Gonna be able to tackle the trails better with my new 12k lb. winch...

[MidnightRebel07]

Oh yeah, went to Harbor Freight today to get some stuff and came across this at the clearance table. 12k lb winch with a 2 year warranty free for less then the price of the winch with the cheapest coupon.

A guy had it mounted to the front of his Ford Crown Victoria, ya, I said Crown Vic. He returned it because the steel wire started to show oxidation, really, it's steel and it's out in the weather. Oh well, goodie for me. Since he also bought the wireless remote I got that on clearance price for $16 and picked up the mounting plate for $40.

Gonna be alittle while before I get it completely mounted since I have a steel front bumper that is from another vehicle and it's been raised up to match the body lift. The bumper was made by ARB and was made for a 9k lb. Warn winch that mounts to the backside of the front of the bumper and not from the bottom side on a mounting plate.

I'm gonna have to do quite a bit of fabrication to make the mounting plate work with the bumper, might need to reconstruct the middle section of the bumper. I'm eventually going to be switching over tosynthetic rope and a hawse farelead. Figures I just cut off the roller farelead guard a couple weeks ago, oh well I just need to weld it back on now. lol

Put all together...

Please be patient with install pictures, alot of fab work has to be done and time is ahrd to find but I do plan on having it installed asap...

 

[corkey]

i bet if you took it off the plate and used the four mounting holes in the front of that bumper in the middle , they would line up right now, only the winch would lay down sideways, but seeing as it is not a live thing sideways doesn't matter,

 

[01STrunner]

Sweeeet!! That's an awesome deal.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

The thing is these winches can't be clocked like Warns so the engage/ disengage lever will be in the back instead of on top making access damn near impossible.

 

[Naasau]

Actually, I've run into several threads (while reading reviews on these winches on other sites) that have, in fact, clocked the lever just fine. I didn't need to for mine, but it has been done successfully.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Got any links???? I would like to do that if possible.

 

[Naasau]

Let me look when I'm in front of a real computer.... I think it was on a land rover site.... you can tell I was desperate for reviews when I got my 12k winch.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Any word on the links ?

 

[sport97]

Nice find Jerry. That will come in handy. We need to hit the trails again. My front end could use another beating.... I messed up both lower ball joints and got several dents, scratches and a hole last time and my CV joint is bad too, although that went bad before the last trip out.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Did a quick google search and found a ton of threads from different sites on how to re-clock a Badlands winch...

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcpsugrpq1&gs_nf=3&gs_mss=clocking%20ba&cp=23&gs_id=28&xhr=t&q=clocking+badlands+winch&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=clocking+badlands+winch&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=dd0565a5dba1282e&bpcl=35466521&biw=1440&bih=719

This is a pretty good write-up on how to re-clock the winch...

http://forum.ih8mud.com/winching-recovery/603694-clocking-winch-instructions.html

 

[Naasau]

Ih8mud looks like where I was, good find! Sorry, work has been keeping me away from civilization as well as this site. Let us know how the clock goes!

 

[2TimingTom]

I've got my eye on one of these winches. The price has me interested and cautious at the same time.

 

[Sethybaby]

not a fan of Harbor Freight myself. I've had way too many(nearly every) bad experiences with them. It's a very good price no doubt, but I would consider it a 6-8k not a 12k just to be safe. One thing to keep in mind, nearly everything they sell is a factory second for one reason or another, it didn't pass QC. Sometimes it's a cosmetic, or minor mechanical defect, sometimes though it's much worse.

 

[Naasau]

I have a similar opinion myself, but the QC of these winches, and their overall design, seems to be much higher than their standard fair. I've only used my 12k a few times, but it has performed quite well so far.

We shall see how they hold up over time, and on other X's.

 

[Sethybaby]

If they are that's excellent. You can't touch a used non-working namebrand 12k for that.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

A word regarding the wireless remote.

The receiver tends to cut out when it's voltage drops below about 11vdc, just when your winch is under very heavy load, and will start-stop as the voltage varies. This will create a jerking pull which can lead to all sorts of other issues including breakage and injuries.

Consider some combination of dual batteries/high output alternator or a separate 12vdc source for the remote receiver or, only use it when setting up or retrieving your winch line before/after the pull.

Hard wiring switches inside to run the winch during the pull saves connecting the OEM controller when you're in an inconvenient position and eliminates the potential for a jerking pull.

Good luck .

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Thanks for the heads up the wireless remote. Good to know. I'll figure something out, I already have a 1000cca battery, I'll look into a better alternator.

 

[LONO100]

cant wait to see it on that bumper

 

[Naasau]

A second battery and better primary power cables than those supplied are very high on my list'o'**** to install; right alongside some hard wired in cab controls. *drool*

One day. :-(

 

[Naasau]

Lono> I can't wait to see his on either!