Spent $500 on a cheap winch and it actually pulled my buddy's rig out of a ditch

I was super skeptical about those budget winches from Harbor Freight, figured they'd just snap or burn out on the first real pull. But last month near Moab, my friend's Jeep was stuck up to the frame in mud and that $500 Badland winch dragged him out like it was nothing. We even had to do a double-line pull and it didn't even groan. Has anyone else had surprisingly good luck with cheap gear that everyone says to avoid?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaret_chen5d ago

Funny you mention that, I had a similar thing happen with a dirt cheap air compressor from Amazon I bought for filling tires. Figured it'd die after one use but it's still kicking two years later and even aired up a buddy's 35s after a trail run. Maybe sometimes the cheap stuff just gets a bad rep from people who never actually try it.

victor_ward5d ago

Different experience for me. I bought a cheap impact wrench from Amazon. Worked great for about a month. Then it just stopped spinning. No warning, no weird noises. Just dead. The "bad rep" thing you mentioned. I get it. But I've been burned too many times. That first impression always makes me think I'm getting lucky. Then it breaks right when I need it most. For something like an air compressor for tires. Low risk. I can see taking a chance. But for anything that needs real torque or precision. I stick with name brands. Peace of mind is worth the extra cash. Glad yours worked out though. Seriously. Just know that's not everyone's story.