Sorry you had a problem. I bought a Venom 3000 lb for my '05 Traxter Max. I built front and rear receivers and can just plug it into either end. My quick connecters came from Granger and are made for electric fork lift battery chargers. First question did you wind the wire from the top or the bottom of the spool? The wire rope should be wound from the bottom,(that is the cable comes off the bottom of the drum). Next did you properly stretch your cable? When I pulled my cable out the first time, I found that the socket head screw that holds the cable on the spool was loose to the point that the wire rope pulled right off. I took care of that and then pulled my Ford Explorer up my driveway....(the Ford was in park on icy driveway with Traxter in park and brake set in garage, I also used a ****** pulley) Another thing to check are the crimps in the wire sent with the winch, I had found two that had the heat shrink around them, but had not been crimped. All things considered the Venom is a great winch and I would buy it again. I will upgrade my wire rope to synthetic soon and go with an aluminum rope hawse of my own design.

 

You don't need to get a "synthetic rope winch" just replace the cable with synthetic wich rope. The first thing I did is replace the cable with Amsteel winch rope.

Everybody is right - if you get in the way of a snapped cable, you're in trouble, in addition to fraying cable issues.
I got my winch rope and roller fairlead here Ok Offroad

They recommend NOT using a roller fairlead with winch rope since the rope can get pinched in it in the right (wrong?) circumstances.

 

GREAT I just ordered a new Extreme Series 2500 Venom Winch. They are new for 2006. (extreme series) Hope i dont run into all these problems!

 

I bought my Amsteel rope with the UHMW fairlead for $70 (plus shipping) from

Rpoe & UHMW.

Good people to talk to and very knowledgable.

 

Your problem wasn't your winch, it was winching at an angle and not watching how the cable was spooling onto the drum. If your cable is spooling up in one place like against the side of the drum you need to stop and back it off a bit, reposition the cable and start again.
At the end of the day or while taking a break you should pull your cable out and respool it evenly so you don't end up with kinks.

 

I used my new Venom V3500X (extreme series) winch for the first time yesterday. I pulled about 8 feet out in a straight line to a buddies atv and the cable jumped the spool. by the time we where finished the winch needed some new parts. Sense the warranty basicly says if you open the box the warranty is void. I went to there web page for parts. The parts added up to $12.00 bucks shipping was $45.00 (web pages says $9.00 shipping). No to mention the new cable. I think I'll take my losses and get what I pay for.

 

I've used my venom 4000 a few times and it worked great until it got wet and it stopped working, I pulled the motor apart and it was completely rusted and the motor was burnt......completely trashed. The Venom winch is NOT sealed, but it can be with rtv

 

i had the same problem on my Venom 3000XT. Just try not to winch at an angle is your best bet. If you plan to or will have to winch at an angle mod your fairlead to always keep the cable towards the center. i have synthetic cable with a HAWSE fairlead which seems to work a lot better. i keep tow rope on my atv for pulling out situations though. the winch is mainly for pulling myself out, which is once in a blue moon.

 

I know this is a old post, but right now my winch is just making clicking sounds when I hit the button on the handle bars. Not sure if the motor is shot or the black contractor box is fried. If anyone has had this problem please post! Thanks

 

That sounds like a contactor problem I had. New contactor - problem solved.