[SEL] 12 volt 2000 lbs winch

[Rob Skinner]

Here's a few thoughts on the matter. Most importantly, a winch is not a hoist;
it's not made for overhead lifting.  

I've got two winches, a 2500 lb. Ramsey in the back of our little truck.  The
heaviest engine I've put in that truck weighs in at just over 1,000 pounds.  The
winch pulls that load fine, but it strains when the wheels on the cart butt up
against the lip at the bottom of the steep ramps.  The Ramsey is loud, and the
plastic enclosure for the solenoids is delicate.

A 3,500 pound Warn is mounted in the trailer.  It's quieter than the Ramsey and
the solenoids are contained in a nicer box that can be mounted separately from
the winch.  The largest load that winch has pulled is an engine weighing in at
about 6,500 pounds.  Again, it strains when the rollers are stuck at the bottom
of the ramps.  For this setup, I typically use a snatch block.  This is the
minimum size winch for what I'm doing. 

The Harbor Freight winches seem intriguing, mainly because they cost a fraction
of that of a domestically built winch.  However, experience has taught me to be
wary of that outfit.  I've purchased all kinds of stuff from them and never been
completely satisfied.  The price is good, quality is usually lacking.  

Now consider a winch;  it's not something like a drillmotor that you just toss
aside if it fails.  What happens if your winch fails?  It might not be a pretty
sight and it's probably not going to happen at a convenient time or location.

Take a look at the HF 8000 pound winch.  At $299, it would seem a steal.  
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=40764

Now look at the specs.  You can't use those numbers for power consumption and
come up with 1.8 horsepower.  They're liars.  Yes, there are marketing types who
will try to explain away their claims, but I like to do math the old way.  Look
at the speed of the winch.  With no load, the winch will reel in at 13 feet per
minute.  Put a load on it and the speed drops off quickly.  At full load the
winch reels in at a whopping 4.5 feet per minute.  An energetic guy on a
come-along can do 4.5 feet a minute.  Maybe the winch comes with a brick that
can be placed on the switch so you can get a cup of coffee while waiting for the
engine to be loaded into the trailer.    

Yes, my opinions are skewed.  
Yes, I despise that company.  
Yes, I'll probably buy their junk again.  

Rob