Harbor Freight winches
02-26-2005, 06:41 PM
#41
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Wrench, I could have the money for a winch a whole lot sooner, like in a month or two, but summer is coming up and I want to finish my boat... im in the process of restoring it, plus im spending most the i got right now on tuition, a rear bumper, and rock sliders.
Dirty, I got the same problem.... don't you hate it :-p
Andy, already got the straps and come-a-long.... so we're at least partially covered.
Dirty, I got the same problem.... don't you hate it :-p
Andy, already got the straps and come-a-long.... so we're at least partially covered.
03-02-2005, 07:39 AM
#42
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i've got one of the warn magnum 9000 winches. i love it. the motor is a 4.3hp series wound motor. the line speed on this thing is 27.7 ft/min with no load. i ended up getting it for 544 shipped to me. i think they have went up about 80 now though. i went wheeling this weekend and came across some guys with the harbor freight ones. they were having problems with them already. the free spool wouldn't work and the line speed on those things suck. i bet that mine has a faster line speed with a full load on it then there's does with no load at all. heres an ebay auction for the same one that i got. its also the same guy that i bought mine from.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
03-02-2005, 08:55 AM
#44
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As with any Chineese hardware, there are probably issues in quality control. In short, there isn't any. Some may be wonderful quality, then the guy who makes them gets his one day off per month and his replacement has no clue what he's doing so he turns out 20 hack job winch parts that will fail if you look at them wrong. As a result 20 bad winches are shipped among 400 good ones. The odds are on your side but its not a bet i'd take.
03-08-2005, 07:05 AM
#45
03-08-2005, 10:09 AM
#46
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Magnum/Tabor winches are made by Warn. All the internals are warn parts it basically uses the older warn 4.3HP winch motor so it's like having a older warn winch. Heck even the solinoid pack is the same only the cover is different. The remote same as the standard warn one..
The specs on the tabor winch match warn's.
Motor: 4.3 hp, Series Wound
Geartrain: 3-Stage Planetary
Remote Control: Remote switch, 12' lead
Gear Ratio: 216:1
Clutch (free-spooling): Sliding Ring Gear
Basically the same specs as the M8000 because the internals are the same except the 4.8hp motor the newer warn's have.
If you goto warn's website gowarn they sell them right there in thier online store.
The only other winch I would concider besides a warn or tabor would be a ramsey winch.
The specs on the tabor winch match warn's.
Motor: 4.3 hp, Series Wound
Geartrain: 3-Stage Planetary
Remote Control: Remote switch, 12' lead
Gear Ratio: 216:1
Clutch (free-spooling): Sliding Ring Gear
Basically the same specs as the M8000 because the internals are the same except the 4.8hp motor the newer warn's have.
If you goto warn's website gowarn they sell them right there in thier online store.
The only other winch I would concider besides a warn or tabor would be a ramsey winch.
Last edited by 934rnr; 03-08-2005 at 10:38 AM.
03-21-2005, 03:25 PM
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I struggled with the same issue and did some research. Seems like there have been alot of complaints with the HF and alot of other Constant Magnetic winches either burning up or dieing after the first use. Even some reputable brands like Mile marker make constant magnetic winches. To get something reliable in an electric winch you want a Wound DC style motor like most of the mid to upper rage mile markers and most of the WARNs. The best budget one I found with this kind of motor was the Mile Marker SE9500 Electric Winch. 9500 lbs and good motor for 499.99 in most places.
03-21-2005, 10:46 PM
#48
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good point dan, from what i've found the series wound motors are the way to go, although they draw more than the permanent magnent motors, the reliability and durability far outweigh any other choice, now i just gotta get this boat done so i have some free $$$ to buy one!
03-23-2005, 05:46 AM
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I have both a MM and a HF winch. They are the same except for the stickers on them. Both are SLOW but WORK great. I have had the MM for a few years now (bought mine in 2002) and the HF just a few months ago. No complaints except for the slow line speed. Has never failed recovering my buddies Rubicon (10 times!) or my own rigs (3 times). for the price, it is a good deal, and you can still afford to get some synthetic line afterwards!
03-28-2005, 12:43 PM
#51
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Originally Posted by forty4
where can you get a $500 warn winch for a truck?
i seen the new tabor at gowarn.com. not very impressed line spd at 4000#= 5.9 fpm, 559 cca, that's a lot of power for only 4000#, was this the winch you were talking about or is there somewhere else i should be looking (in the market for a winch)
i seen the new tabor at gowarn.com. not very impressed line spd at 4000#= 5.9 fpm, 559 cca, that's a lot of power for only 4000#, was this the winch you were talking about or is there somewhere else i should be looking (in the market for a winch)
09-21-2007, 09:49 AM
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My buddy has an HF8000 and is seems invincible to himand he abuses the hellout of it up here in the mountains every winter. His is rated at 4.1 HP at 280 amps I don't know where people are geting these low HP Ratings.
04-02-2010, 06:29 PM
#53
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harbor freight winches
does any one have any experience with harbor freights cheapies...i know at least someone will tell me that they are junk and that i should spend like 400 bucks on a nice one but they have a 3000 lb winch for 50 bucks on sale. if it works half a dozen times it will be worth it.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95912
good idea, bad idea, feedback from someone who had one would be nice.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95912
good idea, bad idea, feedback from someone who had one would be nice.
04-02-2010, 06:33 PM
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Yeah that's sweet if your driving a 4wheeler. That's about how much your truck weighs when its on all 4 wheels on the street. If your stuck in the mud of between a rock and a hard place the resistance added to your weight will be way more than 3000lbs. Go for an 8k lbs winch. Its well worth the extra pennys
04-02-2010, 08:05 PM
#56
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Harbor Freight also has a 5500-lb. winch for $300 and a 10K-lb. winch for $400. Does anyone have a report on those? If they work repliably, they seem like a bargain.
04-03-2010, 02:56 AM
#57
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How about trying winch depot?
Milemarker
http://www.winchdepot.com/prodDetail...0702&plID=6420
Smittybuilt
http://www.winchdepot.com/Winches-Wi..._pn=S%2fB97281
Milemarker
http://www.winchdepot.com/prodDetail...0702&plID=6420
Smittybuilt
http://www.winchdepot.com/Winches-Wi..._pn=S%2fB97281
04-03-2010, 08:40 AM
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The old rule of thumb used to be "you want a winch capable of pulling at least 1.5 times the weight of your loaded truck". One one random day, while driving down the road, I spotted a WSP truck scale that was closed, pulled in and weighed my truck, and the readout showed 3400lb with out me in the cab, put me back in and we are up to 3650lb. not to mention I didn't have allot of my gear in the truck that day. So by using the above rule of thumb 1.5 times that weight is 5475lb, so round up to 5500. I would call that "ok" if all I was going to do was haul my truck up a loose or slippery hill, while assisting by driving.
Now add the resistance of whatever material (mud, dry sand, wet sand, ...) you are stuck in, multiply that by how deep, or how bad you are stuck (side wall deep, up to the axle, frame, ...) the actual "weight of the pull" adds up quick. That is why most feel a MINIMUM for a recovery winch should 8000lb, and several people use a 9500lb winch, that is close to the same physical size of the 8000lb.
Now add the resistance of whatever material (mud, dry sand, wet sand, ...) you are stuck in, multiply that by how deep, or how bad you are stuck (side wall deep, up to the axle, frame, ...) the actual "weight of the pull" adds up quick. That is why most feel a MINIMUM for a recovery winch should 8000lb, and several people use a 9500lb winch, that is close to the same physical size of the 8000lb.
