BADLAND ZXR 9500 lb. Truck/SUV Winch with Wire Rope

For vehicles, select a winch with a rated load of at least 1.5 times greater than the gross vehicle weight rating (“GVWR”) (usually located on the driver’s door sill). This ensures the winch has enough power to pull your vehicle, even when faced with added resistance caused by an obstacle, steeper incline, or loose terrain.

• General Winch Rated Load Recommendations:
• Trucks/SUV’s: 9,500 to 12,000 lbs.
• Side by Sides: 4,500 to 5,500 lbs.
• ATV’s: 2,500 to 3,500 lbs.

For winches mounted on trailers, select a winch with a rated load of at least 2 times greater than the vehicle weight. More power is necessary because the winch typically pulls on the outer layers of the drum when loading a vehicle onto the trailer. Pulling on the outer layers decreases the maximum line pull of the winch.

A vehicle battery with a minimum rating of 650 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) is recommended to power a winch on a SUV or a truck. A battery with higher CCA should be used if you expect longer pulls or more frequent winch use for any application.

Winches are rated by the maximum load that they can pull on the first layer of rope on the drum. For electric winches, as the rope layer increases, the maximum line pull of the winch decreases. Please consult the specifications table in the Rated Line Pull and Layer chart provided with the winch. Maintain a minimum of 5 wraps of rope on the drum when winching on the first layer.

Synthetic winch rope is made of high-strength fibers. They are lighter and easier to handle than steel cables. Synthetic ropes are not prone to kinking, rusting, or corroding, but they need to be monitored for damage from abrasion and sunlight exposure.

• Recommended Applications:
• Frequent recovery of your vehicle
• Applications that need a lighter winch
• Applications where a lighter winch rope is preferred

Steel wire ropes are sunlight and abrasion resistant, but they are heavier and require careful use to prevent kinking or other damage during use.

• Recommended Applications:
• Frequent use in mud or sand
• Frequent recovery of vehicles other than your vehicle
• Utility applications

Both rope types require gloves and the use of dampers for safety.

Harbor Freight winches are compatible with synthetic and steel ropes. Harbor Freight offers replacement wire rope and synthetic rope kits with installation hardware.

For vehicle applications, you need a mount or bumper designed to fit your vehicle’s make, model, and year, and designed for the winch rated load. Some bumpers may fully replace the front bumper on a vehicle, while other mounts are made to keep most of the factory bumper. Select a bumper that fits your vehicle, style, budget, and winch capacity.

For applications where no aftermarket bumper is available, Harbor Freight Tools offers a universal winch mounting plate.

Follow the instructions provided in the manual to complete installation of the winch

For trailer applications we recommend using Harbor Freight’s Universal Winch Mount to create a strong and secure structure to attach the winch to the trailer frame. The winch should never be mounted to wood boards or only the top surface/deck of the trailer. Winches can generate concentrated forces at the mounting area, which must be appropriately supported by the trailer frame.

If the trailer has a 2” receiver mounted to the frame, Harbor Freight’s Winch Hitch Mount can be used for a removable mounting solution.

Follow the instructions provided in the manual to complete installation of the winch

Connect the winch to a dedicated deep cycle battery of at least 650 CCA (cold cranking amps), using the included power cables. The battery should be inside of a battery box and securely fastened to the trailer or vehicle. Do not replace the power cables with larger cables or extend the length of the wires to connect the winch to the main vehicle battery.

Use your winch with as much rope out as possible to maximize the available pulling power of your winch. However, always maintain a minimum of 5 wraps of rope on the drum when winching on the first layer of the drum.

To double the pulling power of your winch, use a snatch block (sold separately) set up to a fixed anchor and route the winch line through the snatch block and back to a recovery point on the winching vehicle. Note that using a snatch block in this manner will reduce the recovery speed. Refer to the user manual for more information.

Selecting a winch with a higher rated load ensures that you have excess pulling power available throughout the layers of winch line, allowing for longer pulls before the winch needs to cool.

You must regularly inspect your winch to ensure safety and optimal performance. Before inspection, disconnect the positive battery cable from the positive battery terminal on the vehicle.

Inspections should be performed when the winch is clean and free from dirt and debris.

• Before each use, inspect the general condition of the winch. Check for loose hardware, misalignment, or binding of moving parts, cracked or broken parts, damaged electrical wiring, corroded or loose terminals, and any other condition that may affect its safe operation.
• Examine the wire rope. Do not use the Winch if the Wire Rope is frayed, kinked, or damaged. Refer to the manual for further guidance on rope inspection.
• To increase the flexibility of a steel rope, lightly oil the rope, wipe off any excess oil, and wind it back on the drum.