M8274 remote operated free spool - experience & opinions

[striped tomato]

Just looking at the snake racing website at the air operated free spool for the high mount winch. First off it looks damn expensive for what it is, but that said I couldn't make one and I'm sure development and machining costs a bit. What I'm really interested in is does anybody have one and what is your opinion of their operation and usefulness?

CHeers

Steve

[GQ TROL]

A couple of the comp guys in NZ have made similar versions with good success. It disconnects the entire gear train so the navi can run the rope out with no resistance. The alternatives of having to run back to the truck and manually engage the winch after connecting to a tree takes precious time, and powering out the winch uses batteries......so the air operated disconnect makes good sense.

I think one of the blokes sold a unit to Kym Bolton back when he was using an 8274.

Cheers
Mitch

[80UTE]

Ive done my own and looks very similar to the Snake one but i find that having cable/rope on pegs ready to go is much quicker. Hi-mounts arnt the best for free spooling anway so i just power out. The good thing about it is that its a positive way to lock the free spool mechanism.

Wally

[striped tomato]

i saw Kyms old winch the other day with teh disconnect through the drum but I figued this was more money again!

A lot of the comp's in Qld state that all winch rope must be on the drum at the start of SS and cannot be looped on the bullbar.

Steve

[GQ TROL]

The disconnect system on Kym's old winch would cost you about NZ$1200 or so, plus he would need the drum to mod. The guy uses uprated pins now as Kym sheared one of his in the early stages of production.

Not sure how that compares to the ones from Snake??

Cheers
Mitch

[striped tomato]

Snake model operates on the existing free spool release mechanism so the gears etc. are still turning with the drum. Costs approx. AU$750

[GQ TROL]

Hmmm, I guess thats where the additional costs come in then...as these other ones disconnect the entire gear train.

[MissDrew]

All you need is 2 air solinods that push/pull. Mount one on the free spool lever and the other on the ratchet on the brake. If you don`t have one on the brake rachet it sometimes want work as the rachet stops it coming out.

One problem with them is the bush on the no drive end of the drum. After time and use the winch tends to twist on this bush and makes it to tight to free spool by hand. Modifing the bush to a bearing and putting tie rods across the wicnh help with this problem heeps.

[tuf355]

kym`s old winch will be set up on truck latter this year after MMM works a little magic on it. if you what to have a closer look pm me.the biggest plus is very easy to free spool out but it costed kym around $1800 to do the mod. hate to think what his new set-up cost !

[GQ TROL]

You're right on the money Guts.....changing the bush to a bearing and modifying the housing to minimise the torsional stresses is the way to go. I have seen one winch still bind up even with this mod though, so I'm not sure what the answer is....it was only on a Zuk Vitara too .....but I guess stuck is stuck, regardless the size of the vehicle!

[striped tomato]

kym`s old winch will be set up on truck latter this year after MMM works a little magic on it. if you what to have a closer look pm me.the biggest plus is very easy to free spool out but it costed kym around $1800 to do the mod. hate to think what his new set-up cost !

I saw it when I dropped mine off with MMM to be fixed up. Wonder if he'll giv me the wrong one back

Steve