Hidden Winch

[1978Blazerk5]

Anyway, to 1978K5, I don't mean to be argumentative or talk smack on you or your grandpa!

I just think you're worrying too much ... winches are, invariably, a drain on both your battery and your wallet, and you can't do much about it. I read once that "4x4" in uppercase is "$x$" The phrase 'Buy the best and cry once' also applies here.

And whoever said you shouldn't need to rebuild a winch ... I donno, after ~25 years of (ab)use, my Ramsey was certainly happier (faster, smoother) with new fluids/seals/gaskets and a cleaning. The biggest issue was the motor, which apparently had been submerged at some point

Newish winches shouldn't need rebuilds, but I was pointing out that a cheap used winch with a manually intensive (but NOT wallet-intensive) rebuild would cost about as much as one of these Chinese jobs, and be a HECK of a lot more reliable.

Plus after you've been through the winch on your workbench, fixing it when it gives you fits on the trail is a cakewalk. (And they *will* give you fits occasionally... solenoids won't close because your truck is sideways, cable didn't get wound in right last time 'cuz you were lazy, whatever.)

Anyway, just playing devil's advocate. In the end, obviously, 1978K5, you can do whatever you want, but at least you'll be well informed

-- A

Dont worry about it my grandpa has been around cars and 4x4 a long time, but i wouldnt call him a gear head, but when it comes to almost anything he can fix it. But he cant do wirein, transmissions, t-cases, axels, doesnt know much about winches.that type of stuff.

Anyways, Like I said the biggest problem i see with an old a=warn is the size. But belive me I would rather have something made in America than some Chiness P.O.S.

I would love to get a hold of an old Ramsey, or something like that.

as you said knowin to rebuild them will help me out on day on the trail

 

[Blue85]

However, for current draw ... let's see. I'll make some representative numbers up:

Winch motor: 400A
Solenoid: .25A

versus

Winch motor: 400A
MOSFET: .01A

99.9% (really) the same Nope, no material change in current loading!

A solid state switch can have lower "contact" resistance, which reduces the wasted power (heat) in the path from the battery to the winch motor. Driving high currents from low voltage supplies makes the total loop resistance critical.

If your motor draws 400A at a low speed, then the loop is about 30 milli-Ohms. Shaving a milli-Ohm here and there makes a difference in getting more power to the motor.

 

[dremu]

A solid state switch can have lower "contact" resistance, which reduces the wasted power (heat) in the path from the battery to the winch motor. Driving high currents from low voltage supplies makes the total loop resistance critical.

If your motor draws 400A at a low speed, then the loop is about 30 milli-Ohms. Shaving a milli-Ohm here and there makes a difference in getting more power to the motor.

Oh, sure... but it doesn't change the loading on the battery. I'm arguing with Grandpa's contention that

and my grandpa says that style of winch with the seloniads, takes ALOT of power.

Maybe he's thinking of a hydraulic winch... anyway, point being that for electric winches, they're ALL gonna take a lot of juice.

-- A

 

[1978Blazerk5]

If you haven't guessed by now I have a Warn 8274 on the front of my truck (it hasn't left the truck since it was bought by my father in '83). It has performed flawlessly for almost 25 years.

Hey I was lookin at a pic of your truck that i have saved on my computer. When the truck was in stockish form(doesnt look like you have more than a 33 in the pic) I see you had a warn winch bumper. Did you every have a problem with aprroch/departure angles, when the truck was near stock.


Thanks

 

[dhcomp]

just my 2 cents,
everything i've seen/heard about those warn bumpers was bad.

They are pretty flimsy/weak

 

[1978Blazerk5]

really quick Photochop (yes i know the porportions are WAY off)

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Hey I was lookin at a pic of your truck that i have saved on my computer. When the truck was in stockish form(doesnt look like you have more than a 33 in the pic) I see you had a warn winch bumper. Did you every have a problem with aprroch/departure angles, when the truck was near stock.


Thanks

Yep, approach and departure angles were pretty bad. I move the winch plate up ~4" and back ~6" and ditched the sides of the bumper.


Before

After

 

[1978Blazerk5]

Hey I just wanted to update ya all on something.

I figured out the aprroch/departure angle problem. it took me long engough.

when i build my bumpers I just gotta put the winch up high and close.

here is the bumper I am kinda basing everything off of. this is on dontoe's(?) truck

2 questions I have

1. If I put it up in front of the grille, would that be a problem with this being my daily driver? and would electric fans solve that?

2. how close can I put the winch to the grille with out worry of body flex cracking the grille? and I dont know if winches get hot or not.


Thanks

 

[Dabba]

im no expert but that does not look like a major issue with airflow.

 

[badmix]

I also wanted a hidden winch when I first got my truck. I like the idea of having a STOUT bumper though. Gives you things to attach tow ropes to. Makes it nice to climb on it to work in the engine bay and in an accident or banging off of trees its going to fair better than the flimsy chrome OEM bumpers.

As far as angles, either step up tire sizes or simple watch your driving and area your in. Sure, ive drug my front and back b4, no biggie. you jus power thru it. If your angle is that bad in the first place you may be in for some real trouble. lol.

Here is my bumper with winch. This is 2" lift with 32"s. Ive since put on some M/T 33s

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

2 questions I have

1. If I put it up in front of the grille, would that be a problem with this being my daily driver? and would electric fans solve that?

My truck cooled exactly the same after I moved the winch. Mechanical fans generally cool much better than electric ones.

2. how close can I put the winch to the grille with out worry of body flex cracking the grille? and I dont know if winches get hot or not.
Thanks

I would say 1". The winch won't get hot enough to hurt your grille.

 

[1978Blazerk5]

Badmix, I love the looks of the bumper you have on the truck, but from the pictures I imagined it stuck out alot farther. but now after seeing it from this angle it doesnt seem to stick out to far. BTY way your running about the same hight as my truck, I got a rancho 2.5 inch lift, but in reality its probaly closer to 3, and I am ruuning 33's as well.
EDIT: what winch are ya running in there?


38377k5, Thanks for all the help man

 

[badmix]

Badmix, I love the looks of the bumper you have on the truck, but from the pictures I imagined it stuck out alot farther. but now after seeing it from this angle it doesnt seem to stick out to far. BTY way your running about the same hight as my truck, I got a rancho 2.5 inch lift, but in reality its probaly closer to 3, and I am ruuning 33's as well.
EDIT: what winch are ya running in there?


38377k5, Thanks for all the help man

Ive got Harbor Freight 9k

 

[blazin_blazer]

how much have you used HF winch? work ok?

 

[1978Blazerk5]

how much have you used HF winch? work ok?

ya x2

 

[BILTIT]

Anybody try a hidden winch like the ones in this thread with a PTO winch? I sure would like to get it under and behind the bumper.

 

[dremu]

Anybody try a hidden winch like the ones in this thread with a PTO winch? I sure would like to get it under and behind the bumper.

Donno how the heck you'd drive it ... PTO winch comes off your tranny or t-case, right, so usually would go in the front of the bed, like on a roll-off tow truck?

-- A

 

[muddermilitia]

Donno how the heck you'd drive it ... PTO winch comes off your tranny or t-case, right, so usually would go in the front of the bed, like on a roll-off tow truck?

-- A

nope, alot of military trucks have PTO winches in the front, they have a small drive shaft that runs from the tranny/t-case to the winch

 

[dremu]

nope, alot of military trucks have PTO winches in the front, they have a small drive shaft that runs from the tranny/t-case to the winch

Ah yeah... like the deuce-and-a-halfs.

But, umm, "small" is different on those trucks than ours

Anyway, seems like, besides running a driveshaft around your motor, a PTO winch would be easier to mount 'cuz it should be more cylindrical and won't have the solenoid box and other associated stuff.

-- A

 

[muddermilitia]

Ah yeah... like the deuce-and-a-halfs.

But, umm, "small" is different on those trucks than ours

Anyway, seems like, besides running a driveshaft around your motor, a PTO winch would be easier to mount 'cuz it should be more cylindrical and won't have the solenoid box and other associated stuff.

-- A

Well they are found on just about every military vehicle, m-37s, m-715s, wc-series. My dad bought a Braden winch, the pto unit and drive-shaft for his Dodge m-37 , the shaft isnt that big.

Also I'm pretty sure that most PTO winches have the shaft connect the far left or right of the winch case. So it shouldn't be too hard to go around the motor