So I'm in the market for a winch. Does anyone have the harbour freight winch? Or is it worth spending the extra money for a name brand? I know you get what you pay for.
I need a winch
- Thread starter DPwranglerTJ98
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Sweet thanks I'll check out Amazon.
I bought a Warn M8000 not to long ago and the one time I have used it to tighten the line it worked great.
Look around on amazon under the new/used tab. I got mine open box sold by amazon warehouse for $450 and it was never opened.
I put on a superwinch lp8500 maybe 6 months ago, picked it up for $200, but they can be had for $350 I believe from their website. I have used it a few times and its worked every time. My complaint would be line speed, it is awfully slow. I wheeled with buddy who has a warn on his rig and he winched up a steep rock face this weekend, his line speed was incredibly fast which helps when you are winching and trying to climb at the same time.
OP
I bought a Warn M8000 not to long ago and the one time I have used it to tighten the line it worked great.
Look around on amazon under the new/used tab. I got mine open box sold by amazon warehouse for $450 and it was never opened.
Another vote for Warn. Like Jerry said if you plan on using it don't by a winch based on cost. I've had my Warn for over 8 years and it never given me any issues. I've used it for recovery, moving project vehicles around and even, one time, pulling a dead lemon tree out of the ground. Plus, Warns assembly plant is located in Oregon which makes getting parts easier if you ever need them.
Pulling your Jeep out of a mud pit isn't a big deal if a cheap winch fails aside from having to wait to get it out some other way. Pulling on any sort of incline can be a big deal if it decides to fail.
OP
Thanks for all the info everyone. Sounds like I'll go with the tried and true Warn.
One other thing I wanted to point out on the superwinch (and this may be mine only, not a series defect), but the lever for the clutch is really finicky, I need to spin the spool while engaging the clutch for it to grab and lock back into place. The warn I noticed was very smooth and locked/unlocked with using two fingers, vs forcefully engaging it. And this warn was from the 90s.
I have a Superwinch TS 9500SR that I scored for $475. I've used it for everything from recovering my vehicle and others to pulling corral posts out of the ground. It's worked extensively, on some occasions up to 45 minutes stop and go. Not to say it's as good as was Warn, I really can't compare, and line speed may be an issue, but it has proved reliable for me.
Well you have opened up a discussion whose results will all be opinion. I don't personally think any winch is bad since each have their place. Yes quite a few here use and swear by Warn but many have and use other mfg'ers. I run a Smitty XRC and it has never failed; but what I cannot say is that it is best based on that. It's just to antidotal.
I would think the best way to approach this is to find a features comparison chart and place your importance on each to see what fits your intended use. For instance do you want the fastest line speed and pay 6 bills for it, or would a 10% reductuon in speed be enough for you if it could be gotten for only 3 bills. These are questions only you can answer.
I know your original question was framed for opinions and that's fine but take care; I personally think it a bad idea to let another build you rig unless they foot the cost.
I would think the best way to approach this is to find a features comparison chart and place your importance on each to see what fits your intended use. For instance do you want the fastest line speed and pay 6 bills for it, or would a 10% reductuon in speed be enough for you if it could be gotten for only 3 bills. These are questions only you can answer.
I know your original question was framed for opinions and that's fine but take care; I personally think it a bad idea to let another build you rig unless they foot the cost.
The problem is you don't just lose line speed by going with a $300 winch, that's not all the extra $$$ that a better winch costs buys you. Never let anyone convince you you're only losing line speed by going with a cheap $300 winch.
My theory is this... cheap seat covers are fine, cheap radios are fine. Cheap floor mats are fine. But when you're talking about something that you absolutely may need to rely on to get your *** out of a serious legitimate jam some day, it's best to go for quality and reliability over the cheapest. Its clear by just comparing a cheap winch with a better quality winch like a Warn how much better they're made.
Not to mention there are a lot of sites that sell replacement winch motors and solenoids for the major brands like Warn, Superwinch, and Ramsey.
See any motors specifically meant for Smittybilt, Harbor Freight, etc. at https://www.dbelectrical.com/motors/winch-motors/ ?
See any solenoids specifically for Smittybilt, Harbor Freight, etc. at https://www.dbelectrical.com/solenoids/winch-golf-cart/ ?
There are all kinds of factors beginning winch buyers don't always think about. Just one example is the availability of spare parts from multiple sources and how long those spare parts will be available. With Warn, you can get parts for their earliest model winches. And in my experience with Warn hubs, Warn winches, Warn axle shafts, etc. they've yet to charge me for a replacement part. On the other hand, there was a forum post 5-6 months ago from an owner of a rather new Smittybilt winch that failed on the trail. Smittybilt was unable to provide the part he needed (unbelievable) so because it was still under warranty, they shipped him a replacement winch. Sounds great until you realize they wouldn't continue sending him replacement winches once his warranty was up. Which means if you can't get replacement parts after a failure and it's now out of warranty, you are now the not-so-proud owner of a medium-size boat anchor.
My theory is this... cheap seat covers are fine, cheap radios are fine. Cheap floor mats are fine. But when you're talking about something that you absolutely may need to rely on to get your *** out of a serious legitimate jam some day, it's best to go for quality and reliability over the cheapest. Its clear by just comparing a cheap winch with a better quality winch like a Warn how much better they're made.
Not to mention there are a lot of sites that sell replacement winch motors and solenoids for the major brands like Warn, Superwinch, and Ramsey.
See any motors specifically meant for Smittybilt, Harbor Freight, etc. at https://www.dbelectrical.com/motors/winch-motors/ ?
See any solenoids specifically for Smittybilt, Harbor Freight, etc. at https://www.dbelectrical.com/solenoids/winch-golf-cart/ ?
There are all kinds of factors beginning winch buyers don't always think about. Just one example is the availability of spare parts from multiple sources and how long those spare parts will be available. With Warn, you can get parts for their earliest model winches. And in my experience with Warn hubs, Warn winches, Warn axle shafts, etc. they've yet to charge me for a replacement part. On the other hand, there was a forum post 5-6 months ago from an owner of a rather new Smittybilt winch that failed on the trail. Smittybilt was unable to provide the part he needed (unbelievable) so because it was still under warranty, they shipped him a replacement winch. Sounds great until you realize they wouldn't continue sending him replacement winches once his warranty was up. Which means if you can't get replacement parts after a failure and it's now out of warranty, you are now the not-so-proud owner of a medium-size boat anchor.
OP