Warn Winch Solenoids

[Chris]

Finally got around to tidying up my winch cable from a recovery too long ago only to find it worked for 5 seconds bursts. Then click, click, click. Did that a few times and then nothing. It's a bad solenoid, right?

Tell me there's something to check before assuming that. I had it rebuilt a while back including new solenoids and it doesn't get much use.

Second, it's probably 1 solenoid? How do I figure this out, I hate electrical stuff. :mad:


At least it didn't burn up!

[Roostercruiser]

i got a loose solonoid also. it has to be plug in just right to work

[itsjustdan23]

What do these solonoids look like? Just cerious.

As far as a solonoid goin out it could be just that. Its not unheard of for sure. Its a common issue with older Fords with the fender mounted ones.

[Patrolman]

I would check to make sure that the connections on the solenoids are tight. Also check the connections at the battery. Also a good idea is to try it the the vehicle running. If it isn't getting enough amps the solenoids won't power up. The alternator combined with the battery has more output than the battery.

[Chris]

I had the truck running and the battery connection is good. I'll pop the cover and see what the connections at the solenoid are like. Sure would be nice to find a loose one. I had to pull the cable off since it wasn't responding.

[WINKY]

sometimes you can get a corrosive buildup between the solenoid contacts. a file will cure this, (with the power disconnected of course..)

[Brody]

Warn uses many different style solenoids depending on the winch number. Here are three different ones. The 4 pack is what is commonly found on the Warn 8000, 9000, and 9500 and quite a few other popular Warns.

Chris-check the silly ground wire first. That seems to have been the source of 90% of all my winch problems. Also get some dielectric grease and use it on all the terminals...and use it liberally...

The other problem I had dealt with the white (on my Warn 9000) wire. It actually acted like a fusible link and burned up. Took forever to sort that out, but for any melted wires or insulation after checking the ground wire.

[1freaky1]

I found out with the one I had that the terminal connections and the copper straps do become loose after a while and the corrosion beigins just like a battery does so check that too.

[Hypoid]

Take a jumper cable, attach one end to some metal part of the winch housing, the other end to the battery negative post. If it works, be sure to check the jumper cables for overheating.

X2 on the dirty connections. I use sandpaper to polish them.

[Patrolman]

Also check the remote. If it is a 3 wire plug, easy to do. If it is a 4 wire, you just eliminate the dummy wire. 5 wires are harder. In any case, make sure there is 0 resistance over a pair of the wires when the button is pushed "spool out" and that the same is true for "spool in". Wouldn't be the first time a remote failed.

[Chris]

Thanks to everyone for you input. I can pretty much say you're all right and I'm pretty sloppy when it comes to electrical maintenance. Just about every wire inside the winch was loose, never really occurred to me to pull the cover and periodically tighten everything. One more thing to keep an eye on.

:cheers:

[4Runninfun]

those stupid simple things are both a blessing and a curse, you're happy it was so simple but on the other hand you feel dumb for not thinking about it in the first place. glad it was simple for you though.

[itsjustdan23]

Well I can tell you this about one of the pictures above. If your winch has the one with the yellow and white backgrounds, you can use any Ford fender mounted solonoid to replace the ones that look like those. My 94' Ranger takes the one in the yellow, and those are like 10 bux at most. Just an FYI for some of the less mechanical members in here.

[4Runninfun]

Well I can tell you this about one of the pictures above. If your winch has the one with the yellow and white backgrounds, you can use any Ford fender mounted solonoid to replace the ones that look like those. My 94' Ranger takes the one in the yellow, and those are like 10 bux at most. Just an FYI for some of the less mechanical members in here.

yeah funrover told me that just the other day. Good bit of info to know!

[itsjustdan23]

Anytime :P Glad I could somewhat help :)

[Brody]

Thanks to everyone for you input. I can pretty much say you're all right and I'm pretty sloppy when it comes to electrical maintenance. Just about every wire inside the winch was loose, never really occurred to me to pull the cover and periodically tighten everything. One more thing to keep an eye on.

:cheers:

Keep in mind the white power wire that torched on my winch. I thought that it was the actual remote connector wire, so I wired in a basic trailer hitch plug in. Still nothing. I took everything apart and that is when I found the white wire has essentially melted inside the insulation and then broken, just like a fusible link. I then carefully re wired everything on the winch with the exception of the main battery cables.

Chris has a sweet heavy duty fuse off of his battery...tell where you got this, please...and I use a 150-200 amp breaker that I got at a 'we be cars 'n s**t' place for wiring in stereo amps, etc. I run all my accessories through this breaker with the exception of the winch.

[Chris]

Chris has a sweet heavy duty fuse off of his battery...tell where you got this, please.

That's for my inverter and IIRC it's called a "T Fuse" or something similar. The best source are solar power sites. :thunb: