My warn winch will pull only enough to tighten the cable then it stops. Usually it would change gears and keep pulling but it doesn't. When it quits pulling and I hit the button for it to pull my neutral light goes dim. I doubt it is battery problems because I have 1999 model honda 300. PLEASE HELP ASAP. I'LL NEED IT FOR THIS WEEKEND


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Matt Sibley

1999 Honda 300 4x4 Vampires and 2500 lb. winch

 

Matt, make sure your power connections make full, CLEAN (meaning metal-to-metal, not metal-to-paint or metal-to-dirt) contact with the hot battery terminal, and with the frame or the negative terminal (best). I assume you used heavy-gauge cable for these connections.

RUN YOUR ENGINE WHILE WINCHING. The li'l ol' storage battery in most quads is inadequate for anything more that intermittent winch use; running the engine ('cept on a Polaris, they don't charge at idle) restores some of the power used.

With high-amp (big cable), low-resistance (clean, tight) connections, your 2500 ought to be either "on" or "off;" I understand this model is contolled by solenoid-switched power. If you have problems after checking the wiring and connections, warranty service appears in order.

And Matt--get a ****** block!

Tree Farmer

[This message has been edited by Tree Farmer (edited 08-17-1999).]

 

I don't know what kind of cable was used. I had Kirks install it. I called and they said they could ship it to WARN to get it fixed. How long will this usually take? And where are most of the connectiions to the battery from the winch? Could it be that too much dust or mud could cause a bad connection? Still though why would it pull some and then no more?

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Matt Sibley

1999 Honda 300 4x4 Vampires and 2500 lb. winch

 

Matt, high electrical resistance (from inadequate connections or carrier, in this case, cable) limits the amount of current available to your winch motor. A high-resistance circuit will permit limited pulling, but will not permit heavy pulling.

Now, this ain't brain surgery--LOOK at your quad's winch installation--INSPECT the cabling--is it the size of a doorbell wire (small)? the size of an automobile battery "red" cable (large)? You must have a large cable, and it must be in good condition (low resistance), checkable with an ohmmeter (Radio Shack has 'em for less than $ 10).

Where do the cables connect to the winch power/control solenoid? Are the connections clean and tight (use sandpaper to insure a clean connection, a wrench to insure a tight one)? Where do the cables connect to the battery/ground? Make sure these connections are clean and tight. Anything in between, e.g., circuit-breaker, make sure its connections are clean and tight also.

If you are unwilling or unable to make these inspections and perform this mnaintenance, you'd better go to "Kirk's," whoever they are, or to some other repair shop and ask the service technicians to check out your installation.

Call up Warn and talk to their customer service technicians; explain your problem and follow their advice.

I'm not trying to be hard on you, Matt, but: If I understand your post correctly, you haven't done a thing to diagnose or fix your winch, making me wonder why you ask and why I respond. What kind of response did you expect from your original question? And what are you willing and able to do yourself to help solve your problem? Good luck!

Tree Farmer

 

Tree Farmer,

I solved my problem. I thought I had checked all the connection points. Well I didn't, I missed one. It happened to be really dirty. I cleaned it and now the winch works great. I just used it to uproot a tree about 6'' in diameter. Thank you for your help. My friends friend had the same trouble and told me exactly which one to fix.

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Matt Sibley

1999 Honda 300 4x4 Vampires and 2500 lb. winch

 

Glad you fixed your winch, Matt! All's well that ends, I guess.

Yet, I'm puzzled. You said you had a problem with your winch on the Forum, asking for help.

I suggested you clean you connections, but you didn't; in fact, you had no idea what kind of wire was used in the installation.

A "friend of a friend" suggests you clean your connections; you do, and the winch is fixed.

Just academically, I'm curious: why would you ask for advice on the Forum, receive it, but not follow it; then, receive the same advice from elsewhere, and follow it? When you asked for help, I responded in good faith, then wondering, "Why does he ask for help and then not use that help?"

Regardless, I'm genuinely glad you solved your winch problem; have a good time with it this weekend! (I know you'll follow my advice about getting a ****** block (right!).)

Tree Farmer

 

Well I did follow your advice. I checked everything I saw that looked like it may need to be checked. However this "friend of a friend told me an exact piece that I carelessly missed when checking. So no I did not ignore your advice. I just missed a part. Why do you want me to get a ****** block?


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Matt Sibley

1999 Honda 300 4x4 Vampires and 2500 lb. winch

 

Tree Farmer,

Whats a ****** block?

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Big_Al

 

****** Block

What it is: Big_Al, a ****** block is a pulley block with a hook.

What it does: Matt, a ****** block doubles your winch's pulling power; plus, permits versatile rigging for pulling at any angle (not just straight ahead); you can even winch yourself out BACKWARDS by snaking the line under your quad and through the pulley; hooking the ****** block to an anchor point behind your quad, and the winch line hook to your tow bar or rear rack.

Even the mighty Warn 2500 might not be enough to extract you--ask Adam Dowden's dad, who mired himself pretty good in the Sabine River bottom, requiring TWO winches (without ****** blocks) to escape. A ****** block would have given him 5000 pounds pulling force alone.

Trust me, a ****** block will come in handy--even if you never have to use it!

Tree Farmer

 

It seems that Tree Farmer knows his stuff about winches. I have a similiar prob with my warn 2000 winch. It just recently stopped working. All of the connections are good and clean and it doesn't even sound like it is trying to work (ie.buzz or humm). I don't know if there are any internal fuses or things to short out or what. I wanted to put my quad for sale in the paper in a week or two but I guess I have to fix the winch first. I would really appreciate the help you can give me.

Mudman '96 Xplorer 300 4x4 Vamped
Soon to add Magnum 500



[This message has been edited by Mudman1 (edited 08-18-1999).]