4 minute read
Torque Talk
Care and feeding of the winch
It sits out in the open, usually unprotected from the elements, rarely given a second thought until we really need to use it to get out of a spot of bother, and it doesn’t work. I am of course referring to the electric winch usually mounted on the front of your 4WD, and wonder when was the last time, if ever, you gave it a little attention and maintenance.
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Depending on the brand of winch you’ve got, your manual may say anything from ‘perform winch maintenance every month’ to ‘the winch is completely sealed and never needs to be maintained’. Of course only one of these is correct. Even the most trusted and most expensive winches in the world absolutely suggest
you perform maintenance on them at least after each use or 90 days.
I am not just meaning winding the rope on under tension, although you should be doing that anyway to avoid a good chance of pulling the outer layer of rope down through the lower looser layers and binding up your rope, and possibly damaging it. Even brand new winches need the rope layered on under tension as the rope is only wound on at the factory to look neat and tidy and not under tension. Best done with an assistant, I get She Who Must Be Obeyed to sit in the vehicle and steer with slight pressure on the brakes to load up the winch just enough to layer the rope.
The winch is an electromechanical device that for a lot of folks just sits bolted to the front in the rain, drowned in creeks and rivers and filled with muddy water from that bog hole you drove into. Moisture gets inside, no matter how well it is supposedly sealed (condensation) and after each trip and at least every 60-90 days you should power up the winch and spool it out and back in again. This will heat up the motors and dry off any moisture inside. Basically the above procedure of tensioning the rope on the drum will dry out the winch.
It also pays to check all wiring and connections to ensure there is no chafing or cutting of wires and the connections are tight and corrosion free, including the battery terminals. To stop dust and dirt getting into the electrical connections in the winch control box and solenoids I use a product called Soft Seal from CRC. It provides a dry transparent waxy film that
will not wash off even in severe conditions. It doesn’t attack plastic, rubber or paint and is good on electrical circuits and doesn’t crack. It protects for up to two years in harsh environments and can be cleaned off with Brakleen or mineral spirits. I have even used my winch completely submerged under water without a problem.
You need to thoroughly check the rope for fraying, kinks and damage, and I do this each time I properly tension the rope onto the drum. Damaged rope should be replaced immediately otherwise you will forget and it will become a bigger problem next time you really need that winch to get you out of trouble. Also, checking the hook and tree protector for damage and other items such as the pulley block and shackles, especially the ‘soft shackles’ used these days.
Manufacturers will also tell you to periodically to check that the bolts mounting your winch (and/or winch plate) are tight and correctly torqued.
Keep the winch, rope and winch controller free from dirt, dust and other contaminants. Use a clean rag or towel to remove any dirt and debris and store the controller away safely inside the vehicle. Don’t wind the lead up too tightly as that could break the wires inside the lead. When plugging in the controller, I like to run the lead up and loosely around the top of the bull bar then back under the wiper arm before going in through the window so that it can’t fall off or get caught by a branch or under the wheels. Of course, if you hard wire the winch controls inside the vehicle you won’t have this problem, however I recommend you still carry the controller in case something happens to that wiring or switch.
Winches are rated for intermittent duty. When the motor approaches stall speed, very rapid heat build-up occurs which may cause damage to the motor. Doubleline rigging with a pulley block will reduce the amperage draw, and reduce heat build-up and potential damage to the motor.
By following these few basic checks and procedures hopefully next time you need that winch in anger to get you out it will do just that with long term reliability. I bought my Warn winch brand new in 1987 and it’s been on three vehicles, the current one for 28 years and it is still fitted with the original control box and solenoids.