Yelm got a Harbor freight

[dave77]

Been told by multiple small engine guys, only run marine stabil (blue) and dont leave fuel in carb bowl. The methanol eats aluminum and will leave residue in bowl. It also doesn't hurt to run higher octane as it supposedly has less methanol.

I run regular pure gas in my new Cub (Kawasaki engine) and my 2-cycle engines( 2-cycle gas gets Stabil, the Cub goes through it fast enough to not need it. Pure gas 92 octane in the Miata, seems to be a little peppier with it instead of 92 gasohol. Ranger just gets regular gasohol, runs great but it gets terrible mileage.

[JEBar]

well, the die is cast .... Harbor Freight has put out a coupon for its Inside Track Members for their APEX 12,000 lb. Winch with Steel Rope and Wireless Remote https://www.harborfreight.com/apex-1200 ... 57918.html .... that coupon along with a first time use discount on the first purchase with their store credit card will save us over $100 .... shortly after we get our tax refund we will order the winch mount and other equipment needed to mount and use the winch from Amazon .... my hope is to be able to mount it sometime late this month or the first of next

[JEBar]

well ... its here ..

[JEBar]

the accessories designed for use with a powerful winch like the Badlands Apex 12000 are the most impressive that I've ever seen .... as but one example : the 7/8 in. D-Ring Shackle shown below .... it weighs about 3.5 lbs .... it is 5 3/4" X 4 1/32'.... the locking bolt is 7/8" .... has a Maximum Working load of 13,000 lbs .... its is shown below in comparison to an I-phone and my hand .... there are untold numbers of videos which address the life threatening impact that can result from a winch cable snapping under load .... link to one such (long) video with graphic demonstrations, for folks who aren't interested in preparation details, skip to the 3:22 mark ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97XqNX3yFTk&t=190s ....

[JEBar]

another heavy duty accessory for the Badland Winch .... its called a 12,000 lb. Forged Alloy Steel Winch Hook https://www.harborfreight.com/12000-lb- ... 6413.html .... its just over 7" long and weighs just under 3 lbs .... it is shown in the first 4 pictures below and with the D-Ring Shackle in the last 3 .... they work well together

[JEBar]

learned something today .... I was looking at the Badland winch and decided to turn the lever (shown below) that throws the winch in and out of gear .... one of the selling points of their Apex line of winches is very smooth lever operation ....I turned the lever throwing it in gear .... when I tried to turn it back, it was locked in place and could not be moved ..... reread the manual a few times and couldn't find anything .... got on their website and reread everything I could find, no help .... figured I must have gotten a bad one so I drove something over a half hour to take it back .... walked in, paperwork in hand, and found the manager .... she had it brought in from the Trailblazer .... I told her I wanted her to try turning it but she said it wasn't necessary .... I insisted, she tried and couldn't budge it .... she had a replacement brought to the checkout counter and redid all of the paperwork .... I told her that I wanted to try the lever on the replacement before leaving the store .... unpacked the winch to where I could reach the lever .... turned it and just like the one I had just returned, it locked in place .. .. the store manager was even more shocked than I was .... she said that in the just under 4 years she has worked for Harbor Freight, she has never had a Badland Winch of any type returned due to any problem whatsoever .... they pulled yet another out of stock and before doing anything else, tested the lever .... it locked just the same as the others .... at that point she called two fellows and told them to take the winch in the back and figure out what was going on .... it took them about 30 minutes to do so .... during that time they checked every bit of info they have and found nothing .... finally one of them cut the wire tie that was holding the cable tightly on its spool.... after cutting it, he pulled the cable out an inch or so and BINGO .... the lever released and operated as it should .... talk about relief .... .... lesson learned for them and for me

[JEBar]

yesterday while wandering around Harbor Freight as they were trying to figure out what was going on with their Apex winches (see above post) I happened to see their Badland Foldable Utility Shovel ===> https://www.harborfreight.com/foldable- ... 57703.html .... they had it on sale for $11.99 and after handling one, I brought it home .... it has the feel of a heavy duty piece of equipment .... its one of those things that will be packed in our truck with the winch accessories that I sincerely hope will never be needed ...

[JEBar]

the first of the 5 parts of the Westin Winch Mounting Plate arrived today ... a Mounting plate with a the stainless Faceplate is shown in the the first picture below .... the second shows a picture of our stainless faceplate that arrived today

[JEBar]

for this project today has proven to be a significant one .... we just placed an order with Amazon for all of the remaining parts needed to install the Badland 12000 on our Chevy truck .... in addition, all of the accessories we need to use in connection with the winch are included in the order .... per Amazon, all of the install parts should be here on or before March 2nd .... we hope to have it installed shortly thereafter

[JEBar]

I can't help but going over and over our parts order to make sure we really need all of the things on the list .... while also making sure that, on the other hand, we haven't failed to order something we really need .... as already noted, I've wanted to install a winch on our 2011 Chevy Silverado 1500 since the day we drove it off the lot .... largely because doing so is very much a "want to" instead of a "need to" or "have to" until now we've not been able to work an install into our budget .... in a perfect world, its an item we would only hope to use so as to help someone else .... with our world being about as far from perfect as its can possibly be, history says that down the line we will need it to get us out of a self created mess

[JEBar]

yesterday the Shackle Hitch Receiver ====> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082X ... =UTF8&th=1 we ordered to use with our Badland winch .... I didn't know one existed until I started watching videos of winches being used to move vehicles .... talk about solid, it is an 8lb brute .... its designed to provide a solid connection point for vehicles with a 2" receiver .... as noted, I've used winches mounted on trucks for a long time and I continue to be somewhat surprised at how far winching accessories have come .... for the most part the concept remains pretty much the same but the technology has evolved in directions I'd never have considered

[JEBar]

the last piece of equipment needed to install our Badland Apex winch arrived yesterday .... it is a Westin 46-22275 MAX Winch Mount Tray >>>> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004A ... UTF8&psc=1 .... I haven't opened the box but do know it sure is heavy .... if our Federal refund is deposited on Monday as shown on the IRS website, we will be in position to have it installed next week ....

[JEBar]

we are now in a position to have it installed, hopefully that will take place early this coming weak .... I'll take what pictures I can but with dropping it off at the local private garage we use, they will most likely be pre and post install pictures ....

[JEBar]

earlier today an out building was delivered to our daughter's place .... I couldn't help but notice that they had an older model Badland 12000 winch mounted on they trailer they use to haul their buildings .... the fellow told me his company has three of them that have been in almost daily heavy use for over 5 years .... he said they have never had to be repaired or serviced .... the largest outbuildings they sell are just over 20' long and the winches handle them with ease .... hearing this reinforced my research while looking for a winch that indicates Badland winches are well made and made to last

[Oldbrass]

Three winches in daily use for 5 years is most impressive, seems the take away here is to use them so they keep working, like many things electrical/mechanical the worse thing is to let them sit..

[JEBar]

well, she's installed and fully functional but the install isn't complete .... the stainless trim panel that goes completely across the front of the Westin Mount bumper didn't fit .... it as been returned and a replacement should be here Friday .... it requires removing the front rollers (2 bolts), reinstalling it over the trim plate and installing 4 more bolts .... will add pictures after it is installed .... I'm impressed by the the Westin' mounting plate which is very heavy duty .... its powder coated finish is very nice the wireless remote shown below has a magnet that allows you to attach it to help free up a hand .... all switches and what they control have been tested and all work as they should .... so far, so good

[markiver54]

Very nice Jim! Congratulations!

[JEBar]

thank you .... it already has what will be its first job .... one of our son's father has a leaning tree that needs to be cut .... I'll probably go and run the winch while our son drops the tree

[JEBar]

first planned use will be next week to help our youngest son cut a tree very near his father-in-law's home .... the winch will be used to literally bend the tree into the area we want the tree to fall

[JEBar]

the Westin Faceplate ordered for our Badland winch install has arrived and been mounted .... pictures below show the pre and post install .... the third picture shows the chrome Westin Bull bar that is still on backorder .... once it arrives LED lights will be ordered to be mounted on it