Winch Renovation

After intensive use, it was decided to renovate and repaint the winch.

The winch was sent to Henefeld, the local representative for Warn, where its pin configuration was changed from 3 to 5. Now, the negative terminal connects only after the remote is connected. The advantage - safer operation. The disadvantage - it is harder to resolve issues in the field, although it is always possible to shorten the negative terminal via the pins on the winch and return to the 3-pin configuration.

After returning from Henefeld, the cable was removed, and the winch was completely disassembled. All the internal parts were cleaned with kerosene to remove the old grease residue and dipped in engine oil. The external parts were cleaned with sandblasting.

Worn parts such as seals, motor shaft bearings, missing decals, and several specific bolts were ordered from warnserviceparts.com. This site is not owned by Warn but stocks all replacement parts for the entire range of Warn winches at excellent prices.

Important Points Before Reassembly

- Wear can occur in both brass rings (one in the gearbox and the other in the motor), in the motor brushes, in the plastic rings at both ends of the drum, and in the motor shaft bearings.

- The brake pads and the contacts between the motor and the brushes should be lightly sanded with fine sandpaper.

- Do not use oil, grease, or any oily cleaning substance inside the drum or the brake mechanism. This will damage the mechanism and may cause a safety issue when using the winch.

- For lubricating the gearbox, use liquid grease containing graphite. This grease has good resistance to moisture, high melting point, and graphite provides pressure resistance, making it suitable for the planetary gearbox. Recommended grease types: Aeroshell 17, Castrol EPL-0, and Molylube 1.

- Apply grease to the brass rings at both ends of the winch.

- The motor side is not designed to be water-tight. To improve water resistance, seal between the heat return and the motor and between the motor and the winch body with acrylic sealant. Using silicone will damage the aluminum. Also, apply a small amount of acrylic sealant on the heads of the long screws holding the motor. It is important not to seal the two water outlet openings located in the winch body.

- In the locking ring, operated by the handle, there is a deep groove and a finer groove. The deep groove is intended for the handle pin, and the second groove should be positioned towards the winch during assembly, or it will be impossible to disconnect the gearbox from the motor.

Instructions for Adjusting the Brake Mechanism

Hold the fixed conical part with its base facing down.
Install the spring with the wider part upwards.
Install the movable conical part so that the spring pin enters the designated hole. Allow the part to rotate freely until the spring is no longer under pressure.
Install the top part so that it is rotated 2 grooves (for 8K - 9.5K models) or 5 grooves (for 10K - 12K models) counterclockwise relative to the moving conical part.
Install the pressure ring and the sealing ring.
Press the movable conical part down, against the spring, and rotate it 180 degrees counterclockwise. Ensure the spring stretches as it contracts inward, not outward.
Install the power transmission part from the electric motor on the top part and the conical part, locking both under the spring's pressure.
Install the three brake pads between the two conical parts and slide the entire brake assembly into the drum.

The winch's structure makes it very difficult to paint with a brush. For easier painting, a special base paint for aluminum in spray form was prepared. The spray was made by topcolor.co.il. The various openings, electrical contacts, and screw heads were covered with masking tape, and the winch was painted with base paint and then with Hammer Metallack paint for metals in gray, a spray paint which made the job easier.

A great article for disassembling and assembling a Warn XD9000i winch is available here. Despite its warning, I did not encounter any issues with the parts supplier. The structure of Warn winches is very similar, and the article is also suitable for other models.

The very expensive solenoids for Warn are not made by them. They are solenoids used for starter systems and can be found at businesses specializing in starter repairs. The suitable models are Ford EP140369 and Cargo 133857. Available at auto-start.co.il.