Harbor Freight winch?
- Thread starter GeorgeSully
- Start date
Zack Upham
New Member
Agree with others, this is not the time to take the “save money and get an inexpensive” part moment. My 99 Warn winch is as solid today as it was when new. No issues, fast, and furious practical accessory to my TJ
I might cheap out on seat covers and floor mats but when it comes to items that could be crucial/critical in an emergency like a winch, I won't take the chance on a cheap brand like Harbor Freight or Smittybilt.
I got the Engo with synthetic rope, looks good, works good, and will be enough for my purposes.
Erik V
TJ Enthusiast
I buy HF tools for work if I know I won’t be using it everyday. They have come a long way since they first came out.
I did buy one of their new Bauer 20V drills and so far it’s been awesome.
I don’t think I’d ever buy one of those winches even though when I’m in the store I always stop to check them out, lol
I did buy one of their new Bauer 20V drills and so far it’s been awesome.
I don’t think I’d ever buy one of those winches even though when I’m in the store I always stop to check them out, lol
That sounds like it's worth a test. I used to use a big battery powered Craftsman 1/2" power drill to crank my pop-up tent trailer up. It had enough power to work 2-3 years before burning out. Then I'd replace it with the same model. Then Sears dropped that model and the biggest remaining model would burn out within a couple uses. I think I'll give that Bauer a try. Especially since I now have a recent problem with my right arm due to a just diagnosed (Friday) degenerated C5-C6 (in the neck) disc problem causing pain/numbness. I never enjoyed manually cranking that top up before, now it will be a bigger pain. I'm heading over to HFT tomorrow and pick one up to see if it does the job. I hope it does! I'll make sure to buy the extended warranty.
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I second the review on the Bauer.. bought a drill and extra battery and that thing has been awesome so far. I put it to the test by building a storage shed and it never once hiccupped. Went through a battery and a half and then put it in the garage and didn't touch it for another month and spent all day using it on that 2nd battery. I've used it as both a drill and screwdriver and the torque settings are very precise.
Edit: I bought it to replace a Bosch that I had for years and just couldn't justify spending $50 on a replacement battery.
Edit: I bought it to replace a Bosch that I had for years and just couldn't justify spending $50 on a replacement battery.
Erik V
TJ Enthusiast
YES, definitely buy the warranty.
I spun the chuck on a 1/2 drill bit and it messed up the chuck, ( it wouldn’t close all the way).
I returned JUST the drill and they gave me a whole new kit. Drill, battery, charger and what ever else was in there. Not bad for a $12 or $13 dollar warrenty.
I went up yesterday to buy the Bauer at $79 but right next to it was a new line they're now carrying, it's called Hercules. At $109 it was $30 more than the Bauer but it came with a 2.5AH battery instead of the 1.5AH battery the Bauer comes with, plus it has a tad more torque in the inch-lbs. rating. The first one I bought came with a dead battery that wouldn't charge but the replacement I got today works well.
Came the dreaded test I wasn't looking forward to... would it crank my tent trailer's top up or would it stall out. It cranked it right up, so fast that I couldn't believe it. Up and down a couple times so that was good enough for me. I went back to Harbor Freight and bought the 2 year warranty so if this thing goes south on me after cranking my tent trailer top up & down a bunch of times over the next two years I'll just go get another.
https://www.harborfreight.com/20v-lithium-cordless-12-in-compact-drilldriver-kit-63381.html
This is a review of the product, some think it could be made for HFT by Dewalt.
https://www.protoolreviews.com/tool...hats-harbor-freight-hercules-20v-drill/33747/
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Cudabnu
TJ Enthusiast
I have a buddy whos brother develops those tools for HF, and they going to the same factories that make dewalt etc they are even hiring some of the engineers from the larger companies to help develop their tools. We've even tested some of their new welders that work pretty darn good. It's just the long term usage that can only be tested with time to see how they hold up
Erik V
TJ Enthusiast
I would recommend the Engo for a cheap winch I have a old beat up one on a trailer and have been waiting for it to die but it won’t. My bumper that I got came with a 12k Badlands but I am removing and giving to a hardworking employee that really likes it . I am going to save the extra pennies and get a M8 Warn . I am building my Jeep to keep and know the Warn will not fail me.
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