@@harveyhams1572 Craftsman was the "reliable but affordable" brand. They have since lost the first part, and now OP is indicating that HF would like to gain the "reliable" reputation to get sales from disgruntled craftsman users.
funny story. you mentioned at the end about the harbor freight floor jack standing up against the Snap-on. The Harbor Freight Daytona jack, and the snap-on floor jack, are made in the same factory, on the same assembly line. Snap-on actually sued Harbor Freight over it and lost. Same jack, 1/3 the cost.
Probably not the exact same once you consider quality control and quality assurance steps. But close enough that with a warranty and a little inspection there’s no reason to not go that route.
@@thopkins2271 nope... they are litterally the same jack off the same assembly line... snap on actually withdrew the lawsuit when harbor freight counter sued for false advertising. Snap on had apparently marketed it as American made
@@margaretfraser9610 the jack is probably the best in its class... harbor freight just negotiated a better deal for the customer. They also hired several snap on engineers to design the new icon line
I used to be a store manager for harbor freight and I was constantly in touch with the qa dept. about either mistakes in their manuals or a surplus of certain items being returned for same quality issues. Harbor freight has really stepped up their quality control game. They have an overseas quality control dept and then another one state side.
That's why I love having someone that works there, I get the inside scoop on what gets returned often and what never comes back, also that 20% discount on top of the sale price!
My first thought was “I really like how open you are with us about how this was sent to you” and then you went into the “if they offered it you’d take it so sit down and shut up” and I laughed because you’re 100% correct. Love your channel! Been following for a few years. From a 25y/o New York City dweller who grew up on a farm, thanks for everything you do!
He seems to have worked at a million different places, for "years," and a lot of the time his knowledge doesn't back up that narrative. He claims to have been in construction (framing and build-out superintendent), but doesn't know a lot of basic things. Claims to have been a heavy equipment operator, but doesn't know a lot of basic things about his tractor.
I bought one for my Nissan Titan, first time I had to use it I was nose down in a creek...it pulled me out with no problems, mine came with two extra sheathing wraps for the rope too. I personally like the wireless deal, it's pretty awesome!
“If they offered to send you a new badlands winch, would you say yes? Of course you would so sit down and shut up.” I gave the video a 👍 just for this.
It’s a good sign of a company’s belief in their product when they send it to a skeptic with no strings attached. Companies need to do this more often, if they get a good review, that says a lot.
They wont send that junk to people who actually do work,they know its junk.I dont trust hf winches at all on any serious pulls.Ill hook up the warren.hf,i wouldnt buy another one.
So update on this winch I bought one back in January I mounted it to the hitch mount plate and have used it in multiple situations. Honestly I wasn’t kind at all but it performed great until the other night. I attempted to skid a large hemlock out of the woods and it almost accomplished the job but unfortunately I found the breaking point. The winch blew apart at the mount points the cast housing on both sides of the drum let go. I feel like this tool was pushed well past it’s recommended use and am very impressed that the critical failure did not stop the winch from spooling in or out
Also we don’t know how he was using it, if the load was heavy did he have the line rigged properly, the length of the line out correct for the load, the time spent pulling did he do 30s on 5min off? There’s a lot left out to say it was truly the winches fault
My cousin has a 10,000lb Badland winch with both the corded and wireless remotes for ten years or more and he’s never had a problem with any of it. In my opinion they’re every bit as good as Warn winches w/o the bank breaking price. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one.
I have this on my tundra, and I pulled cars out of snow drifts, up rooted small trees, pulled off dead tree branches. No problems at all. I love it and I got it for 350 during a harbor freight sale.
I went thru the same decision warn vs the world. I bought this to try and this has REALLY opened my eyes! Two days after installing on my tundra, i winched out my buddy’s new f350 from a road drainage ditch sitting on its axles. 2 other guys from a local farm were asking all the details on where to “get this thang” after telling me no way my “1500 was gonna winch out this 9k lb truck”. Needless to say it did not dissapoint! Happy to keep it.
Harbor Freight has really stepped their game up over the past few years. They have lots of good quality stuff now, and most of it comes with an unconditional warranty, so if it does break you can return it, no questions asked.
Manual controls at the winch means you'd be using it while standing "in the bite", that goes against all recommendations and safety protocols when winching. Now for rewinding unhooked, makes sense. Pulling a load, nope
@@stopcommunism9224 Matt’s off-road recovery uses them, I’d say almost if not exclusively, in his business making all sorts off vehicle recoveries in the Utah mountains and deserts. They seem to be holding up well and he’s paying for them out of his pocket. He doesn’t like using winches either.
Whenever Dad needed to rent a tool he would go to Harbor Freight first and if it was cheaper to buy rather than rent we would buy. 15 years I still borrow his tile saw whenever I need it.
Did the same with a lower wall breaker Jackhammer, it's made it 6 years and 100's of hours of use. The copper in the cord finally work hardened and broke about 2 years ago, replaced that with an extension cord. It just wore out the original brushes, but it came with replacement brushes 😄 (the HF chisels do wear out faster than the Bosch though) full disclosure lol
Needed to cut fire brick for my sugaring arch. Harbor Freight beat the rental, hands down. Closest rental was an hour away, and of course, there was a time limit. Now I have a saw I can use for lapidary/stone cutting... Big win.
You can use a roller fairing with the synthetic, as long as you have no damage to the surface of the rollers. It also has a beeter chance of not hurting or melting the rope becasue of friction if your angle is steeper than normal. But steel is better for heavy use. The steel cable helps to cool the motor. And under heavy use the heat of the motor can damage the synthetic rope.
Bought one of these after the "worn" one crapped out. Excellent winch. Pulled my fully loaded F250 and a 16 ft trailer through 50 feet of mud. Buy a HF ammo box and put the remote in there with some extra batteries. Made mine plug and play for front and rear mount. Get the coupons for a better deal. Nice review!
The Vulcan and Titanium welders are solid workhorses. The accessories are only so so, but capable which helps price points. Even some of the cheap stuff is pretty damn good. The 4.5 angle grinder is almost unkillable for like $20
Harbor Freight has come a LONG way. I just exchanged a set ratchet wrenches, and it was just like walking into sears. They said go grab another set of them sign here and walked out, and no questions asked.
One thing, I use these for an "A" frame hoist to left Trusses for steel buildings. It is advised to run the Ground Cable all the way TO the Battery post and not rely on the Steel Frame of the truck. You may have a loose bolt, etc between the winch and the battery ground and that will cause a LOT Of heat and other problems.
Actually when harbor freight began they had no retail stores they had a semi tractor trailer that traveled all over and the trailer was the mobile store! I shopped in one several times in my area! But they have came a long way especially in selection and quality!! They are definitely worth trying!
HF has come a really long way, I’ve had great experiences with their inverter generators, air compressors, jacks, & even their entry level mig welders. Hand tools have been hit & miss but def 10 times better then 10 years ago. Though their coupons are useless now & their prices have jumped up.
Harbor Freight is certainly hit or miss. They have some terrible stuff, but they also have some stuff that I absolutely LOVE. As long as your careful, you can get some truly great stuff there. I have some small f-clamps that I love. My 12" disc sander is great. I got the big dust collector and swapped out the impeller blades and mounted it to a cyclone. It's great. I love the big floor jack I got too.
If you know what you're looking at, HF has some gems. If you know your materials, it can be like finding prime rib at sirloin prices instead of hotdogs at hotdog prices.
I bought a Chicago Electric hammer drill from there that honestly lasted less than an hour. Started smoking and burned out the motor. Their clamps are a steal of a bargain. Use them for woodworking and they're awesome
Yep... sometimes hit & miss. We bought an 8700 watt Predator (Harbor Freight) generator and couldn’t be happier with the product and price. I hadn’t started it in a year and it started up on the first pull. The same generator is twice the price everywhere else. But I remember needing hole saws once on a job.... because I left mine at home.... bought a cheap set at HF and some were literally oblong. Haha
no doubt within the last year i bought a No.4 plane that they let me return because of the crack built into the shoe and my first 10" drill press that was 10% cheaper than the same model at lowes.
Lots of division in the 4x4 community over this winch. Warn loyalists hate it. Low budget guys are warming up to it. There is also a rumor, the inner parts of the Apex is Warn. I havent seen a review yet where its been broken. Most guys arent working it very hard.
I own this winch, bought it for $375 on New Years Eve. Went wheeling with it New Year's Day, and totally submerged front end in icy water while fording with no problems. I have used it 3 times in two months and I am very happy with it. Everything that it came with was excellent quality, and it is also very well packaged.
Another excellent, informative review by a guy that’s been there and knows what to look for. Thanks Cody. It’s been in the mid nineties for the last couple weeks, here in New Hampshire. Looking forward to cool fall days when I can wear my Filson vest again. Thanks for the tip.
Harbor Freight has been adding commercial grade lines to their inventory. Such as the Earthquake 1/2 inch composite air impact wrench is a higher quality than the Snap-on version. The Hercules 12 inch miter saw is becoming the job site replacement. With the extended warranty a contractor can take it to the store and walk out with a new one. It is slowly replacing the Dewalt miter saw for dependability and quick turn around if there is an issue. This is not a paid endorsement. I have these tools and use them.
As someone who worked at harbor freight a few months ago I can confirm that nowadays they make some really good tools and in some cases tools even better than your snap on tools.
When you get sand and dirt in the synthetic line it can abrade and cut the fibers in the rope. It is imperative to keep it clean, wash with warm soapy water and let air dry when it gets soiled.
The good thing about a business like Harbor freight they do get better as time goes on and a business like they have they still try to keep their customers by keeping the prices low. Volume and making the quality better and better. That’s what gives word of mouth and trust.
Ive ran one on my Jeeps for years. Just make sure to read the manual and understand the rated duty cycle. They've always been reliable for me and a family friend who has 2 on each of their flatbed tow trucks.
I’d like to see how it actually performs. The water rating is doubtful. I know many Chinese items say they meet a certain criteria when they actually don’t. For example, many of their rechargeable batteries do not have advertised capacity. It would be nice to see how this winch holds up with actual use and a pressure washer.
Harbor Freight has no choice but to more closely adhere to American expectations for American retailers as opposed to Chinese companies with no American intermediary.
@@MonteGibson2113 lol I can’t believe people really put shitty wholesale parts off aliexpress and harbor freight on the same level. Like whaaaaat a company operating in the United States with hundreds of retail locations *cant* just blatantly lie like some random guy in China???? That’s craaaaaaaazy
I hear ya, man. Harbor “Fright” seems to have really stepped up their game these last couple of years. Now it’s time to see how it performs. I look forward to your review 2-6 months from now.
Give it to some farmers, rock climbers and when they get done with it let us know. Looking at a winch means almost nothing. Testing it in real world situations is where the fizz is.
Except for corrosion to the internals, I think Warn also had some pretty crappy solenoids. Seems like one of my old Warns had sticking solenoids....but this was way back in 1990ish years. Great presentation👍👍
Nothing out of Harbor Freight is meant to be commercial rated. This is more for weekend off-roaders and hobby ranchers who subscribe to "better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it" who can easily shell out $600 for one and maybe another $600 for a back-up.
@@dylantheshotgunner5136 I have nothing against Harbor Freight ... I think they do an awesome job of trying to get affordable products to consumers not wanting to overspend for the best. My problem is with people, like the original poster, who insist that every product out there be commercially rated when the target market obviously are common consumers who are willing to pay a fraction of the price to get what they want to satisfy their most basic needs at home, their small ranch, or their small farm.
WARN provides a lifetime warranty for materials and defects in their winches and a 7 year warranty on the electrical components. The harbor freight winch has a 90 day warranty on everything.
That remote is water proof. The extra mounting plates are so if you want to move the control unit from the top to somewhere else. They really thought of everything and included it all. Three different lengths of cables to go to the battery as well. Can’t wait to see the testing.
I've got Harbor Freight's aftermarket wireless kit that I use with one of their 5000 lb. winches. It's worked flawlessly for about 3 years and it's still on its first remote battery. I love that I can sit in a dead car and steer it into my shop as I winch it in.
Great review video and free is free. I still spent my money on the mostly made in America Warn and Vehicles. Before any comments I know a lot of electronics still come from China but Warren is higher in American workers to assemble it and put it together here in America. Hiring American workers. Yes I also get it harbor freight hires a lot of American workers also. Everyone has a right to spend their hard earned money where they want to. God bless America
Big tech is watching you. Recently I was on a train having a conversation with the wife about a Thai green curry for dinner, and lo and behold we get home, I log into FB and what do I see... adverts for Thai green curry sauce.
I’m not a fan of logos all over either. On the aluminum piece, fill the recessed letters with Bondo, sand it smooth, and give the whole piece a few coats of bright colored epoxy paint. Winner winner.
Heard of a guy who made a car dealership remove their logo from his truck. Allegedly, the customer told the dealership he didn't spend 50k on a new truck to advertise the dealership. I say bravo!
i love most of my harbor freight stuff and i use it every day as a mechanic. I have a couple of ratchets, tool cart, floor jack and some of the big wrenches that i dont use often. I can honestly say i have never been dissapointed. Yes its not as nice but it does the job very well considering the price
I don't own a house, a truck or anything with a winch. I don't own a gun or work on my own car... But I've watched about 4 hours of your videos between last night and today. Good gravy, you're an entertaining & educational man.
Maybe it's time for winch wars? Attach the Warn to an unmovable object and the Harbor Freight to an unstoppable force, turn them on and see which one catches fire first!
YTube does the ads not Content Creators. Dont blame them. Btw, if you dont like the ads watch the replay, slide the video to the very end and let it bring up the replay icon and start to watch from there. Ad free from Ytube.
The reason why there is no over ride on the winch is because they don't want you losing your head if the cable snaps and your standing in front of the winch.
many "American" companies hide behind "American designed" nowadays.. all the while still manufacturing overseas.. I look at it like this, After 30 yrs in the US car industry and numerous concessions made for "value added" (corporate profit margins), I have adopted a "value added" approach to my pocket book as well.. nice winch, nice review.
I can't believe people get stuff like this for free, well, free except the thousands of hours of hard work and dedication to creating high quality youtube content that has built up a wide audience and influence.
@@paulmurgatroyd6372 i get free stuff through amazon for reviewing a lot stuff company's send me different stuff to try i dont even write detailed review just a quick honest opinion
If people buy offshore products,even at the deep discounted prices that they sell for,then they are sending money to countries that don’t necessarily have Americas best interests at heart. Buy American,support the economy here!
What? You don't like supporting countries that are outspoken enemies of the US? You don't like supporting countries that are actively engaged in ethnic cleansing and concentration camps? Crazy. LOL
@@ericlee8231 Americans don’t make as much stuff as we used to. We design it all and then have less developed countries make it for us. I’m all for manufacturing growth here in the USA, but that doesn’t change the fact that the worlds largest super power will increasingly use the rest of the world to make its stuff. As tradesmen demand higher and higher comp, companies simply cannot compete with the foreign alternative. I am not going to pay 5x the price id the quality is decent.
If you are going to just look at the winch like most people do, then it's just as good as any of them. I know a guy that bought one a few years back, he hasn't used it yet. They should make just a look a like winch like as in fake. Sell it for $50... they would sell like hot cakes...
I'm probably never going to use one when I buy it, but it's about peace of mind, knowing I have it if I need it. Just because you don't use it, doesn't mean you will never need it. Better safe than sorry. I take it you were never a boy scout.
I recently found the Sherp 4x4 winch. They are more than a Badland but less than a Warn. They soaked a winch under salt water for 4 weeks and it still ran like a champ. The video is on UA-cam. It is just another option on the price scale.
Cody, do you ever shop Northern Tool + Equipment? Family-owned business with a great variety of all the stuff you'd ever want (and need) for the homestead!
The technology that goes into all of our stuff is incredible!!! New plastic injection moldings,digital CNC machines etc that makes everything much much better in quality. Now, the material they use can be cheap. Great video.
He implied this would be an unbiased review and then at the end spoke about how excited he was to start a relationship with harbor freight. What about the inner workings? Motor and gear quality? Usage test? Clearly if you’re thinking about “working with” harbor freight in the near future you wouldn’t totally smear their new winch. You could let some things slide and be not so critical. -Long time WS subscriber.
You don't impress me as someone who would take money to push something you don't believe in. As such, it doesn't bother me if you have a financial relationship or not...
I don't think he supports communism, I don't think he supports our largest military foe,I don;t think he supports a country that poisoned the word with covid. Yet here he is promoting a product that feeds the CCP. Sad
I would install one as a secondary or trailer mount however when I’m in the bush with my rig there will only be tried and true warn on my vehicles. If they fail it’s on me. Bless you and your family thanks for the great content.
Now this is a review I am excited about. I've been wanting a winch for years, but never been able to squeeze it into the budget, which is small. I love the reputation of Warns too, but not the price. Great honest review. Now put it to the test!
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I prefer steel Cable over synthetic rope. The fragility of synthetic rope has caused my friends to have them Break. None of the people I wheel with have broken a steel winch line. Off road is too unpredictable and sometimes when pulling the line scrapes a rock or the earth, and the synthetic lines can not tolerate this. I for one will continue to use winch line that requires me to wear gloves when handling it.
@@jacuzzibusguy the nylon sleeve her dismisses on there is great over obstacles. Ive had the same synthetic line for years. Biggest enemy is the sun. Use the nylon wrap to completely cover the cable and it'll shield it from the sun.
What people are missing about HF. They're making a respectable effort to fill in the gap left by Craftsman.
Yes. Or better. Go look for their ICON torque wrench comparisons. As good or better than Snapon for half the price.
You can still get Craftsman.
@@harveyhams1572 Craftsman was the "reliable but affordable" brand. They have since lost the first part, and now OP is indicating that HF would like to gain the "reliable" reputation to get sales from disgruntled craftsman users.
THIS
some of the tools are trying some are a joke tho
funny story. you mentioned at the end about the harbor freight floor jack standing up against the Snap-on. The Harbor Freight Daytona jack, and the snap-on floor jack, are made in the same factory, on the same assembly line. Snap-on actually sued Harbor Freight over it and lost. Same jack, 1/3 the cost.
Noted
Probably not the exact same once you consider quality control and quality assurance steps. But close enough that with a warranty and a little inspection there’s no reason to not go that route.
Thats the one I just commented about I forgot the name but I've used it a decent amount of time and it's the best quality jack I've owned
@@thopkins2271 nope... they are litterally the same jack off the same assembly line... snap on actually withdrew the lawsuit when harbor freight counter sued for false advertising. Snap on had apparently marketed it as American made
@@margaretfraser9610 the jack is probably the best in its class... harbor freight just negotiated a better deal for the customer. They also hired several snap on engineers to design the new icon line
“Of course you would, so sit down and shut up” you just kill me!😂😂😂😂
@ 2:48... LOVE IT!!! I'll take more of that
Best thing Cody has ever said! And he has said some dam great things!
damn straight. LOL
So true though
killed me too! That was great!
I used to be a store manager for harbor freight and I was constantly in touch with the qa dept. about either mistakes in their manuals or a surplus of certain items being returned for same quality issues. Harbor freight has really stepped up their quality control game. They have an overseas quality control dept and then another one state side.
That's why I love having someone that works there, I get the inside scoop on what gets returned often and what never comes back, also that 20% discount on top of the sale price!
I have no problem using "Disposable" tools, because after a few uses, I usually forget where I put them down anyway.
So true. Or your children borrow them and never return them.
Damn straight that's real fact
Harbor Freight have saved me when I cant find my tool, or I'm too far from home to drive back there.
I relate to this thread
I hate head injuries too. I constantly have short term memory problems.
"If they offered to send you a new winch would you say yes? Of course you would so sit down and shut up!"
😂🤣😂🤣
I got a good chuckle out of that as well. Heck yeah send me a free winch
This is why I love watching Cody's videos. He is such a real guy.
Sounds like Cody's Grandpa talking right there!
Haha yes it was golden :)
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition 😆
My first thought was “I really like how open you are with us about how this was sent to you” and then you went into the “if they offered it you’d take it so sit down and shut up” and I laughed because you’re 100% correct.
Love your channel! Been following for a few years. From a 25y/o New York City dweller who grew up on a farm, thanks for everything you do!
How do you willingly leave a farm and move to NYC?
@@nickharris8304 *large sigh* money...a lot of money ...
@@monk12314 money can't buy everything...
You should do a video talking of all your job history. Seems like youve worn many hats over your years.
I think Cody must be 200 years old or has only worked at any one job for no more than a month.
He puts Homer Simpson to shame with all his work history!
@@urbanjungle9600 you haven’t heard Cody’s stories from when he worked at the nuke plant?
@@urbanjungle9600 Homer was an astronaut.
He seems to have worked at a million different places, for "years," and a lot of the time his knowledge doesn't back up that narrative. He claims to have been in construction (framing and build-out superintendent), but doesn't know a lot of basic things. Claims to have been a heavy equipment operator, but doesn't know a lot of basic things about his tractor.
Their offer is a compliment of your character. They know you are an honest and fair man that will give your real opinion. Kudos to you sir.
I bought one for my Nissan Titan, first time I had to use it I was nose down in a creek...it pulled me out with no problems, mine came with two extra sheathing wraps for the rope too.
I personally like the wireless deal, it's pretty awesome!
Curious if the winch is still holding up?
“If they offered to send you a new badlands winch, would you say yes? Of course you would so sit down and shut up.” I gave the video a 👍 just for this.
Yes.
Best thing about Harbor Freight tools is that eventually, everything turns into a hammer.
Or an anchor ! " Floridian "
really
I have 4 of the 12000 and 2 of the 5000 and I like them all, I have put them through a lot, you can throw the warn in the trash
LMAO!! Too funny..
🤣🤣 that's the worst part
It’s a good sign of a company’s belief in their product when they send it to a skeptic with no strings attached. Companies need to do this more often, if they get a good review, that says a lot.
They wont send that junk to people who actually do work,they know its junk.I dont trust hf winches at all on any serious pulls.Ill hook up the warren.hf,i wouldnt buy another one.
Facts it's a no bs approach
So update on this winch I bought one back in January I mounted it to the hitch mount plate and have used it in multiple situations. Honestly I wasn’t kind at all but it performed great until the other night. I attempted to skid a large hemlock out of the woods and it almost accomplished the job but unfortunately I found the breaking point. The winch blew apart at the mount points the cast housing on both sides of the drum let go. I feel like this tool was pushed well past it’s recommended use and am very impressed that the critical failure did not stop the winch from spooling in or out
It would help to state what was the winch you "bought one back in January" because I just found no content there now.
Also we don’t know how he was using it, if the load was heavy did he have the line rigged properly, the length of the line out correct for the load, the time spent pulling did he do 30s on 5min off? There’s a lot left out to say it was truly the winches fault
@@pappaclutch3266 absolutely correct also what angle was he running.... not everyone is smart about riggin
My cousin has a 10,000lb Badland winch with both the corded and wireless remotes for ten years or more and he’s never had a problem with any of it. In my opinion they’re every bit as good as Warn winches w/o the bank breaking price. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one.
Harbor freight has got great zip ties, learned that from Project Farm lol
Yeah I use them to hold the fenders together on my 4 wheeler.
Me too!
Am I the only oddball that reuses zip ties? I refuse to cut one if I can just pop the tab and push it back through!
The stainless steel ones are super strong. Todd is awesome.
@@LemonySnicket-EUC the guys name is Todd? No wonder he reminds me of my uncle
"A very handsome, good looking wench" was my nickname in high school.
Alright, you win first laugh of the day from me.
It’s winch Not wench
@@spencermorrow2899 I know but I've noticed that he sometimes pronounces it like wench, so I've been waiting for a quotable moment.
@@spencermorrow2899 I'm glad you cleared that up. I was just thinking that $1,700 was awfully steep for a "worn wench". 🤠
@@jdelbrid I've got one of those ill sell ya for dirt cheap...you gotta remember to feed her semi-regular though...
Cody: "Synthetic line is delicate" while using a sharp knife to point that out.
😂 I was thinking the same thing. I'm sure Cody in his defense will note he had the cutting edge turned out.
I noticed that too!
I was cringing every time that blade touched that line!
Someone just needs to take that knife away.
@@grantw.whitwam9948 Amen
I think based on all the videos I have seen from this guy he has literally worked in every profession there is.
Legend... Just ask him
Not sure about work,,,maybe employed
I have this on my tundra, and I pulled cars out of snow drifts, up rooted small trees, pulled off dead tree branches. No problems at all. I love it and I got it for 350 during a harbor freight sale.
“Sit down and shut up.” Haha
People sure like to judge.
That was precisely when I "liked" the video.
Exactly!
Not a good thing
I went thru the same decision warn vs the world. I bought this to try and this has REALLY opened my eyes! Two days after installing on my tundra, i winched out my buddy’s new f350 from a road drainage ditch sitting on its axles. 2 other guys from a local farm were asking all the details on where to “get this thang” after telling me no way my “1500 was gonna winch out this 9k lb truck”. Needless to say it did not dissapoint! Happy to keep it.
I would imagine that vinyl control cable will be as stiff as a coat-hanger in sub-zero temps.
It actually stays quite flexible and isn't as cold or dangerous to hands from splintering.
Harbor Freight has really stepped their game up over the past few years. They have lots of good quality stuff now, and most of it comes with an unconditional warranty, so if it does break you can return it, no questions asked.
Manual controls at the winch means you'd be using it while standing "in the bite", that goes against all recommendations and safety protocols when winching. Now for rewinding unhooked, makes sense. Pulling a load, nope
Dude I was thinking the same. Also, he didn't actually review or test it...
@@stopcommunism9224
Matt’s off-road recovery uses them, I’d say almost if not exclusively, in his business making all sorts off vehicle recoveries in the Utah mountains and deserts. They seem to be holding up well and he’s paying for them out of his pocket. He doesn’t like using winches either.
Bought my sons one of these for their trailer as a Christmas gift. They are loving it!
Whenever Dad needed to rent a tool he would go to Harbor Freight first and if it was cheaper to buy rather than rent we would buy. 15 years I still borrow his tile saw whenever I need it.
Did the same with a lower wall breaker Jackhammer, it's made it 6 years and 100's of hours of use. The copper in the cord finally work hardened and broke about 2 years ago, replaced that with an extension cord. It just wore out the original brushes, but it came with replacement brushes 😄 (the HF chisels do wear out faster than the Bosch though) full disclosure lol
U cant beat HF for as a home owner
Needed to cut fire brick for my sugaring arch. Harbor Freight beat the rental, hands down. Closest rental was an hour away, and of course, there was a time limit. Now I have a saw I can use for lapidary/stone cutting... Big win.
W- “ I would love to compare high quality jacks vs snap on.”
Me- laughs in Daytona
You can use a roller fairing with the synthetic, as long as you have no damage to the surface of the rollers. It also has a beeter chance of not hurting or melting the rope becasue of friction if your angle is steeper than normal. But steel is better for heavy use. The steel cable helps to cool the motor. And under heavy use the heat of the motor can damage the synthetic rope.
Bought one of these after the "worn" one crapped out. Excellent winch. Pulled my fully loaded F250 and a 16 ft trailer through 50 feet of mud. Buy a HF ammo box and put the remote in there with some extra batteries. Made mine plug and play for front and rear mount. Get the coupons for a better deal. Nice review!
Harbor Freight has really stepped up their game. They still sell the cheap junk too.
The stuff coming out of China has been increasing in quality the past several years.
Yeah I have noticed that too, but sometimes you need as cheap tool to use once, their is now no cheap tools
The Vulcan and Titanium welders are solid workhorses. The accessories are only so so, but capable which helps price points.
Even some of the cheap stuff is pretty damn good. The 4.5 angle grinder is almost unkillable for like $20
I must say they are getting better
This is straight facts
Harbor freight is honestly alright, I like their impact sockets, and some hand tools. All full replacement lifetime warranty
Thanks for that tip. I need a set of impact sockets.
@@borandell9915 i got the 37pc puttsburgh good even on kobalt xtr 1/2 impact
@@dancearoundtheworld5360 Thank you.
@@darrinrentruc6614 that’s about it now, a decision wether you support American jobs or the Chinese. They have caught up to us in quality. Practically
@@darrinrentruc6614 joe biden supports the ccp and yet hes your president and you pay him.
My favorite part is that Harbor Freight basically admitted the rest of their winches are garbage. "We actually have one that's good".
They have alot of low end stuff... priced as such. No shame in knowing what u are.
Got one on my Polaris ranger that’s as functional as any warn I’ve ever owned(3)
The wireless option is a nice safety feature if you think about it. Makes it easier to stand in a safe location & still efficiently operate the winch.
Harbor Freight has come a LONG way. I just exchanged a set ratchet wrenches, and it was just like walking into sears. They said go grab another set of them sign here and walked out, and no questions asked.
All we use at coal mine now is synthetic rope. It is incredible and if it breaks it can be woven back together for quick repair. I love the synthetic
One thing, I use these for an "A" frame hoist to left Trusses for steel buildings. It is advised to run the Ground Cable all the way TO the Battery post and not rely on the Steel Frame of the truck. You may have a loose bolt, etc between the winch and the battery ground and that will cause a LOT Of heat and other problems.
Actually when harbor freight began they had no retail stores they had a semi tractor trailer that traveled all over and the trailer was the mobile store! I shopped in one several times in my area!
But they have came a long way especially in selection and quality!! They are definitely worth trying!
THANK YOU for calling the line wire rope! I spent ten years in towing, and that was DRILLED into our heads!
Wranglerstar: "Hey Xenon"
Warn Zeon: "And I took that personally"
“If you were offered a new bandlands wench, would you take it? Yeah so sit down and shut up.” Ha gotta love the gut check. Great content
HF has come a really long way, I’ve had great experiences with their inverter generators, air compressors, jacks, & even their entry level mig welders. Hand tools have been hit & miss but def 10 times better then 10 years ago. Though their coupons are useless now & their prices have jumped up.
Yep. Useless coupons for sure.
Harbor Freight is certainly hit or miss. They have some terrible stuff, but they also have some stuff that I absolutely LOVE. As long as your careful, you can get some truly great stuff there. I have some small f-clamps that I love. My 12" disc sander is great. I got the big dust collector and swapped out the impeller blades and mounted it to a cyclone. It's great. I love the big floor jack I got too.
If you know what you're looking at, HF has some gems. If you know your materials, it can be like finding prime rib at sirloin prices instead of hotdogs at hotdog prices.
Torque wrench
I bought a Chicago Electric hammer drill from there that honestly lasted less than an hour. Started smoking and burned out the motor. Their clamps are a steal of a bargain. Use them for woodworking and they're awesome
Yep... sometimes hit & miss. We bought an 8700 watt Predator (Harbor Freight) generator and couldn’t be happier with the product and price. I hadn’t started it in a year and it started up on the first pull. The same generator is twice the price everywhere else.
But I remember needing hole saws once on a job.... because I left mine at home.... bought a cheap set at HF and some were literally oblong. Haha
no doubt within the last year i bought a No.4 plane that they let me return because of the crack built into the shoe and my first 10" drill press that was 10% cheaper than the same model at lowes.
Wranglerstar is the type of guy to do woodworking barefoot but pretty serious gloves to unbox a winch
Jeezus how many times must you turn the box over and around and around before just cutting the top open and pulling the winch out? 🤣
Lots of division in the 4x4 community over this winch. Warn loyalists hate it. Low budget guys are warming up to it. There is also a rumor, the inner parts of the Apex is Warn. I havent seen a review yet where its been broken. Most guys arent working it very hard.
"Warn loyalists hate it" - that's probably the best ad for HF
Warn owner's are just mad b/c they spen $1,800 instead of $700
I own this winch, bought it for $375 on New Years Eve. Went wheeling with it New Year's Day, and totally submerged front end in icy water while fording with no problems. I have used it 3 times in two months and I am very happy with it. Everything that it came with was excellent quality, and it is also very well packaged.
So you actually tested it and this guy never even installed it. You should've gotten the free one.
Mine is from HF when they first came out and I abused it and it works well yet. Used it to pull silo unloaders to stuck trucks.
@@Al-ix5um right lol. I just made a similar comment about lack of actually reviewing it.
The CCP thanks you for your purchase comrade.
@@RealJeepWarn winches are made in China too. Hate to burst your bubble.
"Of course you would so sit down and shut up"!😂 LMAO 😂
Another excellent, informative review by a guy that’s been there and knows what to look for. Thanks Cody. It’s been in the mid nineties for the last couple weeks, here in New Hampshire. Looking forward to cool fall days when I can wear my Filson vest again. Thanks for the tip.
Wireless is nice to use while steering a car onto a trailer.
Yeah its nice to be able to close the door while winching if you don't want the window open
Makes it a lot easier and safer to put a large or full dressed motorcycle on a trailer when you're doing it by yourself as well.
That's a good point 🤔
I haven't watched cody in a while, so I forgot how straight forward he is, and how little he cares about peoples feelings. And I absolutely love it
Straight shooter for sure. I think more than anything he gets tired of the negativity and unwarranted criticism so prevalent today.
@@SouthWestIron I mean, there's comments criticizing every word he says
They call that honesty.
Harbor Freight has been adding commercial grade lines to their inventory. Such as the Earthquake 1/2 inch composite air impact wrench is a higher quality than the Snap-on version. The Hercules 12 inch miter saw is becoming the job site replacement. With the extended warranty a contractor can take it to the store and walk out with a new one. It is slowly replacing the Dewalt miter saw for dependability and quick turn around if there is an issue. This is not a paid endorsement. I have these tools and use them.
As someone who worked at harbor freight a few months ago I can confirm that nowadays they make some really good tools and in some cases tools even better than your snap on tools.
When you get sand and dirt in the synthetic line it can abrade and cut the fibers in the rope. It is imperative to keep it clean, wash with warm soapy water and let air dry when it gets soiled.
The good thing about a business like Harbor freight they do get better as time goes on and a business like they have they still try to keep their customers by keeping the prices low. Volume and making the quality better and better. That’s what gives word of mouth and trust.
Be interested to see a tear down to see quality of internals. A nice casing of good and all but the real quality is in the gearing and motor.
Ive ran one on my Jeeps for years. Just make sure to read the manual and understand the rated duty cycle. They've always been reliable for me and a family friend who has 2 on each of their flatbed tow trucks.
My impression is if a hard core wheeler could get even three or four seasons for less than $600 then that is a real bargain.
Thanks for being so real just like my pop! We need more strong men. Keep pushing forward!
I’d like to see how it actually performs. The water rating is doubtful. I know many Chinese items say they meet a certain criteria when they actually don’t. For example, many of their rechargeable batteries do not have advertised capacity. It would be nice to see how this winch holds up with actual use and a pressure washer.
Matt's Off Road Recovery here on UA-cam uses them. Having said that I'd still rather have a Warn.
Harbor Freight has no choice but to more closely adhere to American expectations for American retailers as opposed to Chinese companies with no American intermediary.
@@MonteGibson2113 lol I can’t believe people really put shitty wholesale parts off aliexpress and harbor freight on the same level. Like whaaaaat a company operating in the United States with hundreds of retail locations *cant* just blatantly lie like some random guy in China???? That’s craaaaaaaazy
I hear ya, man. Harbor “Fright” seems to have really stepped up their game these last couple of years. Now it’s time to see how it performs. I look forward to your review 2-6 months from now.
Give it to some farmers, rock climbers and when they get done with it let us know. Looking at a winch means almost nothing. Testing it in real world situations is where the fizz is.
I had a warn and it wasn’t nearly as reliable as the 12,000lbs badland winch I have had for the last two years
Except for corrosion to the internals, I think Warn also had some pretty crappy solenoids. Seems like one of my old Warns had sticking solenoids....but this was way back in 1990ish years. Great presentation👍👍
Nothing out of Harbor Freight is meant to be commercial rated. This is more for weekend off-roaders and hobby ranchers who subscribe to "better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it" who can easily shell out $600 for one and maybe another $600 for a back-up.
@@MaximGhost lol their 20v 1/2 impact wrenches are pretty good. It’s done way more on my farm than I ever thought it would
@@dylantheshotgunner5136 I have nothing against Harbor Freight ... I think they do an awesome job of trying to get affordable products to consumers not wanting to overspend for the best. My problem is with people, like the original poster, who insist that every product out there be commercially rated when the target market obviously are common consumers who are willing to pay a fraction of the price to get what they want to satisfy their most basic needs at home, their small ranch, or their small farm.
WARN provides a lifetime warranty for materials and defects in their winches and a 7 year warranty on the electrical components. The harbor freight winch has a 90 day warranty on everything.
So spend a few more bucks and get the extended warranty for another 1-2 years. Which includes a 1 time free exchange during that time period.
That remote is water proof. The extra mounting plates are so if you want to move the control unit from the top to somewhere else. They really thought of everything and included it all. Three different lengths of cables to go to the battery as well. Can’t wait to see the testing.
I've got Harbor Freight's aftermarket wireless kit that I use with one of their 5000 lb. winches.
It's worked flawlessly for about 3 years and it's still on its first remote battery.
I love that I can sit in a dead car and steer it into my shop as I winch it in.
Great review video and free is free. I still spent my money on the mostly made in America Warn and Vehicles. Before any comments I know a lot of electronics still come from China but Warren is higher in American workers to assemble it and put it together here in America. Hiring American workers. Yes I also get it harbor freight hires a lot of American workers also. Everyone has a right to spend their hard earned money where they want to. God bless America
It’s funny this came up on my UA-cam to watch. I pulled 3 trucks out of the mud last night with my Harbor Freight wench.
I pulled like 15 cars out with a recovery rope when it snowed here. The winch was for when I got myself stuck 3 times lol
Look at that drop dead sexy gladiator. Yours?
Big tech is watching you. Recently I was on a train having a conversation with the wife about a Thai green curry for dinner, and lo and behold we get home, I log into FB and what do I see... adverts for Thai green curry sauce.
@@Kinotaurus long been known fact.
I’m not a fan of logos all over either. On the aluminum piece, fill the recessed letters with Bondo, sand it smooth, and give the whole piece a few coats of bright colored epoxy paint. Winner winner.
Heard of a guy who made a car dealership remove their logo from his truck. Allegedly, the customer told the dealership he didn't spend 50k on a new truck to advertise the dealership. I say bravo!
Personally I would just take a Sanderson grinder and just remove the logo that way
It’s a fairly deep inset on the letters. You’d grind the thing down to a nub.
i love most of my harbor freight stuff and i use it every day as a mechanic. I have a couple of ratchets, tool cart, floor jack and some of the big wrenches that i dont use often. I can honestly say i have never been dissapointed. Yes its not as nice but it does the job very well considering the price
I don't own a house, a truck or anything with a winch. I don't own a gun or work on my own car... But I've watched about 4 hours of your videos between last night and today. Good gravy, you're an entertaining & educational man.
Maybe it's time for winch wars? Attach the Warn to an unmovable object and the Harbor Freight to an unstoppable force, turn them on and see which one catches fire first!
Hook them to each other would be wild.
Im going to suggest this to the guy that has Project Farm channel. He does tests like this.
@@normmuelleman2570 Good idea
I'd really like to see solder joints and the internals the actual planatary and motor and compare those to warn!
yeah. like I said...." Nylon Gears?" But,.... no, it's really well made. One of those deals.
you dont need a harbor freight sponsorship if you have 6 ads in a 20 minute vid. felt like watching saturday morning TNT auto shows again.
YTube does the ads not Content Creators. Dont blame them.
Btw, if you dont like the ads watch the replay, slide the video to the very end and let it bring up the replay icon and start to watch from there. Ad free from Ytube.
The reason why there is no over ride on the winch is because they don't want you losing your head if the cable snaps and your standing in front of the winch.
many "American" companies hide behind "American designed" nowadays.. all the while still manufacturing overseas.. I look at it like this, After 30 yrs in the US car industry and numerous concessions made for "value added" (corporate profit margins), I have adopted a "value added" approach to my pocket book as well.. nice winch, nice review.
I can't believe people get stuff like this for free, well, free except the thousands of hours of hard work and dedication to creating high quality youtube content that has built up a wide audience and influence.
It's so true, I never get sent anything because I don't make videos and no one knows who I am. There's definitely a link... 🤣
Free!!!! I'm lucky if what I buy is on sale. That's why I never loan out my tools, or sell anything. I paid too damn much for them.
Free, except for the advertising they get from this. ;)
@@paulmurgatroyd6372 i get free stuff through amazon for reviewing a lot stuff company's send me different stuff to try i dont even write detailed review just a quick honest opinion
@@johnnnny well, that part is free for Walmart IF Cody thinks it;s good enough to put a video up about it.
“Yes you would, now sit down and shut up”. That’s how you handle the negative Nellies on social media. Priceless!
They're loss leaders. Be careful with assuming a bunch of things are good there.
This
That sheath on the rope is a rub protector for going over contact points...slides along rope to rub point.
In the Maritime Industry we refer to that as "Chafing Gear".
…”of course you would so sit down and shut up!..”” 😂😂😂😂😂 I’m rolling!!!😂😂😂
I’m in the trades, HF has come a country mile lately. They have some items that’s are top notch. Floor jacks, a compressor, winches, etc.
If people buy offshore products,even at the deep discounted prices that they sell for,then they are sending money to countries that don’t necessarily have Americas best interests at heart. Buy American,support the economy here!
Please buy USA made whenever possible. I truly think we need to support our workers every chance we get.
What? You don't like supporting countries that are outspoken enemies of the US? You don't like supporting countries that are actively engaged in ethnic cleansing and concentration camps? Crazy. LOL
Whatever device you all typed this on was not made in America. Buying completely American is just not possible.
@@ericlee8231 Americans don’t make as much stuff as we used to. We design it all and then have less developed countries make it for us. I’m all for manufacturing growth here in the USA, but that doesn’t change the fact that the worlds largest super power will increasingly use the rest of the world to make its stuff. As tradesmen demand higher and higher comp, companies simply cannot compete with the foreign alternative. I am not going to pay 5x the price id the quality is decent.
@@ericlee8231 You are right. And I have changed my original response. Thank you.
If you are going to just look at the winch like most people do, then it's just as good as any of them. I know a guy that bought one a few years back, he hasn't used it yet. They should make just a look a like winch like as in fake. Sell it for $50... they would sell like hot cakes...
I'm probably never going to use one when I buy it, but it's about peace of mind, knowing I have it if I need it. Just because you don't use it, doesn't mean you will never need it. Better safe than sorry. I take it you were never a boy scout.
They actually do make a fake winch for a truck :(
It would be perfect for the brodozers!
@@miltondejesus2076 Just bizarre!
@@miltondejesus2076 they sure do. I put one on my bicycle
Harbor Freight quality has greatly improved lately!
They still have some of the 1 project tools but their Icon line is a Snap On killer!
I recently found the Sherp 4x4 winch. They are more than a Badland but less than a Warn. They soaked a winch under salt water for 4 weeks and it still ran like a champ. The video is on UA-cam. It is just another option on the price scale.
Pokes at synthetic line with sharp knife
😲
Cody, do you ever shop Northern Tool + Equipment? Family-owned business with a great variety of all the stuff you'd ever want (and need) for the homestead!
“I don’t care for branding” with 8 “Mechanix” logos on hands and a Carhartt jacket.
Haha for real 😂😂😂
while hypocritical, Mechanix and carhartt are actually reputable and well respected brands, anything HF is not
He means no/new name that will bring ridicule from name branders.
BADLAND is a dumb name I wouldn't want it on my truck either.
I’m impressed, stainless steel and thought to detail and actually use in the field, yeah harbor freight is stepping it up.
The technology that goes into all of our stuff is incredible!!! New plastic injection moldings,digital CNC machines etc that makes everything much much better in quality. Now, the material they use can be cheap. Great video.
Thumbs up anyway for the content but double thumbs up for: “Of course you would, so sit down and shut up”
The real test is if you’ll get the chinesiam smell when you run it on a heavy load. Please do a follow up review after real world use.
For real.
My wife bought my son a guitar recently for his 8th birthday. It stinks of Chinesiam.
I used mine to pull a 40ft container no problem
He implied this would be an unbiased review and then at the end spoke about how excited he was to start a relationship with harbor freight.
What about the inner workings? Motor and gear quality? Usage test? Clearly if you’re thinking about “working with” harbor freight in the near future you wouldn’t totally smear their new winch. You could let some things slide and be not so critical.
-Long time WS subscriber.
I used to use Ramseys' winches and Warren locking hubs ( trucks & cars ) in the towing business. Both very tough equipment.
Doesn't like branding... says the guy wearing Carhart and Mechanix all over him....
No he doesnt want to brag being poor. He worked for warn lol. I say, jbweld/grinder and black spraypaint lol. Not gonna force me to rep trash lol
You don't impress me as someone who would take money to push something you don't believe in. As such, it doesn't bother me if you have a financial relationship or not...
I don't think he supports communism, I don't think he supports our largest military foe,I don;t think he supports a country that poisoned the word with covid. Yet here he is promoting a product that feeds the CCP. Sad
@@pibbleluv China is the most advanced capitalist economy of all time
He looks like a semi-rural Norm McDonald in this video.
I would install one as a secondary or trailer mount however when I’m in the bush with my rig there will only be tried and true warn on my vehicles. If they fail it’s on me. Bless you and your family thanks for the great content.
Now this is a review I am excited about. I've been wanting a winch for years, but never been able to squeeze it into the budget, which is small. I love the reputation of Warns too, but not the price. Great honest review. Now put it to the test!
Love all your videos I hope you never stop. You are a great guy, simple man sharing with me
"The only thing with synthetic is that it is more fragile" - stabs repeatedly with knife for emphasis🤣
Wondered if I was the only one that noticed that.
@@tearl5676 hey tearl, was it just me, or did he say "i know all about winches" then a few seconds later put the hook strap on backwards?
@@orion7741 It is pretty obvious that a synthetic cable compared to metal cable has nothing to do with synthetic oil compared to conventional oil.
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I prefer steel Cable over synthetic rope.
The fragility of synthetic rope has caused my friends to have them
Break.
None of the people I wheel with have broken a steel winch line.
Off road is too unpredictable and sometimes when pulling the line scrapes a rock or the earth, and the synthetic lines can not tolerate this.
I for one will continue to use winch line that requires me to wear gloves when handling it.
@@jacuzzibusguy the nylon sleeve her dismisses on there is great over obstacles. Ive had the same synthetic line for years.
Biggest enemy is the sun. Use the nylon wrap to completely cover the cable and it'll shield it from the sun.