A SOLID WINCH FOR $480?? Harbor Freight's Apex Badland 12,000 lb Winch *Review and Install* 

Nice winch and install. Tip: You need to pre-tension your line. Pull it out, up to the protective wrap, and connect it to a static object,( like a tree, or another jeep,) and winch your jeep to the anchor. This helps to prevent binding and kinking the line later when/if you use it.

Good video, I have 1 on my JK. I Installed the switch on mine and keep it on the off position all the time. And in response to one of the comments about your review on the winch without trying it, I dragged a 36’ motor home buried in the sand out of the wash at the Bradshaw Trail in Indio. No Problem! You’ll love it man.

Hiiia Yaaah! I had a great time doing this install.

I suggest wire the kill switch. It’s not to prevent battery from drain it lol. It’s just in case you got malfunction in connectors and winch still pulling while you panicking on your control pressing all buttons and your frame is already twisted tree falling or something. In that case you just turn the nob in switch and you are free of spending or repairing you vehicle. I suggest to put that in accessible place. I got my inside car.

Nice work! I’ve made mistakes like that before. Such a nightmare. But it’s done, and now you have an awesome setup! Hindsight is always 20/20!

Great video! I'm sorry to see that you & your friend had some issues with the winch install & wiring, but it's working now and you were able to fix your fog lights wiring issues. Great job on the overview of the Badland Apex 12000 winch and the install. The price is affordable for someone who's starting out in off roading and might not use the winch that much, but it seems to be of good quality at a lower price point than Warn or other high end winches. I plan on getting the Badland Apex 12, 000 lbs winch as my next upgrade for my truck since I already have an ARB bumber.

Great video! Waiting for my Rock Hard 4x4 front bumper but I got this winch with the latest 10% off. Can't wait to see what fun I run into on the install.

Great video... I've been checking around like you said with most of the famous brands and when I seeing the reviews for Badlands they are all goods so most likely this is the one I will buy fo my JK and I'll keep in mind your video for future reference when I gets to install it ... Thank you 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

As soon as I get a winch bumper on my Bronco I'm getting one of these too! Like you, I've been seeing so many good reports on the Badlands! I'd rather spend the money saved on gas! Great video! Thanks Bro!

Great video, thank you for the experience! I will be putting this winch on my Gladiator soon!!!

I've had HF winches for years, 12k Badland on my Bronco, 2500k on my wheeler. They have out lasted my buddies shitty built winch two times over. It's also faster than another friends WARN. HF Badlands winches rock and work well. The only issue I had was I over extended the rope and broke the bolt that held the line to the drum, mybad.

Great video! Heading to harbor freight tomorrow. Appreciate your time making the video.

This winch is a beast! It’s just as good as a Warren!

The reason the disconnect is included is because the winch is wireless.If you're on the trail and other people have the same remote it could set it off. Also other things could possibly set it off. Just my opinion but I would have installed the disconnect.

I put a disconnect on mine because of the way I had to route my winch wiring. Incase of frontal wreck.

The kill switch is to prevent people from tampering with your winch. You can operate it without the control, too many times people have come out to their car just to find it somewhere else.

Nice wench I went with the 9000lb for my 80 CJ 5.. it only weighs in at 4200lbs. Just like it's big brother it's a great wench for a good price on sale for 329$... can't beat it.

True story bros while in the corps our resident expert motor transport mech (100% shit bird) couldn't figure out why a hmmwv was going through batteries, after 2 sets the Maintenance Officer asked me to have a look, it was the winch which was smoking hot and discharging the batteries. we disconnected the winch and fixed the issue. Some times you cant see the forest because of the trees and a second set of eyes fixes the problem.

OUCH!!! Well, looks like a good workout. So I am about to be installing the same winch... so wish me luck 🤞

Bro! Thank you for making this vid. Because of your vid, i knew what to watch out for and installed it once. Lol😅

I've abused the hell out of this winch, easily maxed out the 12k pull many times (having to secure my jeep to a tree to recover 3 ton trucks in mud), went seriouusslly over the duty cycle many times, submerged it, everything and it just keeps going... my only complaint was I got a faulty controller that kept killing batteries and its not programmable so when I bought new one I had to cut old transmitter off and crimp contact pins on wires to "rig" the new transmitter in so it is hardwired internally in winch just like the factory one is.

When i put the nuts into the bottom of the winch, i used duct tape to hold the nuts in place.

tape the square nuts into the slots on the winch. like masking tape. so they do not fall out or slide around, or move.

This is about how all my projects go too. Seems straightforward until you run into a snag Nice job getting it done & it is impressive all the stuff that winch has with it & on it for the price

Great video

I'll probably be getting one of these Harbor Freight Apex Badland 12K winches also...but not to attach to a front bumper (doesn't accept winches) but on a portable mounting plate (probably the Traveller "QM10000 Quick Mounting Plate") so it can go into my 2" towing-hitch/receiver in back. -- BR

That looks like my local harbor freight in Milton! 👀😂

You should come up to NorCal this winter and go Snowwheeling with us and test out your nice winch…

Man I LOVE mine

WHAT!!!!... no cussing???..LOL!!!.. wonderful video...

I have an ARB bumper coming. Already have the Badland Apex winch. About how much did you have to grind off the frame for the winch to fit? Thanks!

Warn and smittybilt are a-lot faster and way better warranty! But only by a minute and a half in speed but not a Deal breaker.Anything made in China trips me out not just Harbor Freight..Lol

That’s how much I pay mine, welcome to badland

Any chance you saw any indication it was good for 24v? I know the packaging says 12v but a friend uses it on a 24v system and he hasn't had any issues.

Grinding stuff. the hot glowing shards will at times melt into glass, like side windows. Headlights ?

The disconnect is also for safety.

Harbor Freight is going through a lot of changes lately, I felt their classic 12k cable winch was their loss leader, for $260 (after coupons) how can you go wrong... meaning they lose money selling it but it gets people hooked to buy there other junk. But now they are trying to sell quality productids all around... hmmm not sure about that. I actually like there cheap junk tools, I've used them in many creations welding them to this and that or using them in a manor that they were sure to self destruct (who would want to use a quality name brand tool just to destroy... right!)

Did they not include a short jumper for the kill switch?

do you know if the clutch lever housing can be clocked?

After a year. Do you still recommend it?

nice!

Hearing harbor freight is like hearing a jeep, both cheap.

Will it fit most winch bumpers?

Hey bro are you still running this winch?

This video is about a install how can you do a review if you don’t really use it?

What is that black stuff on your neck???

It's not fair to say $480, most people aren't getting it for that price. It's $600

incredibly long vid. ......too long but I do own one...

Their standard warranty sucks.... Has anyone that bought this winch, also bought (and had to USE) the extended warranty that Harbor Freight offers?

Mount bolts it comes with are junk.

More like 600 bucks bra

$480? Thing is 6 bones now a month later. $599.99

Music completely ruined the video, i had to keep muting just to get through the install. if you want subs don't add music to videos.. EVER.... NO not even then.

Real Jeeps have more room under the hood