I noticed this on the last trip to Badlands and I am just now getting back to it. My M8000 will not free spool. The lever will not rotate 180 degrees like it is supposed to. I have worked with it and tried as hard as I can with just my hands. I have not used anything else on it as I am thinking that might break something important. I can power out and in. Everything sounds fine. It pulls fine. It is just a PITA to unspool under power!

Any suggestions short of removing it and digging into the warranty process??? It is less than a year old.

 

Have you tried shooting some oil in there to free it up?

 

I called Warn. Once they found out I was in Indiana and the closest warranty location is in Illinois, he recommended that I remove the end cap and check out the internal workings. He said if they sit without use for a long period of time, they can corrode and stick. He said to take it apart, hit it with some WD40 and scotch brite pads and see if that frees it up. He said opening it up would not void my warranty.

IMPORTANT TIP! He recommended that I shift to free spool and power in and out MONTHLY to keep things lubed up and working well inside there.

So I have my parts diagram and I get to tear into a winch this weekend! I always wondered what they look like inside...

 

Mine did the same after a few deep water adventures, I kept working it till it finally freed up then I put marine grease around the all the openings on that release bar and haven't had any problems since.

 

I will have to try that. Mine has been submerged a few times.

 

Well that was fun. I removed and disassembled my winch. What a MESS! When I opened the case, about an ounce of gravy looking nasty water drained out. The grease was like brown wax. Pretty much everything was rusty and nasty! So a few hours of degreasing, scraping, polishing with some scotch brite pads, it looked pretty good. So I test fit everything and shockingly it went back together (most things only fit one way). Took it all back apart and covered EVERYTHING with marine grease. Then reassembled and used some RTV on the seams to hopefully keep the water out this time. I kinda freaked out because I thought it wouldnt free spool! Turns out the new grease is just really thick so it takes a bit of effort to turn it now.

Tomorrow I will put it back on the Jeep.

 

Mine has had the same problem....looks like a get to dissemble....hope it fixes it. So far on my 2012 JKU it has served me well. I have pulled 2-3 other stock vehicles out...it did not pull out my 1991 on the frame though. Winch just stopped so it was over loaded. 8k is not really enough in my opinion but if the vehicle has power its enough to get out of a jam.

 

Snatch blocks my friend...double that pulling power.

 

 

+1. If you ever find yourself bored and at what you feel is the end of the internet, start looking up recovery techniques. Always good knowledge to store away in your medulla oblongata, and you might be surprised by some of the things you find. Every one with a winch should have a snatch block in their inventory.