Anybody that has installed a warn winch on a 1999 artic cat 500. I have winch mounted but the wiring looks complicated. Where did you mount the solenoid there doesnt seem to be room under the seat. Also where did you mount the switch. Which wire did you splice into for power.Any other tips or suggestions?

 

I just mounted a Warn 2500 on my 2000 500, If you just follow the instructions it is very simple. I mounted the solenoid behind the battery box up high, BE SURE to attach the wires to the frame in very protected area, if you dont you may find that when you have to use the winch a tree limb has ripped out your wiring. The control I used is off of an A2000 Warn and put it on the left-handside rach on the rod closest to you, I put it here so that i am still able to use the control with my left hand and still have my right to control the throtle.
For the main power <<<<<WIRE IT TO THE BATTERY>>>> their is a wire that connects the solenoid to hot wire when the quad is on, it connects to a red/black wire comming from the fuse box.


I took me abut 2 hours to get mine installed, it will take a while to do it and to do it right but it will be well worth it in the end.

chuck
2000 ArcticCat 500 4x4, Warn A2500, and soon to be "Bugged" and covered in mudddd

 

I've done two of them so far, and I could give you step by step instructions but just don't have the time. Basically, just follow the instructions carefully and take your time. It does take time to do it good. Mine is about as perfect as I can get it, meaning that it is neatly done with a bazillion wire ties and totally hidden wiring. I put the cylenoid right under the battery compartment with the existing holes that are there. The 2000's have a different battery setup though, so I can't help on that. The switch is mounted to the rack on the left front in a cross section right beside the little bar that goes up under the speedometer, so the wires all shoot right down the hole in the plastic where the rack comes through. Getting all the wires crammed in there right is a bitch so have fun with that part. I'm feeling for you already. I routed all the wires across under the gas tank and over the fan from there and brought them out the other side. From there, the two that go to the winch are already right there, and the other two can be wire tied along the frame on the right side past the reverse lever and on towards the opening for the battery compartment. You can get them secure and hidden by wire tying it every 5 or six inches. They provide plenty of wire ties too. Finding the right wire to splice so you have power to the cylenoid when the key is on can be tricky, but if you just check the fusebox, you can find which fuse is for the ignition, and then you know which wire to splice. Use good wire connectors on this part, clamp them good, and then tape the whole thing off with electrical tape for good measure. Make sure that you don't make your initial cut too short or you could be sorry later when you don't have any slack to work with.

Some things that will help is to know that the wires will connect to the winch on the right side of the quad. Also it is good to take the wire mesh grill off before you start wiring to give you some room, and don't mount the winch plate on until you have your wires run. Its easier to work in there with more open space. A flashlight is key, and you can use a bent coat hanger and some electric tape to help run wires through places your hands dont fit, such as under the gas tank up front. (actually this is really in front of the tank and over the top of the fan) Mount the cylenoid before you start wiring also. It gives you an idea of where things need to be run to. You can just take off a rear rack bolt and wire your ground wire on it when you put it back on. This isn't in any good order or anything, but then again I'm just getting it off the top of my head. Your wires will be too long, but all you have to do is just loop up the slack like a garden hose, flatten it out, and wire tie it real tight to the frame. Oh yeah, wash any mud out from under the rear fenders before you do it, or you may get dirt in your eyes when you are wiring the cylenoid. *from experience* Its not a hard task, but it does take a lot of time. Especialy when done neatly. I am rather picky and there is no way I would have let the dealer do it. There would have been loose wires hanging out everywhere I would imagine. I'll check back on here a little more often in case you find any questions. Good luck.

 

Andy:
Nicely done from off the top of your head. The dealer installed mine free with the winch when I bought the 'Cat, however he mounted the switch on the right side, in the same position you mentioned. I asked why in the hell it was there, as you can't really give it throttle, and run the switch at the same time, from the right side. He said that it was there policy to do that as a safety measure, that they don't want people on the machine, while winching to ensure safety if the cable or hook breaks. I have been planning on moving it over to the left side, so you can actually sit in the saddle and control the winch at the same time, so I'll also check out his "tidyness" with the wiring. I'm pretty picky about loose wiring myself. It seems that any time you ever have a loose wire, a stick or branch will always manage to find a way to tear it loose, then you're in for more trouble.

I was thinking instead though, of removing the stock switch, in favor of the handle bar mounted, removable hand held rocker switch with the 6' cord. Have you installed that type before, and if so, how difficult is it to change over to that style?

Thanks for the info.

Mike

 

To Y'all,
I would recomend mounting the controller to a plate before attaching it to the rack or where ever. Warn Industry Rep.advised me that over tighten the U bolts will cause the base of the controller to flex which in turn causes it to quit working. I know this for a fact, I've replaced two from my own pocket and e-mailed Warn the last time to see why they keep breaking. They sent me a knew one free of charge and informed me why. One of the guys in my club mounted his on a plate of steel about 3/16" thick or used it for a backing plate and mounted it thru that to the rack to eliminate the flexing. IT looked awesome and solved his problem of switches quitting. He also said to go to the local hardware store and by a stronger C clip on the inside bottom of the controller. He also informed me that the controllers are rebuildable. I'm in the process of mounting mine on a plate. My controller is mounted to the front rack, infront of the speedo on the raised portion of the rack. It's out of the way, and I can still operate it from the seat or I can also reach it from the front when i'm wineding my line in neatly. My solenoid is mounted under the seat ,infront of the battery box on the right side of the frame. My electical cables run along the right side up to the winch and up infront of the steering and instruments right to my controller. If your winch didn't come with one, I would highly recommend purchasing a roller fairlead. This will save on the wear and tear of your winch line when winching at angles.Another piece of advice,pull all your cable out and paint the first 5-10ft. This will allow you to see when you are almost out of cable. With warn winches the cable has a tendence to come a part where they attach to the winch so by leaving a couple three wraps on the winch this will lessen the chance. Good luck.

Keith
'98 4x4 454 AC w/ warn 2000lb winch, C.B. and 26" Titan 495's...

 

Haven't ever done that type of switch there cowboy. I think it would be the ideal setup though. I have to lean over to reach my switch, but at winching speeds, that isn't a factor. I haven't had any problems with the plastic bottom plate flexing either. Just make sure it isn't cinched down to tight. You can do this by just eyeballing it good. I think that by mounting it where the rack bars intersect, it makes it more stable as well. Moving your current location wont be much of a trick. Its running all the little cylenoid wires and routing the thick wires along the frame that takes up most of the time anyway. I have never had any winch problems thank god. Only one episode ever. Out of desperation in a lake bottom on Thanksgiving, I had no other option but to loop the cable through two massive rocks sitting on top of each other to get out. All of the pressure pulled the cable down into the crack where the rocks met, and it was stuck there for good. No moving rocks that are bigger than your quad. I bashed the cable into by beating on it with another sharp rock, rescued the hook by removing the cotter pin and escaped minus 2 ft. of cable. I don't think that my current 48' cable will hurt me much though.

 

Ox-Lite sells a warn switch mount that mounts the switch it self on a plate. The plate then mounts to a "clamp" that mounts to some thing tubular like the handle bars or the racks. I think it's only 20 bucks and it is make of some VERY THICK STEEL (1/4" I beleive).

 

i just finished adding a solenoid to my 2000 Cat. the dealer wired the winch directly to the battery. he says that he has had solenoids die on the trail. I figured even if it did die all you have to do is un-bolt the wire from the solenoid and re-attach to the battery. Anyway, the wire you need to locate at the fuse box that is switched by the key is orange. The best way to do this is to remove the two screws that hold the fuse box down that are located on each end of the box. I pulled the stake on off the fuse box and cut the old stake on off and then soldered the orange wire and my new red wire for the solenoid together and then crimped on a new stake on. you could just use a clip that pierces the wire but my experiance with these around moisture tells me that sooner or later it will corode. I too mounted the solenoid in the area under the seat using the two holes and and a couple of large self tapping bolts. Hope this helps.

Regards JIm

 

Just installed my Warn 2500 winch on a 01 300AC. It did not come with a solenid!

Do I need one?
If yes where do I buy it from (on line preferred, there are no ATV dealers near me)?
Do regular motor cycle stores carry it?
What kind of selonid do I need?

My switch did not come with any "U" bolt either. Is my kit just missing these parts?

Thank you for your advise in advance.