My winch quit working after sitting for 7 months with no use. I tapped on the side of it for about two minutes and it started working. There was about an inch of sand on the floor that came from the winch. The cable and spool and outside of the winch was spotless so I'm wandering if there ain't alot of crap inside the winch. It works now buy it squeals like crazy when running. I ride mostly in the mud and the winch has been submerged several times, sometimes for extended period of times before I could get it out. I was thinking about disassembling the winch and see if I can clean and lubricate it up. Thanks DennisC

 

Google your winch for a good print of it and don't be afraid to open it and get all that trash out. You will be amazed at how much is in one when you open it up. I started cleaning and checking my winches a couple of years ago after having a $1.27 part leave me stuck in the woods for a couple of hours. (This was due to a lack of maint at the time.) They are very easy to work on and most of the parts are fairly inexpensive if you search them out.

Good luck ask if you need help.

Mud

 

If it gets muddy, just wash it off, then lubricate it with some oil. Check up on it every now and then, run it a few times and it should work fine.

 

Use waterproof/marine type GREASE for planetary gears inside the winch. Just loosen the 4 bolts on the side and you can easily split it open. Also, make sure you clean the armature coils with contact cleaner if they appear to be over worked (coils look discolored/blackish and has that typical electrical burnt smell). Like you said, it sucks when thing doesn't work when you need it.