A Leaking Winch!

When I bought my truck I envisioned myself being the rescuer of in my town of Leesburg, where I roamed the 2 foot snow covered roads pulling hapless Ford Focuses from the ditches with my winch and 10 wheel drive M35 in perfect Ted Nugent style.

Well, near zero snowfall so far this year but keeping with my new found Knighthood I did have the winch operational just for the sake of learning how to use it the other day. I pulled a fallen tree up a hill about 50 feet.

Easier to use than I thought it would be and I was surprised that it is a perfectly safe operation so long as there are two people doing it. But I digress as none of this is my point...

Now there is a 3 inch pool of gear oil exactly beneath where the driveshaft u-joint enters the winch. I am now going to order a winch seal kit and fix it. All of you here on the board make these repairs seam easy and I have the utmost respect for the persons here that state that there was a noise in the xmission so I took it out and fixed it as if there is only one bolt needed to accomplish this monumental task.

I will report when I finish this minor of things comfortably knowing that all of you have my back. Steel Soldiers rock.

Thank you.

If you're mechanically inclined things are comparatively easy on these vehicle. It's when things get overheated, jammed, broken due to lack of service or attention that repairs "go sideways".

Now if you didn't notice this or just shrugged it off it could have failed at the most inopportune time and cost $$$$$$!

Just remember if it looks heavy, its heavier!

Good luck on the rebuild.

I have been rehabbing a couple winches lately and have ordered seals and gaskets from White Owl, and found George there to be very helpful. That is my best recommendation.

Also if you get stuck this fellow Gringeltoes or Greentuber or something like that will be along to not only provide the stock answer but also three ways to improve on it with schematics, CAD drawings and prototypes. (no disrespect on the name I just don't remember the exact spelling so it's funnier to be funny).

The gentleman's screen name is gringeltaube

Not to hijack the thread - is it even worth it to try and reseal the winch for occasional use? Mine leaks, as do most other winches, and I was thinking of just using cornhead grease in it, or even thick Lucas gear oil.
I did read several winch rebuild posts and recurring leaking after rebuild is a statement I have seen a few times.

I bought my seals and bearings at autozone and napa.

If it is leaking where the driveshaft hooks to the winch , remove driveshaft and yoke. Then remove (4) 3/4 bolts , remove the cover you just unbolted ,drive out seal , I use trans gel on the back side of the seal to prevent the spring from being knocked out . Drive in new seal
Then add sealer or new gasket (or make one) reinstall and bolt it . Tim

misupratwin said:

If it is leaking where the driveshaft hooks to the winch , remove driveshaft and yoke. Then remove (4) 3/4 bolts , remove the cover you just unbolted ,drive out seal , I use trans gel on the back side of the seal to prevent the spring from being knocked out . Drive in new seal
Then add sealer or new gasket (or make one) reinstall and bolt it . Tim

Click to expand...

True. There's really no reason to rebuild the whole winch if it's only leaking on the input and there are no other problems.

I've been running corn head grease in mine ever since the rebuild about a year ago. It will help on leaks. I say help because if you've got a good leak the corn head grease will still seep out some. It just won't leak as bad.

Are you guys trying to tell me there is sopposed to be oil in my winch?

O.D. Fever said:

Are you guys trying to tell me there is sopposed to be oil in my winch?

Click to expand...

Well one for sure way to get it to quit leaking is to drain all the oil out.

misupratwin said:

........ Then add sealer or new gasket (or make one) reinstall and bolt it . Tim

Click to expand...

The way you put it maybe a bit confusing....

Just to clarify: this is one of the places where a gasket acts as shim also, in this case to adjust (and ensure minimum)axial play of the wormshaft assy.
If the gasket was eliminated by using sealer only the bearings may bind and self destruct relatively quick.

Also, those threaded holes go all the way through the housing. Plenty of sealer should be applied to the bolt threads; otherwise that area won't stay dry!

G.

Thank you for correcting me Mr G. I should have said to add sealer to old gasket (it was what i meant)

The top box was the input seal (napa) next is the bearing (autozone) last winch drum seal

Sorry, never intended as "correction".....
I know you know, but the newbies.......!?

Actually in this case, re-using the old gasket (dry after degrease) and applying sealer to both faces is a good procedure.

Although, I really don't like paper gaskets at all and try to eliminate them wherever I can.....
No big deal here, machining the bearing retaining plate accordingly and using Loctite 518 sealer, ONLY.


G.

When I service my Wench, she always leaks.