Thread: winch help

what I dont understand is though when the AULRO member picked up the winch for me...the guy showed him it worked using a battery. all that has happened to that winch in the time it was tested was travel down from QLD,

via a couple of AULRO members and sit on my garage floor for about 9 months while I sourced a bullbar.

so why would it go from moving to not moving..Rust? even so would of expected something.

Thanks heaps for the video POD that was very helpful

If it's like the low mount I had a few years ago, there needs to be an earth wire (only light) between the winch housing & the metal "frame" of the control box. Without this it wouldn't work.

Old solenoids play up all by themselves. If the motor operated as per the clip you could get one of the 1 piece solenoid packs off Ebay, think mine was $55. Mine's an old permanent magnet type Thomas and often played up but works fine since the solenoid conversion.

its got an after market solid solenoid on it...

all the connectors look a little corroded though..but Ian is getting 12V every where..so he thinks that's not impeding operation.

Ian is going to pull the winch out again and bench test it as per video.

Can I just confirm with everyone on the winch motor is the armature always the single stub on its own and f1 and f2 are always the two together no matter which end of the motor they are?

Originally Posted by dullbird

its got an after market solid solenoid on it...

all the connectors look a little corroded though..but Ian is getting 12V every where..so he thinks that's not impeding operation.

Ian is going to pull the winch out again and bench test it as per video.

Can I just confirm with everyone on the winch motor is the armature always the single stub on its own and f1 and f2 are always the two together no matter which end of the motor they are?

Best to go by the markings or check for continuity with a multimeter. If you are getting 12v at the A terminal it will be a lack of continuity in the armature ie brushes or lack of earth on the bullbar.
If there was any current flow there'd be voltage drop and the A terminal would show say 8v.

Were corrosion is present ( however little) there can be issues, it can read correct voltage on a meter but lose continuity and suffer voltage drop under load, as you have checked the solenoid for 12v and it reads fine, try checking the voltage out from it while your winch is connected and you try to opperate it, if there is a significant drop (I.E more than a volt or 2) then it could be the corrosion causeing the problem, your taking the right direction thought getting it out and on the bench that way you can get good possitive and negative connection direct from a battery to the motor, one other thing when it out and you all ready to test hold you miltimeter across the + and - directly on the battery and observe as you try it, if there is a voltage drop and the winch still is not working it c8uld indicate problems inside the motor and or gearbox maybe corrosion as the winch it still drawing power but not moving so you will need to look there,

Originally Posted by dullbird

Can I just confirm with everyone on the winch motor is the armature always the single stub on its own and f1 and f2 are always the two together no matter which end of the motor they are?

Have another look at that video clip, there are 2 terminal configurations shown, the second motor has one of the Fs at one end and the other F close to the A terminal at the other end.

Hard to believe the terminals aren't marked. By now I imagine you already have it on the bench. Really is worth opening the motor and take a peep inside. You can clean out any mud, rust etc. The A terminal will be the only one connected to the brushes, you need to check these anyhow, make sure they aren't worn away and slide freely in the brush holders. Check the commutator is in good condition. Also check the insulators where the terminal bolts go through the motor body. Gearbox will appreciate some grease as well.
Often there's a trick to getting the brushes back over the commutator which may involve poking thin bits of wire in small holes which are there for that very purpose and removing said pieces of wire once the brush holders are in position. Good luck, it's not hard once you've finished doing it.