Harbor Freight winch

[octanejunkie]

I had a Warn winch in storage but I can't find it, and it's several years old, but Harbor Freight is having a sale on their 12K winch for $298

Anyone with one of these care to comment on their dependability? I'm gonna mount it on my 3rd gen with ARB bumper

 

[legokcen]

I've been doing some research on winches to buy also.

Please read this. The HF one didn't fair well at all. For that price, go with ENGO.

Massive Multi-Winch Shootout - Four Wheeler Magazine

 

[octanejunkie]

I've been doing some research on winches to buy also.

Please read this. The HF one didn't fair well at all. For that price, go with ENGO.

Massive Multi-Winch Shootout - Four Wheeler Magazine

Thanks for linking that article, but those are all 9K winches

In that class, for the $300 price, I'd consider the Smittybilt 97495 XRC Winch - 9500 lb

 

[legokcen]

I had a Warn winch in storage but I can't find it, and it's several years old, but Harbor Freight is having a sale on their 12K winch for $298

Anyone with one of these care to comment on their dependability? I'm gonna mount it on my 3rd gen with ARB bumper

There is also this. Relatively new, but reviews are pretty positive. I'm sure it is a Chinese built winch, but most are. For that price, I may actually get it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FU5QL1...CE&pd_rd_r=NJMTFMG3ADS25MNX6J0Y&pd_rd_w=A3weB

 

[octanejunkie]

There is also this. Relatively new, but reviews are pretty positive. I'm sure it is a Chinese built winch, but most are. For that price, I may actually get it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FU5QL1...CE&pd_rd_r=NJMTFMG3ADS25MNX6J0Y&pd_rd_w=A3weB

Also this one https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZ20L36/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_UUBrAbXYEB352


And https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F4YCRF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_HZBrAb6EDJ4M8

 

[John7M7]

Thanks for linking that article, but those are all 9K winches

In that class, for the $300 price, I'd consider the Smittybilt 97495 XRC Winch - 9500 lb

I'd go Smittybilt or Superwinch in that price range. I'd never trust HF for that.

 

[John7M7]

Amazon has the Superwinch Tiger Shark for $350, minus $50 with their current coupon. Puts it to $300 free shipping.

Same price as the two crappy no names ones you posted before, only with a proven track record

Superwinch 1595200 Tiger Shark 9.5, 12 VDC winch, 9,500 lb/4,309 kg capacity with roller fairlead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008JCW9GY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ApErAb46Q3QC2

 

[octanejunkie]

I'd go Smittybilt or Superwinch in that price range. I'd never trust HF for that.

All the winches in this price class are Chinese made. Warranties range widely, Smittybilt's is limited lifetime mechanical and 5-yeara electrical.

I think I prefer synthetic rope vs cable and I need to remote mount the solenoid (off the winch)

 

[ajordan1975]

i know a few guys that run the HF, and love it!
shittybuilts are hit or miss. some work great others don't. i hear a lot of people back up the shittybuilt because of it's lifetime warranty. guess what??? lifetime warranties don't get you unstuck.
i love my 200 dollar Warn M8000! Look on CL for used Warns.

 

[97LtdToy]

Amazon has the Superwinch Tiger Shark for $350, minus $50 with their current coupon. Puts it to $300 free shipping.

Same price as the two crappy no names ones you posted before, only with a proven track record

Superwinch 1595200 Tiger Shark 9.5, 12 VDC winch, 9,500 lb/4,309 kg capacity with roller fairlead https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008JCW9GY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ApErAb46Q3QC2

This right here. No expert on larger winches, but my superwinch on my ATV is the best I've ever had, and for about a third the cost of warn. The warns were junk by the way. Plastic internals, just couldn't hold up.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[OU4x4]

i run the 12k HF and my boss owns two of them
no problems so far. they work great.

 

[octanejunkie]

i run the 12k HF and my boss owns two of them
no problems so far. they work great.

How long have y'all been running them and how many times have you use them?

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[OU4x4]

i've had mine 4 years and used it 8 or 9 times.
my boss uses his on a mine site once a month or so

 

[octanejunkie]

This Smittybilt 97495 XRC Winch - 9500 lb is $269 on Summit with no tax and free shipping.

Think I'm gonna pull trigger considering every winch I've looked at has a few bad reviews, so it boils down to warranty and customer service and Summit has always treated me well.

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[Bmerr98]

Just got the Smittybilt XRC 9500 for Christmas. Still in the box, but hoping for the best. YouTube has a teardown and review of the HF 12k winch. It's ling, but thourough.

 

[Bmerr98]

Just got the Smittybilt XRC 9500 for Christmas. Still in the box, but hoping for the best. YouTube has a teardown and review of the HF 12k winch. It's long, but thourough.

 

[octanejunkie]

Just got the Smittybilt XRC 9500 for Christmas. Still in the box, but hoping for the best. YouTube has a teardown and review of the HF 12k winch. It's ling, but thourough.

I bought the Smittybilt. I plan on reclocking it, mounting it and using it straight away.

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[Dropzone]

i got a smittybilt X20 8K for christmas about 5 or 6 years ago, finally put it on my 4runner summer of 2017. it has worked fine

 

[MVP]

I bought the Smittybilt. I plan on reclocking it, mounting it and using it straight away.

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How did it work out when mounting in the bumper? Any clearance or routing issues you learned that one might want to avoid?

 

[Lindenwood]

I used my Smitty 9500lb winch a few times. The clutch often requires a lot of fiddling to get it to release--like having to apply pressure on the release handle while jogging the motor switch--which can be tedious. But, it has worked when I wanted it to.

I swapped in a synthetic cable after putting a slight kink in mine.

That said, I do also carry a hi-lift winching kit.