Burned up my winch.

[Gregg]

A old friend called me up to winch out some of their fitzer bushes. I winched out two while they chainsawed the roots. On the last one the winch gave up.

Smittybilt xrc8 (8000lb). I swapped in a new solenoid for the easy fix but nothing changed. I pulled the winch from its hiding spot for access and tested the motor without the solenoid or switch and nothing. Figured it's the motor. My question is...can the motor be fixed? If so, by who? Im not really up for buying a new winch.

Cool.

[Rox Crusher]

A old friend called me up to winch out some of their fitzer bushes. I winched out two while they chainsawed the roots. On the last one the winch gave up.

Smittybilt xrc8 (8000lb). I swapped in a new solenoid for the easy fix but nothing changed. I pulled the winch from its hiding spot for access and tested the motor without the solenoid or switch and nothing. Figured it's the motor. My question is...can the motor be fixed? If so, by who? Im not really up for buying a new winch.

Cool.

I would guess you could buy a new cheap motor cheap on eBay

[Gregg]

No. Cheapest direct fit motor is $200. A new complete smittybilt 9500lb winch is $300....

[71 Broncman]

Maybe something you can use here. Try this link https://www.dbelectrical.com/search-res ... nch+motor#.

[B.O.B.]

Or I have a warn XD 9000i for sale and will be at the swap meet on saturday

[Digger]

Got pics of the inside of the motor?

If the comm or the brushes burned up or pitted, moght be fixable.

I can true up the comm if the brushes are useable.

Is that a PM or series wound motor?

[Gregg]

It's a series wound motor. I pulled of the motor casing and it was clear that the problem was one of the brushes separated from the wire and somehow the wire separated from the wire to the other brush.

I thought to take it to an electric motor repair and see if they can replace and / or reattach the brush(es).

[cravenbronco]

Possibly JC electric can fix it up for you.

[Justin]

Seems like the manufacturer ought to be able to sell a replacement part?

[Gregg]

Found a part number and ordered a new brush assembly. $17 from Amazon. Tested the motor and it works. I wonder how many motors are tossed w/o knowing it could be as simple as a brush replacement. Now do I keep the new solenoid for a spare or send it back?

[Gregg]

I spoke too soon. I burned up the replacement brush in the same spot. It seems to get really hot fast and then slows way down. I've checked all the connections and they looked good.

However, right after I put the new brush assembly in and tested it, it was running fine so I put the old solenoid back in (because I thought it was only the motor) and the old solenoid got really hot and then the motor slowed way down. I put the new solenoid back in and it also got hot and the winch was super slow. Is it possible the old solenoid cooked the new brushes?

[Digger]

I spoke too soon. I burned up the replacement brush in the same spot. It seems to get really hot fast and then slows way down. I've checked all the connections and they looked good.

However, right after I put the new brush assembly in and tested it, it was running fine so I put the old solenoid back in (because I thought it was only the motor) and the old solenoid got really hot and then the motor slowed way down. I put the new solenoid back in and it also got hot and the winch was super slow. Is it possible the old solenoid cooked the new brushes?

Unlikely. The brushes may be telling you a story. You may have an internal short on the rotor windings. It may have effectively lowered the resistance of the coil and is causing it to draw higher amperage and melt your brushes. If its series wound, same thing could happen to the field coils. I would pick up another set of brushes and run the motor again while monitoring amperage. If you don't have a DC amp clamp or shunt, you can swing by my place and we'll hook that thing up and test it.

[ZOSO]

Or just pull the winch for parts and buy another at 300 bucks....

[Gregg]

I spoke too soon. I burned up the replacement brush in the same spot. It seems to get really hot fast and then slows way down. I've checked all the connections and they looked good.

However, right after I put the new brush assembly in and tested it, it was running fine so I put the old solenoid back in (because I thought it was only the motor) and the old solenoid got really hot and then the motor slowed way down. I put the new solenoid back in and it also got hot and the winch was super slow. Is it possible the old solenoid cooked the new brushes?

Unlikely. The brushes may be telling you a story. You may have an internal short on the rotor windings. It may have effectively lowered the resistance of the coil and is causing it to draw higher amperage and melt your brushes. If its series wound, same thing could happen to the field coils. I would pick up another set of brushes and run the motor again while monitoring amperage. If you don't have a DC amp clamp or shunt, you can swing by my place and we'll hook that thing up and test it.

I did some continuity tests,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXV4p3m9TwY
and it passed all three. I don't know how to test the field coils.

[Digger]

I spoke too soon. I burned up the replacement brush in the same spot. It seems to get really hot fast and then slows way down. I've checked all the connections and they looked good.

However, right after I put the new brush assembly in and tested it, it was running fine so I put the old solenoid back in (because I thought it was only the motor) and the old solenoid got really hot and then the motor slowed way down. I put the new solenoid back in and it also got hot and the winch was super slow. Is it possible the old solenoid cooked the new brushes?

Unlikely. The brushes may be telling you a story. You may have an internal short on the rotor windings. It may have effectively lowered the resistance of the coil and is causing it to draw higher amperage and melt your brushes. If its series wound, same thing could happen to the field coils. I would pick up another set of brushes and run the motor again while monitoring amperage. If you don't have a DC amp clamp or shunt, you can swing by my place and we'll hook that thing up and test it.

I did some continuity tests,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXV4p3m9TwY
and it passed all three. I don't know how to test the field coils.

Did you measure resistance though? A dead shorted coil will show continuity, but have far less resistance and therefore draw more power.

[Gregg]

nope.

[Viperwolf1]

A handheld meter won't be accurate enough to tell you if you have a shorted winding.

[Gregg]

My handheld meter is anything but short.

I salvaged pieces from both burned brush assemblies to make one last effort. I payed special attn to the wires on the brushes to be covered by the loom. It looked like they shorted out on the assembly last time. I tested the motor w/o solenoid and it worked again and then again with the (new) solenoid and it worked. I spooled out about 25 ft and then spooled it in w/o any load and it seemed fine. Nothing got hot and it lasted the whole duration (10 min). I kept the idle higher too. I'm leaving town for a couple weeks and when I get back I'll find a tree and test the winch with the Bronco in neutral. If it fries again I'll take Zoso's advice.