HF 2000 lbs winch

[the_experience3006]

I'm just looking for some quick input on the HF 2000 lbs utility/ATV winch. They're on sale for $50 so I think I might pick one up at our brand spanking new Harbor Freight. The plan is to use it on my dad's boatlift.

He just got a new boat this year to replace his 19 year old Tyee. I already set him up with an onboard charger and ran new electrical down to the dock so that he is more likely to use the nice new boat (he always bitched about how much of a pain it was before). He is currently still using the big lift from the old boat (4000 lbs capacity?). It works great, but the winch is geared retardedly low. It's not hard to crank the boat up, but it takes forever.

So...can I expect that winch to hold up at all? They boat is probably 2000 lbs fully dressed and full of fishing gear, etc, but the winch cable effectively goes through a snatch block with the pulleys on the lift cradle so the winch should be able to do 4000 lbs. I'm just concerned about weather tightness, durability, and it's ability to hold a load that is kind of like a hoist. I don't expect much out of a $50 HF winch...I just don't want to have to replace it EVERY year. Am I asking for trouble by hoping that it will hold that load against its brake?

[bgaidan]

Am I asking for trouble by hoping that it will hold that load against its brake?

Yes.

[Eskimo]

I got a Warn works 1700 for just over $100 at Northern tool on sale a few months ago, and the brake on that is holding (through a snatch block) over 3000lbs when I suck down the suspension, and I left it like that for over an hour.

[tommyj3]

The Harbor Freight cheap winches are not made to lift objects. They can fail! Save your money and buy a electric hoist that is well rated over what you intend to lift. I don't think your dad would be very happy if you dropped his new boat.

[85mudblazin]

I run the 2k HF winch on the front as a suck down winch and it works GREAT. I kept snapping the tiny cable it comes with so I got about 10' of 5/16" winch rope and it has been great ever since. Brake works great, cant beat it for $50.

[the_experience3006]

Well, what's done is done. I bought the winch and took the hour to swap it (most of which was spent running back up to the garage to grab a tool I forgot). So far so good. The winch motor doesn't heat up so and it doesn't seem to struggle at all. The control wiring leaves something to be desired, but will easily be remedied with some more 8 gauge when I get a chance. I'd like to put a fuse on there somewhere anyway. If I have to replace it in 2 years it was worth it anyway. It's interesting that it powers out slower than in.

As a side note I do have the old 5k manual winch and wheel so if it gives up the ghost in a week I can just swap it back and chalk it up to a lesson learned. I think it will be ok given that it is not a vertical lift, but instead is one of the swinging ones. When it is pulled all the way up the supports for the boat cradle are JUST under 90 degrees so it's not supporting much weight.