Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Im a winch newby - so this may be obvious once you have done a few....

Ive just swapped bull bars.
Now have a nissan/arb steel bar on a GU 00 wagon with airbags.

I bolted up the bar no worries. But the way the winch is now mounted is questionable.


I found the winch WAS held in by 4x 3/8 inch bolts - that screw into square nuts - slid into the winch housing. That seems a bit bodgey !!
What size bolts/thread are MEANT to be there ???


Also the winch is fitted so that the free spool lever is mounted on the passenger side - is that right ??
according to the following post - I dont think thats right ...
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... light=9000

Also - the warn winch control box was awkward to mount. I set it on a DIY bracket that mounts it flush (almost) with the top of the bar.
What is the correct way to mount the control box ??


Cheers

BrettInUte wrote:Im a winch newby - so this may be obvious once you have done a few....

Ive just swapped bull bars.
Now have a nissan/arb steel bar on a GU 00 wagon with airbags.

I bolted up the bar no worries. But the way the winch is now mounted is questionable.


I found the winch WAS held in by 4x 3/8 inch bolts - that screw into square nuts - slid into the winch housing. That seems a bit bodgey !!
What size bolts/thread are MEANT to be there ???

That is the correct way from Warn.

Also the winch is fitted so that the free spool lever is mounted on the passenger side - is that right ??
according to the following post - I dont think thats right ...
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... light=9000

The winch should be mounted upside down so the cable spools on to the top of the drum. That keeps it aligned with the drum.

Also - the warn winch control box was awkward to mount. I set it on a DIY bracket that mounts it flush (almost) with the top of the bar.
What is the correct way to mount the control box ??

That's fine. My DIY bracket raised the box about half way up the control box but otherwise, only personal preference.

Cheers

If possible (haven't tried myself), try rotating the motor to realign the drain holes so they point to the ground while mounted in this config.

BrettInUte wrote: I found the winch WAS held in by 4x 3/8 inch bolts - that screw into square nuts - slid into the winch housing. That seems a bit bodgey !!
What size bolts/thread are MEANT to be there ???

Yep they are the correct way of mounting it.

Also the winch is fitted so that the free spool lever is mounted on the passenger side - is that right ??
according to the following post - I dont think thats right ...
http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... light=9000

Yes that is correct. In the Nissan bar, the winch is mounted upside down putting the gearbox on the driver side.

& because its upside down you will need to drill/grind a new drain hole to point down. The newer XD9000 has the original holes not in the engine casing hence the need for a new hole.

It has to be mounted 'upside down'. so the freespool handle is on the DRIVERS side. The cable should now spool in over the top of the drum (this should correspond with the sticker on the winch telling you which way it winds in).

Cut a new drain slot for the motor.

You can buy a proper winch mounting kit from Nissan which includes a control box bracket to flush mount it and instructions etc.

While you've got the motor off, drill a hole then tap a 1/8BSPT thread and fit an airline fitting with tube as a breather and spray CRC when needed.
You can also fit a pump that can pressurize for river crossings.

Al.

Thanks for the replies.

So the bolts are OK. (it looked like it was threaded - but had damaged the threads)

I will have to spin the winch around. Ill put the free spool lever onto the drivers side (it will point downwards now ??)

Ill put a new drain hole in it while its out...


Thanks guys.

BrettInUte wrote: Ill put the free spool lever onto the drivers side (it will point downwards now ??)

.

There are a bunch of hex bolts that if you undo you can rotate the spool lever/ Gearbox to a better position.

OK - pulled bar off.
Spun winch around.

Slid motor back - so I could grind a new drainage slot.

Removed excess washers fron 4 winch mount bolts (what were they thinking ??)

Pulled free spool lever and cap off. spun around 90 degress and re- attached.

Re-ran all cables.

Re-mounted control box so it just protrudes above top edge of the bar main beam.

Discovered that earth strap now wont reach motor. Reconnected it to hex bolt that threads into the cross bar on winch. (I hope thats OK)

Drilled extra holes for UHF cable to run thru

Drilled extra holes for driving light wiring to run thru

Got bar sitting 99% square on car (much better than before)

Removed birds nest of cable on winch - spooled right out - then back in again under some pressure.

Much happier now with the winch mount now.

Took me a whole day though !!!

Thanks for the tips guys...

Replace earth cable from winch motor directly to battery negative terminal to reduce any voltage resistance.

How you have the earth cable now is definately NOT a desirable configuration.

RoldIT wrote:Replace earth cable from winch motor directly to battery negative terminal to reduce any voltage resistance.

How you have the earth cable now is definately NOT a desirable configuration.

He's talking about the small wire coming from the control box marked 'motor ground' not the main earth cable. This one is fine on the tie rod. Just make sure the main earth cable goes stright to the -ve battery terminal.