DB Electrical winch motor shat the bed

[1911]

I replaced my 32-year-old (still working) 2.5 hp original with this 4.5 hp motor from DB Electrical: NEW 12V Winch Motor for WARN Keyed Shaft HEAVY DUTY 8274 LPL0015: LPL0015 / AMT0404 - KEYWAY OPN FCE MTR DB Electrical Starter-Alternator

It's Chinese-made but has worked great for me so far.

My 8274 that I rebuilt a year ago, including the new motor quoted above, started to only work intermittently and then finally wouldn't work at all. I replaced the entire solenoid pack, since the motor was new. The power cables are also new and of sufficient gauge (2 IIRC?). The new solenoid pack did not fix it! So, by process of elimination, it had to be the motor. I finally took the motor apart and found this:

The copper had either burned or worn off of the armature! The motor was out of warranty, and I didn't really want another one anyway that might strand me some time, so I bought a new 6hp Warn motor for the 9.5XP winch and a splined drive gear for a late 8274, using the part numbers gleaned from here on Mud.

The 9.5XP motor is longer and heavier than the stock Prestolite or the replacement DB Electrical motor, a good sign I guess. It bolted right up though, the shaft went through my existing year-old bearing, and the new splined gear went right on no problem. This motor also has a dedicated large ground lug in the middle of the motor housing (unlike either of the previous motors) so you don't have to pull the through-bolts out of the motor to attach grounds on the end of the motor.

Even though the motor is longer, there are cooling fins on the end opposite the gear case, which leaves less room than before to mount the solenoid pack. In fact, I had to trim the solenoid box metal mount on that end, so that the solenoid box would fit between the upper gear housing on the 8274 and the cooling fins on the new motor. Other than that, it went on without any more mods necessary. Plugged in my controller, and everything works great, in and out. I believe I will be happy with this motor and winch now.

 

[cody c]

Good to know, the DB was looking like a good candidate for replacement of the prestolite.
Were you using it hard when it started to fail? Im under the impression that the 6hp warn isnt a cheap alternative, although undisputidly superior.

 

[1911]

Good to know, the DB was looking like a good candidate for replacement of the prestolite.
Were you using it hard when it started to fail? Im under the impression that the 6hp warn isnt a cheap alternative, although undisputidly superior.

The first time it stopped working was in the middle of a recovery situation way in the back country (Dark Canyon area) of southern Utah. Fortunately, the other trucks with me all had winches too. Then it would work again, then not, intermittently until while using it at a wheeling event to pull someone's dented door out it just stopped and wouldn't reel in or out no matter what. Now I believe what was happening was, as the copper wore off the motor armature, the brushes could not transfer current to it. If the motor just happened to stop rotating on a place where there was no copper, then it wouldn't start again. If I rotated the drum with the clutch engaged (thus rotating the gears and motor too) then I could get the motor armature turned to where there still some copper left and it would run again - until so much copper wore off that it couldn't make contact with the brushes no matter what.

The 6hp 9.5XP motor was $300 from warnserviceparts.com (Redding Four-wheel Drive). Worth it for my peace of mind.

 

[kcustom73]

Good to know. I was going to use the same motor on my rebuild. Time to fine another solution.

I see that you have Viking synthetic line on your 8274. How do you like it? How was constumer service with them? I've looking at their site and they seem to have some nice stuff.

 

[1911]

I see that you have Viking synthetic line on your 8274. How do you like it? How was constumer service with them? I've looking at their site and they seem to have some nice stuff.

I like it a lot. I bought it based on: a) I wanted to try their safety thimble and no one else makes one like it, and b) their reputation. I bought 3/8" line since the 8274 drum is so big and I never use anything close to 150' of line for a winch pull. I have used it in several hard recovery pulls and it performed flawlessly.

The customer service I experienced was second to none. They asked intelligent questions about my order that let me know I was not just dealing with a sales clerk, and gave me good advice over the phone. The order shipped right away and I later got a personal follow-up from [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]one of the owners, making sure the order was received and as-expected, and thanking me for my business. They will definitely get more business from me in the future. Disclaimer: no relationship whatsoever except as a satisfied customer.


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[nicholastheczar]

Sorry to hear about the motor taking a dump on you. Makes me wonder about my DB motor I have on my 8274. I'll definately watch it and see how it performs. The first one they sent me was defective and they shippped another one out which has worked fine. If it does fail, I'll go the same route you have w/ the warn motor.

I second Vikings service and products. I have a 100' of 3/8" Amsteel Blue line w/ the Viking safety thimble. Thor @ viking was VERY helpful in getting me setup and really paid attention to detail. I'd also highly recommend them for anything recovery gear related.

Nick

 

[cody c]

The guy who works at viking's name is Thor?

Thats freaking awesome!


If the warn motors are $300, than that'll probably be the way I go, whenever have expendable income again...

 

[kcustom73]

1911 & Nick, thanks for the info on the Viking gear (someone named Thor working for a company called Viking... too funny). Winch line w/timble, tree saver, d-ring and a motor and I should be good to go.