Winch tech?

[racer122]

So, I've got an old Warn winch laying around that a buddy gave to me. But, it does not work, and I don't know how to check it out.

I have been to Warn's website, and got a parts schematic of the winch, but they say it is "obsolete" and they have no further information on it. The model # is MX6085.

Are there any websites with info on working on winches? I'd just like to check it out a bit on my own before I throw any money at it, since it's small and old anyway.

Any and all suggestions welcome...

[Ted Z]

Call Warn's customer service / tech support they were very helpful to me when i had some issues with my XD9000i.

[racer122]

Thanks Ted. I tried that, but they were unable to offer me ANY information, except that the winch was listed as obsolete.

[satan]

the MX 6085 has the same motor that the M8000 used to -- it's old-school but a fast 6k winch!

the motor wasl klike 4.5HP if I remember -- about the only thing that went wrong (aside from therelay pack - which you could replace with one from a non "i" series current production - with that winch is that folks would let the clutch rust in plase (no free spooling - either the knob wouldn't turn or the drum wouldn't slip ) both can be "fixed" by pulling off the clutch end and cleaning out the crud (involves removing the clutch lever and diving in with emory cloth and some good marine/aircraft lube)....

I may have a owners manual on it -- I'll look an PM if found.

[racer122]

S-
Wow, thanks. I've got a local automotive electrical shop -- they rebuild alternators, etc, and the owner is a wheeler. I'm pretty sure he can tech it for me, so if you say it's a decent winch, I'm sold!

[racer122]

So, I worked on it some more today.

The winch will power out, but will not power in. It just clicks.

Any suggestions?

[satan]

Solenoids -- dissassemble the "control pack) (mark everything or take a poloroid) -- clean all the straps and connections (you'll have one burned ground wire too!) test each of the solenoids while you have em out -- re assemble with some sort of conductive grease (like Allox or Ox Guard, or ???) ...

[racer122]

I'll try it out. My ground wire wasn't burnt... and I've taken a digital of all of the connections.

How do you test the solenoids? I have tested each one across the main posts, and two are open and two are closed. I haven't tried to test across the two minor posts.

Of course, I tested them still installed in the series in the control pack, which may have invalidated the tests anyway.

[satan]

The solenoids are just relays -- the smaller posts should connect to a coil that, when supplied with 12V, will create a magnetic field strong enough to pull a contactor across the qty=2 larger posts (some variants only have qty=1 small post which is to be fed with +12v using the solenoid body as the ground)...

... you'll wanna disconect em to test em -- test the coils for all having relatively the same resistance (NONE should be 'open') then test across all of the large terminals to ensure that they're all 'open', then supply 12v to the coild of each and re-measure across the large terminals for continuity - all should be about the same resistance.

IF those all pass then reassemble (after cleaning and greasing) and run the winch in and out -- you should be able to trace the current path easily by looking at what coils are powered for each direction... If it all isn't working, measure the voltage-drop across each of the large pin-pairs while the winch is running -- you'll find that one or more of the solenoids is not providing a good current path through it's large terminals....

... easy enough, eh?

[racer122]

Yeah, that sounds pretty reasonable. Just a matter of doing it four times!

A noob says Thanks a bunch for all of the help. If I'd tried this on the Pirates website, I'd have been flamed out of existence!