Warn winch fail

[Rbohno]

They swapped the old one out last week and new one came with new cable, controller etc... but dealer kept the old one.

 

[timpaine1]

Could it be your connection to the remote? mine went bad and would only spool one direction. Cleaned the connections with a pipe cleaner and added electrical grease. works fine now.

it's really fantastic after hear that and will try also from my end. ......

 

[ZookaTx]

Just used my winch for the first time this weekend cutting firewood, I pulled a downed tree about 40 feet, a fairly tough pull. Engine on truck revved up and everything, but we got the tree yanked out of the brush.

Stopped pulling and undid the cable, freespooled it out to re-set the cable (it was bunched on one side) (btw the freespool lever is silver and on the left side on 2019s) then went to pull it back in with no load to get the cable wrapped right, and nothing. No power to spool in. But spool out worked fine.

Then after a bit lo and behold the spool in worked, but just for about a second, then stopped. Today the spool in still does not work. (to get the cable wound back up I ended up basically spooling it in reverse....)

My question is, is there a way to hot wire to the motor in order to see if it is the controller that failed, or something else?

 

[olyelr]

I winched three jeeps out last week, ya three of em with one being my wife's jeep. My winch never completely stopped but lets talk about snails pace, geezus.
It was pulling a massive load, zoom in to the end of the cable and check out the snow depth on the back of the red Jeep, but holy crap did it take a hot minute, especially since we were beyond full cable and there's no clutch / free spool mechanism. My flippin Can Am has free-spool and I think its a Harbor Freight winch.
The unspooling was the most painful part Mine very well could have been a code-18 (18 inches from the controls sits the problem ) but I crawled around down there for a bit and I didn't immediately see free-spool, so I sat in my truck and held the button.


2016 RAM 2500 pw | 392ci w 6spd | CAI w ARH long tubes & Solo | Diablo T2 w HF tune | 5.13 AAM w 35" Mickey MTs | Custom Graphics w illegal tint | Dodge Off-Road

Off topic, but had to ask. Why is some of the letters on your tailgate reversed?

 

[SeppW]

Livin' the dream!

 

[crazy jerry]

well most of warns **** is made in china so i wouldnt be suprised if it quits working. the cable and hook ive already put in the trash where it belongs

 

[ZookaTx]

Found a very complete treatise on another forum on how to fix/bypass the thermal protection switch. Is it OK to post a link to another forum here?

 

[olyelr]

Found a very complete treatise on another forum on how to fix/bypass the thermal protection switch. Is it OK to post a link to another forum here?

Yesssssss.

 

[ZookaTx]

OK this is it. https://www.dodgetalk.com/threads/bypassing-the-winch-thermal-protection.250483/

 

[retired]

From the Warn manual.

Winch Mechanics

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with your Warn winch and its components, we can begin reviewing how it works. The major advantage of an electric-powered winch is that it can provide reliable service for intermittent utility and recreational use even while the vehicle’s engine is stalled — assuming, of course, that sufficient battery current is available. Your winch can operate at high current loads, and, for this reason, uses a high current switch system to safely handle the current flow.

It is important to understand that the longer the pull, the more heat that is created, just like a hot plate. Powering out the rope also generates heat and drains the electrical system. Whenever possible, unwind rope by “freespooling.” Prolonged winching without cooling the winch motor will damage the motor. Also, even if the engine is idling during winching, the battery may drain faster than it is charging. So pay close attention to make sure you aren’t draining your battery too low to start your vehicle.

 

[olyelr]

From the Warn manual.

Winch Mechanics

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with your Warn winch and its components, we can begin reviewing how it works. The major advantage of an electric-powered winch is that it can provide reliable service for intermittent utility and recreational use even while the vehicle’s engine is stalled — assuming, of course, that sufficient battery current is available. Your winch can operate at high current loads, and, for this reason, uses a high current switch system to safely handle the current flow.

It is important to understand that the longer the pull, the more heat that is created, just like a hot plate. Powering out the rope also generates heat and drains the electrical system. Whenever possible, unwind rope by “freespooling.” Prolonged winching without cooling the winch motor will damage the motor. Also, even if the engine is idling during winching, the battery may drain faster than it is charging. So pay close attention to make sure you aren’t draining your battery too low to start your vehicle.

While this is true, most of the issues that are bringing these complaints have absolutely nothing to do with overheating the winch or draining the battery. It will just up and quit.

 

[olyelr]

OK this is it. https://www.dodgetalk.com/threads/bypassing-the-winch-thermal-protection.250483/

thanks for the link, i will have to check it out.

 

[SeppW]

From the Warn manual.

Winch Mechanics

Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with your Warn winch and its components, we can begin reviewing how it works. The major advantage of an electric-powered winch is that it can provide reliable service for intermittent utility and recreational use even while the vehicle’s engine is stalled — assuming, of course, that sufficient battery current is available. Your winch can operate at high current loads, and, for this reason, uses a high current switch system to safely handle the current flow.

It is important to understand that the longer the pull, the more heat that is created, just like a hot plate. Powering out the rope also generates heat and drains the electrical system. Whenever possible, unwind rope by “freespooling.” Prolonged winching without cooling the winch motor will damage the motor. Also, even if the engine is idling during winching, the battery may drain faster than it is charging. So pay close attention to make sure you aren’t draining your battery too low to start your vehicle.

Key word: Intermittent. The only good winch is one that is PTO driven. Nonetheless, all things mechanical or electrical can and do fail through operator error or inherent failure.

 

[ALRedneck]

Its to the right of the winch, right here....

View attachment 154698

LOL. I never saw that either! Thanks for the pic. I’ve only used mine three times. Once to let out all the line and twice to get out of the mud. Every time I thought there had to be a free spool lever but never have the foresight to look when I’m not knee deep in mud.

 

[pkess3]

I don’t mean to revive an old thread, but I recently had an issue with my 2020 PW winch that started “popping out” of spool during a line pull. Is this what you guys were experiencing here in this thread?

You can see it happen in this video I recently posted on my YouTube channel:

Overlanding from San Antonio to El Paso

Overlanding from San Antonio to El Paso

Turned a routine road trip into an two-night overlanding adventure with just me and the kiddos!

youtu.be

It happens at 20:11 and a couple times after that. It just seems to pop out of spool and go into feee spool. It was also much louder when free spooling the line out after it would do this.

 

[UTAHPWRWGN]

If anyone needs a replacement winch I'll be selling my OEM winch here very soon. It's never been used.

 

[BigLazer4u]

I don’t mean to revive an old thread, but I recently had an issue with my 2020 PW winch that started “popping out” of spool during a line pull. Is this what you guys were experiencing here in this thread?

You can see it happen in this video I recently posted on my YouTube channel:

Overlanding from San Antonio to El Paso

Overlanding from San Antonio to El Paso

Turned a routine road trip into an two-night overlanding adventure with just me and the kiddos!

youtu.be

It happens at 20:11 and a couple times after that. It just seems to pop out of spool and go into feee spool. It was also much louder when free spooling the line out after it would do this.

Yes mine did this, I even made a thread about it here. warn is overpriced junk.

 

[Dean2]

Winching out, rather than freespooling puts a ton of heat into the winch as you are fighting the brake. I always free spool. Also, try putting a s natch block into the mix. It dramatically reduces heat build up. These witches are pulling near their limit because the PW is very heavy. At 7,000 lbs they should have a 16000 pound winch. I have a 17500 on my 2500.