winch noise

[dropaduece]

I went to use the winch today for an emergency and it started off well until an abnormal winch noise began. The winch engages and turns fine yet when under strain it starts to grind, clunk, rumble and vibrate. The noise is comming from the winch housing up front, not the transfer case. Please help.

Seth

 

[doghead]

Sounds like you need to remove, disasemble and inspect your winch, until you find your problem.

 

[nk14zp]

Ship it to me.

 

[Chevytruck]

Sounds like you need to remove, disasemble and inspect your winch, until you find your problem.

id go with what doghead says, the chances are your doing damage to your winch and its a good idea to check it out before you really start using it.

 

[m16ty]

Sounds like maybe a bearing going down. I wouldn't run it anymore untill I found the problem.

 

[LanceRobson]

If it only makes the noise and vibration under load, I'd suspect an internal issue. Before pulling it and tearing into it though, you may want to try this:

On the front driver side (at the end of the worm shaft) is a cover for a band drag brake that is supposed to hold the load and keep the cable from unspooling when the PTO and clutch are not engaged. Take that cover off and see if the band and drum are crudded up. Most are full of rust and dried crud. The band can sometimes allow the winch to free-wheel in one direction and bind in the other.

Loosen it with the nut on the bottom of the housing, free the band from the drum (if it's visibly binding) and flush the crud out Leave it loose and see if the noise is still there.

If it's gone, clean the gasket surfaces, put on a new gasket or use Permatex and replace the cover. Then adjust the band brake as per the -10 manual.

If the brake drum is rusty, set the brake band a little loose until it gets work polished and be very cautious using the winch on a slope until you are sure the drum is clean and the brake is properly adjusted. Running the cable in and out under power a few times should clean it up fine.

If the noise is still there (with the brake loose) you've got internal issues to check up on.

At the risk of being insulting, have you checked the lube status of both gear housings? Are you sure the engaging lever on the winch is fully engaged?

Good luck.

Lance

 

[jasonjc]

If I remember right you should not run the cable out under power as this will eat/burn up the brake per the TM.

 

[rosco]

Pull the plug on the bottoms of the cases - see what comes out - if anything. The lube can give you hints of what might be in there. There really isn't much in there to go wrong, that will make noise, unless its serious. If its serious, you will see the symptoms (flakes/pieces) in the lube.

Good luck Lee in Alaska

 

[LanceRobson]

If I remember right you should not run the cable out under power as this will eat/burn up the brake per the TM.

The basic adjustment procedure is to tighten the nut (I can't remember if it's a full or half turn at a time) until it holds the specified load on a slope. It goes on to state that if the brake cover gets warm to loosen the brake (again, I can't remember how much) It's covered in the -10.

There is no mention of not power unwinding the cable. If that were a problem you couldn't lower a load such as when paying cable out when righting an overturned vehicle or using a shear leg set up to lift and lower loads etc.

 

[m16ty]

There is no mention of not power unwinding the cable. If that were a problem you couldn't lower a load such as when paying cable out when righting an overturned vehicle or using a shear leg set up to lift and lower loads etc.

I've read that somewhere. It didn't say not to do it but only do it for short periods. Thought it was the -10 but I could be wrong. You can power out cable but it is hard on the brake. When you power out the driveshaft is trying to pay the cable out and the brake is trying to stop it. You're basicly working against the brake when you power out.