Winch strength: "In" or "Out" mode?

I have an XRC8 winch in my ARB bumper. For reasons that I do not understand, the people that installed the bumper+winch "had" to put the winch in upside-down. They originally told me that it was the only way that it fit, but now that I'm replacing the line with synthetic and looking at it closer, it's obvious that they could very well have installed it right side up.

Regardless, I want to get the new line on there in case I need it, but the recommended way (so I've read online) to install the line is so that the working end comes out from underneath the winch, not coming around and down from the top. This makes sense to me, but since mine is upside down, the "in" switch on the remote pulls in from the top.

Is there a difference in strength of the winch in different directions? I don't see why not, but I could be wrong.
Should I wrap it so that the working end comes out underneath and the directions are switched or should I wrap the line so that it follows the remote?
I'm planning on fixing this flip-flop around over the summer, but for the time being, what should I do?

 

The winch is clocked when installed in the ARB bumper as the directions from ARB state to do. I didn't read too close as to why but think it was something to do with having access to the winch controls from the hole ontop of the bumper.

 

Huh, that's strange. I was looking and it seems like it would work perfectly fine right side up, but maybe the wires going from the winch up to the solenoid wouldn't be long enough.
So maybe I won't be switching it then.

Either way, should I wrap the line so that the directions are reversed but the wrapping is correct?

 

I feel like pulling in and powering out should be the same strength, so I guess I'll just wrap it whichever way doesn't rub the steel of the bumper.

 

Dont' be so sure. One engages the winch brake!

From the warn installation guide:

 

Aha! That's what I've been looking for. Smittybilt doesn't say anything about that in their instruction manual.
Thank you!

 

If the wires are too short, get new wires. Nothing against you, but it's a poor excuse if that's what the other people's hold up was. This is a device that affects your safety, doing it less than the right way is a chance to hurt you or introduce trouble when you can least afford it.

If you can manage to fit it, consider doing feet forward. This is the best option; when the winch is under load it puts the force of the winch pushing into the bumper, rather than twisting. However, it's rare that this setup fits, so feet down is the standard. Either way, bjmoose is dead on about the brake.


BTW, I think I remember reading in the WARN manual that you have to do something with the gears when you change the mounting on the winch? Anyone have that snippet?

 

In or out dosnt matter. Same gear ratio either way.
The break is only on out tho I belive. I have an xrc8, not referring to a warn manual

 

I know, pretty pathetic on their part. It was kind of a rush job, though, but still.

By feet forward, you're referring to the location of the mounting bolts, correct? The winch is bolted to the forward face of the bumper around the fairlead hole (two of the bolts are used to hold the fairlead on). I think that this is the better way that you described, correct me if I'm wrong.

From what I understand, they took the winch and just rotated it 180 degrees in the same plane as the radiator (I hope that makes sense). So now the engage/free spool lever is on the left, the wires come out of the right, and it pulls in at the top of the drum. I think that it would require regearing or brake modification if I were to keep this set up but make the winch pull in at the bottom of the drum. Of course, I'm not entirely sure, but that's what makes sense to me.

 

wtf they have it mounted to the fair lead holes?? Pics would help

 

Yes

Feet downward = feet pointing to the ground = standard way of doing things
Feet forward = feet pointing away from the radiator = best way
Feet backward = feet pointing towards radiator = worst way.
Feet upward = feet pointing to sky = bad way

The two bolts holding the fairlead should be independent of the winch. Your winch should most likely be mounted with 4 bolts, either grade 5 or grade 8, to the bumper or a winch mount plate, which is in turn mounted to the bumper.

If I understand you correctly, then your winch line is incorrectly spooled. This counteracts the internal winch brake, causes unnatural stress, and leads to failure.


Since Smittybilt doesn't post any literature, here's the stuff from WARN. Same concepts apply.

Product guide (explains how to spool, how to mount, etc)
Basic winching techniques (if you can't memorize 90% of this manual, you shouldn't be operating a winch)

 

As I've tried to explain before in this thread, when I press the "In" button as the winch is mounted currently, the drum rotates from the bottom up to the front of bumper then around to the top and back down on the radiator side. In other words, if facing the side of the winch from the driver's side of the truck, it rotates clockwise when powering in. When winching out, it rotates counter-clockwise from the same perspective.
From what I understand, the internal brake is engaged only when powering out. I spooled the winch line so it comes out on top specifically so that the brake isn't engaged when pulling in. I know this is incorrect general spooling (where it is better to have it pull in from the bottom anyways), but that's how the winch is mounted.

I hope that is clearer.

Thanks for the literature!

 

Where else would it be mounted? I guess I don't see why this is so bad, but I'm still learning.
I'll get pics soon

 

On my ARB the winch bolts sandwich the fairlead to the bumper. Normal for the 2nd gen Tacos. Probably the same for you.

 

Ok cool, yeah that's exactly how mine is. Glad I'm not alone with that part.

 

Looking down from the passenger side to the drivers side feet facing forward. When I push the in button on the controller, the rope is set up so that it pulls in.


The mounting bolts from the driver's side:


The underside. You can see that the labels are on the bottom and the clutch is on the left, opposite of the right side up mount:

 

Ahh got it. You have it mounted feet forward, but left and right are reversed because it got installed wrong. Do this:

Standing at the front of the vehicle, face the bumper.
Turn the winch clockwise so the clutch lever is on the driver side and the wires that go to the solenoid are on the passenger side
At this point, the rope should be spooling in and out properly from the bottom

 

Yeah, I was planning on doing that, but then this was posted earlier:

It seems like it should work perfectly well, but maybe not. I think I'll just have to pull it out and see.

 

Here are two more photos:
This one's from the front. You can see the wires going from the solenoid through the hole to the winch.


This one's looking down from the same position. You can see the hole pattern is symmetrical (though the hole with the solenoid wires is hidden).


I was thinking of running the wires through the hole on the other side of the rectangular opening. This would require drilling new holes to remount the solenoid on the other side, though. Any experience with this?