New Apex 12K Harbor Freight winch Install

[damageinc321]

Mine lifted right out - of course I had no tension on the rope, but once the screw was removed, it simply lifted up and out.

Maybe that's the problem I have tension on it, I thought I tried before installed it too but maybe not.

Sponsored

 

[chorky]

Anyone reporting any problems with these winches yet?

Can anyone provide some size specs? I didnt see sizes listed online. Looking for length, width, height. Curious to see if I can make it fit in the rear with the Road Armor stealth rear winch bumper.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Anyone reporting any problems with these winches yet?

Can anyone provide some size specs? I didnt see sizes listed online. Looking for length, width, height. Curious to see if I can make it fit in the rear with the Road Armor stealth rear winch bumper.

 

[OHJeeper]

Anyone reporting any problems with these winches yet?

Can anyone provide some size specs? I didnt see sizes listed online. Looking for length, width, height. Curious to see if I can make it fit in the rear with the Road Armor stealth rear winch bumper.

Where did you look? It's all in the user manual on the HF site:

https://www.harborfreight.com/12000-lb-winch-with-synthetic-rope-and-wireless-remote-56385.html

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Where did you look? It's all in the user manual on the HF site:

https://www.harborfreight.com/12000-lb-winch-with-synthetic-rope-and-wireless-remote-56385.html

QUIT! You are giving away my secret!

 

[chorky]

Where did you look? It's all in the user manual on the HF site:

https://www.harborfreight.com/12000-lb-winch-with-synthetic-rope-and-wireless-remote-56385.html

Yeah yeah I saw that after the fact. Scrolling too fast apparently lol

 

[chorky]

Yeah, maybe like this (pic below)
I used bolts to hold the ends of the plate up on the frame horns, and used the brackets that go below to hold it down there. Then when everything was ready and I was ready to put the bumper outer shell on (it also goes on in pieces), I put a floor jack under the winch plate, removed the bolts you see holding the plate to the frame, then put the next part of the bumper in place.

I could have put plates between the winch plate and frame and it would have moved the winch forward more. I would have used double-back tape to hold the plates in place on the frame horn, then put the winch plate in place.

Jack under center of front of winch plate, removed the silver bolts shown holding plate to frame, put the rest of the bumper on.
When I move this setup to my new JT, if it ever gets built, I will use spacers between the winch plate and frame. Tape will hold the spacers in place.

The slots in these winch plate brackets are plenty big enough I could have slid the plate forward another 1/4" or even more. Once I had these in place, I put a floor jack under the plate and removed the bolts shown above that held the plate to the frame ends until the bumper shell went on.

But do you happen to have the width measurement between the frame? It looks like on your mount, the badlands just barely squeaks by without needing to trim the frame. but that could also be with whatever winch mounting plate you are using seeing as how the winch seems to be set back into the frame a little

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Winch is 23.2" end to end according to the specs.
I have not measured it.

I don't know the frame measurements.

A winch plate can't matter too much because you can't set a winch back due to grill being back there.
You can't go forward or it wouldn't work with the standard bumpers. There's really little difference in how a plate can mount the winch other than down a bit or up a bit but even that's limited to a degree.

 

[chorky]

Winch is 23.2" end to end according to the specs.
I have not measured it.

I don't know the frame measurements.

A winch plate can't matter too much because you can't set a winch back due to grill being back there.
You can't go forward or it wouldn't work with the standard bumpers. There's really little difference in how a plate can mount the winch other than down a bit or up a bit but even that's limited to a degree.

I'm thinking in terms of other bumpers that have an integrated winch mount instead of the winch mounting to a plate on the frame and the bumper over it. There's a few that seem to pull the winch further forward by maybe an inch or so because the winch mounts to the bumper itself. That would be my concern. I know there's plenty of folks who have trimmed the frame as needed, but I would prefer to avoid that. There's only a couple bumpers I have interest in. One of them specs out to trim the frame for the zeon series winch which makes me think it pulls the winch forward some. the other one I am considering has very little info on it despite being a MOPAR part (not the 3 piece that you have).

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I'm thinking in terms of other bumpers that have an integrated winch mount instead of the winch mounting to a plate on the frame and the bumper over it. There's a few that seem to pull the winch further forward by maybe an inch or so because the winch mounts to the bumper itself. That would be my concern. I know there's plenty of folks who have trimmed the frame as needed, but I would prefer to avoid that. There's only a couple bumpers I have interest in. One of them specs out to trim the frame for the zeon series winch which makes me think it pulls the winch forward some. the other one I am considering has very little info on it despite being a MOPAR part (not the 3 piece that you have).

This one fits between the frame ends/bumper mounting flanges. Not by a lot, but it fits

 

[legacy_etu]

Where did you look? It's all in the user manual on the HF site:

https://www.harborfreight.com/12000-lb-winch-with-synthetic-rope-and-wireless-remote-56385.html

pfft, you actually read the users manua! ! Crazy talk

 

[Glad Newbie]

Anyone manage to remove the thimble (eyelet) without damaging the line? Rather not splice a new loop if I don't have to.

 

[GMGOLDEN]

Finished up the wiring and cut up my old sport plastic panels to fill in around the winch and to cover the back of the fog lights. Need t clean up the piece on the left.



This is a really clean look! I’m going to try trimming the piece to fit around the winch. Any tips? Sorry if this has already been asked… I’m working my way through the 17+ pages of this thread.

Sponsored