Warn 8274 winch install questions (1 Viewer)

[charliemeyer007]

I think you should service the winch first to make sure it works correctly before you mount it. I like the synthetic rope - its way safer in a failure than steel. The donut rings are way handier than snatch blocks, and the choker are quick and handy too.

I have very little experience with the synthetic stuff but I have spent like 8 hours on the PTO winching my 2.5 ton signal rig up and down mountains. Winch a couple hundred feet up to a big tree. Throw a chain around the tree and the bumper so you can spool out the cable to the next tree - bump forward a little to release the chain, then back down enough so you can drive forward and miss the tree. Rinse and repeat. Works about the same coming back down Sliding on mud/ice with the wheels locked isn't a good feeling.

 

[cims1970fj40]

I think you should service the winch first to make sure it works correctly before you mount it. I like the synthetic rope - its way safer in a failure than steel. The donut rings are way handier than snatch blocks, and the choker are quick and handy too.

I have very little experience with the synthetic stuff but I have spent like 8 hours on the PTO winching my 2.5 ton signal rig up and down mountains. Winch a couple hundred feet up to a big tree. Throw a chain around the tree and the bumper so you can spool out the cable to the next tree - bump forward a little to release the chain, then back down enough so you can drive forward and miss the tree. Rinse and repeat. Works about the same coming back down Sliding on mud/ice with the wheels locked isn't a good feeling.

The synthetic line will make it a lot lighter as well.

 

[pb4ugo]

As mentioned earlier. I would install a brake and drum kit b4 installing the winch. Start off fresh. I found my drum seals were shot. I put the cable on it after mounting it to save my back. The type of line really depends on how you're going to use the winch.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I still disagree. Clean up the edge and run it. Not a fan of roller fairleads and synthetic line.

This is one of the longest running myths regarding synthetic winch line. "The line will get caught between the rollers." Actually it won't. When we were running training at the Overland Expo we tried to make it happen and couldn't. A roller fairlead will reduce friction and the resultant heat on the winch line.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I have no dog in this hunt, but maybe at the real extreme angles the synthetic rope can get in the rollers gap if there is one.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I have no dog in this hunt, but maybe at the real extreme angles the synthetic rope can get in the rollers gap if there is one.

No, it can't, honest. We tried it, winching at absurd angles beyond anything you'd run into in the field. This was with a standard four-roller steel fairlead. The benefits of reduced friction and heat build-up of the rollers far outweigh an essentially non-existent issue.

 

[pbgbottle]

Nice

 

[sogncab]

Normal Hawse fairleads as the one pictured are perfectly fine for synthetic line. Not sure where you got your info but I have been running a regular steel hawse fairlead for years with synthetic line. No issues whatsoever.

I think you're supposed to use an aluminum on dyneema and steel for cable

 

[charliemeyer007]

I'd bet whatever synthetic rope you put on winch the manufacture will likely have directions for how and what to use. Good plan to follow directions if you expect them to honor the warranty.

 

[dazerb]

FWIW, I installed my rebuilt 8274 with ROLLER FAIRLEADS and 150' of 5/16" wire cable. Weight no problem with the med duty OME springs and primarily "wheel" in sandy, rocky environs out West here. Chose cable for the environment. Considered synthetic due to ease of use and safety... But went old skool.

 

[TEakins]

All this advice is very helpful. Since I don't know the status of the cable, I am inclined to switch to synthetic rope. How many feet of rope does an 8274 spool? A drum and brake kit sounds like a good idea, too. Any suggestions where to purchase the kits and do they come with instructions? I need to get the cables to run to my battery. What are folks using?

 

[MAR FJ40]

All this advice is very helpful. Since I don't know the status of the cable, I am inclined to switch to synthetic rope. How many feet of rope does an 8274 spool? A drum and brake kit sounds like a good idea, too. Any suggestions where to purchase the kits and do they come with instructions? I need to get the cables to run to my battery. What are folks using?

8274's come with 150’ of 3/8” diameter lightweight, easy-to-handle Spydura synthetic rope from the manufacturer.

150’x3/8” - Replacement Spydura Synthetic Rope - 102343 - https://www.warn.com/125x38-replacement-spydura-synthetic-rope-102343
Pricey, no doubt there are cheaper non-WARN options...

 

[charliemeyer007]

WOW $700 for that rope - I'd be sure to use the proper fairlead to protect that investment.

 

[Wasatch Jay]

WOW $700 for that rope - I'd be sure to use the proper fairlead to protect that investment.

In my experience, anything that says "Warn"on it will be at least expensive, and sometimes bordering on outrageous. There are a whole lot of cheaper options out there, and Amazon has lots of options.

I've purchased a couple of made in China kinetic energy ropes that were very reasonably priced, and they have worked very well. I have no reason to suspect the made in China synthetic winch ropes are lesser quality.

 

[pb4ugo]

I'm not sure there are any real instructions. I posted an IH8Mud thread link which offers a crap load info on how to rebuild the 8274. It was post # 13 in this thread. Be sure to follow the links contained in that thread. There were other videos I found too. Assembling the brake was a little tricky, then I found a video where a guy used a bolt in a vise to compress the 2 halves together while keeping the ball bearing in place, then clamped it together. The rebuild wasn't overly difficult. I shopped around several sites, finding the cheapest WARN parts. Pricing seamed to be fairly consistent. I think I got stuff thru ebay, Collins bros jeep and maybe amazon. I think I had to source a seal. A lot of the ebay stuff went thru Collins. I found the warn parts #'s and searched the internet. I found aftermarket boots for the motors wire connections from some guy in Ohio. They were much cheaper and the quality was fine.

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

Consider saving some money by installing just 125 feet of line, or even a hundred. That is more than enough for the vast majority of recovery scenarios, and fewer layers of line on the drum to begin with equals more power from the winch. If you want some leeway buy a winch line extension.

 

[dazerb]

I put a piece of wood across 2 propane tanks and set the winch on there NO LINE. I DO have a 2.5" lift. I ordered custom cables from BatteryCablesUSA, methinks. I'm a rough 58 -yrs-old with lots of city miles on the chassis. It wasn't too bad lifting it in place without the line. CAbles are super nice, choose your guage/length/ends/coating/etc. Winch was rebuilt and working when I rec'd it.

 

[TEakins]

If you have a couple of ladders and a 4x4 you can create a small gantry to lift it into position. Even a 2x4 would probably work, without a steel cable the winch isn't that heavy especially if you take the motor off first. But if you can find a friend to hold it in place for 5 minutes that's a lot easier.

Thanks for your suggestion! I bought a second 6' step ladder from Temu cheap. I sistered two 2x4's together for a cross beam and hung my manual chain hoist. It was much easier than building two 6' tall sawhorses as my brother-in-law the engineer suggested. It worked out very well and the 8274 is on my truck now and looking bad ass. I am going to just clean up the old congealed grease here and there and try to preserve the patina. I need to take the slack off of the
last 6 feet or so of cable that got unraveled when the 8274 got moved around my garage for a year as I recovered from massive back and neck surgery. It sure feels good to have this project pretty much done.