Figured that it was pretty cheap insurance since a couple of us were headed to Moab for Thanksgiving. So, I build a winch plate out of some stuff I had laying around the shop and bolted it up. Stretched the cable and kinda forgot about it.
Day 2 in Moab was Pritchett Canyon. Now, for those of you that have not been there, it is not really a great trail for an XJ on 33s. In fact, it is a bad idea if the temperature is around freezing and it rained the entire night before.
The good news is that there are built in winch points on most of the "named" obstacles. Needless to say, winching up the first hill (Chewy Hill) proved to be kind of a gut check when we spooled the winch out and had to face that it was, in fact, a cheap piece of Chinese hardware that I only bought intending to yank me off of an occasional high-center. . .certainly I had no intention of being suspended by the little thing on Chewy, Rocker Knocker, Axle Hill, Yellow Hill, etc. . .BUT. . .when it is wet and cold, the transitions from sand to slickrock resemble ball bearings. There was just no getting started up the climbs. Typically, once we were on the face, we could hook up and continue on up the hill, but the cold, wet, sandy rock made it necessary to winch.
I am extremely happy to report that the HF winch performed FAR beyond my expectations. In fact, on axle hill, I was able to get a little forward momentum after the bottom and over drove the winch by about 6 feet. . .hit a very slick spot and slid backwards VIOLENTLY, thereby shock loading the winch. The impact HURT but the little 6k chinawinch just kept pulling. That did create a little backlash (my bad) but the winch itself was fine.
Honestly, I have exactly 1 complaint about the winch. . .the freespool is too fast. Out of the box, it would actually "free wheel" if you pull too hard. Yes, it is slow when you are spooling it back in, but I really don't care. I'm not in a race in my grocery car.
Now, I have owned many, many winches over the years and had them on many rigs. From a Warn Bellvue to several M8000s to a TMAX. I've wheeled from Johnson Valley to Rimrock to Colorado to Pismo. . .and the above experience was the most winching I've ever done where snow wasn't involved. I absolutely would NOT hesitate to recommend getting one of these if you are considering it. If you can spring for a Warn "premium" winch, do that. . .but I've used the new VR series as well. . .and the Badlands stacks up apples to apples with it.
Needless to say, I was ShOCKeD:
Here's a pic of the winch on the mount. I just cut down a TJ winch plate and made some 9/16 gussets underneath. One of them has a 3/4" hole in it for a shackle. I was emabarassed, so I took the Badlands stickers off.
Just an idea so you guys with rectangle tube bumpers can add a winch plate. . .works perfect.
I think that it will end up as a rear winch on my new project Jeep and I'll put a 9000 lb on the front. I left the mounting holes for the standard drum winch on the plate and didn't have to modify the fairlead mount too much to still use it with standard sized stuff.