BADLAND APEX 12000# Winch syn line almost impossible to freespool

[NULL POINTER]

Just spitballing, but in the same situation I would try removing the handle then reach in the hole with a screwdriver or punch and manually move the clutch collar a bit farther toward the freespool direction to see if it'll then freespool properly.

In my mind either the clutch isn't disengaging fully, or the brake is dragging in freespool mode.

Appreciate the help, good suggestion, and I tried that yesterday. The handle shaft ends in a half moon shape that mates with an internal shaft with an opposite half moon shape. I didn't have much success repositioning the internal shaft with the screwdriver although I did see another cog or something that appeared once that I could move with the screwdriver. I could move the internal shaft around by just dropping the handle in and turning it but I could not find a satisfactory freespooling position that felt any easier.

Also, the handle doesn't seem to seat well on the gasket where the handle and gear cover mate.

I'm wondering if I messed something up when I first took the handle off for grinding? But what? It looks like a simple mechanism inside, two mating half shafts, and a screw that keeps the handle mounted and limits turning to just 180 degrees. Plenty of grease, an O ring on the handle shaft, and a larger O ring gasket where the handle mates with the gear cover. With the screw screwed in all the way, the handle still kind of jiggles a bit. Spooling in and out using the remote works fine.

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[Freems]

Appreciate the help, good suggestion, and I tried that yesterday. The handle shaft ends in a half moon shape that mates with an internal shaft with an opposite half moon shape. I didn't have much success repositioning the internal shaft with the screwdriver although I did see another cog or something that appeared once that I could move with the screwdriver. I could move the internal shaft around by just dropping the handle in and turning it but I could not find a satisfactory freespooling position that felt any easier.

Also, the handle doesn't seem to seat well on the gasket where the handle and gear cover mate.

I'm wondering if I messed something up when I first took the handle off for grinding? But what? It looks like a simple mechanism inside, two mating half shafts, and a screw that keeps the handle mounted and limits turning to just 180 degrees. Plenty of grease, an O ring on the handle shaft, and a larger O ring gasket where the handle mates with the gear cover. With the screw screwed in all the way, the handle still kind of jiggles a bit. Spooling in and out using the remote works fine.

I’m wondering if this may be an issue your having…HF auto brake.

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[NULL POINTER]

Thought about that. No easy way to get to, it is inside the drum. I would have to remove the winch, in which case it goes back to HF for an exchange or refund.

 

[Lost1wing]

I do not know how the Apex works, but the Badlands engage lever, slides an outer gear sleeve to engage the gears. I ended up taking it apart and re-lubing the entire gear set. Once I did that, the Badlands winch turned out to be the easiest of all of my winches,( Apex, Zeon and m8). Still to this day the badlands is the easiest. If I was bored, I would take the others apart and re-lube. Could low temps be your problem? Does it get any easier after you warm it up?

 

[Freems]

Thought about that. No easy way to get to, it is inside the drum. I would have to remove the winch, in which case it goes back to HF for an exchange or refund.

I wouldn’t hesitate to return it for a new one. I know it’s a pain, but the last thing you need on the trail is a winch that won’t unspool.

 

[NULL POINTER]

I wouldn’t hesitate to return it for a new one. I know it’s a pain, but the last thing you need on the trail is a winch that won’t unspool.

Thanks for the reply.

I worked on it some more yesterday, pulling out the line 3 times in freespool using the lawn tractor. Temp was about 50 degrees fahrenheit. Pulled off the handle and poked around with a screwdriver and could move a gear. However, nothing I did made it any easier to pull out the line with the clutch positioned in freespool. I got it out about 25 feet on my own, pulling very hard. Used the lawn tractor to pull it out the rest of the way until the red part of the line started coming out.

I did some measurements and noticed that the half moon end of the handle does not go far enough down to mate with the corresponding opposite half moon piece. The inside piece appears to be pushed too far down to make contact with the clutch handle piece. No amount of poking or prodding could raise it. I am not sure how far down the inside half-moon piece should be, but why cut out an opposite half moon in the handle end if it is not supposed to mate with the inside piece? (See part labeled 6 in attached diagram, handle is in engaged position).

So long story short, I will be removing the winch this weekend and taking it back for exchange or refund. Thanks for all the support and ideas from the contributors to this thread.

 

[Freems]

Thanks for the reply.

I worked on it some more yesterday, pulling out the line 3 times in freespool using the lawn tractor. Temp was about 50 degrees fahrenheit. Pulled off the handle and poked around with a screwdriver and could move a gear. However, nothing I did made it any easier to pull out the line with the clutch positioned in freespool. I got it out about 25 feet on my own, pulling very hard. Used the lawn tractor to pull it out the rest of the way until the red part of the line started coming out.

I did some measurements and noticed that the half moon end of the handle does not go far enough down to mate with the corresponding opposite half moon piece. The inside piece appears to be pushed too far down to make contact with the clutch handle piece. No amount of poking or prodding could raise it. I am not sure how far down the inside half-moon piece should be, but why cut out an opposite half moon in the handle end if it is not supposed to mate with the inside piece? (See part labeled 6 in attached diagram, handle is in engaged position).

So long story short, I will be removing the winch this weekend and taking it back for exchange or refund. Thanks for all the support and ideas from the contributors to this thread.

is your winch rope showing any sign of fraying from the repeated unspooling?

 

[NULL POINTER]

is your winch rope showing any sign of fraying from the repeated unspooling?

Nope, still looks brand new

 

[heretic]

kind of related...who's plate did you use for the mount?

 

[NULL POINTER]

kind of related...who's plate did you use for the mount?

Warn winch mount #101255 for Wrangler JL & Gladiator JT.

 

[NULL POINTER]

For those following, here is the conclusion to the issue of difficulty freespooling the Badland Apex 12000# winch.

I uninstalled the winch this weekend on Saturday and exchanged it at my local Harbor Freight store for another one which I installed on Sunday. Since I had ground down the clutch handle, I told the sales person who helped me with the exchange that I would switch handles in the store because I did not want to grind down another one. He said don't bother, so now I have the handle that came with the new winch and the one I that I had ground down to clear the MOPAR steel bumper.

It's nice to have a winch that I can freespool by walking backwards holding the hook. It seems tighter than the one I had on my JL, but definitely easier than the winch I returned. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[heretic]

what is the opinion on the Carnivore Winch Mount Plate? 230ish bucks

 

[Gvsukids]

kind of related...who's plate did you use for the mount?

I used Rusty's.

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