Badland Apex - cable almost impossible to pull in freespool

[Simz144]

Got a Badland Apex 12k In march, Install it a could week ago and even in free spool, it is really hard to pull the cable. I'm a 275 pound guy so I have more than enough power to pull but, still i have to pull with both hand and lean on it. Even in free spool the motor can rotate the drum, although if I hold the cable, the drum will stop.

A friend with a warn say it's way to hard
A friend with a couple of atv winch say it's way to hard
A friend with a Nova winch say is 5 years old can pull on the cable

Went to exchange my ''defective'' one this week, and the new one is exactly the same. Talk to the supervisor and she found it not ''normal'' that is that hard, but don't have any solution other then refund. I did open the gear box to and nothing seem to be wrong to me.


How hard should it be to pull the cable. Will it get better after a couple of pull.

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[ParadigmDawg]

They are all a little difficult but nothing more than grabbing the hook and leaning back as you walk backwards. Have you re-spooled/tensioned it yet?

 

[jadmt]

seems a common issue with HF winch. I had a buddy with one from maybe 10 years ago and it was the same barely pull it out and sounded like a rock crusher when making a hard pull but he still has it and I know it has made some tough pulls. I have had 4 Warn winches and none were all that difficult to unspool once I switched to synthetic line.

 

[tehfrr]

To pull a couple inches of synthetic line out on free spool I had to put all my body weight (220 lbs) into it and pull as hard as I could. It was the primary reason for me returning it. I considered free spool effectively useless. I ran the line out to the red and rewound it multiple times and no change.

 

[Simz144]

They are all a little difficult but nothing more than grabbing the hook and leaning back as you walk backwards. Have you re-spooled/tensioned it yet?

The first one, yes
this one isn't install yet

 

[Flip]

I have the ZXR 9500, to free spool I have to pull on the line, but it doesn't feel like a tug-a-war. Just a thought you could try the ZXR to see of that makes any difference. Losing that heavy cable will definitely help. You can peel off that cable and add synthetic line if that's something you're interested in. I've always been able to sell the cable for $40-50 to help off-set the cost of the synthetic rope. Synthetic rope on Amazon $75-$100.

 

[NULL POINTER]

The first one, yes
this one isn't install yet

Did you ever find a solution to this issue?

I had one on my 2018 JLUR and it was extremely easy to freespool.

I just got a new one for my 2024 Gladiator and it takes all I have to freespool it. I also noticed that with the clutch in freespool position, it will still power the cable in and out with the wired and wireless remote.

It is installed on a Warn 101255 winch plate.

I am thinking of returning it, but I ground down the clutch handle for clearance on the MOPAR steel bumper.

 

[Simz144]

Did you ever find a solution to this issue?

I had one on my 2018 JLUR and it was extremely easy to freespool.

I just got a new one for my 2024 Gladiator and it takes all I have to freespool it. I also noticed that with the clutch in freespool position, it will still power the cable in and out with the wired and wireless remote.

It is installed on a Warn 101255 winch plate.

I am thinking of returning it, but I ground down the clutch handle for clearance on the MOPAR steel bumper.

End up returning it and bought an x-bull witch free spool way easier.
When I did return it, the supervisor told me that since our last time, she asked tech support and they said it will get easier after some time.

 

[NULL POINTER]

End up returning it and bought an x-bull witch free spool way easier.
When I did return it, the supervisor told me that since our last time, she asked tech support and they said it will get easier after some time.

I exchanged mine for another. The free spool on the exchanged Apex 12000# winch is easier than the one I took back, though it is not as easy to freespool as my first Apex 12000# winch. I think they changed something since I bought the first one in 2022, but at least I can live with this one.

 

[Mcmillanjames]

End up returning it and bought an x-bull witch free spool way easier.
When I did return it, the supervisor told me that since our last time, she asked tech support and they said it will get easier after some time.

How do you like the Xbull. Is it sturdy?

 

[Atomic-Mouse]

End up returning it and bought an x-bull witch free spool way easier.
When I did return it, the supervisor told me that since our last time, she asked tech support and they said it will get easier after some time.

If it gets easier over time it sounds like thick grease in the planetary gears or some sort of drum brake dragging.

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