voltage and current which will allow the winch to reach its maximum pulling power.

WIRED REMOTE
Winch comes with a Wired remote control - hand-held
remote with 9’ cord that plugs into the side of the winch.
Wireless Remote Control – Programmed at factory
This trailer winch is equipped to operate with a wireless
remote control. Every wireless remote and winch are
already programmed to communicate with each other.
This is done at the factory, but you can also refer to the
following instructions for a description of the remote
functions and programming. If the wireless remote has
a low battery or is lost, the wired remote may be used to
release or retrieve the boat. If the remote battery is
replaced or a new remote is used, it can be programmed
using the following instructions.
PROGRAMMING THE WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL
Wireless remote is preprogrammed at the factory to your
winch. A new remote would need to be programmed.
To program the transmitter to the receiver:
1. Attach the battery power cord to the battery but do not
plug power cord into winch.
2. Plug the wired controller into the winch.
3. Grasp the wired controller and while holding the
“light-ON” button, plug the power cord into winch.
Continue to hold “light-ON” button for a second, release.
4. Press and hold any button on the wireless remote. Do
not release the button.
4. Remove power cord from winch.
5. Continue to hold wireless remote button for 10
seconds and release. Programming is complete.
6. Re-attach power cord.
WIRELESS REMOTE BATTERY REPLACEMENT
1. Remove the screw located on the back.
2. Separate the two halves of the transmitter; locate the
battery and remove.
3. Replace battery with same type. Polarity is very
important, make sure to place the negative end of the
battery against the coil spring when replacing the battery.
WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS
IMPORTANT
Use extreme caution when using this winch. While the
remote is waterproof, it is still a good idea to keep it
dry. The battery may need to be replaced to ensure
best performance. In the event that the remote is lost
or broken another one can be obtained from TRAC for a
nominal fee. The transmitter (remote) and receiver in
the Trailer Winch comply with the FCC Part 15.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
I. This device may not cause harmful interference.
II. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
RECOMMENDED OPERATING PROCEDURES
1. Always be sure the remote is operating with no
obstructions between the remote and the winch, the
signal may be blocked.
2. The remote performs best when it is within a 40 foot
radius of the winch. Depending on the operating
environment it is possible for the remote to perform
well at a greater distance.
3. The winch receives a stronger signal when the remote
is operated on one of the two sides of the winch.
There exists a greater chance of the signal being
interrupted if the remote is used in front of the winch.
Never stand between the winch and the boat.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES

Winch Operation
UNLOADING
To unload the boat, follow these procedures.
Clear the area around and behind the boat of people,
animals, and obstructing objects before loading or
unloading or personal injury could occur.
1. If it is not already attached, attach winch cable hook to
the bow eye on the boat.
Always stand clear of the area behind the boat and
between the winch and boat. Serious injury could occur
if the cable breaks. The clutch control knob on the side
of the winch controls the free-spool function and is
sometimes used to unload the boat or to pull cable out of
the winch.
2. To free-spool and let cable out, loosen the wing nut and
turn the clutch knob counterclockwise to release the
clutch and allow the cable to free-wheel out.
3. Allow the boat to slide off the trailer (a slight push may
be necessary to start the boat down the trailer). If
needed, turn the clutch knob clockwise to use the brake
to slow the boat at launch.
4. When the boat is in the water, release the winch cable
hook from the bow eye. Be sure to keep constant
tension on the cable/strap when free spooling in or out
and also when powering in or out. A loose cable/strap
may rewind improperly and cause winch damage.
Secure the cable hook to prevent personal injury or
property damage.
LOADING
1. Align the boat to trailer. Make sure that the remote is
unobstructed by the trailer frame or other objects.
Always stand clear of the area between the boat and
winch. Serious injury could occur if the cable breaks.
2. Free-spool the winch cable out (or power out with
control) and attach the cable hook to the eye on the boat.
3. The clutch control knob must be tight to winch the boat
4. Press and hold the retrieve button to begin retrieving
the boat.
5. Power in the cable IN until the boat touches the bow
stop. Secure boat to trailer with tie-downs once the
boat is fully loaded.
Do not use the winch to solely hold the weight of the
boat while in transit. Always secure the boat to the
trailer with tie-down straps before towing the boat and
trailer.
6. Make sure clutch knob and boat-to-trailer straps are
tight and secure.
MANUAL CRANKING
You may manually crank the winch to retrieve a boat.
1. Remove the crank handle from the housing.
2. Remove the outer wing nut, loosen the clutch knob,
and place the hand crank on the shaft. Tighten wing
nut against crank handle (leave the clutch knob
loosened).
3. Turn crank handle clockwise to retrieve boat.
4. After using the emergency hand crank, remove it and
replace in rear of housing.
5. Replace wing nut and tighten.
Turn counter-clockwise to release the
Clutch. Turn clockwise to tighten.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES

Maintenance
LUBRICATION
The cable should be lubricated a minimum of once a year
with a Wire Rope Spray, WD40 or a similar product. Spray
the shaft and the cable as the cable is being wound. You
may remove the cover and lubricate the gears once a year
with marine grease. Be careful not to get grease on the
clutch lining. Before removing the housings, slice the
printed label down the middle with a utility knife.
SALT WATER RINSING
To minimize common corrosion from salt water, it is a best
practice to rinse off the winch after each use with fresh
water. Simply point a hose inside the rope opening, over
the cover and around the surrounding boat deck to wash
away any salt water residue.
CABLE REPLACEMENT
Always unplug the wiring harness to prevent accidental
starting before attempting to install, service, or perform any
maintenance. To replace the cable, follow the outlined
procedures. Use an exact replacement TRAC cable. The
winch rating and cable strength are carefully matched.
1. Unplug the power cord. Loosen the clutch knob and
free-spool the cable out.
2. It is not necessary to remove the cover in order to
replace the cable; however, removing the cover does create
more access to the drum shaft and make the installation
easier.
3. Remove the set-screw on the cable spool and remove
cable.
4. Insert the new cable into the drum shaft hole and
replace set-screw and tighten.
5. Reassemble the cover halves back onto the winch if
they were removed during the cable installation process.
6. Power-in the cable with a light load to help wind the
cable straight and tight onto the drum.
COURTESY LIGHT OPERATION
The trailer winches come equipped with a 12-volt Courtesy
light. The light can be used when the winch is running or
when it is idle. The winch must be wired to a 12-volt
battery in order for the light to function. There is a push
button switch located on the wired and wireless controls of
the winch that activates the light.
Push the button to turn light on and press the to
turn it off.
To prevent damage to light, do not operate light for longer
than 20 minutes.
LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT
1. Remove the two screws that hold the Lens against the
winch cover
2. Remove the lens.
3. Remove the bulb.
4. Replace with new light bulb and reinstall lens. The light
bulb is a 5W halogen bulb. Higher wattage may melt the
housing and void warranty.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES

1. Disconnected power wire.
2. Disconnected control wire.
3. Damaged Circuit Breaker.
1. Start by checking the wiring at the battery.
Bypass the circuit breaker and test the winch. If
the winch operates, replace the circuit breaker.
2. Check wiring insulation for worn or bare spots
that may be causing a short.
3. Check all connections for tightness.
Load slips under retrieval.
1. Clutch knob not fully tightened.
2. Clutch lining worn or dirty
1. Tighten clutch knob.
2. Replace clutch lining or clutch knob.
Transmitter will not operate
winch but manual override
switch will.
1. Transmitter was not programmed
properly to the receiver.
2. Battery in transmitter is low or
dead.
3. The transmitter is outside of its
recommended operating radius.
4. The transmitter is not properly
oriented to the winch.
5. Transmitter or receiver is bad.
1. Program or reprogram wireless remote
according to the instruction manual.
2. Replace the battery.
3. Get closer to the winch, recommended
operating range is 10-15 feet from center of the
winch.
4. Position the remote above the level of the
winch.
5. Contact service center to replace wireless
remote.
1. Winch is not connected to 12-volt
battery.
2. Bulb is burned out.
3. Bulb is loose in the retaining clips or
there is a loose connection.
1. Wire winch to 12-volt battery using the
supplied wiring harness.
2. Replace bulb with new one.
3. Attached bulb so that it is secure within the
bulb socket.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
Troubleshooting Guide
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Can I mount the winch on an angle? A: Yes, the winch can be installed at up to 15 degree angle (tilted up or
down), but not much more than that or the cable will rub on the winch housing. NOTE: The winch should be installed
so the cable/strap (as it exits the winch) is even with the bow eye on the boat when the boat is in the fully loaded
position on the trailer. If the winch is too high, extra stress is exerted on the boat’s bow eye and rear of the trailer. If
the winch is too low, it will pull the boat into the bunks instead of along them. To achieve equal height of the winch
and bow eye, raise or lower the winch stand or reposition the winch.
Q: How close can I mount the winch to the bow eye? A: We recommend eight (8) inches clearance between the
winch and bow eye to prevent the cable/strap hook from being drawn into the winch drum. There is such a wide
variation between trailer and boat types, that you may need more clearance, or less might be acceptable. Consider
your application and position the winch so the hook remains outside the winch housing. If necessary, relocate the
winch stand or bow stop to obtain clearance.
Q: What is the best way to power the winch? A: There are three ways to power the winch:
1. The best way is to use the vehicle’s battery. The tow vehicle’s engine (alternator/generator) puts out about 17
volts and plenty of current (amps) to power the winch. This allows the winch to achieve maximum pulling
power. To use the vehicle’s battery, a vehicle wiring kit (Item T10135) can be used to route the power from the
vehicle’s battery to the rear of the vehicle where a plug system can be used. The winch power cable can be
plugged into this system.
2. A deep cycle marine battery can be placed in the rear bed of a pick-up truck and the winch connected to it. Use
good judgment to secure the battery while trailering.
3. A deep cycle marine battery can be installed on the trailer tongue. Be sure to use an adequate battery box and
means to secure the battery during trailering.

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
Q: Can I use the trailer light plug on my tow vehicle? A: The older style “4-FLAT” plug (four electrical connections
in a straight row) cannot be used. The winch draws too much current for these light-weight wires. The new style
7-point round connectors typically have a 30 amp circuit. The trailer winches can draw up to a maximum of about 35
amps. So, if the winch is “maxed out” it would cause the circuit breaker to break the circuit. If the boat was light, or
trailer had rollers, it is possible the winch would not reach 30 amps. There are so many variables such a ramp angle,
boat weight, resistance on the trailer bunk/roller, etc., that we do not know if your rig would work or not. Many of
our customers are successful using this circuit, but we do not know if your boat and trailer would work or not. Wiring
your vehicle with a high-current 60 amp circuit is best. However, if you want to try the 30 amp circuit in your round
plug on your tow vehicle, it is up to you. To use this circuit you would need to ground the winch’s negative (black)
wire to the trailer frame. The positive wire would be connected to the 30 amp circuit on your round plug on your
vehicle. A round plug adaptor can be purchased (we do not sell them, check any store that sells trailer lights) to plug
into the receptacle on your vehicle. The receptacle on your vehicle plug does NOT have a high-current ground (black
wire), so the trailer and vehicle frame must complete the ground circuit, while the positive wire does run through the
round plug.
Q: Where does the circuit breaker go? A: The circuit breaker gets attached to the positive (+) battery
post. Never attach the circuit breaker to battery negative. If for some reason, the circuit breaker cannot be placed at
the battery post, it can be spaced up to 6” away from the post, by adding a short length of battery wire between the
post and the breaker.
Q: Why don’t you include the vehicle wiring? A: We are trying to keep winch costs low and not everyone
requires the vehicle wiring. A kit is available from TRAC (Item T10135), visit our website, TRAC-Outdoor.com, for
details.
Q: What size/gauge wire should I use to wire my vehicle? A: As a minimum, 10-gauge wire is acceptable.
8-gauge is best.
Q: How much current (amps) does my winch use? A: It depends on the weight of your boat, if you have roller or
flat bunks on trailer, angle of boat ramps, etc. The rough range is 20 to 35 amps.
Q: Can I place a strap on my cable winch? A: No, the spool is too wide and there is no good way to attach the
strap to a cable drum. We do make the Lite Cruiser with strap - Item T10129.
Q: Do I need to lubricate the winch? A: The cable should be lubricated a minimum of once a year with a Wire
Rope Spray, WD40 or a similar product. Spray the spool and the cable as the cable is being wound. You may remove
the cover and lubricate the gears once a year with marine grease. Be careful not to get grease on the clutch lining. It
is not necessary to lubricate the internal gears on a new winch.
Q: Should it be this loud? A: It’s an electric winch with steel gears and normally has gear noise. It’s normal.
Q: Can I winch the boat in manually if I don’t have electric power? A: Yes, the manual crank comes with the
winch and can be used to winch the boat onto the trailer.

1 BOLT, LOCK WASHER AND FLAT WASHER 2 29 SQUARE GASKET 1
2 WHITE NUT 1 30 MOTOR FASTEN BELT 1
3 GRAY KNOB 1 31 SQUARE GASKET WITH THREADED HOLE 1
4 BOLT, LOCK WASHER AND FLAT WASHER 2 32 RIGHT PLASTIC COVER 1
5 LEFT PLASTIC COVER 1 33 HANDLE 1
6 SPLIT PIN 1 34 RUBBER COVER 1
8 DUPLEX GEAR 1 36 RUBBER COVER 1
9 DUPLEX GEAR SHAFT 1 37 BOLT, LOCK WASHER AND FLAT WASHER 1
11 BOLT, LOCK WASHER AND FLAT WASHER 3 39 LOCK W AHSE 1
12 HOOK 1 40 HEXAGON GEAR 1
14 WASHER 1 42 BEARING COVER 2
16 LOCK WASHER 2 44 LONG SHAFT 1
17 WASHER 7 45 SPLIT PIN 1
19 BEARING WITH DEEP GROOVE 2 47 WASHER 1
21 STEEL ROPE 1 49 FRICTION PLATE 2
22 PLATE 1 50 FRICTION GEAR 1
232 SPOOL SHAFT 1 51 LED COVER 1
24 SPOOL GEAR 1 52 BULB 1
25 CONTROL BOX 1 53 SELF-TAPPING SCREW 2
26 SELF-TAPPING SCREW 1 54 LIGHT LENS 1
27 MOTOR 1 55 SELF-TAPPI NG SCREW 2
28 BOLT 1 56 PLASTIC LOOP 1
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES
Limited Warranty
This limited warranty is provided by TRAC Outdoor Products Co (TRAC) to the original consumer purchaser (purchaser) of the new (not
refurbished) TRAC Trailer Winch. This limited warranty is not transferable to any other party. TRAC will at it option repair or replace any part
of the TRAC Trailer Winch which may be found by TRAC to be defective within two (2) years of original purchase. TRAC does not pay for the
shipping cost from original purchaser to TRAC. You will have to ship the items to us for repair or replacement. For warranty repair or
replacement, the purchaser will provide dated proof of purchase (sales receipt) and promptly notify TRAC of the request for warranty action.
The purchaser will notify TRAC by email at info@TRAC-Outdoor.com or by calling 615-641-2542 for warranty action. Purchasers will be
provided a Return Goods Authorization (RGA) to include with return for warranty work which will be shipped at the purchaser’s expense to the
address provided. The purchaser must use reasonable care in maintenance and operation of the product in accordance with this manual.
Failure to follow the instructions in the manual will void the warranty. This warranty covers defects in material or workmanship of the TRAC
Trailer Winch only. This warranty does not cover failure that results from misuse, improper installation, accident, abuse, neglect,
modification, or improper maintenance. There are no other express or implied warranties. Any damage to watercraft or trailer resulting
from proper or improper use of this TRAC Trailer Winch is not covered under this warranty. Costs of installation or repair by service centers or
marine repair facilities are not covered by this warranty. This is the exclusive remedy and any liability for any and all incidental or
consequential damages or expenses whatsoever is excluded. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, or
do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, the above limitations may not apply to you. This limited warranty
gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.
If ordering a part, provide the product model as well as the part number.

TRAC Outdoor Products Company
6039 Dana Way
Antioch, TN 37013
www.trac-outdoor.com
info@trac-outdoor.com
615/641-2542
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS TRAILER WINCHES