Oh man, that's the truth. I learned that the hard way too. My go-to is a simple 4:1 with a micro pulley on the tail, it gets it drum-tight without needing a ton of space to pull. That pre-tension is everything.

Yikes, that's a wild story. Mary_kelly, comparing that leak to ceiling brine is honestly perfect, it's all just funky mineral water in the end. Makes you wonder what's growing in the pipes if it smells that bad. Bet it would make some truly awful kombucha. Glad you got it fixed before the whole thing came down.

Cheap mounts are a false economy up here. You need a frame-mounted kit, not one that bolts to the bumper. Look at companies that build for commercial use, like Warn or Kolpin. They cost more but won't fold on you.