I don't know that I fully realized how cheap I am sometimes until recently.
I needed a winch for Big Juicy and there was no way I was paying Warn prices, especially considering how often I actually use the thing. No knock on anyone who has spent a pretty penny on their winch. Every purchase is the result of assigning values to each parameter, and everybody gets to balance the equation differently. This is just MY solution to the equation.
Initially I had been thinking about the Badlands 12k winch, but I really wanted a synthetic rope, so by the time you add the rope & hawse fairlead, you're already in for another $100+, so no sense in looking at $300 steel cable winches. So my attention shifted to the Badlands Apex with the synthetic rope. With that 25% coupon from last week it got down to $450. Plus it looks cool. But the truth is all these devices are made in the same place by the same people, so why not go cheap and gamble a little? The guys I wheel with all have winches too, so it's not like I would suddenly be unrecoverable if it died. So I went with the Zeak 13k winch on Amazon for $297 (last week they ran a 10% off special).
Pros:
Cons
Below are some pics of the thing. What I was most impressed with were the wiring connections at the back of the solenoid box. The threaded strain relief connections were a nice touch, especially compared to my buddies Warn box. Plus boots for the motor side connections, and the + & - cables were nice and thick and plenty long to get to my battery. It also came with a circuit breaker & enclosure and a shorter red cable to give you no excuses to not wire it in. I've read plenty on that topic, and I know a lot of people don't think they're necessary and some winches don't even come with one... if you're on team No Circuit Breaker then just toss it. From a hardware standpoint, all the bolts were stamped 12.9, so they should hold up.
The wired remote was a 4-wire with a threaded collar, although I can't think of a scenario where I would need it to be threaded in. Regardless, it felt sturdy in my hand. The wireless controller feels a little lightweight in my hand, but it fits in the cupholder. I may put some velcro and mount it to the dash for safe keeping. You turn it on by holding both buttons for 3 seconds...the reviewers all seem to have missed the (literally) half page in the manual devoted to this one instruction. Thankfully it appears to auto-turn off.
The hook is really my only complaint. The opening behind the clevis pin is a smidge too narrow for the loop end of the rope. I was able to get it in, but it was really bound up once the clevis went back in. I'd like to replace it with a bigger hook anyway, but this will do for now.
Performance: I only had to use it once, and only to pull me about 6 inches to good traction, but it did the job. It spooled the cable back in at an acceptable rate; it didn't feel noticeably slow.
Now having said all that, one of our crew did have his winch die due to his steel cable being bound up and he couldn't free spool it, and I think we burned up the motor trying to push cable out. That's what it sounded like. As a result and after seeing my Zeak, he is very likely going to buy one as well.
So take all that for what it's worth. It worked the one time I needed it. And the external build quality & provided components seem to be of good quality. So far, I would absolutely recommend to the budget minded winch shopper.
I needed a winch for Big Juicy and there was no way I was paying Warn prices, especially considering how often I actually use the thing. No knock on anyone who has spent a pretty penny on their winch. Every purchase is the result of assigning values to each parameter, and everybody gets to balance the equation differently. This is just MY solution to the equation.
Initially I had been thinking about the Badlands 12k winch, but I really wanted a synthetic rope, so by the time you add the rope & hawse fairlead, you're already in for another $100+, so no sense in looking at $300 steel cable winches. So my attention shifted to the Badlands Apex with the synthetic rope. With that 25% coupon from last week it got down to $450. Plus it looks cool. But the truth is all these devices are made in the same place by the same people, so why not go cheap and gamble a little? The guys I wheel with all have winches too, so it's not like I would suddenly be unrecoverable if it died. So I went with the Zeak 13k winch on Amazon for $297 (last week they ran a 10% off special).
Pros:
- synthetic rope & hawse fairlead
- wireless & wired controllers
- allegedly IP68 rated (water/dust proof)
- Nice price point
- Lots of positive reviews on Amazon (many read like actual reviews, not shills)
- 1 yr warranty (no clue if it will be honored)
- Can take a direct impact from a deer at highway speed
Cons
- when it dies somebody here will say "that's why you buy American!!!"
- Comes with a ridiculously huge 6" x 6"sticker which I refuse to put on my jeep, because it's huge and it also has a Dodge Ram on it
Below are some pics of the thing. What I was most impressed with were the wiring connections at the back of the solenoid box. The threaded strain relief connections were a nice touch, especially compared to my buddies Warn box. Plus boots for the motor side connections, and the + & - cables were nice and thick and plenty long to get to my battery. It also came with a circuit breaker & enclosure and a shorter red cable to give you no excuses to not wire it in. I've read plenty on that topic, and I know a lot of people don't think they're necessary and some winches don't even come with one... if you're on team No Circuit Breaker then just toss it. From a hardware standpoint, all the bolts were stamped 12.9, so they should hold up.
The wired remote was a 4-wire with a threaded collar, although I can't think of a scenario where I would need it to be threaded in. Regardless, it felt sturdy in my hand. The wireless controller feels a little lightweight in my hand, but it fits in the cupholder. I may put some velcro and mount it to the dash for safe keeping. You turn it on by holding both buttons for 3 seconds...the reviewers all seem to have missed the (literally) half page in the manual devoted to this one instruction. Thankfully it appears to auto-turn off.
The hook is really my only complaint. The opening behind the clevis pin is a smidge too narrow for the loop end of the rope. I was able to get it in, but it was really bound up once the clevis went back in. I'd like to replace it with a bigger hook anyway, but this will do for now.
Performance: I only had to use it once, and only to pull me about 6 inches to good traction, but it did the job. It spooled the cable back in at an acceptable rate; it didn't feel noticeably slow.
Now having said all that, one of our crew did have his winch die due to his steel cable being bound up and he couldn't free spool it, and I think we burned up the motor trying to push cable out. That's what it sounded like. As a result and after seeing my Zeak, he is very likely going to buy one as well.
So take all that for what it's worth. It worked the one time I needed it. And the external build quality & provided components seem to be of good quality. So far, I would absolutely recommend to the budget minded winch shopper.