Harbor Freight Badland Winch: How To Know Which Size You Need
Harbor Freight's Badland winches work well and are quite affordable for your off-road recovery and utility needs. There are three lines of Badland winches with capacities of up to 12,000 pounds and prices ranging from under $100 to $579. With so many options to choose from, how do you know which one is best for you?
An important thing to consider is a winch's rated load. That's its maximum pulling power as measured on the innermost layer of rope on the drum. Because subsequent layers are further from the center of rotation, a good rule is to choose a winch with a capacity of at least one and a half times your vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). If you want a winch for off-road recovery, look on your vehicle's doorjamb sticker or in the owner's manual to get its GVWR. For example, the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe has a GVRW of 6,200 pounds and up depending on trim so you'll need at least a 9,300 pound winch.
For trailers, the safety margin is even higher because you'll often pull from outer rope layers where capacity is reduced. For these instances, you'll want a winch rated for at least twice the weight of the intended load. If you're mounting a winch to a boat trailer, calculate the total weight of the boat, motor, and any fuel or gear on board before doubling that figure. Your next step is to ask yourself whether you need a mounted or portable unit. A mounted winch gets attached to a vehicle, trailer, or shop floor to provide the stability needed for frequent or heavy-duty pulling. Portable winches are held in place by chains or other temporary systems during use and can be moved from job to job more easily.
Choosing between with synthetic winch rope and steel cable
You can even attach a portable winch to a tree for stability, but make sure you have a nylon strap like the King-Pro 33,000 pound tree saver to prevent damaging the trunk. Beyond the basic winch type and load rating, you'll also need to know the physical dimensions of each winch to see if it will fit where you need it. Most Badland winches come with a wired remote control, while others can be supplemented with a Badland wireless remote unit. No matter which winch you decide on, remember that vehicle winches need a mount or bumper that properly fits the vehicle and meets or exceeds the winch's rated load. If you're securing the winch to a trailer, never afffix it to the wood decking. Opt for a universal winch plate or hitch coupler mount and secure the winch to the frame instead. Another good guideline is to mount the battery in a properly secured and weather-sealed battery box. When shopping for Badland winches at Harbor Freight, you're also going to have to choose between synthetic rope and steel cable.
Synthetic rope is lightweight and resists rust and kinking, but it can degrade with UV exposure and abrasion. Steel cable is more likely to kink, but it's stronger and will last longer especially in muddy, sandy, or other challenging environments. Along with being heavier than synthetic rope, metal winch cable requires regular cleaning and lubrication to prevent rust from forming. You can get an 11-ounce can of Liquid Wrench chain and cable lube spray from Amazon for $16.99 to keep your steel winch cable clean and moving smoothly.
There's a Badland winch for every application
If you're mounting a winch to your full-sized vehicle for off-road recovery, the Badland ZXR 12000 lb. Truck/SUV winch with steel cable has the pulling power to extract most trucks and SUVs. For mounting on a side-by-side or UTV, the Badland ZXR 5000 UTV/Powersport Winch with automatic braking might be a more appropriate fit. For some smaller watercraft and ATVs you might get by with the Badland ZXR 2500 ATV/Utility Winch if it meets the 150% or 200% recommended safety margin guideline.
If you need something for tree removal or to go on a small boat trailer, look into the Badland 2000-lb. Marine Electric Winch. It comes with a carrying handle and mounting plate to make it easy to move around and is well suited for launching boats or pulling them from the water. For mounting to the floor of a shop, the 1500 lb. 120V AC Electric Winch might be appropriate for you. It's not recommended to use a vehicle winch as an engine hoist, so go with one of the Pittsburgh brand electric hoists also available at Harbor Freight if that's what you need. Regardless of the winch model you choose, Harbor Freight recommends using a vehicle battery with at least 650 cold cranking amps (CCA) for trucks and SUVs or a dedicated deep-cycle battery for trailer-mounted winches. For long or frequent pulls, you might need a higher capacity battery.