Garage winch install

[pfarber]

Moving MVs without a motor can be a task. Since this month there are unlimited 20% off coupons at Harbor Freight I was able to get the thing done.

First the winch:

With the 2 year warranty it was about $300.

This is the winch receiver mount: ($35)

Here is the bumper mount ($18)

I flipped it over and bolted it to the concrete floor (6 inch thick slab) with red heads ($13)

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using a new hammer drill ($30)

The final product:

The winch receiver mount has the bolt holes to mount the winch, but the front fairlead mount is to high for the 6k winch. So I ended up cutting about 3/4 of an inch to make the gap wider. I plan to make a spacer plate to allow it bolt up properly.

The winch pulled up a G506 up a 16% grade, over a 10 inch rock that was sticking up, and a 3 inch lip where the concrete is not level with the pitch of the ground. Bottom line: I am super impressed with the winch and the setup. The bonus is that I can easily unhitch the winch mount from the bolted down receiver on the floor and use it on our SUV is needed.

And for those who berate Harbor Freight tools a quick google will prove that the 'Badlands' line of winches are rated very highly.

[retro-roco]

Nice solution! I bought a Harbor Freight winch (looks like a piece of junk compared to this one), but think I'll see about returning it and getting one like yours. Does this winch have power feed in and out? Any plans to use it as a hoist?

[pfarber]

Power in or out, and freewheel. I don't plan on using it as a hoist as I have a gantry (Harbor Freight, also). It would probably work for a ton or so... but the holding brake is not to be trusted.

The bigger winches are really good values... they are not as fast as a WARN but they have long cables (this one has 85ft) and are very strong.

I did order two snatch blocks off ebay and a pull pot so I can use a double line pull if needed.

All told I'm about $475 into the garage winch project. I may even weld on a 2in receiver on the G506 so I have the ability to winch myself out if I go off road. One in front and one in back... just to make life easy... should be easy enough to hide.

[pfarber]

Another successful pull last night.

Having the winch at the back of the garage does limit the ability to bring truck off the street... so some quick research and I discover 'pull pots' aka 'anchor pots':

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I need to rent a core drill to install. Since this has a cover I plan to put it near the garage door and use a chain to the receiver mount. That gives me a wider angle to pull up the driveway instead of having to line up a truck exactly with the garage door. I was going to install one next to the winch at the back of the garage, for double line pulls, but 85 feet of line (whats on the winch) is not long enough to go the length of my garage (40ft) down the driveway (12ft) and back up. I think the spool might hold 100ft of 21/64th cable. But with a pull pot near the garage door, I an anchor to that to get up to the door, then if need to I'll just bolt down an anchor plate for double line pulls. I may just drill the hole and leave it till I get another pull pot.

Plus snatch blocks:

Will help reach around corners and also for doubling the line.