Winch Repair or Replacement

goofiefoot

Adventurer
I was given a non-working Warn M8000 winch many years ago. All the parts are there, but I would need to replace some parts like the cable and probably the controller. I was hoping to fix it up myself, but in reality, it's just sat around, continuing to not work. At one point, I did open up the gear box and re-pack it with new grease and gaskets. There are some disconnected wires in the control box, and from my testing, I believe either the motor brushes are out, or a solenoid, or both. I don't feel like taking any more time to try to fix it myself. I know there are alternator shops here in town that can repair them, but I have no idea what sort of cost I'm looking at.

I just got a new winch bumper for my Jeep, and I'd like a good, working winch to mount. Right now I feel my options are to sell the winch in its current state, fix the winch and sell it, or fix the winch and keep it. In reality, I'd like a heavier-rated winch for my JKUR, but I could make the 8k# work. So here's my questions:

If I sold a complete, non-working M8000, how much should I expect to get?

If I had a shop fix the winch, how much might I expect to spend (range - I realize this can vary)?

Is it even worth my while to have a slightly underpowered winch on my rig?

What would be the ideal winch for a JKUR non-rockcrawler, expedition rig (and yes, I realize this is VERY subjective)?

Thanks!
 

proper4wd

Expedition Leader
There is nothing wrong with a Warn M8000 - it is a fine size for your rig. While it will never win any winch races, it is sturdy and reliable.

Sold in non working, semi disassembled condition it might be worth $200 max.

If you've already regreased and resealed the gearbox, just take it apart the rest of the way to clean/adjust the brake (read up on this first). Buy a new motor for about $150, and some Albright HD solenoids for about $50.

To get a superior winch you are looking at spending $1200+ versus $200 on finishing the refresh on this one.

The last thing you should do is ditch a Warn that needs a little refurb for a no name brand new $600 winch. Think value.
 

AndrewP

Explorer
I'd fix it, no question.

If this is too much trouble for you, the 4x4 world may not be the best fit for you as far as hobbies go, because you will be constantly fixing things far more complex then this.

A non-working M8000 is a crap shoot. They are $600 or so new, so used working would be $300, and used not working but complete might be $150 for the right person. So it isn't worth much, but it is worth your time to fix it.

I'm going to make some bold predictions:
1-Your winch motor is fine. It is extremely rare they get used enough to wear the brushes in the motor. Remove the back plate and look. Winch motors last for many decades and usually die because the fill up with crud from submersion or get overheated.
2-One or more solenoids is likely bad in the solenoid pack. Common normal replacement. You can take the box apart, test the solenoids and replace. Warn sells replacements as do a number of non-OEM sources
3-you can make it work great again for less than $150. It may be as simple as a new solenoid ($15 each, give or take)
4-(last one) You are considering one of the many Chinese winches on the market because of the cheap price. If you buy one, you'll be replacing it in 3 years, whereas your repaired M8000 will work for decades more.

So even if you buy a new motor and a new solenoid pack, you're still way ahead of buying a new winch. Dive into it, learn how it goes together and set things right. For your described uses, an M8000 will be plenty of winch for the rare times you need it.
If you don't want to mess with the solenoids (and it isn't that hard) you could use an Albright contacter in it's place. Lots of info here, on ih8mud and on Pirate.
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
Thanks for the input!

It's funny that both responses assume I am considering a "cheap" new winch. I like Warn, and I'd love to stay with the brand, but I do want to consider all my options, thus my asking for suggestions. Sounds like keeping the winch and fixing it is the most economical solution, and and I can't argue with that. I have no qualms about learning how to repair it myself, as I like to do all the work I can myself, but I wanted opinions whether it was worth the effort, or my fairly limited time. If I could find a trusted shop to get it up and running and save me several hours of searching for new parts and troubleshooting it all, that would be worth a good deal to me, assuming it's not the same cost as a brand new Warn winch.

I do have to clarify that the winch was abused and submerged by the previous owner, so I have a feeling I'd have some work ahead of me. I performed a direct connection to the battery and could not get the motor to turn, and the slight smoke that came with it was as-described for worn brushes. There are a few wires that have pulled loose, but that's not huge deal to figure out. The drum is in rough shape, but could probably be polished up some - although it may need to be re-tapped for the line connection. I certainly need a new cable (maybe consider rope instead?), and I cannot verify whether the hand-controller functions. If it was easy, I would have had it done years ago, but it's been something I've put off for too long.
 

AndrewP

Explorer
Well in that case, I'd pull off the motor first and get a look inside. Letting the smoke out is usually bad. You may be able to get it rebuilt at an electrical shop but likely easier to just get a new motor. I've found Amazon of all places is a good source for Warn parts.

How long was the winch underwater? Was it just a dunking or a prolonged visit to the deep? The solenoids are not sealed either, so the water may have taken them out too. Look into an Albright-so you are not only fixing the winch but upgrading to a waterproof contacter too.

Pictures of the inside needed.
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
How long was the winch underwater? Was it just a dunking or a prolonged visit to the deep? The solenoids are not sealed either, so the water may have taken them out too. Look into an Albright-so you are not only fixing the winch but upgrading to a waterproof contacter too.

Pictures of the inside needed.

Good info. The previous owner was a young guy that was hell-bent on tearing up his rig, so I personally saw him submerged to his hood for a good 20-30 minutes while we worked to get him unstuck. How many times other than is anyone's guess. The gear re-packing was a pretty messy undertaking, and definitely showed signs of water penetration. The gears themselves were in good shape, though.
 

vidnovic

New member
Replacing the brushes is pretty easy, if necessary. CSI W186 brushes from amazon are a perfect fit for ~$16.
 

goofiefoot

Adventurer
2014-07-26135426.jpg


2014-07-26135414.jpg


I took the winch apart some over the weekend, and it looks like I'm best off just ordering a new motor. I bought some cosmetic parts from Warn a while back, so I can get the main assembly up and running. The control box isn't as bad as I remember, but I will need to re-attach a couple of wires, clean up some connections, and test the solenoids to see if any need replacement. I still have no idea if the hand controller works. The drum is a little rough, but I believe I can refinish it.

So, assuming I move forward getting this up and running myself (which now that I've got a place to mount it, and some encouragement from you folks, sounds better and better), a few more questions:

Is running synthetic line on this winch feasible? I read something about heat from the drum/brake causing issues with rope, but don't have a solid answer. I like the idea of weight savings. Who's a good current source for winch line (synthetic or steel)?

The original attachment point for the cable on the drum is jacked up. I don't know if the threads were crossed or something else, but the small bolt that holds it in place won't go in at all. Can I simply tap the hole on the opposite side of the drum for line attachment?
 

summerprophet

Adventurer
Another recommendation to upgrade to an Albright contactor. Warn solenoids are 1940's ford tractor solenoids. The contactor is modern, and works underwater, and the installation is pretty damn simple.

I replaced mine with a super winch contactor from summit racing.

Or........ If money is tight, I have 2 or 3 warn solenoids, that I haven't thrown out yet when I upgraded.
 
2014-07-26135426.jpg



I took the winch apart some over the weekend, and it looks like I'm best off just ordering a new motor...

Did you bench test the motor to see if it worked? As a previous poster said, it is rare for them to go bad and the contactors look barely used. Here's a BEFORE picture of a motor from a 20 year old Warn M12000.

20130210_234211
'
And after some cleaning:
20130804_132737


If you are interested in the details, I documented my full rebuild here: http://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/warn-m12000-rebuild.706156/
 

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