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Troubleshooting Warn winches - FAQ

84K views 43 replies 16 participants last post by  diesel4X4 
#1 ·
This thread is for info on troubleshooting or trail-fixes for failed winches.

Please add to it, if you have info that would be helpful if people do a search (or if this thread gets stickied).
 
#2 ·
WARN WINCH TROUBLESHOOTING

What follows is information for the M8000. It may apply to other models.

To narrow down what is wrong, use these steps to isolate your problem to the hand controller, the solenoid pack, or the winch motor/gears. Some of these steps can also be used on the trail, for emergency bypassing of failed components.



How to bypass the hand-controller:

The first step to troubleshooting the hand controller, is to borrow a working one, and try that, then try yours on someone else's winch. That is not always possible, since you might not have anothe Warn winch user handy.

Here's another way.

Take the cover off the solenoid pack.

Ground the brown wire. It's a small-gauge wire, on the solenoids, common to the center of the four solenoids.

Then, apply power to any of the non-grounded small terminals on the solenoids. There are two solenoids for power-out, and two for power-in. I used a jumper-cable to do this.

I've read a suggestion that said "short the two biggest connectors together on each solenoid" to bypass a solenoid. I think this would only work on two of the four solenoids, as only two of them are connected directly to the positive terminal of the battery.

If the problem goes away, your problem is in either the hand controller, or the port that the hand controller plugs into.

How to bypass the solenoids, using cables directly from the battery to the leads on the motor. This will test the winch motor and gears, eliminating the hand controller and controller pack (solenoids). Here's the info (from Warn support tech).



Controller pack wiring:

 
#4 · (Edited)
Warn M8000 mechanical overhaul

Along with the many electrical problems my Warn winch has had, it was also binding. I'm not going to blame the winch. the manual does say that it should be serviced if it gets submerged (it's been submerged several times).

I got much of the info I needed for this project from http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/electrical/129_0708_warn_m8000_winch_breakdown/photos.html

First, get yourself a parts diagram. Not all M8000's are the same. Manuals and parts lists can be downloaded here:
http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/M8000.shtml

Next, gather the parts you'll need. I ordered replacement gaskets, drum bushings, a thrust washer, and grease. For gear lube, Warn recommends using either Aeroshell 17 or Molylube 1 extreme-pressure synthetic grease.

I ordered the Warn parts from Hoak's 4WD & RV Performance Center 815 Hellam Street Wrightsville, PA 17368 Phone: (800) 827-1341. They are the closest Warn full warranty service location to me, and they have been helpful when I've needed warranty service.

All mentions of "right" and "left" refer to the winch as viewed from the front. "Right" refers to the end with the clutch release, "left" refers to the end with the electrical hookups.

The left-side (electrical housing) does NOT have to be taken apart to do this overhaul. The electrial housing was removed on mine, and is therefore not in any of the pics, but you don't have to remove it. The housing is held on with two long screws, and you can leave those screws in for every part of this overhaul. You DO NOT want to slide the electrical housing off of the eletrical armature. You won't have fun getting the brushes reseated.

Remove the detent screw that hold the clutch engagement lever. Remove the lever, metal retainer, and O-ring seal.



Remove the socket-head cap screws from the right end housing. Slide the housing off, taking care to pay attention the order of all the parts.





Here's a pic of the end housing, filled with the old grease.



Remove the splined drum drive gear.



On my rebuild, I chose to only remove the left-hand drum support. The right-hand bolts would not come out, even with PB Blaster. Since the bolts are held by nuts, it would be OK to just cut the bolts. You won't end up messing up the drum support.



Once the drum support is off the winch mount, slide the drum out.


On the left-hand side on mine, the plastic drum bushing was worn, and had slightly damaged the drum, where it rides in the bushing. The bearing seemed smooth, and had no play, so that isn't getting replaced.



You can kind of see the damage to the bushing here. The bushing is the gray plastic ring, not the bearing.


On this end of the drum is the drive coupler and brake. We're not going to do anything with the coupler, other than to make sure it goes back in the way it came out.

 
#5 · (Edited)
In this picture, you can see where the drum rides in the drum bushing. The shiny part on the flange rides on the face of the bushing. On the left-hand side (not pictured) of mine, the drum flange was rusty where it should be shiny. I cleaned it with a wire brush, and followed up with some 500 grit emery paper.



Remove the plastic drum bushings. You don't have to be kind to them, just don't hurt the drum support.

Insert the new bushings, they just slide right in place. Replace the bushings on both drum supports.



Now on to the gears and housing. The ring gear is shown on the left below. This gear also doubles as part of the housing. The ring gear has paper-like gaskets on each side of it. We'll be replacing those.



Remove the gasket material, and get down to the nasty job of cleaning out all the old grease.



Several rags and a couple of cans of brake cleaner later.....



Don't pack the housing with grease, but do put it on pretty liberally.

In this pic you can also see the new thrust washer. Note that the side with the step is facing up.



Housing, gasket, ring gear back together, ready to be mounted to the drum support. Take a careful look at the ring gear teeth, and the very shallow row of teeth on the drum support. The ring gear must line up with the drum support on those teeth, and the ten socket-head screws.



I left this pic in, becuse it shows the drum support, gaskets, ring housing, and gear housing. The ring gear is actually out of place, and I had to rotate it to line up properly. Note the sticker on the ring gear, it should be in line with the clutch lever.



Now bolt the side drum supports together with the tie-rods, and bolt the winch back to the winch plate.

Exploded diagram, for your reference (items marked in red were replaced):

 
#6 ·
is there anything special that needs to be done when replacing the motor on this. I'm trying to install a new motor on mine and it won't seem to mate back up with the drum/spool housing. there is a 1/2" to 3/4" gap for some reason. ANy ideas? It's almost like the bearing is stoping it from mating up.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Are you putting on a new motor, or putting the original back on?

Is the motor assembled all the way? Take a look at the pic below (not mine). The armature (I think that's what it's called) of the motor needs to be inside the brushes shown below. If it's not, the splined end will stick out too far. (These pics are NOT from a M8000, they are just to illustrate what I'm talking about).



 
#10 ·
I am having an issue with my Warn 9500.

I was mounting it on my Heep and after is was mounted it was not working properly. When I have in engaged the motor goes but the gears lock up.

While installing it I took out too many bolts holding it together, should have only unbolted the top cover to gain access to the solenoids to hook the wires up. So it was a pain to get back together, to get all the gears and teeth to line up. I finally got them all to mesh or so I thought and then this. I just took the whole gear side off to see what was happening in there and have put it back together a few times to try it and no change.

Now I question the way a few of the parts go back in as I didn't notice when they came out that there is two ways to put them back in. The first being the ring gear, it has a shallow groove on the outside of it and don't know if that goes in first or second. Second is the smaller planetary gears, do they need to be phased in any certain way?

I appreciate any help you guys can give.


-Jay
 
#11 ·
Firehawk, welcome to the forum.

Go out to Warn's site and download the parts manual for your winch. That will show the parts in the correct orientation. The drawings aren't super-detailed, though. If you find the manual doesn't give you the answer, post some pics and we'll try to figure it out for you.
 
#13 ·
Firehawk, welcome to the forum.

Go out to Warn's site and download the parts manual for your winch. That will show the parts in the correct orientation. The drawings aren't super-detailed, though. If you find the manual doesn't give you the answer, post some pics and we'll try to figure it out for you.
Thanks, got it figured out, the drive coupler off the motor was broke. No idea how it happened.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I have a warn 9.5 ti, last night i was trying to get my cable out and when i hooked up the hand controls drum would not spin, i fliped the clutch leaver to open then to locked and nothing still. It would spin the gears or it made the noise like it was in both positions but would not loosen up the cord. I keep it hooked to my bumper on my jeep so the hook is stuck untill i have enough slack to get it loose. I could pull the cable out with a tie down so it is not locked up or anything but now i cant get it to roll back up eather. Any suggestions on where to start loooking for the problem. Thanks
 
#18 ·
well since i just found this and have been having a problem with my 8274 i thought i would post here. i recently bought a used 8274 and rebuilt it. when i took it apart one of the motor brushes looked like it was cracked. i fiddled with it a bit and it fell apart. so does anyone know where i can get a new brush for the motor?

thanks.
 
#20 ·
i just thought that warn would be a bit more expensive then other places. i did a google searh for warn 8274 motor brushed and it dident really come up with anything useful. im thinking of taking the whole motor to a motor repair place here and having him check over the whole thing and refurb it for 40$. im just wondering how much just the brushes alone go for.
 
#22 ·
Having a little trouble trying to figure out why the drum will not turn. I took the winc apart this afternoon. Cleaned all the gears, when had the drum off i used the control to turn the drum in and out. The gears inside the left drum support turned both directions, I then put the drum back on keeping the right support off and tryed it again, the moter engages but it does not turn the drum. It seems to me that the drum is locked up? Maybe im not real sure first time i have messed with one of these. Does anyone have a suggestion?
 
#24 ·
Mokos,

I took mine apart and found that the carrier assembly stage 1 part 19 if you look at the parts digram had broke. I called warn and they suggested that i make sure the break was not seased up to becasue that can cause the carrier assembly to break. The carrier assembly is about 60 dollars, i bout all new seals and gaskets. Just a side note, knock your break out, be very careful not to break one of the pads if they are still good. I though i had put mine back in the drum good and was moving the drum and it fell out and broke one of the pads....warn does not sell just the pads you have to buy a hole new assembly **** its about 160 for the break assembly and all i need is one little piece. It is a very easy to take it apart and put back together. Good Luck!
 
#26 ·
Mokos,

I took mine apart and found that the carrier assembly stage 1 part 19 if you look at the parts digram had broke. I called warn and they suggested that i make sure the break was not seased up to becasue that can cause the carrier assembly to break. The carrier assembly is about 60 dollars, i bout all new seals and gaskets. Just a side note, knock your break out, be very careful not to break one of the pads if they are still good. I though i had put mine back in the drum good and was moving the drum and it fell out and broke one of the pads....warn does not sell just the pads you have to buy a hole new assembly **** its about 160 for the break assembly and all i need is one little piece. It is a very easy to take it apart and put back together. Good Luck!
Hey Chasebo,
Thanks again for your help. I took my winch apart and found that the break appeared to be seized to the drum and I looked at the stage 1 carrier assembly which "appears" to be fine. Trying to figure this out- tell me if my thinking is right here: the motor's small gear joins in the center of the 3 gears in the stage 1 carrier. protruding from the stage 1 carrier is another gear that goes into part 16. part 16 goes over the brake assembly which appears to turn the drive shaft. the small gear that protrudes from the stage 1 carrier spins freely and independent of the gear frame and other gears. this seems like it would prevent the motor from turning the drive shaft, right? Curious if part 19 is in fact broken and if that's what was wrong with yours? :confused:
 
#29 ·
Did you take the break and shaft out of the drum? How hard was it for you to get it out? I took mine out and thats when i broke on of the pads. Im interested to see how they will fix yours cause they will not sell me one break pad. I have to buy the hole break assembly.
 
#30 ·
Well, when I spoke with one of the authorized repair guys they said once u take the brake out u can't put it backin yourself due to the way it's preloaded or something. But apparently putting in a new brake is something i can easily do myself. So rather than pay them to do it, they are sending me a new brake (along with stage 1). The thing is... I can't get the brake out. It is so jammed in there that I am worried I'll bend the driveshaft from hammering. How did u get yours out? I tried spraying it heavily with brake cleaner but it didn't help. I didn't want to use a lube on the braking surface for fear of the new brake not holding later.
 
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