Buying today but which? Smittybilt X20 Gen 3 or Badland Apex Winch? Please advice, searched but not much info on the G3

[Gobi1]

Badland Apex 12k synthetic or SMittybilt x20 G3 10k synthetic?? Tried searching online, Reddit and the forum but not much info on the Gen 3 Smittys... Appreciate your insights

Sponsored

 

[OHJeeper]

I have an APEX and have been very happy with it. I also relocated the control box into the engine bay for more of a "stealth" look. Not sure if the Smitty has that option (if it's important to you).

There are a bunch of others with the APEX, and the Smittybilt on the forum so most likely you're going to get a LOT of opinions on this!

I would say go with whatever your budget allows. I don't think one "wins out" over the other from what I've seen.

Good luck sorting through all the responses!

 

[just_another_guy]

I've had a couple Smittybilts and they have worked great for me. Never been brave enough to try out a harbor freight winch, but they seem to be pretty popular on wreckers and car haulers. You will probably be fine with either option if you install it properly and look after it.

 

[Blue Falcon]

I too run the APEX and am extremely happy with it. I swear it could pull my LOD Bumper right off the frame. Badland is making a name for itself in the off-road community w/ the APEX. Of course, there are some die-hards out there that will say WARN or go home but if you're not winching every day..... you can't go wrong with an APEX.

 

[Blue Falcon]

I have an APEX and have been very happy with it. I also relocated the control box into the engine bay for more of a "stealth" look. Not sure if the Smitty has that option (if it's important to you).

There are a bunch of others with the APEX, and the Smittybilt on the forum so most likely you're going to get a LOT of opinions on this!

I would say go with whatever your budget allows. I don't think one "wins out" over the other from what I've seen.

Good luck sorting through all the responses!

I'd love to see pictures of your relocation and how you did it.

 

[OHJeeper]

I'd love to see pictures of your relocation and how you did it.

I used some tips/tricks in this thread:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/new-apex-12k-harbor-freight-winch-install.23358/

The most useful posts (for me) were:

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/posts/810599/
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/posts/504742/

If you have specific questions after reading through this (LENGTHY) thread, I'm happy to help.

Here's what it looks like "done":

For the relocation, you basically isolate this guy out of all the mess of wires in the control box (the solenoid):

And I ended up mounting it on this acrylic piece you see above and stuffing it between the battery and the passenger fender well. I cleaned up the wiring and made a cover with only the plug for the remote exposed (which I have since moved again):

The last thing I did (recently) was to move the bluetooth module into the cowl (extending the wires):

Oh, and I used some left-over acrylic to make a cover for the winch rope (it breaks down over time in sunlight, and you can't get an elastic cover over it when you sink it down into the bumper):

You can see how the red wire on the left is already turning pink... I plan on putting some wrap over that, too... but essentially the same thing is happening to synthetic winch rope.

 

[montechie]

I've had a good experience with the Smittybilt SRC Gen 2, 5 years on a Taco then I bought a 2nd when I got my JT. I wouldn't say I've put them through the ringer (1-2 times/month), but I've used both on some hard pulls in winter and in the mud, mostly on heavy rigs stuck to their fenders in mud or in snowy ditches.

MORR and Casey Ladelle swear by the Badlands, you can check out their recovery YT channels why they have settled on them. Although I think they both use an aftermarket cable (Yankum) so check what the default is, although it should perform fine for infrequent use. Many brands do ropes that just meet the minimum of the winch and less features than what they sell aftermarket (Warn, Smittybilt).

You may want to compare warranties and length. I don't know what the Badlands has, but it's one reason I was willing to try the Smittybilt (5 yr electrical, lifetime mechanical), etc. not too mention move away from my previous favorite, Milemarker. Many warranties are only 1-3 years.

Sponsored