How I Diagnose and Repair A Dead ATV Winch

[@RiderOfTree]

Spent 29 years working my a$$ off, and saved up for the home of my dreams! That’s when all the nickel and dimming started. You, sir, just saved me a bunch of money, renewed my belief in good people helping others, and taught me a valuable lesson about my new (used) equipment. Thank you!!!!

[@MyOldSled]

What a nice comment. Thanks for watching.

[@scottleppard288]

I'm thankful for your video. One click with pushing the winch switch and nothing happens. Checking connections and solenoid in the morning, thanks from New Hampshire!

[@MyOldSled]

Good luck!

[@delsnaturepics3581]

Thankyou,! the nuts and cables securing the hot leads to my winch looked perfect so I 'd never questioned them being the problem, a wire brush, a dab of dielectric grease, and I am back to plowing.

[@stevehobson1887]

Just put a winch on my Xmark mower in IL, with a switch to operate a snow blade. All worked great in garage. Worked well for 2 ydriveways, then appears to have started to bind up when I lifted it, would not go back down, as I may have gotten a chain link into the winding. Also I may remove 10-20 feet of cable from the winch so there is more clearance on the drum. will try to determine the problem when it gets a little warmer (was -10F) the last few days 12-2022. and will be in 50's next week! thanks for the video!

[@MyOldSled]

Yeah unspool it, lubricate it, spool it carefully, then try the things i checked in this video, good luck. Merry Christmas!

[@farmark457]

On my gator snow plow the winch cable was getting wrapped up too twisted so I let a few ft out and lubed the cable and also added a pulley to increase the pull. Worked great after and doesn’t dim the lights so bad when plowing at night. Although the last couple of yrs it’s not getting used much in Southern Ontario. Good video

[@MyOldSled]

I think I’m going to replace this winch and switch, but hopefully it gets me through winter

[@MyOldSled]

Stay tuned, I have had the sleds out! Getting colder, starting to see trails open up. Hopefully some riding content soon. In the meantime, I had to fix my ATV winch, so something to watch while we wait.

[@navedemor5056]

That's a good sign, we've had more trails open down here than you do up there which is weird

[@MyOldSled]

It's pretty common for where I am. Lake Huron and Georgian Bay seem to dump just to the south of where I am.

[@frankpagniello2254]

does pully on your cable reduce drag on winch

[@fullthrottleornothrottle9183]

Great video Dave keep up the great work!

[@MyOldSled]

Thanks for watching FTONT...and thank you for taking the time to comment. Really appreciate it.

[@waypastdone]

As always clean, clear and concise. Thanks!

[@MyOldSled]

Hi Darcy, thanks for watching.

[@bwj3456]

Terminals on my winch got loose, would work intermittently. Cleaned and tightness them up, it's all good now.

[@MyOldSled]

Good stuff. Beats replacing the winch

[@HeidiNJames]

Welcome back David. And the 360s at the beginning, You party animal, you bad boy You're a crazy son of a gun lmao

[@MyOldSled]

Hey HnJ! Getting any riding in?

[@HeidiNJames]

@@MyOldSled We personally haven't due to lack of snow, but others have been out. Soon I hope, thanks for asking.

[@johnfoster602]

The lights on the instrument panel were flickering and engine stalling when I'd slow down or stop to raise the blade. Then I went to do an oil change and the blade wouldn't go up or down. I tested the port to the solenoid whish was good. I checked the wires from the solenoid to the winch but had nothing. I ordered another solenoid and installed it. It's working fine now. I haven't been able to check about the flickering lights on the instrument panel or the stalling yet. I hope it's all good.

[@MyOldSled]

Sounds like a loose or corroded connection. Start checking wiring….good luck

[@upnorthvlogs]

I just put my plow on the wheeler and put new carbides on sled I’m hoping for some snow this year Minnesota

[@MyOldSled]

Good luck

[@upnorthvlogs]

@@MyOldSled same to you let’s do snow dance this year

[@avid1959]

Concise and to the point. Question. If you went straight to the winch with the volt meter and got the correct volts, would that essentially negate all of the previous steps?

[@MyOldSled]

Yes. In the video I am just going through the whole circuit.

[@LITTLEROCKSHORES]

Did you put some kind of corrosion inhibitor on those terminals after cleaning them? If not, you will get to do this activity again soon.

[@MyOldSled]

Hi Littlerock. Lithium grease. Thanks for watching!

[@eugenethorne5656]

Hello great video i have a question the bluee strap you have on your rack to run your cable through where did you get that? thanks for the video

[@MyOldSled]

Hi Eugene. Princess Auto…if you’re in the US, harbour freight maybe?

[@CountryBoy6969]

Great video, I believe I have the same issue, I hear the clicking from the relay and it worked before my four wheeler got stuck in a creek and the winch got submerged under water. I'm going to try to redo the connections and see if that works. Anybody have any tips for me?

[@truenorthmuskoka9077]

My winch cable was all twisted up and frayed from the previous owner. Not knowing the age of the winch I ended up replacing the entire winch with a new one that was on sale. Im curious about your setup. You have a pulley on yours. Mine is simply attached to the blade directly from the winch. I suspect your way has less force on the winch. You should do a video on that.

[@MyOldSled]

There you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bnbJfqGOo9KdZtU

[@truenorthmuskoka9077]

Thx Dave. Did you end up drilling that hole to move the pulley further out. Did that work out better.

[@MyOldSled]

No. Sometimes you just turn around and its next year already.

[@ArmedOutdoors]

Is there a video where you installed the winch? I have the same atv but no good place to install a winch

[@MyOldSled]

No sorry but it’s pretty simple a plate mounts to the frame. Msg me on Facebook and I can shoot you some pics when I get time

[@jedidiah5131]

I have power to my winch, I can hear it running when the out and in switch are used but the drum isn't turning and I can engage the free spool but I cant pull out any cable...Does anyone have any ideas before I pull it apart..I bought it used and didn't use it for a few months but it was working when plowing for the last few snowfalls..

[@MyOldSled]

Im guessing one of the gears in the gear train grenaded.

[@glenking3337]

When a winch is disconected from all wiring, should there be continuity between the two poles?

[@MyOldSled]

Yes

[@glenking3337]

@@MyOldSled thank you

[@MyOldSled]

Mmm actually wait I think I misread. There would be continuity through each winding but not just if you put your leads on the pos/neg lead. Google testing a motor you’ll find lots of info.

[@josephfjellgren8456]

awesome video, will trouble shoot my winch now, had 20 cm snow this night

[@wilrukakoski3441]

I’m not getting spark on my 1985 cougar 500 Is it possible to clean my coil?

[@MyOldSled]

I don’t know, but I would guess no. Its basically a transformer. When they go, its going be the windings inside are shot or shorting etc. Have a look, see if theres anything to can clean but other than connectors, I guess no. Are you sure its the coil? Have you tried unplugging your main harness to rule out a bad ground? Checked the stator etc..

[@maxyo54]

have the same issue with my winch, just bought a new solenoid, the body is plastic, the old one is metal that the ground is hooked to, how do I ground it using the new solenoid?

[@MyOldSled]

I would check with the manufacturer. Ive seen some that have a ground wire, but i wouldn’t want to steer you wrong

[@maxyo54]

@@MyOldSled thank you!!

[@viktor7495]

Can you do a quad riding video ?? Missing the content

[@jacksoncornish4051]

Great video Dave

[@MyOldSled]

Thanks Jackson. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@brandoexplorations9202]

Hi could you do a video on how to diagnose a sled that dosent stop running after key and tether have been removed i have been looking everywhere and still have not found anything about this subject i ran a new ground checked all my wirring and still cannot find the problem. Thankyou

[@brandoexplorations9202]

1996 mach 1 670

[@MyOldSled]

Ill think about how to create some content, i haven’t had that issue so I’ve never problem solved it. My guess is a bad wire or connection keeping it from grounding out. Electrical issues are a lot of trial and error.

[@MyOldSled]

Actually, thinking about this one, I have to be clear I'm not a sled technician, I'm a guy with a sled who likes to tinker. Your tether and kill switch are safety features, and need to be working properly so I don't want to steer you wrong. I know on my rev the kill switches are prone to fail. They get dirty and won't ground properly. I've never had this happen on my 670. If it was me I'd be checking each switch for continuity, checking the main wiring harness connection since both aren't working. Check the wires right from where they come out of the stator. Sorry I can't be more help. Check Doo talk, some really knowledgable guys there.

[@brandoexplorations9202]

@@MyOldSled allright thankyou

[@MyOldSled]

Lol. Omg guess what happened to me Brando?

[@rogersmith7860]

Thank you for video I think it is my winch one coming in mail did everything u mentioned in video so winch I think lol

[@coreysullivan7401]

Hi I gave my father in law aa Bost I fried my batter and now my winch won't work I have nothing no clicking when I hit the switch. I know it's not the winch it's self because I tested it with power to the winch and it worked fine. Any idea what's going on?

[@MyOldSled]

Everything about problem solving is in the video.

[@rebeccab.6178]

Hi I have a problem wuth my winch/solenoid can you help me

[@MyOldSled]

What’s up?

[@raymondburelle3425]

Trails finally opened up in my neck of the woods last Tuesday already got about 400km laid down this year

[@MyOldSled]

It looks like its starting to turn around a bit. I got out and played a bit to run out the cobwebs.

[@viktor7495]

What should I do if I lose steering

[@MyOldSled]

Can you be more specific? Are you asking about what to do when it happens or how to fix it? What do you mean lose steering? Do you mean the skis aren’t turning or you’re sliding around?

[@viktor7495]

@@MyOldSled if you are going down a trail and you're skies wouldn't turn what would you have done in this situation

[@MyOldSled]

Hmm. Never happened to me, but you do read it happens from time to time, bolts fail, parts brake. I'm no expert, but I can't think of a lot of options other than try to come to a stop as smoothly and safely as possible. Let off the throttle, apply brakes smoothly, don't shift my weight at all. Probably end up getting towed. What would you do?

[@viktor7495]

@@MyOldSled I ask because I had my handle bars brake off and no steering is sketchy so asking for the next guy

[@MyOldSled]

hehe, yep, no steering is sketchy. So what did you do?

[@strafto04]

This is exactly what I was looking for but you cruised through some of the steps of using the multimeter and I’m still somewhat lost. Oh well.

[@MyOldSled]

I’ll be doing a video on how to use a multimeter, this one is problem solving a winch.

[@viktor7495]

I have had this happen so many times I keep a rachet strap to raise the blade

[@MyOldSled]

That is a great idea Viktor.

[@MyOldSled]

I wish I'd thought of that when I was making this video.

[@allendorf82]

Just put a winch on my polaris an the solenoid just clicked I put power to the winch directly an it powered it both ways so I bought a new relay an it still just clicks currently looking for my volt meter lol

[@MyOldSled]

Then i would guess it must be the wiring between the solenoid and the winch.