Harbor Freight Winches

[landcrusher909]

Update on mine:

Installed the Badlands 12k in April 2011. Most times, I use my winch once every other event (so, 8 or so times a year). Thus far, other than a controller connection issue at GSMTR 2011, it's worked flawlessly.

I needed it this past week while at the RoundUp in TX...I had not touched the winch since I used it in Hot Springs AR in October 2012. It worked perfectly, and drug my FZJ80 towards a wedged Jeep TJ...haha We finally used a hi-lift to jack the front end up (busted axle) and winched 'er free.

The chrome finish on the lever isn't pretty anymore (rust) but everything else is in fine condition. Despite TWO Wisconsin salt-encrusted winters...

I still have the original finicky controller. The In and Out button now sticks (ie: stays toggled) so it needs to come apart for some cleaning. Considering the lack of maintenance thus far, I'm not complaining.

Going to pick one this weekend I am just about done with he 40 build and this should work just fine. Thanks for all the updates and input everyone

 

[skidplate]

I just got a H.F. coupon for $299.00 for the 12000 . I'm gonna set it on Andy's table at the Bakersfield rally at the end of April. There's a Harbor freight a couple of miles away. It's good until April 30. Come take it.

 

[landtoy80]

I bought the 2 year warranty also but I am not confident it's as easy as bringing it in and them handing you another one off the shelf. I asked about it and was reassured that it would be this easy, but was told by a buddy of mine that you have to call it in to their repair center first.

We'll see after the first person tries to warranty their winch. Post up the results if you do!

Read the warranty. Its a one time use only warranty. I just returned a saw and found out that the warranty is a one time use. If you want a warranty on the replacement, you have to buy a new warranty.

 

[Titan]

looking at the smittybuilt, the HF and the Champion from Tractor supply, TS biggest is 8K, lists at $339.00 smitty 8K is $299, and HF with coupon $299, superwinch 8500K $299...my brain's to dam small, research is difficult when I have the attention span of asparagus..any thoughts on these selections???

 

[bamabrock]

How exactly do you rotate the lever? It is different than the warn setup. I took the screwcaps off and couldn't tell how to rotate it. Do I need to take all of the plantary gears out of the end and unscrew the housing to rotate it?

edit: found my answer here

https://forum.ih8mud.com/80-series-tech/558590-need-help-mounting-winch.html

 

[Racerkit]

It is called clocking. You are basically rotating the gear system relative to the base(footing). Remove the 2 6mm hex, pull out the gear/lever halves. You will see 10 3mm hex, remove all. Rotate 1 slot, each slot equals to 36 degree.

 

[TYM4FUN]

No gears need to be removed. Here is the link to the thread, that taught me how to do this.https://forum.ih8mud.com/winching-recovery/603694-clocking-winch-instructions.html

I also added a little more grease to the gears when it was apart....


And a pic of my winch being put back together. All those little allen screws need to be removed so you can lift up that half, turn it, and place in back on.

 

[bamabrock]

Thanks.

 

[93yotasr5]

here is a couple of my BL 12K winch installed on my Metal tech bumper. fits perfectly!

 

[98taco]

Looks nice, got a 9,000 pounder haven't installed yet....waiting on a winch bumper for the Tacoma...

 

[elephantsCBR]

Interesting find.
I normally don't drive the cruiser abunch, sucks I know, so after I parked this morning at school. I thought it was a good photo opp. So I took one. Well when I got back from class I walked in front and knew something was erring. Then I spotted it. So I went back to the pic I had taken this morning and sure enough. It was like that when I left. So no vandalism.


Apparently sometime between yesterday afternoon, have pics on the trailer from after trip so o know it wasnt while being used, and this morning. My winch sucked in the cable. It made it threw the rollers, under the bottom of the drum, broke the rear chrome bar mount. Then did the same with the front. I'm guessing it went at lease 1 whole cycle to make it back under the front bar.

I had the wireless box plugged in. I guess the people using the winch this weekend to recover some other rigs plugged it in after pulling out the hand held. (wireless remote battery was dead). So not sure if the wireless remote decided to start working again or if there is a short somewhere in the box..... All I know is I couldn't get the wireless to work after I found out so not sure. Now it's all unplugged to doesn't matter.

Havn't checked but does anybody know if this piece is available separately form HF. It looks like it is 5 main pieces. The 2 cylindrical parts on each end. Drum. And the 2 attachment blocks. I'd need one of those. Kinda sucks.... Wishing I would have bought the warranty

Thanks Cody Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD

 

[BamaPaul]

Cody that sucks. I bet it just caught a random signal from some other wireless source, from what I have read online hf doesn't offer much in the way of spares, but the damaged areas look to be repairable. Repairing it may be more expensive than replacing it though and if you replace it you have a spare motor, drum, line, etc.

 

[Living in the Past]

I had the wireless box plugged in. I guess the people using the winch this weekend to recover some other rigs plugged it in after pulling out the hand held. (wireless remote battery was dead). So not sure if the wireless remote decided to start working again or if there is a short somewhere in the box..... All I know is I couldn't get the wireless to work after I found out so not sure. Now it's all unplugged to doesn't matter.

I would check the wiring in the box to see if anything may have shorted. My guess is the remote was stored in the vehicle in such a way that the winch "cable in" button got pushed in enough to make contact. This may explain why the batteries were dead. While I haven't purchased a wireless remote but if I do the receiver will only be pluged in while being use for this reason. I do remember early in this thread there were posts on faulty wiring in the control box. The remove wiring was very light gauge and broke easily. My winch is pretty new but after seeing this post I think I will pull it apart and double check and redo it if I have any doubt.

 

[lilevo]

Also if you push the in or out button and then go out of range, I've found that it won't stop going in or out.

 

[woody]

my 2 year old 12k HF winch drug my 80-series up Widowmaker on Metal Masher today in Moab...picture a 6'+ wall of smooth rock. and then picture an 80-series being drug up on it's sliders, WITH all 4 wheels spinning...the sliders have about 3' of grinding on each...uugh...

Winch performed as it should, but my battery isolator kept switching out and that caused issues...time to toss that junker out and find something better (leaning towards the new Piranha)

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/sis.html?_kw=New+Piranha+DBE180S+Dual+Battery+Isolator+Kit

 

[80t0ylc]

my 2 year old 12k HF winch drug my 80-series up Widowmaker on Metal Masher today in Moab...picture a 6'+ wall of smooth rock. and then picture an 80-series being drug up on it's sliders, WITH all 4 wheels spinning...the sliders have about 3' of grinding on each...uugh...

Winch performed as it should, but my battery isolator kept switching out and that caused issues...time to toss that junker out and find something better (leaning towards the new Piranha)

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/sis.html?_kw=New+Piranha+DBE180S+Dual+Battery+Isolator+Kit

Would have enjoyed watching that! Are you still running wire rope or have you converted to synthetic?

 

[Southeast Overland]

my 2 year old 12k HF winch drug my 80-series up Widowmaker on Metal Masher today in Moab...picture a 6'+ wall of smooth rock. and then picture an 80-series being drug up on it's sliders, WITH all 4 wheels spinning...the sliders have about 3' of grinding on each...uugh...

Winch performed as it should, but my battery isolator kept switching out and that caused issues...time to toss that junker out and find something better (leaning towards the new Piranha)

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/sis.html?_kw=New+Piranha+DBE180S+Dual+Battery+Isolator+Kit

I have a Piranha that I'm about to install and test. Should be carrying them soon.

 

[woody]

Would have enjoyed watching that! Are you still running wire rope or have you converted to synthetic?

synthetic line went on before it was installed...I will NOT run wire

 

[bamabrock]

What is a good thickness of synthetic line for the 12k winch? Is 3/8" enough or do I need to get the 1/2"? I'm looking at this to replace the stock cable.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-2-SYNTHET...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item23293c1deb

 

[woody]

3/8" is rated for 17k I believe...or 17.5k...I'd check, but the Southeast Overland site is funky this morning... (stupid internets...obviously, just a fad...)

That link shows a 1/2" line rated at 12.5k...IMO, don't buy it...stick with one of the quality winchline vendors...a GOOD 1/2" line will be rated more in the 22k range...

and your HF 12k only holds 80' anyways of 3/8"...IMO, 70-80' is plenty on the drum, and get a good 50' extension line to carry for longer distances.


My winching situation would have been a disaster if the line had broke...a stalled winch would have meant an interesting recovery, a busted line would have equaled some major vehicle damage. I am as "cost effective" as the next guy, but winch line isn't one of them.