Winches & weather?
05-31-2012, 07:44 AM
#1
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Winches & weather?
I've seen some people with bags over their winches and some not. Is a bag necessary? Are they not weatherproof? I'm looking at the Warn VR8000 or the Smittybilt XRC.
05-31-2012, 08:07 AM
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i had a Smittybilt XRC8 winch on the front of my Jeep for almost a year. Never got around to getting a cover for it, though.
That winter, the salty sludge from the roads got into the solenoid box that was mounted on top of the winch, causing the wires for the remote to corrode. This let the winch spool backward one day while I was at work, snarling and kinking the steel line.
Plus, since Smittybilt doesn't use the strongest coating on the winch body, there is corrosion on the winch motor itself.
Now, my XRC8 is sitting on my worktable waiting for me to take the time to gut it and clean everything up before mounting it to the new Jeep and re-wiring everything. I'll also need to get a new winch cable, etc.
So, my advice is to cover the winch when not in use.....especially in the Northeast!
05-31-2012, 08:10 AM
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since PA is close enough to NY, let me tell you a little story.....
i had a Smittybilt XRC8 winch on the front of my Jeep for almost a year. Never got around to getting a cover for it, though.
That winter, the salty sludge from the roads got into the solenoid box that was mounted on top of the winch, causing the wires for the remote to corrode. This let the winch spool backward one day while I was at work, snarling and kinking the steel line.
Plus, since Smittybilt doesn't use the strongest coating on the winch body, there is corrosion on the winch motor itself.
Now, my XRC8 is sitting on my worktable waiting for me to take the time to gut it and clean everything up before mounting it to the new Jeep and re-wiring everything. I'll also need to get a new winch cable, etc.
So, my advice is to cover the winch when not in use.....especially in the Northeast!
i had a Smittybilt XRC8 winch on the front of my Jeep for almost a year. Never got around to getting a cover for it, though.
That winter, the salty sludge from the roads got into the solenoid box that was mounted on top of the winch, causing the wires for the remote to corrode. This let the winch spool backward one day while I was at work, snarling and kinking the steel line.
Plus, since Smittybilt doesn't use the strongest coating on the winch body, there is corrosion on the winch motor itself.
Now, my XRC8 is sitting on my worktable waiting for me to take the time to gut it and clean everything up before mounting it to the new Jeep and re-wiring everything. I'll also need to get a new winch cable, etc.
So, my advice is to cover the winch when not in use.....especially in the Northeast!
06-04-2012, 07:29 PM
#5
JK Junkie
As stated above synthetic rope is ruined by the sun so a cover can save your rope. I buy a neoprene cover every three years for 45. It's cheap insurance. Everything looks like new underneath.
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06-06-2012, 10:55 AM
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In my opinion, winches should not be covered. Reasoning is similar to the "to shock boot or not to shock boot" debate.
Let's take the example of a shock. A shock boot is meant to protect the rod from the elements supposedly extending the life of the shocks. However the problem is that even though is is shielded it is not completely resistant to the elements. Dirty water gets in and begins the corrosion process. Chemicals get in and wreak havor because they are sealed INSIDE the shock boot now and no amount of going to the car wash is going to get that out without removal of the boot. So what is the alternative? Simple, maintain and clean your shocks.
Same thing with a winch. Preventative maintenance goes a long way. A winch cover (even the best fitting of them) seals even less effectively than a shock boot. Road salts and chemicals get up in there and start doing their damage. Once again, it comes down to preventative maintenance.
When you first install a winch, do some little extras that aren't in the instructions. Coat electrical connections from the control box to the motor with battery anti-corrosion inhibitor. The spray or spread on stuff. Regular works well, marine works even better. If you're running steel cable, impregnate the line with a good penetrating oil. Do the same for your clutch release. You ever go to the parts store for a brake rotor or whatever other metal part and notice that it's in a plastic bag inside the box, but coated in oil? Same concept. It's there to prevent corrosion. Keep your winch clean and once the oil starts wearing off, throw some more to it.
If you're running synthetic rope, UV is not the biggest of concerns. Most synthetic ropes in use today for offroad were actually originally designed for marine applications... specifically, the offshore commercial fishing industry. Marine applications are exposed to a *lot* of sunlight! I know guys around here that have been running synthetic for over seven years and the rope is still going strong.
Let's take the example of a shock. A shock boot is meant to protect the rod from the elements supposedly extending the life of the shocks. However the problem is that even though is is shielded it is not completely resistant to the elements. Dirty water gets in and begins the corrosion process. Chemicals get in and wreak havor because they are sealed INSIDE the shock boot now and no amount of going to the car wash is going to get that out without removal of the boot. So what is the alternative? Simple, maintain and clean your shocks.
Same thing with a winch. Preventative maintenance goes a long way. A winch cover (even the best fitting of them) seals even less effectively than a shock boot. Road salts and chemicals get up in there and start doing their damage. Once again, it comes down to preventative maintenance.
When you first install a winch, do some little extras that aren't in the instructions. Coat electrical connections from the control box to the motor with battery anti-corrosion inhibitor. The spray or spread on stuff. Regular works well, marine works even better. If you're running steel cable, impregnate the line with a good penetrating oil. Do the same for your clutch release. You ever go to the parts store for a brake rotor or whatever other metal part and notice that it's in a plastic bag inside the box, but coated in oil? Same concept. It's there to prevent corrosion. Keep your winch clean and once the oil starts wearing off, throw some more to it.
If you're running synthetic rope, UV is not the biggest of concerns. Most synthetic ropes in use today for offroad were actually originally designed for marine applications... specifically, the offshore commercial fishing industry. Marine applications are exposed to a *lot* of sunlight! I know guys around here that have been running synthetic for over seven years and the rope is still going strong.
06-06-2012, 11:01 AM
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Cover it. I live near the beach and my first winch that was never covered rusted to shit. The winch I have now is always covered with a neoprene cover and no signs of rust at all. Plus with synthetic rope costing so much it's cheap insurance. Better safe than sorry!
