Smoked ground

That would do it for sure. Your upgrade kit will be on it's way tomorrow!

 

I've got the standard kit built, but one thing I noticed is that the melted wire you have their is not part of the base electrical system. It is a main ground for several components, based on the apparent size of the cable (I am thinking 8 gauge) But I can't seem to find that specific ground, and where it feeds to on the Toyota wiring diagram. Have you been able to trace that wire to it's source? Once I know the length what I will do is go ahead and build you a replacement cable and include it with your kit at no charge, but I need to know the length of the cable before I can do it. I have a 2010 at the shop that I cam trying to trace that wire out, but it belongs to a customer and I can't exactly strip his wiring harness while it is here. lmao.

Since you will need to strip out that assembly to install my kit anyway, let me know if you can do that. I am not sure if your truck is disabled because of this melted wire, or not. Let me know. If you need to call, my number is 334-247-5430.

 

Well nevermind. I found it. And this explains why the incorrectly mounted winch cable smoked the wire. It is the primary ground from the engine block to the frame. So when they connected the winch to the frame, instead of directly to the engine block or battery, all the winch load was going through that little 10 gauge wire. I built you a replacement 8 gauge cable, and will include instructions on how to install it.

 

nice find!

isn't the winch supposed to ground to the battery though?

 

Awesome thank you for your help!

 

I used 1/0awg when i had sounds in my integra an my girls altima.

 

If you check, the shop that installed his winch did not install the ground properly, thus the reason it caused the problem. You can have double 0 cable on the winch, but if you ground the winch to the frame, you are going to melt the ground in the picture. Wasn't the OPs fault in this case. Sounds like 4Wheel Parts needs to educate their techs on electrical loads.

 

Chris did you ever get an answer from 4wheelparts on the ground cable?

 

I called them about the problem, they of course played it off and said that it is ok to mount the ground to frame. This is the 3rd time I have been burned by 4wheel parts install here in Hawaii. Never agine will I let that shop mess with my truck! On the bright side my new wire kit came in the mail this weekend it it is beefy!

 

My winches are grounded at the battery and at chassis ground on both of my rigs