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My new winch on a husqvarna rider

16K views 27 replies 14 participants last post by  Forest Gump 
#1 ·
I bought a little 2500Lb $50 harbor freight winch last week for my garden tractor and tested it out, worked great. Before I hardwire it to the battery, I hooked it up to my Jump Starter Portable Battery pack just to see if it would work--it does!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3QYCZJNd57k5N4S58
 

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#2 ·
Looks good, does that winch have enough power to pull your tractor out of a really stuck situation? Or pull it up a hill? Just curious as I've looked at the cheaper HF winches but have yet to buy one.
Good pics too.
 
#3 ·
I use one on the front of my White to lift the plow. I got stuck in a hole once this year and took the winch cable off the plow and hooked up to a tree...that little winch pulled my 1,000 pound tractor (with the blade pushing dirt) and got me out of the hole.
 
#4 ·
I have a cheapo 2500lb winch on my Ariens, and that thing has gotten me unstuck many times. Very handy addition to any GT. I’ve had it buried to the axle in mud with a 5x8 trailer full of firewood in tow and it’ll pull me out with the full trailer. Ya, I make bad decisions sometimes...
 
#5 ·
I bought it to get up to grade on my steeper hills, and it works great for that. I havnt gotten super stuck yet, but I think it will be fine. It's rated for twice the weight of my little garden tractor, that's what they recommend. Id go bigger for sure if you have a super swampy mud pit.
 
#8 ·
Keep in mind that the part of the tractor that the winch is bolted to also has to take the same strain as the winch. It's one thing to bolt it to the 1/4" x 4" front plate of a GT's frame, and something else entirely to bolt it to the 16 or 18 gauge sheet metal muffler guard on an LT that can be bent by kicking it with the toe of a safety boot.
 
#9 ·
I have that same winch set up on my X530.
The bracket they sell for the winch fits available holes in the rear hitch plate.
No drilling just bolt on. I leave mine off unless needed for a specific task.
I don't like it only has two mount holes on the bracket but it works.
Working on a way to front mount to the bumper plate with reinforcements.
 
#12 ·
I have them on both of mine. Pulled a lot of stuff. Pulled the X-300 uphill after I got it hung up on a stump ... not far uphill, but enough to get unstuck.

I'm not sure others would agree, but I feel I have them 'over' mounted. They haven't broke loose yet. There's an old thread here somewhere.

Haven't added one to the SCUT .... yet.
 
#14 ·
I've used one of those 1500 lb winches on my pickup truck's crane to lift garden tractors and car engines with transmissions on them into the bed..though they are not supposed to be used as a hoist,I never had any troubles with the Dayton winch I used ,and I lifted several things weighing close to a ton with it using the snatch block to double its pulling power..

It will lift my Sears Suburban with a plow,loaded tires with wheel weights and chains right off the ground 3 feet so I can swivel it into the truck bed..took me a few tries to find the best spot to hook up the lift straps so it was balanced,but the winch didn't struggle hardly at all...
Once I put a big metal lathe in my truck bed that weighed almost a ton,had to use the snatch block..I was more worried about the crane folding over,than the winch not being able to handle the load!..but it did it..
 
#17 ·
I've used one of those 1500 lb winches on my pickup truck's crane to lift garden tractors and car engines with transmissions on them into the bed..though they are not supposed to be used as a hoist,I never had any troubles with the Dayton winch I used ,and I lifted several things weighing close to a ton with it using the snatch block to double its pulling power..

It will lift my Sears Suburban with a plow,loaded tires with wheel weights and chains right off the ground 3 feet so I can swivel it into the truck bed..took me a few tries to find the best spot to hook up the lift straps so it was balanced,but the winch didn't struggle hardly at all...
Once I put a big metal lathe in my truck bed that weighed almost a ton,had to use the snatch block..I was more worried about the crane folding over,than the winch not being able to handle the load!..but it did it..
Using a good snatch block really brings a electric winch alive. (when it's needed to pull a heavy load)
 
#18 ·
Yes,but there are a few drawbacks-- is the winch cable is only half the original length,and the run time is also doubled,so you must be careful not to overheat the motor..

I wouldn't trust my 1500 lb winch to hold much more than that ,using the snatch block may double its pulling ability,but there is only one 3/8" bolt holding the winch cable drum to the winch base--if that breaks-- your boned!..
 
#19 ·
I would never get below anything suspended by a hoist or crane, and always assume that if the object falls, what ever it hits can be replaced or repaired.

If you are not willing to accept that risk as your own, then definitely do not use to hoist anything.

Just one humble opinion.
 
#21 ·
Yes,the cable that comes with the winch is likely only rated for the "straight line pull"--using a snatch block can double the winches pulling ability,but the cable will then be a weak point..and we all know how things like hooks can become a projectile if the cable snaps..just the cable alone can whip you and slice you open easily..

I use 1/4" cable instead of the wimpy 1/8" my winch came with,the 1/8" was rated for 2000 lbs,but it was already old and had some "iffy" spots..the 1/4" cable I put on it has a 7000 lb breaking strength ,so that probably wont be the first thing to fail..

Also ,using a winch as a hoist IS pretty hazardous,though I've never had any real trouble--I never get under any loads suspended by the winch ,you cannot trust the "brake" to hold a heavy load ,unless your using a worm gear winch..

And it is hazardous enough getting a load like a tractor to swing into the truck bed alone--if the truck wasn't properly blocked up so the rear springs wont sag under the weight of the load--the load will want to swing towards the crane,and more than once I came close to being pinned between the load and the side of the truck when the crane proved to be stronger than my ability to force it to go towards the truck bed!..
You must be vigilant and careful to not end up injuring or killing yourself..
 
#22 ·
Yes, the cable that comes with the winch is likely only rated for the "straight line pull"--using a snatch block can double the winches pulling ability,but the cable will then be a weak point..and we all know how things like hooks can become a projectile if the cable snaps..just the cable alone can whip you and slice you open easily..
Nope. The snatch block doubles the pulling capability, but there are two cables to share the load, each pulling half.
 
#23 ·
I have my 2500 mounted in a receiver hitch ion the back to use as a rear lift.


I take the winch ground off the battery when not in use as the remote control pulls a small voltage
and will pull the battery down if the tractor set not being used. I have though about putting a switch
on it just never have.
 
#25 ·
There may only be one cable from the winch, but there are two from the snatch block, one to the winch and the second to another anchorage. Half the load for each cable.
 
#27 ·
I thought I hit the jackpot when I bought a "drum switch" at the flea market last weekend for $10,a brand new Dayton one that was never used..was going to use it on the winch on one of my tractors snow plow & bucket combo to lift it,but after reading the instructions,it says "not recommended for DC motor on-off switching,only for polarity reversal"..:tango_face_sad:

So,if you wanted to use it on a DC motor,I guess you would have to only use the switch as a polarity reverser,and run the power to the winch thru another relay like a Ford starter relay,so the load and arcing will not happen at the drum switch contacts and ruin them in short order..

Also another thing I failed to realize is for the winch to have "dynamic braking" when it is in the off position,both of the motor leads must be grounded in the off position..
I do not think it is possible to do that with a drum switch,not this one anyway..:(
So the winch would let a load droop back down without the motor leads grounded..

Oh well--for $10 it was still a deal,I looked up this drum switch and they sell for almost $70..I'll find some use for it..


What I really need is one (or more !) of these "winch contactor" switches,but no one locally stocks any,except NAPA,who wants nearly $100 for one that is identical to this one sold online for under $20...I have no means to pay for online stuff like Paypal or a credit card...

I've read mixed reviews on them too,many say they didn't last very long,or were defective right out of the box..these do have the "dynamic braking" though,the winch motor leads are both grounded in the "off" position..

https://www.dbelectrical.com/produc...MIntLfgeyQ4AIVhJ6fCh0ymAMcEAQYBCABEgI5JPD_BwE
 

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#28 ·
Just some general info: food for thought.

Drum switch: that is a good buy on the Drum switch but it is only rated for low amps for relay control circuits such as the solenoid coil current.

Them winch solenoids like in your link will live a longer life you they are in a box that keeps them from getting wet and rated for small DC winches.
The more heavy duty solenoids that are rated for the DC larger winches look Similar to a Ford starter solenoid but have anywhere from 2 to 4 large stud terminals. (depending on what is required to reverse the winch.

Dynamic braking: Mechanical braking is more reliable for Hoists and winches. Dynamic braking slows the motor when it's spinning without power and back feeds the motor (motor is acting like a generator) so as to slow it down. (not really a good thing for consistently holding a load like a mechanical brake. Most electric hoists have some type of brake, like a mechanical brake for holding the load, whereas a winch may not have any brake other than it's gears.

Use of a snatch block with a winch helps somewhat for the winch to hold a heavier load.

One reason a electric winch is usually not recommended for use as a hoist is no secure brake when not being operated. Just the back feed gear reduction to the motor
 
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