*Harbor Freight’s Chicago Electric 12 Volt 2000 lb winch*
By: GreyLocke
25 June 2005

I purchased the Chicago electric 2000 lb 12 volt winch at the Harbor Freight in Corpus Christi Texas. It was on sale for 39.99, normally 59.99. Good deal I thought, so I bought one.


Here is the winch with it’s accessories.

 


This shows where the power cord and the control switch plug in.

 


This is how the winch is supposed to hooked up for temporary use with the trailer hitch.

 


Turning this clutch wheel counter-clockwise releases the spool, and allows you to pull the cable out of the housing.

 


Hooking up the power cord.

 


Hooking up the controller

 


Tightening the clutch to use the winch

 




The controller, pushing the button after everything is hooked up starts the winch and reels in the cable.

 


Starting to winch the Jeep up onto the trailer.
This is where the winch gave out. The Jeep weighs 2600 lbs, but the winch is rated for 4800 lbs rolling load, however the incline of the ramp decreased this rolling load capability, until it was too much for the winch and it’s motor locked.

 


That’s when I broke out the come-along.

 


This is the chain I used to hook the come-along to.

 


And this is the tractor I used to push the Jeep up the ramp enough to use the come-along safely.

 




Finally 3 hours later The jeep is on the trailer.

Tomorrow the Jeep will go to the shop. The winch performed ok, but it is not something I would recommend as a primary winch, as a limited duty back up, it should do ok. I called Harbor Freight and they said they will replace it no charge. But if this was the only winch I’d had, I would have been up the creek without a paddle. Always have a back up, if I hadn’t had a tractor and the come-along, I’d still be sitting there with the Jeep half on/half off the trailer.
GreyLocke


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