I have broken the winch cable on my 850 XP where it attatches to the hook twice now because the hook comes right in against the fairlead rollers when I try to lift the plow high enough not to drag when it is angled to the far right or left. I'm thinking about cutting the bar that the hook attatches to a little shorter so I have more cable out or just removing the bar and putting a shackle down where the lower part of the bar is bolted to the plow and hooking the winch to that. Now remember that the XP winches are mounted very low so would it even work right without the bar in? or just be pulling straight back causing too much stress?
I could cut the bar down but don't want to be lifting the plow so high it can hit the XP!
Anyone have any other ideas?

 

I think DCT took that bar off and replaced it with a few links of 3/8" chain to be able to lift it higher....He has an '08 500 I believe so his winch is higher.....Maybe he'll chime in and tell his story...I don't like how they put the winch so low on the '09's...

John

 

Well the XP is going to get a workout today, last night it started snowing again and along with it the wind kicked up to around 30-45 mph.! So now I have drifts that are 2.5 -3' deep and packed in tight! It's also a heavier wet snow It's a PITA not being able to lift the plow as high as I want when the blade is angled!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

 

I think the only reason the bar is there is to prevent the plow from wacking the headlights if it flips back.

Because my winch is mounted higher than the Xp's, it's not really an issue.

I am thinking about removing the bar anyways because I don't want the bar to stab my front end if I push up to high into a snow bank.

I say remove the damn thing.........you can always put it back on if you wish.......or shorten it in the future.

 

Rancher55 I was thinking the same thing about shortening that bar.
My Plan, Raise the plow to Max with the Bar, Carefully inspect even take pictures and measurements of where the plow stops etc.
Lower plow and remove or disconnect the bar, which ever works for you.

Raise the plow on a jack or some other fashion until it is at the maximum safe height. Taking pictures, measurements etc. Then measure the length that bar would need to be at that new setting.

Now before I cut it. Run plow to each side angle and raise it at that maximum setting and ensure with my new shortened Bar, nothing is going to hit at any setting. If all looks good, then go ahead and retool my bar. If there is an interference point, make the blade a litle lower i.e. longer plow bar.

Of note, I have a high winch mount point on my 800 and my 500. I would suppose a low mount point would possible create a bind if I were "overcenter" as it were. That would be something to look at before cutting. At any rate with a shackle in place of the bar you could probably test all the above.

At least that is how I would do it. ymmv.

 

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

I think the only reason the bar is there is to prevent the plow from wacking the headlights if it flips back.



Because my winch is mounted higher than the Xp's, it's not really an issue.



I am thinking about removing the bar anyways because I don't want the bar to stab my front end if I push up to high into a snow bank.



I say remove the damn thing.........you can always put it back on if you wish.......or shorten it in the future.</end quote></div>

Yea, it's easy to take the bar off and try a different set up. I had three 3/8" links, a 3/8 hitch pin connector and a quick link. I removed the quick link and just connect to the hitch pin connector. I must have over 2 feet of lift without hurting a thing.

However, I don't have a brush guard, and it's not an XP. The guys with XP's with brush guards will have to be a little more cautious.

 

After looking at a pic tripplggg posted with his American Eagle plow on his '09, it doesn't look like he has much room to winch in???

John

 

JCDEY025--You're exactly right there is only 7" or 8" of cable out when the plow is on the ground. That is my problem. I have been pulling the hook or cable clamp into the fairlead rollers (by accident) and snaping the cable!
The plow lift bar is around 12" long, (just guessing) so if it were shorter I could lift higher and not have to "bottom out on the hook or cable clamp!
I broke the damn thing again yesterday and I am definetly going to be replacing the cable with syn. rope! I am also going to go ahead and cut the lift bar down some today!
Thanks to all of you guys that responded and gave your opinions and advice![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
rancher55

 

rancher55,

Seriously, if you have that little cable pull, I would go to the hardware store and look for a 3/8" quick connect link. Remove the bar, and just use the link.

Just a thought.

 

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

rancher55,



Seriously, if you have that little cable pull, I would go to the hardware store and look for a 3/8" quick connect link. Remove the bar, and just use the link.



Just a thought.</end quote></div>


Thanks DCT...
What I did was take the bar off and put a shackle on over the lower bolt and then a quick link on that. I hooked my cable to the hook with a cable clamp and it all looked good. Then the cable clamp didn't hold the cable good enough and came loose again! S then I said too he-- with that and just tied a loop in the end of the cable and now it works![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
By the way you can't lift the plow too high with this plow mount, it has a stop built into it!
rancher