Aeroparts Winch Fitting

[LandyDude]

G'day Everyone

I'm up to fitting the winch into Arthur and am in need of a little guidance as to how to correctly install it. Firstly thanks for all the help so far in figuring out a few things whilst reconditioning the winch.

Below is a picture of where its at. It not in permanently yet as I'm unsure of a few things. I did find the Aeroparts installtion manual on the web, and it was use for reconditioning but I have found that things are not quite as documented when it comes to installation. It may be that I'm trying to fit it to a SWB IIA but the winch apparently came of a militray ambulance which I presume was a LWB II or IIA (not further details available).

So the things I need a little help on are :

- I found I had to space out the winch drive shaft bracket on the engine out 1/8" of an inch otherwise it was too close whinch disengaged and the detent ball was in the disenaged notch. What would the normal clearance be at the driving plate when disengaged?

- As you can see in the picture I have a 1-1/8" gap between the crossmemeber and the winch mountng plate. I cannot get it any closer due to the length of the drive shaft. So my plan is to put a spacer in between the winch and the crossmemeber otherwise I would have to shorten the drive shaft. I also found if the winch is hard up against the cross member is not much clearance between the bollard and the grille (maybe 1/2"), therefore making more difficult to wrap the rope around the bollard. So what would be really hepfull is if anyone knows any of the following measurements from their Aeroparts installation :-
- What is the length of your winch driveshaft?
- What is the distance between the front crossmemeber and the inside edge of your bumper bar?
- What is the width and height of your winch mounting plate (looking from the top) ?
- What is the typical distance between the top of the bollard and the grille?
- Does what I have described sound familar to anyone?


- Finally regarding the drive shaft again. In the winch drawings it is shown there are spring loaded pins that appear to locate and maintain tension on the winch drive shaft. (Items 52 and 53 on the diagram referred to as "Plunger for shaft" and "Plunger spring"). These were missing and have made up similar ones. How much end play in the drive should there be for these "plungers" to work? Are they needed? What do they do (reduce vibration when the winch is not in use?)

I'm sorry to be asking so many questions. After quite a few hours of experimenting and trying things these were the questions that don't seem to have obvious answers and would be of great assistance in finishing the installation.

Thanks
Elvin

[bobslandies]

Hi Elvin,

You winch looks like it is an Aeroparts AEH.D type.

Does you winch mounting plate have a fold at the rear? If so, it is likely that you have the mounting plate for a Series 1 88"/109" setup. Can you measure the front to back distance of your plate?
What length is your driveshaft?

When the wheelbase was increased that model Series 1 had its front crossmember also further forward compared to the 80" and the 86"/107", so presumable had a longer driveshaft for the winch.
Driveshaft length for an 80" and 86"/107" Series 1 is 200mm.

The plate for a Series 2/2A should be very close to 330mm fold to front and there should be about 25mm from the fold to the rear face of the winch aluminium body.

I have checked these measurements for you on a 2A winch still mounted on a bumper bar. I have two drilled for capstan winch bumper bars here, also a 2A driveshaft and a spare 2A mounting plate (it's pitted underneath) - that could be your solution.
I will have to measure the 2A driveshaft later as it is at a friend's factory.

What would the normal clearance be at the driving plate when disengaged?- about 3mm.

What is the length of your winch driveshaft? - Will measure an original 2A in the next day or so.

What is the distance between the front crossmemeber and the inside edge of your bumper bar? - As I said the winch I have here is mounted on a bumper bar but not to a vehicle. The distance from the front edge of the bumper bar to the front edge of the winch mounting plate is 35mm.
The mounting plate bolts directly to the rivnuts fitted to the front crossmember on a 2/2A. Series 1 at first had tubes fitted through the chassis so the plate stands off the chassis about 6-8mm. Later Series 1s used rivnuts.
You should be able to work it out from those measurements.

What is the width and height of your winch mounting plate (looking from the top)? - Width (side to side of plate) - 450 mm, front to rear close to 330mm.

What is the typical distance between the top of the bollard and the grille? - There is clearance for the rope between the bollard and the grille.

How much end play in the drive should there be for these "plungers" to work? Are they needed? What do they do (reduce vibration when the winch is not in use?) - Yes, you need them as they act as an axle and centralise the drive shaft so it will not bind.

Hope this clears up a few things for you. We might be able to do a bit of swapping components!

Regards,
Bob

[LandyDude]

Hi Elvin,

You winch looks like it is an Aeroparts AEH.D type.

<snip>

Hope this clears up a few things for you.

Hi Bob

Your information was very valuable in clearing a lot of things up!!

You're correct in in the identification, the serial number stamped on the winch is AEH.D.178.

And now it makes a lot more sense as why I needed to have the winch set further forward, due to the differing plate for a IIA.

I forgot to measure the driveshaft and plate dimensions. I'll post these after.

Today I experimented and based on what you told me figured out it is possible to make it all fit if I make up a spacer. In the picture below this is how I could do it using a piece of hardwood.

Now I'm in a dilemma, as to whether to use the spacer block or possibly exchange my plate with your correct IIA plate.

The only advantage I can see in using the block is I can space it out a little further to get more space between the bollard and the grille. I have the grille with horizontal bars that appears to stick out about 1/2" further than the mesh type grille, making it a bit closer to the bollard. Otherwise I could see about finding a mesh style grille.

Let me know if you're interested in pursuing an exchange or if its just simplier to use the spacer block.

At the very least the information you've provided so far has been been really helpful.

Elvin

[hodgo]

Whats the winch worth I have one the same with all fittings in good order.

Hodgo

[LandyDude]

Whats the winch worth I have one the same with all fittings in good order.

Hodgo

Going price is around $1000 for a complete one in good order.

[Sideroad]

Going price is around $1000 for a complete one in good order.

What would be the value of a good order complete Fairey unit? Would it be a similar price?

[LandyDude]

What would be the value of a good order complete Fairey unit? Would it be a similar price?

When I was on the lookout, I found the price between Aeroparts and Fairy to be compareable for similar condition units. The main thing I found was making sure it came complete with all the bits, not the just the winch mechanism itself. Especially the brackets and attchements for the drive shaft such as dog gear or the drive plate depending on the model. Often some bits have been left on the vehicle from the which the winch was removed.

You can find the manuals for both online fairly easily to see what all the components are.

[LandyDude]

And here is the finished job. Put new bearings in the winch and new bronze bushes in various places. Final touch for the winch will be get some 3/4" manilla rope.

Also fitted a couple of original D type recover points.

Currently using a bit of reo as a grille until I find a flat style one. My original horizonal bars type doesn't give enough space for the rope.

Next to modify the bull bar so it can fit with around the winch and recovery points.