Water proofing a electric winch !

Submitted: Wednesday, Mar 19, 2003 at 22:02
ThreadID: 3945 Views:2887 Replies:3 FollowUps:5
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I have heard of people water proofing there electric winches , even to the extent of fitting breather lines up under the bonnet.

They say even rain water can get in let alone river crossings!
Im not worried about the electric/solinoid side of thing , just the mechanicals

Has anyone done this or know of a web site ?

Kev.
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Reply By: Member - Chris - Wednesday, Mar 19, 2003 at 23:31

Wednesday, Mar 19, 2003 at 23:31
Hi Kev,

About once every 18 months I drop the winch, open it up and re-grease the whole thing with hi grade marine grease. If it has been repeatedly submerged in real crappy water I'll do the same. After dropping it once it's quite easy to put it back together. I don't strip the motor but I don't think servicing centres do either when it comes to basic servicing ie. cleaning out the planetary gears and motor housing etc. Just put the brake back in correctly.
The whole job will probably only take two hours or less.
I left the ol' warn for 12 months after using submerged in bogholes and if definitely needed a desperate clean. I've always thought of putting a custom made canvas cover on it but never got around to it, probably a good idea though.

I'll have a beer for ya.
AnswerID: 15645

Follow Up By: Kev. - Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 18:16

Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 18:16
I was thinking along the lines of how to stop it getting full of crap before the yearly service.

It would be good to fix the cause , not the problem.

Cheers
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FollowupID: 9563

Reply By: Member - Peter- Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 20:05

Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 20:05
The warn electric winches can be sealed, the one on my Humvee (military Hummer) is totally sealed, all joins have a gasket and a thin smudge of sealer, all electric connections are made clean and tight then coated with silicone and then the whole thing has been dipped in a rubber solution which seals the whole winch. There is a 1/4" plastic tube from a barb fitting on the motor body back to the vehicles breather system (which includes, transfer, transmission, diffs, drop hubs and fuel tank). When I pulled it apart I resealed it with silicone on the joins.
hope this helps

Peter
AnswerID: 15715

Follow Up By: Kev. - Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 21:15

Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 21:15
"dipped in rubber"

No wonder those Humvees can go anyware !

I was told they can even inflate the tyres when driving.
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FollowupID: 9572

Follow Up By: Member - Peter- Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 21:28

Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 21:28
Only the winch is 'rubber' coated, it must be liquid when it is dipped and while it doesn't appear to adhere permanently to the winch it forms a very tough rubber coating all over the winch.
Most civilian hummers have CTIS (Central Tyre Inflation System) and a few of the latest military models do. Mine doesn't ;-))
Peter
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FollowupID: 9574

Follow Up By: Member - Chris - Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 22:20

Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 22:20
If a local shop near me dips winches in rubber, I'm there!!!Love the bush.
Chris
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FollowupID: 9580

Follow Up By: Kev. - Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 22:49

Thursday, Mar 20, 2003 at 22:49
Me too !

I want my whole air intake and all electrics dipped as well.
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FollowupID: 9583

Reply By: Beddo - Friday, Mar 21, 2003 at 22:04

Friday, Mar 21, 2003 at 22:04
Hummer go anywhere ? Maybe in America where a lot of vehicles are that wide - you wouldnt get one along many Aussie tracks - they are barely wide enough for my Toyota in places - hate to see your paint work. Went to Cape York last year and would love to see a Hummer tackle the OTL - the easy ways are only wide enough for a normal 4WD and the difficult ones also really - would be fun to watch - Hummer Dozer. I think the Toyota is too big some times.
AnswerID: 15821

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