[bedelliott]

Sorry for the rookie question, I’m kinda new to this SxS world… I installed a new 5k lb Badlands and 2 weeks ago used it for the first time and it worked great. On this first use I did not free the spool to pull the line out, I let the line out using the winch (not sure why, yes it was slow), but it winched back in just fine. Today, I needed it again and freed the spool to pull the line out (turned the clutch dial counter-clockwise until it clicked then stopped), then I connected to the tree and rotated the clutch dial clockwise until it stopped and when I tried to winch in I could hear the clicks but the winch didn’t turn. Is there something else I need to do to re-engage the winch after freeing the spool, besides turning the dial back clockwise? Nothing is mentioned in the manual. Since I’ve used it before I’m confident everything is wired right and should work fine. Anyone have a guess on this? I have been thru any water the could have hurt this, only been riding on forest trails. Thanks so much!

 

[Highrider]

Sounds like your not fully engaging the dogs in the clutch after you free spool.
I free spool and then engage the lock on the winch and give the rope a tug with my hand to ensure the dogs are fully engaged to winch in.

If you winch a lot and in sometimes the solenoid gets over heated and will quit working momentarily till it cools down- so just an FYI--
Had this happen a few time in Moab doing a lot of retrievals using the winch a lot.

 

[bedelliott]

Sounds like your not fully engaging the dogs in the clutch after you free spool.
I free spool and then engage the lock on the winch and give the rope a tug with my hand to ensure the dogs are fully engaged to winch in.

If you winch a lot and in sometimes the solenoid gets over heated and will quit working momentarily till it cools down- so just an FYI--
Had this happen a few time in Moab doing a lot of retrievals using the winch a lot.

I’m not sure how to engage the dogs in the clutch other than to rotate the dial fully clockwise,..? Another problem is that now the cable is completely off the winch - someone tried to pull me out using my winch line that I couldn’t winch back in and it yanked my cable completely off my spool. I thought pulling the line out manually using the free spool would have automatically stopped once there was only a few wraps of the line still on the spool, but I guess you have to carefully watch that when free spoiling out, to make sure you a leave a few wraps on there? So now I gotta reattach my cable too, which will be tricky since the winch is so tight up in there. Maybe this is a good time to replace it with a synthetic winch cable?

 

[Highrider]

Never let anyone pull you out using your winch as anchor- It’s not made to be used an a anchor point . You could have damaged the engagement and the lock (dogs).
Did you try to hand move the drum and rotate the engagement/free spool knob to get it to lock ?

 

[bedelliott]

Never let anyone pull you out using your winch as anchor- It’s not made to be used an a anchor point . You could have damaged the engagement and the lock (dogs).
Did you try to hand move the drum and rotate the engagement/free spool knob to get it to lock ?

Yea, I just read that somewhere else (about not letting someone pull on my winch cable). I’m hoping no damage was done because when they pulled, my RZR didn’t even move, the cable pulled off the winch very easily, I must’ve only had a tad bit still connected. I didn’t try that about hand turning the drum and trying to engage the lock at the same time, I’ll try that tomorrow, thanks for that tip!

 

[Highrider]

Yea, I just read that somewhere else (about not letting someone pull on my winch cable). I’m hoping no damage was done because when they pulled, my RZR didn’t even move, the cable pulled off the winch very easily, I must’ve only had a tad bit still connected. I didn’t try that about hand turning the drum and trying to engage the lock at the same time, I’ll try that tomorrow, thanks for that tip!

Only hope you didn't have the knob 1/2 way between free spool and engage.. could have easily stripped it .
If rope came off that easy you may be safe cause sometimes it makes a racket being 1/2 engaged and not - and pulling on the rope.

Try the free hand while you spool is empty now - you might have gotten away with it

 

[bedelliott]

Only hope you didn't have the knob 1/2 way between free spool and engage.. could have easily stripped it .
If rope came off that easy you may be safe cause sometimes it makes a racket being 1/2 engaged and not - and pulling on the rope.

Try the free hand while you spool is empty now - you might have gotten away with it

It was definitely turned all the way to the right (engaged) when he pulled on it. I’ll check tomorrow, hopefully I can get my hand up in there to try to turn the drum. I’ll keep you posted, I really appreciate your help…

 

[AZRIDER82146]

Hope you saved your reciept from HF. I know it’s a PITA; but it sounds like you need to return it and exchange it for a different winch.
If you are sure you had the knob turned all the way to engage, it should have engaged automatically and spooled the line without messing with it by hand.
Good luck.

 

[bedelliott]

It was definitely turned all the way to the right (engaged) when he pulled on it. I’ll check tomorrow, hopefully I can get my hand up in there to try to turn the drum. I’ll keep you posted, I really appreciate your help…

Hi again, When the winch is set to freespool I can turn the drum by hand, both directions, but when I turn it off freespool, to the right, I cannot turn it with my hand, either direction. Does this I’m ply something good?

 

[AZRIDER82146]

Can you hear the winch motor running When you press the switch? Either in or out?

 

[bedelliott]

Can you hear the winch motor running When you press the switch? Either in or out?

No, I just hear the clicks, maybe that’s the solenoid I hear? The motor doesn’t do anything. I checked all the connections and they all look brand-new. I just installed this a month ago and taped/covered all the connections really good, and they still look like when I did it. So strange…

 

[AZRIDER82146]

If the solenoid clicks but the winch doesn’t run………Either
A. The motor is no good
B. The solenoid is not sending power to the winch, even though it clicks
C. You have no power going to the solenoid, other than the trigger power.
D. You have some kind of open circuit betweeen solenoid and winch motor.
B and D could be related.
Yoiu need to make sure electric power is getting to all connections and proceed from there.

PS. When one has any kind of automotive electrical glitch……….
CHECK AND MAKE SURE ALL GROUND CONNECTIONS ARE GOOD!
About 99% of electircal issues are related to poor ground connections.

 

[bedelliott]

If the solenoid clicks but the winch doesn’t run………Either
A. The motor is no good
B. The solenoid is not sending power to the winch, even though it clicks
C. You have no power going to the solenoid, other than the trigger power.
D. You have some kind of open circuit betweeen solenoid and winch motor.
B and D could be related.
Yoiu need to make sure electric power is getting to all connections and proceed from there.

PS. When one has any kind of automotive electrical glitch……….
CHECK AND MAKE SURE ALL GROUND CONNECTIONS ARE GOOD!
About 99% of electircal issues are related to poor ground connections.

Thx, I’ll chk all that, ground is tight and clean though, and I used the ground that Polaris provides under the front hood, so that should be good I’d hope.

 

[AZRIDER82146]

Thx, I’ll chk all that, ground is tight and clean though, and I used the ground that Polaris provides under the front hood, so that should be good I’d hope.

I wouldn’t want to put any money on the factory connection being good. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t even put any money on it being connected to the battery unless your machine had a factory installed winch.
There needs to be cables the same size as the electric cables from the solenoid to the winch running from the battery to the junction block under the hood.

 

[bedelliott]

I wouldn’t want to put any money on the factory connection being good. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t even put any money on it being connected to the battery unless your machine had a factory installed winch.

I’ve used the winch just fine though, twice, as recently as 3 weeks ago, and I haven’t been through any mud or water ever, it all looks very clean under the hood.

 

[AZRIDER82146]

I’ve used the winch just fine though, twice, as recently as 3 weeks ago, and I haven’t been through any mud or water ever, it all looks very clean under the hood.

Go back to post #12. Take a DVOM and check for 12V power at all connections when you are pressing the button to run the winch.

 

[bedelliott]

Go back to post #12. Take a DVOM and check for 12V power at all connections when you are pressing the button to run the winch.

I’ll do that this weekend when I get back home, I appreciate your help!

 

[CrazyElecE]

Is there a fuse on the main power cable going to the contactor?

1st check the voltage between the red and black wires at the contactor

2nd if that is good check the voltage between yellow and blue while holding the winch control (in or out doesn't matter)

3rd if that is good do the same at the motor

If you can see the voltage at the motor, but it doesn't spin then you need to pull it.

 

[bedelliott]

Is there a fuse on the main power cable going to the contactor?

1st check the voltage between the red and black wires at the contactor

2nd if that is good check the voltage between yellow and blue while holding the winch control (in or out doesn't matter)

3rd if that is good do the same at the motor

If you can see the voltage at the motor, but it doesn't spin then you need to pull it.

Yes, there’s an inline fuse. By “contactor” I assume you mean the bus bar that Polaris provides, for people to get power from, under the hood, true? If that’s true, what’s the difference between your #2 and 3, aren’t you basically having me just test both ends of the same blue/yellow wires? Is that just to confirm the wires themselves are conducting the electricity properly?

 

[bedelliott]

Yes, there’s an inline fuse. By “contactor” I assume you mean the bus bar that Polaris provides, for people to get power from, under the hood, true? If that’s true, what’s the difference between your #2 and 3, aren’t you basically having me just test both ends of the same blue/yellow wires? Is that just to confirm the wires themselves are conducting the electricity properly?

And I’ll chk that fuse too, thx for that reminder. I should get to all this this weekend, road tripping home now from sand hollow - what an amazing place BTW!