When I bought my new '07 500 EFI Deluxe last month, I also expected the Warn 2.5ci, but once home, and started checking things out, then I found it was Chinese. I did an Internet search on the subject, and found a Polaris Press Release with the CEO saying these 'Polaris-made' winches were better and 'saved the consumer money'! Saved Polaris money, that is. The Polaris price difference between the Warn and Polaris Winch is about $100. But for LESS than the cost of the Commie Winch, you can get a Warn through JC Whitney (and I'm sure plenty of other places).

Dealers need to stop misrepresenting the Polaris Winch as something it is not.

Bill

 

Gear went out in my junk polaris labeled chinese winch. Would make noise but not turn. Dealer replaced winch with another chinese so far it has been running. Solenoid has had no problem.

 

i love my venom and my gorrila winches they work great i towed other people with them i snow plow with it they have been underwater and never failed. i got my 2500 on ebay the water proof series for 125 with a scrambler mount that i am selling anyone interested?

 

I'm seeing a pattern with the Polaris winches. I bought my first 4wheel drive 4-wheeler (07 Sportsman 700) to have the plow for the winter and the ATV for mudding and other fun riding in the summer. They talked me into using the Polaris 2.5 winch as they would throw it in along with the Glacier plow. The plow works great but the winch started to fail right away. Same as I see others are having problems with, it will pay out the cable but the solenoid seems to fail for reeling it in. I can hear it clicking when I hit the switch but I have to hit it over and over until it fires and reels in the cable to lift the plow. At first it was just a click or 2 and then it would reel in. Not right but no big deal. Then I took my rig up to a friend's cabin to dig out his road and parking area so we could take up the sleds and play. 4 hours of heavy plowing later and the solenoid got way worse. Sometimes I would have to click the switch about 30 or so times to get it to reel in and lift the plow. After that I took it into the dealer, it was a dealer installed item that they talked me into over a Warn unit. The guy in my local dealers service shop asked if it was a Polaris winch and after telling him yes, he said they have had quite a few of them fail on them.

The other thing I noticed is what everyone else said, the winch got noticeably louder. At first it wasn't bad but over the short time I've had it, it has gotten noticeably noiser. I'm hoping it doesn't let loose when I really need it! Also I noticed that sometimes I lift the plow and it stops like it is up and locked and sometimes it drops a couple inches after I let off of the switch like it's not holding tension. Any ways, I'm surprised Polaris hasn't owned up to this issue and either offered a come in and get it fixed before it really fails on you recall or offer an upgrade to a Warn unit. They have always done good by me on the sleds. They have never failed me.

 

i guys, i'm new here. i have an 07 sportsman 800 and the winch is broken. it freespooled while i was plowing. when i attempt to go in or out, it sounds like its working, but it does not catch. i've read here that the solenoid goes bad, but when i called my dealer and explained that the winch is getting power and seems to be trying to wind up, he said that if the solenoid was bad, it wouldn't even do that. any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Have you checked the **** on the right side of the winch (as you face it from the front) that releases the spool to free wheel it so you can pull out cable? If it's in the locked position and it still spools you need to see if your warentee on the machine and everything you bought it with is still in effect, if not, time for a new winch. If the solinoid was bad you may hear a click at the solinoid it self but the winch motor won't run.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: mtpockets

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: kcebcj



Have any of you guys that use your winches a lot had any experience with the Ramsey ATV winch? I had a Ramsey on a jeep and later on a Bronco and they were very good winches. Have not been a big fan of the Warn winch so if I have to replace the Warn-Polaris or whatever it is on 500 would probably take a long look at the Ramsey.</end quote></div>



I have never owned a Ramsey but have read some VERY good things about them. Also, I think they were the first Mfg to offer a wireless remote which I think is a neat idea.

~MT</end quote></div>

I had a Ramsey Honcho 5000 on my Rhino. It used the heck out of it. Never had a problem with it. Worked like a champ. I would buy one again. I also got sucked into the "polaris/warn" winch scam. Fortunately, I haven't had any problems with either of mine and have used them for a year now. Of course, now that I said it they will break! LOL!

 

I noticed the issue of needing to press the switch a couple of times before the winch powers in and the plow raises on my Wifes 500 X2.

Looking at the Polaris "Pre-wired" schematic in the manual. It appears the motor only has two wires going to it and the contactor reverses the polarity of the voltage applied to the motor.
That way winch motors usually work is the brake is applied (Prevents free spooling) until it sense power to winch motor for in or out.

What I see in the schematic for the contactor is this.
The is a switched power(Ignition controlled) going to your Winch control switch, that in turn applies power to one of two relay coils in the contactor. There is one Relay with associated contacts for In and one for Out it appears to all be housed within 1 unit called the Contactor.

Now, not positive on this given I haven't done any troubleshooting on my wifes unit yet other than read the schematics to formulate a plan. Intermittent issues are a pain to find.

It would seem that in most cases if a winch will power out but not power in intermittently then the Contactor would be at fault.

There is one other issue although nowadays very rare, that could point elsewhere. In my earlier life of rebuilding electric motors of this fashion, occasionally you would find an armature (this inside turning portion of the motor) that exhibitted open windings within the motor. Depending on several things. These motors would stop occasionally and it would take a slight movement of that armature clockwise or counter clockwise for the brushes to find a "good" circuit.

When the unit will not power in, you would need to see if there is actually power going to the Winch motor. I would do it with the leads connected to the motor.

These are just my opinions, but I though I would share since it seems I am going to need to look at this too.

Hth.

 

hey guys, thanks for the quick replies! i removed the winch and took the motor off. when i removed the motor, i removed the end too. there are four springs held in place by wires with little pieces of metal. two of the springs fell on the floor, so i don't know if they were not in contact. it looks like the wires with metal pieces need to be touching? can my problem be as easy as readjusting the springs with the wires?

 

i pulled the gears and checked them. it seems like the engagement rod isn't engaging thegears. it feels like a spring issue in the drive end. has anyone else had this happen?