M925 Winch Questions

[FarmerLee]

I have a recently acquired M925A1 and am learning more about systems than I ever thought possible. Thus, I apologize in advance if this is a clueless or ignorant request for suggestions. The TMs are great, however I just ran across a problem I couldn't find an answer for. For the first time, I tried to get the winch to work. I do not have the level wind mechanism. The hydraulic is full up. I can get the drum lock off and the winch free-spools just fine. The clutch lever (the one on the winch), however, just will not move. The TM says pull the clutch lever "as far back as it will go." This might be my first problem, since the clutch lever is marked "In" (that is, toward the drivers side of the vehicle), and "Out" (that is towards the crew side of the vehicle) -- left and right, not from the engine to the tailgate. What do they mean by "back" ? If the hinge latch has any function, it stops the lever from moving towards the right when looking directly at it. Then I have my second problem. There's a plate on the winch that says "Do not force clutch lever to free clutch drum. Engage PTO in forward or reverse gear as required and slip engine clutch slightly." OK. I put the transmission into 1-5 and pull the PTO lever into full engage and tap/move the other lever between wind and unwind and nothing happens. The PTO lever doesn't have a forward or reverse, it just has engaged or not engaged. What is the engine clutch on a truck with an automatic transmission? If anyone has some suggestions for this rookie, I sure would appreciate it. I just lost about 200 trees over 50 acres to a tornado and that winch (which I thought I might never use) has all of a sudden become very valuable. Thanks folks.

 

[74M35A2]

The winch clutch lever only has 2 positions, and the hinge latch holds it in the disengaged position (toward passenger side of vehicle). If you are able to free spool your winch, then you should be able to move the clutch lever while doing so (move the spool) and hear/feel it lock in, as you move the clutch lever to the driver side. If so, you are half way there. The label is just telling you don't try to shift winch clutch to neutral/disengage with the winch under load, that's all.

The trans in 1-5 stops the internals and allows the PTO to engage, but it does not spin the pump. Once the engage lever drops in (you may need to pull forward one foot or so to get this to happen), you then need to put the trans back into "N" to spin the PTO shaft and pump. You may be able to hear a slight whine of the pump as it spools up and starts recirculating fluid. Winching is done with the truck in neutral. Don't run engine speed over 1800rpm while PTO pump is engaged, even if not using winch.

You talked about the drum lock, and seem to have that figured out. That is all there is to it. Some have had their direction control valve under the truck need spray lube to work correctly, but I am guessing that you are just not running the winch with the truck in neutral. The clutch lock lever doesn't move that far really. If the drum lock is pulled out, and you can't free-spin the winch drum, then the winch clutch is engaged and ready to rock as soon as the PTO pump is activated. 1-5 to engage, creep forward while engaging, followed by N to spin pump. You can disengage PTO pump while in N with no ill effects. Same as pulling a manual trans car into neutral without the clutch, as long as a load is not present. I strongly recommend opening the driver side windshield some if using another person down on the winch to help. You want instructions to be heard clearly. That winch will wind a person into a pretzel and then some. 20,000lbs worth.

 

[FarmerLee]

Thanks, 74M35A2. Much appreciated. Didn't know the part about pulling out cable while trying to engage winch clutch and I completely misunderstood the "do not force clutch" label.

 

[FarmerLee]

This is a follow-up on the preceding question. Once 74M35A2 straightened me out on the sequence of operation and the need to pull forward to get the PTO to engage, I still had a problem engaging the external winch clutch. It turns out that the winch handle has an embedded ball bearing in the nature of a ball and socket. The point is that when you move the clutch handle from the disengage concavity to the engage concavity, the ball bearing sinks into the socket (must be spring loaded) and then pops back out when you reach the engage concavity in order to hold the handle in engage. The socket on my winch was full of corrosion/crud and the ball bearing would not sink into the socket, thereby preventing the winch handle from being moved from disengage to engage. A thorough soaking with WD-40 flushed the socket without even having to take the winch handle off. Packed it with axle grease and haven't had a problem since. Thanks to all who helped.

 

[74M35A2]

That's called a detent.

 

[FarmerLee]

This is a follow-up on the preceding question. Once 74M35A2 straightened me out on the sequence of operation and the need to pull forward to get the PTO to engage, I still had a problem engaging the external winch clutch. It turns out that the winch handle has an embedded ball bearing in the nature of a ball and socket. The point is that when you move the clutch handle from the disengage concavity to the engage concavity, the ball bearing sinks into the socket (must be spring loaded) and then pops back out when you reach the engage concavity in order to hold the handle in engage. The socket on my winch was full of corrosion/crud and the ball bearing would not sink into the socket, thereby preventing the winch handle from being moved from disengage to engage. A thorough soaking with WD-40 flushed the socket without even having to take the winch handle off. Packed it with axle grease and haven't had a problem since. Thanks to all who helped.

 

[74M35A2]

Can you tell us that story again grandpa?

 

[Scar59]

Kind of like "Ground hog Day"