winch not working

Hi everyone.. it has been some time since I was here. 

I went to use my winch for the first time in some time. I clicked to freespool, pulled the line out. Hooked it to the tree I was going to move, and then tried to re-engage it, and I could not.....!!

As I said it has not been used in some time. but it has never been underwater.. not even close. Any idea's?

I have searched the forum and not found anything. My winch is a Warn XT30. It is perhaps 1 1/2 years old. 

thanks 

glenn

hammerhead:

and then tried to re-engage it, and I could not.....!!

Welcome back Glenn

Can you elaborate on the aforementioned quote?  When you say you tried to re-engage it, are you saying that the mechanical lever that takes it from a lock position to free-wheel (and back) wouldn't go back to the lock position?

try bumping the switch and then try it sometimes if they set for too long they get sticky so you might have to just bump the switch in or out and it should go in. but i would take it down and repack it with grease if you can they aren't that hard to fix. 

if it's out of warranty and you can't get it workin if you want you could send it to me and i'll get it going again for ya and all you do is pay shipping and parts.that is if it's even broken it just might be frozen up.i'm pretty trust worthy i only ripped off 6 people so far .lmao but those repairs could be done while it's even mounted to the rtv. 

Hey Brian... [I hope I have remembered that correctly] yes you are correct. when I try to move the lever back to the lock position.. it won't move far enough.. it barely moves at all. 

Hey Tommy.. I did try bumping the switch.. the motor does run both ways.. but bumping the switch, did not seem to change it the feel at the lever. I can't say I tried it doing both at the same time. I could not reach the lever and the switch at the same time.. I will try that with my wife. 

and as you say it probably needs to be taken apart anyways. 

I have not located my manual yet..... I put it somewhere safe.. : )  I am not sure how long the warranty is. 

I will take a look at taking it apart myself. It sounds like it is not to difficult. Thanks for the offer on the repair.. I will wait until until I screw it all up first..  : )

yes you have to turn the knob while bumping it . kinda like when you take a 4x4 out of 4x4 mode sometimes you have to just nudge it in farward a bit and it falls into gear or out of gear. 

if it's still got some cable on the spool you could pull the cable and turn the knob and not have to bump the switch. 

Tommy is correct ....  The knob needs to have pressure on it and try to turn the spool in one direction or the other.

 Also, one can touch / flip the switch quicly, just to make it make contact for a second or two,  while one tries to " engage " the lever ....  There is nothing wrong with the winch, it is just between gears / sleve ,if you know what I am trying to say. The " engager " is sitting on top of a gear, that is all that is wrong with it >  

   If the motor is running in either direction, it is just need to be engaged !!! You will feel it when it falls into place ...

 OR, YOU CAN BUY YOU ANOTHER, AND I WILL TAKE THAT JUNKY, NO GOOD WINCH, THAT IS ON YOUR MACHINE NOW .....

        .... two guns  

Hi Jamie:

Thanks guys.. I will check it out tomorrow. 

    Hammerhead,

        I just sent you my personal cell-phone number thew the email .... I'll be around the shop most of the morning. If you have any troubles on the winch., feel free to buzz me, I'll see if I can walk you threw it !!!

   .......... two guns

Good morning fine people. 

Jamie I did not get your email.... ahh my address did change a year or so ago. Thank you very much for the offer..but I did just fix it. : ) The bumping it.. or pulling on the line while trying to twist the knob did not do anything. I was busy with other things and did not want to get to involved right now, but I thought I would take a little peak. I snapped the knob off and took the snap ring off to remove the plastic cover. Everything inside there was as clean as a whistle. I took the pins out.. and they to looked brand new. It looked like it might have just come off the shelf brand new. It was all clean and the grease was fresh. ?? I moved things around to get the idea how that end of it worked..I could not really see anything that was not right.. so I put it back together and it works perfectly. ?  : )

hammerhead:

so I put it back together and it works perfectly.

You are one of the lucky ones!!!  For most of us, the mogwai turns into the gremlin.  For you, the gremlin has turned to the mogwai.

Don't you love easy fixes?

yes.... : )