Thoughts on mounting a 2500b winch on BX?

[Xfaxman]

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I want one of those.

Me too. I will be even more jealous if you can drop it anywhere along a long chain (same as a chain binder) and just start cranking.

You can put a longer chain in it and slide it where you want it, but you need no hook or a removable hook on one end of the chain.

 

[newbury]

<snip>
My thoughts are travel hard when you can (business) and piggy back fun... and then when you retire I can fiddle and hopefully remember the stories! :laughing:

That was my thoughts exactly, until about the last two years when the Army was trying to get me to travel 3 weeks (PLUS weekends) a month. It was fun up to a point, but I knew my time had come when I started to turn down trips to Honolulu from Washington DC in the winter..

Now that I've been retired for over three years I haven't flown once and don't miss it at all. So suck up all that travel, buy the T-shirts and mugs, and when it's over enjoy life.

 

[Threepoint]

Since we've been talking about the HF Badland winches, I thought some of you might be interested in a Feb. 2015 how-to video I just came across on Youtube. It's long, but very well edited, and the maker clearly knows what he's doing. He shows the 12,000 lb model specifically, but most of it is applicable to the lighter models as well. Here's a quick summary: (1) Wiring and hook-up of the solenoid box, (2) disassembly and reassembly of the planetary gearing system, showing how it works to achieve a 256/1 gear ratio for the rated pull, (3) modification of a Northern Equipment portable cradle mount to achieve the necessary clearance for use on a front-mounted receiver on his truck, (4) correct use of a snatch block, tree savers, and polyester tow straps or chain to extend the winch's utility safely. Finally shows his wife using the winch to pull out brush, 4x4 fence posts and small trees in tight spots with no digging. Throughout the video, he has some great advice on safety considerations. One of the best amateur "how-tos" I've seen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN5vAAdKP94

 

[Ted Summey]

Sorry for that trouble Ted, but that is the reason for fusing any line coming off your battery. And the fuse should be as close to the battery as possible. Not sure what to say about the $59 part of your investment but the other $400 damage (and ATV risk!) was caused by the lack of a fuse (or improper fuse placement) not necessarily HF.

People often think a fuse protects the eqpt (such as the winch). This is wrong. The fuse protects the vehicle (and it's wiring harness) from a "yellow-hot" wire and all the damage that might cause. The fuse should be as close as possible to the positive terminal of the battery. This (unfused) section of wire between the battery and the fuse is your yellow-hot filament, so if some distance is necessary you should choose a very well-protected path or route.

Not sure what HF provides for a fuse or circuitbreaker but the wire between the battery and the circuitbreaker is the dangerous (yellowhot) wire. If the wire was routed carefully and the HF circuitbreaker malfunctioned then I suppose you've got some kind of a beef with HF. I suppose a circuitbreaker for appx 1HP motor would be appx 50 amps! But with no fuse or breaker at the battery you are trusting that your wire & routing is safe. You (or Dragon ! ) might be wise to get your own circuitbreaker (or fuse) and put it very close to the battery.

Yes that's a fact about fuses and circuit breakers being critical and protecting the vehicle. It WAS an expensive reminder of it and not likely to be forgotten quickly.

My beef with HF is that the control box for the winch wasn't water tight as claimed. It has been 3 or 4 years since that incident but IIRC the control box housed the remote control receiver, the relay and a circuit breaker. It appeared that water shorted the entire box. It was a case if poor Chineese engineering, (IMHO) and my trust of the product's specs.

Without going to look at the current setup, I know there is either a 50 amp or 70 amp fuse inline on it about 6 or eight inches from the battery. The replacement winch has crossed the same creek repeatedly for the last 3 or so years without issue.

Your reminder about the fuses and circuit breakers is sound advice.

 

[PhysAssist]

You can put a longer chain in it and slide it where you want it, but you need no hook or a removable hook on one end of the chain.

View attachment 416637

That is exactly why I want one, but at $275 for the light duty ones new, I'm watching CL but since this thread was the first I ever saw them despite years of watching CL, I doubt there are many be let go...

 

[PhysAssist]

Yes that's a fact about fuses and circuit breakers being critical and protecting the vehicle. It WAS an expensive reminder of it and not likely to be forgotten quickly.

My beef with HF is that the control box for the winch wasn't water tight as claimed. It has been 3 or 4 years since that incident but IIRC the control box housed the remote control receiver, the relay and a circuit breaker. It appeared that water shorted the entire box. It was a case if poor Chineese engineering, (IMHO) and my trust of the product's specs.

Without going to look at the current setup, I know there is either a 50 amp or 70 amp fuse inline on it about 6 or eight inches from the battery. The replacement winch has crossed the same creek repeatedly for the last 3 or so years without issue.

Your reminder about the fuses and circuit breakers is sound advice.

My Snow Bear plow's original Ramsey winch had a 50-Amp breaker between the battery terminal and the hot lead (i.e., and everything else) and I have kept it on the battery through 2 further HF winches just out of cautious habit.

My Ramsey and first HF winch had exterior solenoid mounting boxes, but I never had any problems with water despite them not being at all waterproof, but I was not out 4-wheeling either, though I have buried them in wet slushy snow.

My current model's power box is mounted underhood and therefore pretty safe from gross exposure.

 

[dragoneggs]

OP update... and not much of one. Got home today for enough time to open the box from HF and was surprised to see how small this thing is. Yes it will probably be not much more than a hood ornament for the BX. Didn't even take it out of the box and now I am off traveling for another week. Will it be useful? I am now questioning it myself. But hopefully it will do something for the $59 minus discount I paid. Stay tuned but I think this will fizzle unless I go bigger.

 

[newbury]

<snip> But hopefully it will do something for the $59 minus discount I paid. <snip>

Test it out when you get a chance but look at it more as a prevention against getting stuck.

When I buy something to use in case of emergency I usually hope the emergency never arises. For instance after suffering through two long power outages about 15 years ago I bought a generator. We haven't had a long power outage since. As far as as I'm concerned that's better than using it in an emergency.

 

[Threepoint]

IMO, smaller is better on the front end of the scut, so long as it still delivers the rated pulling power.

 

[skyhook]

Hey,...size isn't everything....