high mount question

[MUSS]

what is the standard pullin power of the warn high mount? is it 8274 lbs?

[toughnut]

It's rated as an 8000lb winch. Although you can pull a lot more than that if you brace up the back of the drum with a couple metal rods like on most low mount winches. It's wise to put a retaining pin in the free wheel handle so it doesn't pop out and also replace the circlip on the brake drum with a better retaining system as well.

[David_S]

I can't see how bracing the drum can increase the capacity of the winch. Surely that depends on the motor capacity and the gearing.

As for the M8274, 8000lbs is the rated capacity when winding off the first layer on the drum. For the 2nd layer it reduces to 7460lbs, 3rd 6980, 4th 6620, and 5th only 6290. In my opinion it pays in almost all circumstances to use a snatch block which halves the load on the winch (and the rope), gets more rope off the drum which means that you are winching off the first or second layer and does not reduce recovery time significantly as the motor turns faster at the lower amperage under the lighter load.

Also note that 8000lbs is very close to the breaking load of the normal 8mm wire rope - 9800lbs or thereabouts. Every splice and block reduces this load as well as wear on the rope, mashes kinks etc. So if you are pulling on a single line at maximum load of 8000lbs your factor of safety with a new rope is of the order of 1.2 - this is pretty marginal with no room for shock loads. Just a thought.

[Bush65]

I can't see how bracing the drum can increase the capacity of the winch. Surely that depends on the motor capacity and the gearing...

By keeping the drum bearings in better alignment, the (significant) friction losses are reduced.

IMHO, an 8000lb 8274 highmount, will outpull a 9500lb XD lowmount. I suspect this is because of higher frictional losses in the planetary gear system used in the lowmount.

[David_S]

By keeping the drum bearings in better alignment, the (significant) friction losses are reduced.

IMHO, an 8000lb 8274 highmount, will outpull a 9500lb XD lowmount. I suspect this is because of higher frictional losses in the planetary gear system used in the lowmount.

Thanks Bush65, that's plausible, I will have to have a fresh look at mine. But I wonder how much we are talking about; 5%, 10%? To pull 9500lb is a substantial 20% increase.

Anyone got any pictures of such bracing?

David