BADLAND APEX 12000# Winch syn line almost impossible to freespool

[NULL POINTER]

I had one of these on my JLUR and had no issues or complaints with it. It pulled strong while the clutch was in the engaged position, and was so easy to spool out with the clutch in the freespool position.

I was so impressed with the winch that during the recent 12 days of Christmas sale I bought one for my Gladiator. I finally got it installed last week, yes I had to grind down the clutch handle to clear my MOPAR factory steel bumper. Then I went to pretension the synthetic line and this was where problems started. I loosened the tension on the winch, then put the handle into freespool. I had to pull as hard as I could to get the line to come out 10 feet or so. In the engaged position it will spool in and out just fine like it should. While trying to freespool it sounded like the gears were moving and something was offering great resistance. I noticed that with the clutch in the freespool position, the remote was able to spool the line out and in. I managed to pull it out about 15 feet myself with great effort. My previous Badland Apex 12000# synthetic line winch was easy to freespool the line out.

I also noticed that the clutch handle does not seem to go all the way to the freespool position, it stops a hair short of where I remember the prior winch stopped. Yes, I took the handle off to grind it down. It only goes back on in one position. And no, the handle is not catching on anything,. There is grease that I could see down inside the hole for the clutch handle. The winch is mounted to a WARN winch mount, part # 101255 and nothing appeared to be wrong with it. It installed fine and no drilling was necessary for the skid plate that protects the sway bar disconnect motor.

I finally hooked my lawn tractor to the winch and with the clutch in the freespool position I was able to pull the line all the way out. I then engaged the clutch and pulled the tractor back to the winch. I did this 4 more times, trying each time to see if could pull the line out myself without the tractor. It did not loosen up at all and remains almost impossible to freespool.

Has anyone else had such an issue with the Badland Apex 12000# winch? I saw a post on the Wrangler forum, with no solution, the guy took it back. I have about 50 some days left on the Harbor Freight warranty, but I was hoping for a solution where I don't need to remove the winch. If I remove it, it will go back to the HF store where I bought it. Does anyone have any thoughts what I could try?

Thanks for any help or guidance, besides the obvious "remove it and take it back". I know, I should have bought a Warn. Well guess what, searching the web I found a few instances where Warn winches also have freespooling issues. I am hoping there might be a trick or two I could try to get it working before I take it back.

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[Gvsukids]

I had one of these on my JLUR and had no issues or complaints with it. It pulled strong while the clutch was in the engaged position, and was so easy to spool out with the clutch in the freespool position.

I was so impressed with the winch that during the recent 12 days of Christmas sale I bought one for my Gladiator. I finally got it installed last week, yes I had to grind down the clutch handle to clear my MOPAR factory steel bumper. Then I went to pretension the synthetic line and this was where problems started. I loosened the tension on the winch, then put the handle into freespool. I had to pull as hard as I could to get the line to come out 10 feet or so. In the engaged position it will spool in and out just fine like it should. While trying to freespool it sounded like the gears were moving and something was offering great resistance. I noticed that with the clutch in the freespool position, the remote was able to spool the line out and in. I managed to pull it out about 15 feet myself with great effort. My previous Badland Apex 12000# synthetic line winch was easy to freespool the line out.

I also noticed that the clutch handle does not seem to go all the way to the freespool position, it stops a hair short of where I remember the prior winch stopped. Yes, I took the handle off to grind it down. It only goes back on in one position. And no, the handle is not catching on anything,. There is grease that I could see down inside the hole for the clutch handle. The winch is mounted to a WARN winch mount, part # 101255 and nothing appeared to be wrong with it. It installed fine and no drilling was necessary for the skid plate that protects the sway bar disconnect motor.

I finally hooked my lawn tractor to the winch and with the clutch in the freespool position I was able to pull the line all the way out. I then engaged the clutch and pulled the tractor back to the winch. I did this 4 more times, trying each time to see if could pull the line out myself without the tractor. It did not loosen up at all and remains almost impossible to freespool.

Has anyone else had such an issue with the Badland Apex 12000# winch? I saw a post on the Wrangler forum, with no solution, the guy took it back. I have about 50 some days left on the Harbor Freight warranty, but I was hoping for a solution where I don't need to remove the winch. If I remove it, it will go back to the HF store where I bought it. Does anyone have any thoughts what I could try?

Thanks for any help or guidance, besides the obvious "remove it and take it back". I know, I should have bought a Warn. Well guess what, searching the web I found a few instances where Warn winches also have freespooling issues. I am hoping there might be a trick or two I could try to get it working before I take it back.

Sounds like the gears are still engaged. If you look at YouTube videos, there's an issue with the handle. You could take the winch out and check it.

 

[RubiNewbCB]

Maybe the line is Birdcaged several spoils in and the whole spool needs to be unwound.

 

[NULL POINTER]

Sounds like the gears are still engaged. If you look at YouTube videos, there's an issue with the handle. You could take the winch out and check it.

Got any links?

 

[NULL POINTER]

Maybe the line is Birdcaged several spoils in and the whole spool needs to be unwound.

Thanks for the suggestion. Did that on the first spool out with the tractor. After that I left two-three winds of the red line on the drum. The last two, I left about 5-6 red line wraps on the drum. After all 5 spool outs and rewinds, nothing changed.

 

[tysongladiator]

I removed my 8yr old Badlands from my Jeep and put it on my trailer and got a new one.

I had an issue on the old one at one point. Somehow I stripped the screw that holds the freespool handle to the shaft that it connects to. So... when I moved it to freespool, the handle was moving but not the shaft. Therefore it was never going into freespool. I tried to take the screw out, used the wrong bit, and now it's stripped. Completely my fault! So now I have to work it back and forth to get it to go between freespool and engaged.

Maybe yours is the same issue.

 

[Gvsukids]

Got any links?

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...-can-it-fit-with-mopar-bar.64954/post-1070755

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/apex-badlands-doesn’t-winch-out.40715/

 

[KSP938]

I am on my second badlands, love it. Definitely the handle. If it isn’t fully engaged it will be TOUGH to pull out. After grinding mine down to fit I also ran into this. It’s either in or out.

 

[Lost1wing]

I do not have an issue with my Apex, but my first Badland winch I had to disassemble the planetary gears and relubricate. The factory job was inadequate.

 

[NULL POINTER]

I am on my second badlands, love it. Definitely the handle. If it isn’t fully engaged it will be TOUGH to pull out. After grinding mine down to fit I also ran into this. It’s either in or out.

Thanks for the response. Did you ever get freespool to work?

I had to take the handle off and grind it down to clear my steel oem bumper. No problems putting it back in and getting the screw in that both holds the handle in and limits the range of the turn of the handle to 180 degrees. It just feels like it isn't moving all the way to the freespool position. If I try to push if farther, it moves a tiny bit and just pops back when I let go. If I have to take off the bumper to fix or grease the plenetary gears, then it is going back to HF under the warranty. Regretfully I only tested spooling out and in with the remotes before installing. I did not think to test the freespool function so I don't know if my pulling the handle off to grind it down caused the issue. All I can say is when I took out the screw with an allen wrench, the handle came off easily and it went back on easily.

 

[NULL POINTER]

I do not have an issue with my Apex, but my first Badland winch I had to disassemble the planetary gears and relubricate. The factory job was inadequate.

Supposedly these are lifetime lubricated from the manufacturer. I bought it new on December 18 so this was my first time trying to freespool it. I had to use my lawn tractor to freespool it, as it was an exhausting job to try and pull it myself. Totally unlike my first APEX 12000# winch. With that one I just held the hook and walked, hardly any effort required.

 

[Lost1wing]

Supposedly these are lifetime lubricated from the manufacturer. I bought it new on December 18 so this was my first time trying to freespool it. I had to use my lawn tractor to freespool it, as it was an exhausting job to try and pull it myself. Totally unlike my first APEX 12000# winch. With that one I just held the hook and walked, hardly any effort required.

I wonder what changed. My Apex was purchased March of last year. I've pulled it out several times eithout issues.

 

[Figmo]

I have 2 of these. One on the Bronco and one on the Gladiator. Both are hard pulls on free spool (though not "hook a lawn tractor to it" kinda hard pulls - more like just "lean all your weight against it as you walk backwards" kind of hard)

I've always just considered it "the nature of the beast" and dealt with it.

Is there anybody here with an APEX who can say it's EASY to pull rope out in free spool?

EDIT: Bronco winch is prob 3 years old now. Gladiator winch I just picked up over last Black Friday sale. So still pretty new.

 

[DylanM]

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.

 

[NULL POINTER]

I have 2 of these. One on the Bronco and one on the Gladiator. Both are hard pulls on free spool (though not "hook a lawn tractor to it" kinda hard pulls - more like just "lean all your weight against it as you walk backwards" kind of hard)

I've always just considered it "the nature of the beast" and dealt with it.

Is there anybody here with an APEX who can say it's EASY to pull rope out in free spool?

EDIT: Bronco winch is prob 3 years old now. Gladiator winch I just picked up over last Black Friday sale. So still pretty new.

I have also owned two of these, but not at the same time. comparitively, this newest one is much more difficult to freespool than the first. I can freespool this newest one but it would take a long time to do so. I thought the first one I had was easy to pull the rope out in freespool. This one feels like I am fighting to overcome a lot of resistance from something. When we get a decent day, I will fool with it some more.

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