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Hardwiring a winch

R

rookcherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Murrieta, California
I have a smittybilt xrc-8 winch and would like to hardwire it with a switch inside the cab. Has anyone done this and can offer some assistance? Any help at all is greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
it's really very easy to do, especially if you use the factory remote. first, i mounted my control box under the hood (not required though). then i took the cover off the box and cut out the plug that the remote plugs into. cut the wires and mount the plug inside the cab somewhere. then splice new wires into the control box and run them to the plug inside the cab. hook them up and you're good to go. basically all i did was extend the wires to the remote plug so i could mount it inside... and my winch only had 3 wires so it was super easy. now all i have to do is reach into the back seat, grab my winch remote and plug it into the plug in my center console then i'm ready for winching:rtm:
 
BADaXJ said:
it's really very easy to do, especially if you use the factory remote. first, i mounted my control box under the hood (not required though). then i took the cover off the box and cut out the plug that the remote plugs into. cut the wires and mount the plug inside the cab somewhere. then splice new wires into the control box and run them to the plug inside the cab. hook them up and you're good to go. basically all i did was extend the wires to the remote plug so i could mount it inside... and my winch only had 3 wires so it was super easy. now all i have to do is reach into the back seat, grab my winch remote and plug it into the plug in my center console then i'm ready for winching:rtm:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I'll look into this.

Another option I was thinking of is purchasing a few switches for lights and other accessories, I was wondering if anyone has wired their winch to an actual switch and could show me how it's done.
 
Pull apart your solenoid box where the controller goes in, you should see 4 wires: a power, in, out, ground. Figure out which is which and wire it up.

-Alex
 
yea the solenoid box really isnt that complicated. Im bad when it comes to all the wiring and electrical stuff on cars but i wouldn't be afraid to do one of these jobs. ba-riedo pretty much has it.
 
I think this is going to be my project for the day except for I'm working with a SuperWinch EPi9.0. Since my solenoid is integrated, my plan is a little different, but more or less the same idea. I'll have to open up the top end of the winch and drill a hole for the wiring to come out of. I'll be using some 3 conductor extension cord for the remote switch cable. Three wires for my set up also.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think one of the three wires is a common and the other two run the winch either in or out. I'll be installing a protected switch in line on the common to prevent accidental activation and will then run momentary switches connecting the common with each of the other wires. What I still have to figure out is where I want to mount the switches. I'm thinking on the center console next to my e-brake. Should be pretty a pretty simple job. I just need to play with my solenoid a little to figure out which wire is which.
 
Ba-Riedo said:
Pull apart your solenoid box where the controller goes in, you should see 4 wires: a power, in, out, ground. Figure out which is which and wire it up.
Click to expand...

4th wire (at least on mine) is for the wireless remote control option. You can eliminate the 4th wire from the mix by looking at which of the four pins your wired remote does not use.
 
Yes 12volt guy has what you need if you want to do it. I suggest just skipping the in cab switch though. Cause if your pulling yourself up over somehting and it gets bumpy it can get hard to hold your finger on the button. Whereas it's quite easy to hold on to the remote.

But I have my solenoid box mounted under the hood of my CJ7. And then I took the remote hook-up off the box and extended the wires. I have a mount made of aluminum for it that is mounted to my RF fender. So you hook my remote up on my fender then I just use the mount in my cab. You could do the same set-up but put your remote hook up inside the cab if you want.
 
Also, if you remote mount your solenoid box, be sure you use at least 2awg wire. And make sure you have the right type of tool to crimp the terminals correctly. I tried to use some hand dikes my 1st attempt. Needless to say I wasn't able to get them tight enough. What I used to get them right looked like bolt cutters, they had the leverage to get it tight enough.
 
Another option is a wireless controller. They are only about 70 bucks, and give you the best of all worlds. I can stand VERY far away from my jeep if I need to, or sit inside of it and winch away. Its nice not to have to deal with chords and bulky controllers. Took about 15 minutes to hook up, and its universal.


~James

DSCN0532.jpg


I mounted the control box on top of my steering column. Just flip and switch, and its ready to go.

The little remote is kinda gay looking, but it works like a champ.

DSCN0539.jpg
 
stumpXJ said:
Another option is a wireless controller. They are only about 70 bucks, and give you the best of all worlds. I can stand VERY far away from my jeep if I need to, or sit inside of it and winch away. Its nice not to have to deal with chords and bulky controllers. Took about 15 minutes to hook up, and its universal.


~James

DSCN0532.jpg


I mounted the control box on top of my steering column. Just flip and switch, and its ready to go.

The little remote is kinda gay looking, but it works like a champ.

DSCN0539.jpg
Click to expand...

Where can this be found?
 
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