Winding it the other way?

[island45]

I am currently installing a warn winch behind the cab of my F350. It sits just below the deck of the flatbed, and will be used primarily to winch dead vehicles up onto my tilt bed equipment trailer, using a short removeable boom on the back of the truck. I don't know a lot about the winch, it came in a trade. It has had little to no use on what was basically a 'show truck'. It is large, like a 10-12,000 lb unit. I understand built about early 2000's. As I have it mounted it spools from the bottom of the reel to wind in. I have been trying to set up a roller to get the cable above the deck, leading to the boom, but recently realized that if I re-wind the cable and call 'reverse' 'forward', I could have the cable spooling over the top of the reel. All I need to do is re-lable the controller on the cable. Is this practical? Is there a physical difference between the spool-in and spool out gearing or mechanism? There is a sticker on the drum showing which way the drum rotates to spool in. Is it all in the way it's labled? Thanks in advance.

 

[Pin_Head]

It will run and work, but the drum brake won't work to hold the load when you stop the motor.

 

[80t0ylc]

It will run and work, but the drum brake won't work to hold the load when you stop the motor.

I believe you are incorrect. Most modern planatary design electric winches, especially Warn, automatically set the drum brake in either direction, when: 1. Clutch is engaged and 2. direction switch is in the middle position (momentary control handle switch is neither in or out) - it's rest position.

 

[island45]

If it's just about the brake, maybe I could test it. The truck is in my shop and there's a large snatch block overhead. I could lift a diesel engine a couple inches off the floor and see if it holds. I suppose I could call a tech line or something like that at warn too. Sure would be a better application if it spooled over the top. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Tapage]

IIRC when you install your winch bolts down you should wind your cable / rope from bottom so the force it's applied close to the base / bolts ..

 

[Warn Industries]

You'll always want the rope to be coming off of the bottom of the winch drum. The winch's brake only functions properly in one direction.

If the winch was from the early 2000s, it's probably an M12000. You can view the operator's manual on this page (click upper left-hand corner for the PDF).

http://www.warn.com/truck/winches/src/M1200.shtml

Andy

 

[80t0ylc]

I stand corrected. I was thinking of the "worm gear" design. Come to think of it, normally you wouldn't need a brake for the other direction. It would be only if the rope was wound on the spool in the other direction. The Warn manual says it all: quoted directly from Andy's link:

"Remember the winch rope must always spool onto the drum as indicated by the drum rotation decal."

 

[island45]

Thanks guys. I will read the manual and follow the directions. I did spool it the other way this afternoon and was thinking it was ok. I can make the roller and do it right. Dang, it is set up so handy with it spooled from the top, but I DO believe in safety, and will change it back tomorrow after work. I'm glad I posted this here......After dinner I will post the data off the plate. I have to read it backwards with a mirror and a flashlight.

 

[island45]

Tag on motor reads:

WARN SERIES WOUND POWER

M 26626
N MRV B-4

Some pics to follow

 

[Pin_Head]

If you flip it end to end so that the motor is on the other side from its normal orientation it can spool from the top and the brake will work. Spooling from the top also puts more stress on the mounting feet as mentioned above.

 

[island45]

The motor is on the right as mounted. Also, there are 4 bolts on the mounting face and two on the bottom. The 4 on the vertical face are against the square tube frame, so the bolts aren't in tension. If I spool off the bottom, the forces will tend to lift the winch and the 4 face bolts will be in shear. Everything in the mount is interlocked with each other before welding and the square tubes have pipe spacers inside so they dont crush. To turn the winch around would be tough and also I wouldn't be able to reach the bolts to mount it. That's why I did what I did. I need it low and flush because this truck hauls large beams, all manner of woods, cabinets and slings of plywood for my 'day job'. Thinking I'll spool off the bottom, lead up to a block and then lead aft to my short boom. I could also connect a snatch block to the fwd end of a long boom. I know, it's confusing. I need the conversion parts to be light and handy so I can take off on a weekend and haul home another vehicle with little fuss, and not raise the suspiscion of my better half....

 

[island45]

Wow, Pinhead, I just realized what you meant! The Warn emblem on the control box had me fooled into thinking that was the top. Now I see the same mounting holes exist if i flipped it over. I was thinking you meant around to where the 8 face mounting holes would be towards the cab. I'll have to elomgate the hatch in the deck, but it should work fine. As a bonus, the clutch handle will be on top where I can reach it! Thanks!

 

[island45]

Second time you hooked me up with a solution Mr. Head. Last time was about six years ago when you taught me how they fixed the broken cast iron feet on a machine at work. I used your example to fix the mounting arms on my oem pto winch on my 45.......

 

[Pin_Head]

Fits like a glove. I remember your PTO case repair. It looked so good you could hardly tell it was broken.

 

[island45]

Thanks to all. I found when I flipped it that it is indeed an M12000. Thank you Andy for the pdf manual. Printed and in a folder.