Aldi Winch- Replacing grease

[DeeJay]

I just bought one of these & have read on other threads how its best to replace the original grease with better quality grease. Its a very simple job - 2 hours tops- and I thought I might post this to encourage those that might think it too difficult.

Firstly, remove the cable & then undo the two bolts holding the cross tubes.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/990.jpg

Pull the housing away from the cross tubes. There are 10 allen head small bolts, remove these ( power screwdriver is good, they are not particularly tight)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/991.jpg

This is the other side ( inside) of the housing

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/992.jpg


This is the motor housing, I just posted this so you get an idea of build quality. Seals on motor & for the drum.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/993.jpg


Lift out the two gear assemblies - sorry my pic of this is no good.

This is the middle gear assembly.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/994.jpg

And the body of the works.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/995.jpg


Remove the selector,- another grub screw-

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/996.jpg


Slide out the large selector ring, its coated with a kind of vaseline- milky white stuff.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/997.jpg

Then its just a case of removing as much of the red grease & vaseline stuff & replacing with a good quality grease. I put about 30% more in & used a marine grease.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/998.jpg

Then just re- assemble it as before. There are two tricks to re-assebly, so don't force anything. ( I fell for both)

One, align the lug on drum with the corresponding female on the housing.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/05/999.jpg


And the second is to engage the winch as you re- assemble , don't ask me why but it wouldn't engage for me when I put it together in neutral & I had to do it again.

Its quite easy now to select/ de-select gear, I thought maybe the vaseline stuff was there for a purpose, but now think because of cost, it probably carries no load anyway.
The only difference now is the drum is a bit stiffer to rotate by hand.

Hope this helps.

[Blknight.aus]

cheers, saves me a lot of effort, good cam work too.

[Chucaro]

This is a type of service that it is not done very often.
I recommend using FAG grease in this application.
The catalogue is HERE (http://www.ahrinternational.com/FAG_GREASE.shtml) for you to choose the best type for your application.
FAG site in OZ is HERE (http://www.schaeffler.com/content.schaeffler.au/en/ina_fag_products/productinformation/rotativ_products/bearing_housings/bearinghousings.jsp)
I have used it for more than 20 years in machine tools and other machinery and it is excellent.

[Cap]

I remember reading an article on line (4wd Action I think) and it talks about how these cheaper winches are actually quite good but to replace the grease ASAP as its poor quality and lacking. So your on the money there DJ.

[d2dave]

Before any one goes berserk with greasing your winch you might want to have a look at this extract from the Warn service manual.

Ok I know these aren't Warn's but they are similar and are the same design.

Dave.

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/8140/img5372j.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/651/img5372j.jpg/)

[NavyDiver]

Getting the winch gear assembly off once mount on a D3 ARB bull bar is fairly easy

About 5 bolts on the plate under the bull bar

Remove wire
Deejays step remove the cable & then undo the two bolts holding the cross tubes
Remove the roller fairlead to get access to the two Right hand side bolts (RHS from front). The top one is take out about 1/4 turn at a time so take about 10 minutes.
Undo the top one first as you need to support the gears end once the bolts are out to avoid it landing on your foot. ( no I didn't)
The bottom bolt is easy to access with a socket one handed allowing you to also hold the gears with a hand under the bull bar.

Back to the great guide DeeJay put up

FYI I did not service mine before installation untill now after three years use including several river crossing and many long pulls. It is looking in very good shape no rust or ware noted at all. The grease is looking supprisingly good and only a tiny little bit of water discoloured grease noted on the roller See pics.

I will finish stripping it when the CV grease arrives and add a few more photos then. At this point I am both supprised and happy. When I brought it I was not totaly confident it would work as well as it has and last as long as it has.

[Tank]

Dee Jay, that grease looks a lot better than the crap that was in my Aldi winch, the stuff in mine was the consistency and colour of used dripping (fat). This so called grease was flung off the gears and was all round the outside of the drum, giving no protection to the gears at all, that is why I suggested (years back now) that anyone buying an Aldi winch should replace the grease before use. I used a marine type grease as used on outboard engines and still have the Aldi winch, Regards Frank.

[PhilipA]

Yes, and looking at what appears to me to be perfectly good grease, why continue changing it?

Regards Philip A

[Yorkie]

Yes, and looking at what appears to me to be perfectly good grease, why continue changing it?

Regards Philip A

i didn't :angel: :D
maybe i should have another look after its two uses. :eek:

[slug_burner]

I recall reading on a winch article on 4wd mag that metal swarf was found in some Chinese winches, therefore the recommendation to strip down and change grease.

[NavyDiver]

Finished mine Friday. Cleaning took a bit over an hour, drying and a light oil over a few hours and a beer.

Reassembled and back in my D3 (a car stand under the gear end made this a fairly stright forward one person job)

Plugged in the control and power out worked fine- nothing for power in:eek:. Changed to wireless remote and both in and out are working:D

The old grease was in very good nick. That said I think that it is a very good idea to strip and re-grease. If any rust, wear or problems were found I would have replaced this bit of kit very quickly. I get very well bogged a bit more than some.:D:D:D

Dragged a big tree off a track in the bush east of Melbourne on Saturday. Left the chainsaw and heavy lifting to the winch to make sure it is working after I reassebled it.

The clips on the roller fairlead are a real bugger to get back on!

Added a few pics of it stripped before cleaning and regrease for your viewing pleasure.

[chunk]

It always amazes me how so many people complain about Chinese made products, considering most major brand names consumer items sold in Australia are in fact made in China.

[d2dave]

It always amazes me how so many people complain about Chinese made products, considering most major brand names consumer items sold in Australia are in fact made in China.


There is Chinese crap and then there is Chinese that is made under supervision of reputable companies.

If for example Warn started having their winches made in China(if they don't already) they would be a far better quality than a $400 one from Aldi.

As for tools, I can't even find Jap ones that come close to German made ones I use, let alone Chinese.

As for the statement above, yes I am one that complains about Chinese crap and my big beef is lack of choice.