DIY Network

Electrical System and Winch -- Installing the Winch From "Weekend Mechanic" episode WKM-207

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Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F Figure G Figure H Figure I Figure J Figure K Figure L Figure M Figure N Figure O

Winch Installation

With the electrical-system upgrade essentially complete, the new winch can be installed on the Jeep. Installing a winch is a fairly quick and straightforward procedure -- made easier in our case by the fact that there are factory pre-drilled holes in the Jeep bumper to accommodate the installation.

Important: Before purchasing a winch, check with the manufacturer to make sure that it will work with the style of bumper on your vehicle.

Important: Included below are the steps in this automotive procedure as shown in the episode. These steps are general guidelines that are applicable to most vehicles. With any particular vehicle there may be procedures, specifications, settings, tolerances, components, etc. that are specific to that vehicle. There are also variations according to the type and brand of winch kit you select. Always consult your vehicle's service manual when undertaking significant automotive repairs, and read and follow the manufacturer's directions and precautions that come with your winch kit. The basic installation steps are summarized below.

Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with power tools.


Steps:

• The winch we selected for installation on our vehicle (figure A) is a heavy-duty model capable of pulling up to 9,000 pounds. It could easily be used to help pull a jeep out of a sticky situation if it should ever become stuck in a ditch or deep mud.
  
  
  
• The first step is to mount the brackets onto the winch-mounting plate (figure B). There are left and right brackets, and they are not interchangeable, so insure you are installing each on the proper side. They attach using carriage bolts, lock washers and nuts.
  
  
  
• With the brackets attached, install the cable guide (figure C), making sure to install the bolts from the back side so they don't extend into the cable area.
  
  
  
• With the cable guide installed, set the bracket into place (figure D) and use new bolts to attach it to the bumper, following the manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
  
• Next, install the solenoid assembly to the winch motor. It's held in place with a band clamp. Make sure that you don't pinch any of the cables as you tighten down the clamp.
  
  
  
• There are three studs on the motor (figure E), and they are marked to correspond to the cables from the solenoid assembly. Lock-nuts and washers hold the cables onto the studs.

  Important: Each of the cables has a protective boot on the end. It's critical to slip the boots over the terminal ends after you attach them to the studs. This will prevent the system from being shorted out.
  
  
  

• Attach the solenoid ground wire (figure F), according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  
  
  
• With the motor attached and connected, it can be set in place on the bracket (figure G), making sure that the pre-drilled holes on the bumper line up the alignment holes on the mounting plate.
  
  
  
• The winch we installed is held in place with four bolts, lock washers, flat washers and nuts.
  
  
  
• With the winch mounted securely, route the winch's power cable (figure H) through the engine compartment to the battery. We routed ours along the passenger-side frame-rail, and up to the battery.
  
  
  
• Next, solder a terminal on the yellow fuse-box power-supply line we installed earlier. Soldering the terminal is done following the same soldering procedures described in earlier sections. Strip about 1/4-inch of insulation from the end of the wire, twist the strands, place the heat-shrink tubing over the wire, crimp the terminal in place and solder the connection. After the solder has cooled, position the shrink-tube at the end of the cable, and use a heat gun (or hair-dryer) to shrink the tubing to make a weatherproof connection.
  
  
  
• Next, terminals for all of the accessories, including the new winch cable, can be connected to the battery (figure I).
  
  
  
• Star-washers (figure J) are used between the terminals to ensure good contact.
  
  
  
• Finally, attach the fuse-box supply line to the battery terminal (figure K ).
  
  
  
• Make sure that all of the wiring is routed properly to avoid tangles and interference with engine parts. Protect all of the wiring with split-loom of the appropriate size. Follow the route of the original wiring harness to ensure that the new harness is out of the way and firmly secured.
  
  
  
• With the wiring complete, the fuses can be installed in the new fuse panel (figure L), making sure that each is rated for the appropriate amperage for the accessory with which they're being used. Since we used only half of the fuse ports available on our fuse panel, the extra ports were used to store spare fuses.
  
  
  
• Tighten the nut on the battery terminal, tightening down the accessory terminals that were installed earlier (figure M).
  
  
  
• The job is now essentially complete. Install the hook on the end of the winch cable (figure N), and check to see that the winch works properly (figure O).

RESOURCES :

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care
Author: Dan Ramsey
ISBN: 0028635833
Alpha Books

Auto Repair for Dummies
Author: Deanna Sclar
ISBN: 0764550896

Jeep Owner's Bible: A Hands-On Guide to Getting the Most from Your Jeep
Model: 0837601541
Author: Moses Ludel
(1992)

To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.

Bentley Publishers

The Jeep Bible: Written Personally for the Jeep Cult!
Model: 0961847344
Author: Granville King and Willie Worthy
(1997)

To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.

Quellen Company