Adding a winch

[21lucian21]

How easy is it to add a winch to an M35A2 that came without one?

 

[Mullaney]

How easy is it to add a winch to an M35A2 that came without one?

.
Depends on how much effort you want to put into the job. Finding a PTO is a good start. The plate on the side of the transmission is where that will live. After you get a PTO, some linkage to operate the new gearbox. Then a driveshaft, a set of bumper extensions and a winch. It is easy to do but it is hard work. Lots of bolts to remove and replace and a little grunting as you pick things up and put them in place... Also need to find a grille that has some additional protection for the radiator - if the winch cable breaks.


(pictures not to scale)

You might find an entire "take off" for sale in the classifieds. OR another option could be an electric winch. It really depends on your need for "period accuracy" or maybe what you might want to use the winch for. Is it to recover the truck - or maybe to pull a pal with a jeep out of the muck?

Found a PTO in the classifieds:

MD - Deuce PTO

Deuce PTO. Nice shape. All ranges work. $300 plus shipping & insurance or local pickup in/near Jarrettsville, MD.

www.steelsoldiers.com

 

[G744]

Nuts, bolts, the parts, and busted knuckles is all you need.

DDG

 

[21lucian21]

Thank you guys!

 

[Karl kostman]

I did exactly what your asking about and the frame extensions are easy the PTO may need to be shimmed depending on what mesh pattern you get when you install the PTO. Then its running the lever up into the cab with a little bit of linkage and the drive shaft from the PTO to the winch, its all pretty easy but your going to need something to lift the winch assembly into place, and I would also give the winch a very good cleaning and even partial disassembly to make sure the insides are at least relatively clean. These winches are notorious for leaking, I am not saying a lot but they will definitely weep a bit. I used Cornhead grease in my winch and that eliminated at least 90% of the weeping. Dont be scared of mounting the winch its actually pretty fun and sure makes your truck more capable!

 

[cl-bike]

Morning, also thinking about adding a winch to my M35A2, and would very much appreciate the experts' opinions on an electric one which seems to be simpler to implement. I am looking for something that would be able to pull another M35 or large truck, if stuck in sand. I have read several threads discussing pros-cons of electric vs PTO, but nothing conclusive about successful electric implementations.

Many thanks !

HT

 

[BKubu]

The most difficult part for me was getting the bolt holes to align after the winch with frame extensions was in the frame. I had a h*** of a time getting the last few bolts into the bumper. I got it done, though.

 

[Mullaney]

Morning, also thinking about adding a winch to my M35A2, and would very much appreciate the experts' opinions on an electric one which seems to be simpler to implement. I am looking for something that would be able to pull another M35 or large truck, if stuck in sand. I have read several threads discussing pros-cons of electric vs PTO, but nothing conclusive about successful electric implementations.

Many thanks !

HT

.
It might be worth searching for a Warn 18k 24v Electric winch.
They were used on MRAPs and frequently show up on GovPlanet.

One of the guys with a M1078 recently installed a 17,500# electric winch on his truck. A member named @chucky built the front "pocket" for it to live in as well as a cover to help protect it from the elements. Good guy, willing to offer ideas and definitely worth a looking at his posts about the install. Link below:

CHUCKY'S TREE HOUSE !

. Yeah! That might be more fun! Depends on how big the platform is... Might have to install an exercise pole too... And then we both go to cuomo jail :-( [/QUO I see you have played this game before ! Nothing better than helping naked beggars pay their car note and go camping at the same...

www.steelsoldiers.com

BIG THING to remember is that no matter electric or mechanical off a PTO, using a snatch block will make it do more than a straight pull. And, you need a set of "winch blankets" so if something goes wrong there is a lesser chance of a broken cable doing damage. Search for that term on YouTube to educate yourself a little on winch safety.

----

The PTO powered winch will work if the truck will run. It will do more and the drum is larger.

 

[7bdiver]

I was going to try to do a winch this summer, but dang, not the best of times to spend much money. Plus I need 395's for the truck at some point. Maybe next year for those. Takes a hundred thirty bucks to fill up my stupid dodge these days. Anyway...

I've winched myself away from sliding off the road on a hairpin turn up in the mountains in the snow a few times. Would have been screwed without it. Not sure what Id've been able to do if I already gone over the edge. front winch isnt much use a that point. That leads me to consider doing a central mounted winch for my deuce. I remember a while back watching a video of someone that had a winch mounted on the side of the frame on their rig. Might've been Heavy-D-Sparks HEMTT.

On my truck, I'd probably mount it to the side of the frame right where the spare tire goes. can't fit a 395 tire in there anyway, and it'd be wide open. I was looking at the 25000lb Sherp winch (electric). I'd run the cable through a fairlead to a snatch block at the front and then double back to the rear of the truck to another fairlead and hook. That way you would have double the pull force at the front, and normal at the rear. Or vice versa. Wouldn't be hard to change the configuration in the field if you had to. Keep in mind, the doubled side would be super slow and have a much shorter length of cable reach. If need be as well, you could still run it straight shot front or back by eliminating a block. I could easily make fairleads that pop open for whatever change you want to make.

My main worry, is with that size of winch, if I really used it's potential, could I bend the frame with that size winch? The fairleads would likely end up somewhere around 20 " off center at the bumpers, but very close to in-line with that chassis member. I could go with a cheaper 12k, but I'd rather keep the fatter cable. I'm pretty sure if a deuce gets stuck in a bad spot, it's gonna be good and stuck.

I don't really want to do a hitch style mount with a 12K that I can just move from front to back, but it's not that bad of an alternative idea. It's just a long ass way to run battery cables to the back of the truck. I'd still use a snatch block that I could double back if I really needed that extra strength. Mounting it on the side of the frame would be novel, and I kind of like trying out new things. well... no, not those kind of new things. Lets just keep this truck-related.

Anyone do anything unorthodox, or have any neato thoughts?

 

[Mullaney]

I was going to try to do a winch this summer, but dang, not the best of times to spend much money. Plus I need 395's for the truck at some point. Maybe next year for those. Takes a hundred thirty bucks to fill up my stupid dodge these days. Anyway...

I've winched myself away from sliding off the road on a hairpin turn up in the mountains in the snow a few times. Would have been screwed without it. Not sure what Id've been able to do if I already gone over the edge. front winch isnt much use a that point. That leads me to consider doing a central mounted winch for my deuce. I remember a while back watching a video of someone that had a winch mounted on the side of the frame on their rig. Might've been Heavy-D-Sparks HEMTT.

On my truck, I'd probably mount it to the side of the frame right where the spare tire goes. can't fit a 395 tire in there anyway, and it'd be wide open. I was looking at the 25000lb Sherp winch (electric). I'd run the cable through a fairlead to a snatch block at the front and then double back to the rear of the truck to another fairlead and hook. That way you would have double the pull force at the front, and normal at the rear. Or vice versa. Wouldn't be hard to change the configuration in the field if you had to. Keep in mind, the doubled side would be super slow and have a much shorter length of cable reach. If need be as well, you could still run it straight shot front or back by eliminating a block. I could easily make fairleads that pop open for whatever change you want to make.

My main worry, is with that size of winch, if I really used it's potential, could I bend the frame with that size winch? The fairleads would likely end up somewhere around 20 " off center at the bumpers, but very close to in-line with that chassis member. I could go with a cheaper 12k, but I'd rather keep the fatter cable. I'm pretty sure if a deuce gets stuck in a bad spot, it's gonna be good and stuck.

I don't really want to do a hitch style mount with a 12K that I can just move from front to back, but it's not that bad of an alternative idea. It's just a long ass way to run battery cables to the back of the truck. I'd still use a snatch block that I could double back if I really needed that extra strength. Mounting it on the side of the frame would be novel, and I kind of like trying out new things. well... no, not those kind of new things. Lets just keep this truck-related.

Anyone do anything unorthodox, or have any neato thoughts?

.
What about hydraulics? The M107X and 108X trucks have a side mounted winch that is hydraulic powered. In this case, and electric switch turns on the pump and a second switch powers the cable in and cable out functions.

I have seen them in the Classifieds Section.

 

[7bdiver]

I was considering hydraulic, especially now that I have a hydraulic pump on the engine now, and also do a backup electric pump. But idk, that'd get real expensive real quick. Just the hydraulic winches for those for sale? Hmmm, I'll have to look.

 

[ToddJK]

I think the easiest and cheapest solution to mounting a winch anywhere else other than the front would be an electric winch. You could do a 24v or a 12 v with the correct accessories. I bought the cheapest winch off Amazon, Zeak, and I use the crap out of it. Had it for 2 years now and it works great. It's only a 10k# winch, but it worka for my pick up. Most will suggest WARN, but there's quite a few good winches on the market. If anything, it's the rating that will be a big consideration.

 

[G744]

The Harbor Freight 12K winch is very strong, if you use real copper cables for it (they come with plated aluminum wire).

The problem with all planetary gear winches is the holding brake, located inside the drum axle.

They wear out fast if you use it to pay out under load a lot, like pulling a deep well and then reinstalling same. A single use on a new one, and it won't hold even a 1,000lb load the next time.

It is still a bargain, just buying a new one vs paying some guy $15K to do the job.

No biggie on a straight recovery, but something on a steep ramp can be a real surprise if you stop pulling and the load slips backwards.

DG

 

[7bdiver]

That's the winch I had for a while before selling the rig it was on. I used it to pull down a pine tree once by running the cable pretty high up the tree and then slamming it in 4wd reverse till the front wheels came off the ground, repeatedly. I had cut all the main roots out down low and wanted the stump out instead of just cutting it down. Still took quite a bit to finish off that tap root tho. They're worth the money for sure, but I found they get pretty crusty after a few years. I was thinking of shelling out for the big Sherp based almost solely on the duty cycle. Sadly, that is the number one weakness on the HF, otherwise I'd probly do one again.

 

[G744]

That is when a 5-ton really comes in handy!

They are really good at the "Come with me" jobs.

Dennis