I've had a winch, but never hooked it all up! Luckily, I haven't had any breakage but have come-a-longs also, just in case.

Escape door is nice especially if I just need quick access to the car from the driver's side. But with an A-body, I don't have to use it to get in and out, so I carefully drive it in.

As for door clearance, I did make a "platform" for the slicks to drive up on and located where the tires sit when it's all tied down. It's about 3" x about 12" square with bevels on both sides and covered with diamond plate. It helps the car door clear the bottom of the trailer escape door with plenty of room and helps locate the car when driving in.