HF Winch

[87CherokeeChief]

After searching i found a lot of info on the Harbor Freight 8000lb winch but nothing on the 9000lb one. Anyone know anything about it? Good Bad Ugly?


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3633

 

[Yucca-Man]

Just the "Harbor Fright" name is enough for me to recommend looking for other, non-cheap-Chinese crap winches...

 

[ChicksDigWagons]

My old man has that winch on a reciever hitch. He doesn't use it alot but for the money he says it works great. Coming from a guy whos had a 8274 for years, that says at least something for the little Chicago Tools unit. Long term durability? Thats the real quesiton.

 

[Roxtar]

You can buy a MileMarker for $400 from time to time when 4WD Parts has their sales.
How much cheaper could the HF unit be?

 

[ChuckD]

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
Item Description
Maximum Line Pull Capacity 9,000 Lbs. (Using Double Cable)
4,500 Lbs. (Using Single Cable)
Electrical Requirements 12 Volt DC
Features Free Spooling.
Automatic, Load Holding Brake.
3 Stage Planetary Gear System.
Power In/Power Out Operations.
12 Ft. Hand Held Remote Control.
Hawse Roller Fairlead.
100 Ft., 3/8”, Galvanized, Aircraft Cable with Hook.
10” x 4.5” Mounting Pattern.
Weight 79.70 Pounds

There's the spec's from the manual. I see some misleading HF advertising.

 

[ChuckD]

ITEM DESCRIPTION
Capacity 8,000 lbs.
Cable 100 feet (L) x 3/8 inches (dia.) Aircraft Wire Rope
Hook 3/8 inch
Fairlead 11-3/4 (L) x 3-5/16 (W) x 1 inch (thick)
Power 12 VDC
Power Cable 4 Gauge
Overall Dimensions 20-11/16 (L) x 3-1/8 (W) x 6-15/16 (H) inches

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40764

You might actually be better off with the 8k winch, for $299. It only states 8k maximum it doesn't say if that is single or double line.

 

[a_hiatt]

i havent ran one personally because ive been too scared to buy one, but i can't imagine that it will last you too long. if all you need is something to have just in case, then you might get by with something other than warn or ramsey. but i still would go with a mile marker or pick up a 10k raymart off of ebay for like 450, not an HF model. but if you need to use it often and for an extended period of time get a warn model, they have a series wound motor that will help with durability, that and quality parts

 

[rockwerks]

Just the "Harbor Fright" name is enough for me to recommend looking for other, non-cheap-Chinese crap winches...

I gotta jump in here, I have many harbor freight tools, nail guns, air compressor,, electric tools, all have performed flawlessly for over 10 years. one nail gun has outlasted my much more expensive senco and hilti guns with zero problems.

 

[ChuckD]

I gotta jump in here, I have many harbor freight tools, nail guns, air compressor,, electric tools, all have performed flawlessly for over 10 years. one nail gun has outlasted my much more expensive senco and hilti guns with zero problems.

I agree, not all there stuff is crap. You just have to be careful and check out the specs. They like to hide the important key features, but then so does your OTC Craftsman.

 

[XJ_ranger]

the fact that it is a HF winch - i wouldnt let you pull me out... i would stubonrly hi-lift and dig myself out first....

 

[rockwerks]

the fact that it is a HF winch - i wouldnt let you pull me out... i would stubonrly hi-lift and dig myself out first....

only cuz you are a moron or why?

 

[Roxtar]

Because his high lift and shovel WILL work.

 

[rockwerks]

Because his high lift and shovel WILL work.

We actually have a guy here in AZ using one of the 8,000 winches, it is identical to the rep 8000, except for color, I would bet all parts are interchangable, it has worked very well for a few years.

 

[Roxtar]

We actually have a guy here in AZ using one of the 8,000 winches, it is identical to the rep 8000, except for color, I would bet all parts are interchangable, it has worked very well for a few years.

So you're saying this $300 winch is identical to Ramsey's $800 worm drive winch. :doh:
Other than the paint, of course.
Then, by all means, go for it.
Apparently, the rest of us suckers have been getting ripped off for years.:dunce:

 

[rockwerks]

hf unit

12 volts, 1.8 HP, 37.5 amp draw; Drum diameter: 2.5''; Gear ratio: 210:1; Cable: 5/16’’ x 95 ft.; Overall dimensions: 20-11/16''L x 6-1/8''W x 6-15/16''H; Bolt pattern: 10’’ x 4.5’’; Shipping weight: 106 lbs.

ramsey unit

All though Ive not take the HF unit apart, The specs are very close

even drum size, the HF unit uses a lighter duty motor grante, 1.8 hp vs 3.8 but also has much higher gear reduction 126:1 to 210:1 Like I said it works and for 299.00 is probably a good deal

 

[pbandj]

I gotta jump in here, I have many harbor freight tools, nail guns, air compressor,, electric tools, all have performed flawlessly for over 10 years. one nail gun has outlasted my much more expensive senco and hilti guns with zero problems.

we had a brand new HF nailer come to the jobsite one day... it left in pieces the same day.... I don't know what exactly can go wrong when you are applying 8k lbs + to a STEEL CABLE/SPOOL RUNNING BETWEEN 2 VEHICLES, OR 1 VEHICLE AND A CLIFF OR WHATEVER- (calming down now) but if they can't even properly harden the NAIL DRIVING PLUNGER ON A LITTLE FRAMING NAILER (calming down again...) then I wouldn't volunteer my LIFE/HEALTH/VEHICLE/INNOCENT BYSTANDERS as guinea pigs to see if I got a "GOOD ONE"!!! (calming down, drink of coffee...)
I've seen the damage a rope can do if it breaks (shattered ankle!) I don't want to be around the day that a CHEAP A$$ WINCH GRENADES UNDER 4 TONS OF TENSION!
that's all, FWIW....

 

[rockwerks]

So 1 bad experience makes for a problem in total? That is the most absurd statement Ive ever seen.

All I can say is I own 3 HF nail guns and 6 senco and hilti guns ....the 3 HF have never broken down in many many years of use the others spend most of their time in the shop being rebuilt. Matter of fact I have sold sencos and hilti POS"S and kept the HF units. Hell one of my HF finish guns was frozen into a solid block of ice last winter when it was left int the a box behind the garage by mistake. thawed it, dried it, oiled it and it is still working now

Except for a 5.00 angle grinder I have bought many items form HF witout a problem and the grinder I found out my helper at the time dropped it into a vat of oil and never told anyone

 

[Roxtar]

hf unit

12 volts, 1.8 HP, 37.5 amp draw; Drum diameter: 2.5''; Gear ratio: 210:1; Cable: 5/16’’ x 95 ft.; Overall dimensions: 20-11/16''L x 6-1/8''W x 6-15/16''H; Bolt pattern: 10’’ x 4.5’’; Shipping weight: 106 lbs.

ramsey unit

All though Ive not take the HF unit apart, The specs are very close

even drum size, the HF unit uses a lighter duty motor grante, 1.8 hp vs 3.8 but also has much higher gear reduction 126:1 to 210:1 Like I said it works and for 299.00 is probably a good deal

You could line up 30 different winches, paint them all and you'd be hard pressed to tell them apart.
In short, looks don't mean shit.
The specs you quoted do say a lot. Gear reduction is a perfect way to hide a cheap motor. Hell, with enough gear reduction you could use a pencil sharpener to run it but it would still be a POS..
Didn't it tell you something when the pulling strength was based on a DOUBLE line pull?!

 

[pbandj]

not one bad experience- getting one piece of steel that was not properly hardened calls into question their steel manufacturing in general... do you think that they make these tools one at a time and if you get a defective one it was just a fluke? HAHA-- they probably make THOUSANDS in each batch.... is it worth it for them to recall anything? I am going to bet the bankroll on NO... these are just cheaply tooled rip offs, cut corner POS's-- their business is VOLUME, plain and simple... I am happy you got a couple tools out of good steel batches, but I can't afford to gamble with recovery gear and I definitely can't gamble with work productivity and reliability! I can rebuild my hitachi NR 83A guns in about 25 minutes with parts that are readily available and I am good for more 2 story drops and weeks of rain and mud.... the guy who brought the HF gun called and found parts for near the price of the gun originally, 2-3 WEEKS AWAY....

 

[maineiac]

the hf 9k is actually a 4500 lb winch says so in the specs.

4,500 Lbs. (Using Single Cable)