You’re like the only person on the Internet that’s done a straightforward, practical video on a straightforward, practical pressure plate. It’s like everybody else that owns a winch. Thanks they don’t need this thing. As a previous record driver, I didn’t even understand the necessity of a pressure plate until I start four wheeling and winching with a winch, that does not have a pressure plate…. It’s unfortunate. It’s probably the most overlooked modification on the entire four-wheel-drive market.
Thanks for posting this! I have an XRC 9500 and it fit perfectly. I'm glad I saw your video before trying to install this as I also had to make that modification to the blade. I cut mine at about a 45 degree angle part way and then lopped off about an 1/8" or so off the side to that it would clear the cable mounting screw on the side of the drum. After e-mailing Smittybilt they simply replied that they did not offer any tensioners and left it at that. Don't understand why they wouldn't want to capitalize on this since all it did was make me go elsewhere and purchase this one. What I would REALLY like to see is if a person could call the harbor freight 800 # and order parts for their badlands tensioner and install it on a Smittybilt! Don't care for their winches but they DO have what looks to be a very nice tensioner on their winches. It's actually a roller that can flex up and down (side to side) to help direct the cable back toward the previous wind instead of this one that just stays flat. I've noticed this one will stop a large rat nest but will not keep the cable pressed against the previous winding very well and it spreads out. Don't get me wrong, it's MUCH better than running without one but the one that harbor freight has looks a LOT more useful.
Jamie Beedie I actually broke off the rear bar when the cable wrapped too many times in one spot. Just not paying attention and thicker cable. Going with rope on the next one.
So, did you change the cable size from what it had on it originally? I've noticed mine is REALLY close to that flattener plate if you want to call it that. I outta just call Harbor Freight and order the parts for their roller tensioner and try it.....Looks much better than what we have on there now. Saw the video some dude put on here about breaking one of the 12,000 lb badlands apart and completely cleaning & repacking the gears and all. I really liked how it allowed each end of the roller to move independently, kind of pushing it back onto the last winding....
That's it! Mine is only 5/16", looks like yours is a 3/8" cable. I forgot to mention that I had to use some gentle persuasion with some specialty tools (aka. hammer & flat screwdriver) to hoax the spring hook around the motor side screw since I mounted my control box over the motor. That causes a mounting bracket to be there just enough in your way to cause a bit of fuss. I'm also guessing I'd have to remove the fancy front nameplate off the front bar to get the Harbor Freight roller type tensioner to work since they have a couple brackets that have to mount on the front bar as spring retainers.
thanks for making the video. looks like a well built trailer. i want to try this on my warn winch that is the same style. i would like to add that i took off half of my winch cable because i didnt need it. easier to use and less worry about cable issues. my deck is 20ft and and i have 25ft extra behind that with one wrap on the drum.
I often need to load cars from a distance like down in a ditch so the extra cable helps. More wraps also increase line speed. I’m not using the winch in the video anymore. I picked up a Warn Zeon Platinum 12 which works great. Having a remote control allows you to sit in the vehicle and steer as you load.
@@kevefox I ended up buying that tensioner plate and got it to fit my older warn 8000lbs. I had to drill the holes on my winch out a cunt hair to fit bigger bolts. One thin washer on the end to take up the free play. Fuck that thing was hard to get on. I had a problem where my winch housing is smaller so I couldn't get the original short flap to go over my winch drum. I had to keep the gear end of winch loose so I could get it past the drum. Talk about a pain in the ass. I did have a slight issue tighening the lower bolts. But it does fit.
I'm thinking it was intended to have the curve on the drum, not the edge (how it looks like you have it in the video), did you try it both ways and this work better, or did you flip it off camera? Looks interesting.
I have a Smittybilt x2o and when I go into free spool it has absolutely no resistance and all the pretensioning that I did was for naught. When I do a recovery I just pinch my cable, because it's not tight on the drum any longer. It has forced me to actually power out instead of free spool. The only time I will free spool is if I know I'm pulling all the cable off to do the recovery. Will this device solve this issue and maintain that solid pretension that I have on my winch cable? I pretension over 700 pounds. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
James Bonanno I use a winch on a daily basis and have been doing so for the last 20 years or so in the towing and recovery businesses. I’ve found that the tensioners work well to combat the free spool tangling. 700 lbs it probably a bit much to keep on a regular basis. I usually free spool out until I’ve reached the end of the poorly wrapped cable and then tension on the way in from there. With that said when you get a kink or flat spot, a good heavy pull will really help align the cable. Yes, this will help but if you manually wind out without tension pulling on the cable it will quickly turn into a rat’s nest. I now run a Warn Platinum 12K on this trailer and a 17.5 k X2o on my Jeep. Just today I ruined my Warn cable overlapping a poorly wrapped spool. There are other types out there as well. Check out AW direct. But yes a tensioner is way worth it.
@@kevefox I just purchased a new Superwinch Tiger Shark 11500 & am looking at purchasing some sort of tensioner to keep the cable kink / damaged free on the spool .
Can you provide the width where the tensioner replaces the factory rod? I'm sure all these Chinese winches are made in the same factory but i want to Be sure it will work for me before I order it
You’re like the only person on the Internet that’s done a straightforward, practical video on a straightforward, practical pressure plate.
It’s like everybody else that owns a winch. Thanks they don’t need this thing.
As a previous record driver, I didn’t even understand the necessity of a pressure plate until I start four wheeling and winching with a winch, that does not have a pressure plate…. It’s unfortunate. It’s probably the most overlooked modification on the entire four-wheel-drive market.
Found your review on etrailer.com and came here wo watch the vid. Thanks for posting
Thanks for watching
Thanks for posting this! I have an XRC 9500 and it fit perfectly. I'm glad I saw your video before trying to install this as I also had to make that modification to the blade. I cut mine at about a 45 degree angle part way and then lopped off about an 1/8" or so off the side to that it would clear the cable mounting screw on the side of the drum.
After e-mailing Smittybilt they simply replied that they did not offer any tensioners and left it at that. Don't understand why they wouldn't want to capitalize on this since all it did was make me go elsewhere and purchase this one.
What I would REALLY like to see is if a person could call the harbor freight 800 # and order parts for their badlands tensioner and install it on a Smittybilt! Don't care for their winches but they DO have what looks to be a very nice tensioner on their winches. It's actually a roller that can flex up and down (side to side) to help direct the cable back toward the previous wind instead of this one that just stays flat. I've noticed this one will stop a large rat nest but will not keep the cable pressed against the previous winding very well and it spreads out. Don't get me wrong, it's MUCH better than running without one but the one that harbor freight has looks a LOT more useful.
Jamie Beedie I actually broke off the rear bar when the cable wrapped too many times in one spot. Just not paying attention and thicker cable. Going with rope on the next one.
So, did you change the cable size from what it had on it originally? I've noticed mine is REALLY close to that flattener plate if you want to call it that.
I outta just call Harbor Freight and order the parts for their roller tensioner and try it.....Looks much better than what we have on there now. Saw the video some dude put on here about breaking one of the 12,000 lb badlands apart and completely cleaning & repacking the gears and all. I really liked how it allowed each end of the roller to move independently, kind of pushing it back onto the last winding....
Jamie Beedie no, but it might be thicker since it's a 12,500 vs. a 9,500.
That's it! Mine is only 5/16", looks like yours is a 3/8" cable.
I forgot to mention that I had to use some gentle persuasion with some specialty tools (aka. hammer & flat screwdriver) to hoax the spring hook around the motor side screw since I mounted my control box over the motor. That causes a mounting bracket to be there just enough in your way to cause a bit of fuss.
I'm also guessing I'd have to remove the fancy front nameplate off the front bar to get the Harbor Freight roller type tensioner to work since they have a couple brackets that have to mount on the front bar as spring retainers.
thanks for making the video. looks like a well built trailer. i want to try this on my warn winch that is the same style. i would like to add that i took off half of my winch cable because i didnt need it. easier to use and less worry about cable issues. my deck is 20ft and and i have 25ft extra behind that with one wrap on the drum.
I often need to load cars from a distance like down in a ditch so the extra cable helps. More wraps also increase line speed. I’m not using the winch in the video anymore. I picked up a Warn Zeon Platinum 12 which works great. Having a remote control allows you to sit in the vehicle and steer as you load.
@@kevefox I ended up buying that tensioner plate and got it to fit my older warn 8000lbs. I had to drill the holes on my winch out a cunt hair to fit bigger bolts. One thin washer on the end to take up the free play. Fuck that thing was hard to get on. I had a problem where my winch housing is smaller so I couldn't get the original short flap to go over my winch drum. I had to keep the gear end of winch loose so I could get it past the drum. Talk about a pain in the ass. I did have a slight issue tighening the lower bolts. But it does fit.
Thanks for that.and
Sorry for what happens teach all us something..
Appreciate u video.
why did u not put that piece on before you mount it to winch
I'm thinking it was intended to have the curve on the drum, not the edge (how it looks like you have it in the video), did you try it both ways and this work better, or did you flip it off camera? Looks interesting.
No, that’s the way it was designed to be used.
I have a Smittybilt x2o and when I go into free spool it has absolutely no resistance and all the pretensioning that I did was for naught. When I do a recovery I just pinch my cable, because it's not tight on the drum any longer. It has forced me to actually power out instead of free spool. The only time I will free spool is if I know I'm pulling all the cable off to do the recovery. Will this device solve this issue and maintain that solid pretension that I have on my winch cable? I pretension over 700 pounds. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
James Bonanno I use a winch on a daily basis and have been doing so for the last 20 years or so in the towing and recovery businesses. I’ve found that the tensioners work well to combat the free spool tangling. 700 lbs it probably a bit much to keep on a regular basis. I usually free spool out until I’ve reached the end of the poorly wrapped cable and then tension on the way in from there. With that said when you get a kink or flat spot, a good heavy pull will really help align the cable. Yes, this will help but if you manually wind out without tension pulling on the cable it will quickly turn into a rat’s nest. I now run a Warn Platinum 12K on this trailer and a 17.5 k X2o on my Jeep. Just today I ruined my Warn cable overlapping a poorly wrapped spool. There are other types out there as well. Check out AW direct. But yes a tensioner is way worth it.
@@kevefox I just purchased a new Superwinch Tiger Shark 11500 & am looking at purchasing some sort of tensioner to keep the cable kink / damaged free on the spool .
Can you provide the width where the tensioner replaces the factory rod?
I'm sure all these Chinese winches are made in the same factory but i want to
Be sure it will work for me before I order it
Daniel Klein no problem. I'll get back to you tomorrow. I replaced it with a Warn Zeon and the Smittybilt is on my garage floor.
Daniel Klein I just checked it at 8 3/4 of an inch
:(