When I bought my Arctic Cat 500 back in 2001, I got a free winch. I got as far as mounting the solenoid, the solenoid got recalled, I ordered the new solenoid, and never got the winch hooked up. Too busy riding. You know how it goes. Last time out I could have used the @#$%^&! winch, so now I'm installing it. There sem to be several locations I could place that big ugly switch and no, I don't have a $100 in my ATV budget to get the handlbar-mounted rocker. So tell me, all you people who got the free winch with the Big Ugly Switch like this: http://www.warn.com/atv/accessories/...ceSwitch.shtml

Where did you end up mounting it?

 

I mounted mine right on to the rack. The last bar though so it takes up no room and wont be in the way if i have to put something on it.

 

I mounted mine on the left side of the insturment cluster(pod), about half way forward. That way I can reach it from the seat or the left side and front of the rig. So far has worked great. If you had the solenoid installed, all you need to do was short the switch terminal to the battery terminal and the winch should work. I always care a couple of jumper wires with alligator clips on them, it's amazing whay you can bypass or activate with them. For the switch, I went to the auto parts store and got a single pole, single throw, spring loaded to the off position toggle switch, think I paid like $10. It would have been cheaper at an electronics store or even Radio Shack, but it was sunday and I wanted to finish the job.

 

I guess I'm not quite understanding you- my instrument pod would be way too small for that. Maybe the pod on a 250 is different than a 500? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

rfrenchu; The 250 insturment pod is the same size as the 300 which has gear selected lights, so it is pretty good sized. However it does not have a speedo in the pod either so it's not that big. The switch I used measures about 1" tall, 3/8" wide and about a 1/2" deep, not counting the toggle. I drilled the appropiate sized hole for the switch and mounted it with the switch toggle moving vertically. The wires I ran from below up with the rest of the wires into the pod. Doesn't take much of a switch to control the solenoid, even one of the mini switches would work, those are available at Radio Shack. Go in and tell them you will be controlling a solenoid with it and have limited space. Heck, even a very small push button would work.

 

OK- Understood. Unfortunately, that option isn't open to me- I have to use the Big Ugly Switch
http://www.warn.com/atv/accessories/...ceSwitch.shtml

I can't use a smaller switch unless I do the upgrade.

 

Why use the clucker switch. Got to the car parts store and buy a Ford starter solenoid. One with only a single small terminal, like an '84 Mustang 2.3 used. Put it in between the battery and the winch where there is lots of room and then wire the switch to the single terminal. You can pick up power for the switch from the battery side of the solenoid or like I did, find a wire at the fuse block that is only on when the motor is running. That way you will have the motor charging the battery whenever the winch is running. It is a better system, easier on the winch motor and makes a neater installation.

 

Think it might be possible to come up with a schematic I could follow? I'd feel more comfortable deviating from the norm if I had a roadmap I could follow.

 

Sure, I will e-mail you one shortly. Got to draw one up. send me ypou e-mail address as can't do it thru the private e-mail.

 

Mine was mounted to the front racks on the intersection right above where the rack goes down through the plastic to mount to the frame. That way I could reach it still, but could also have the wires run throught that same hole in the plastic where they were kind of hidden.