www.britpart.comsales@britpart.com September 2017 LRO 137

Britpart, The Grove, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 8DA, England

Goodwinch shows us how to breathe fresh life into a well-used winch Electric winch refurbish

The Experts David Bowyer and Trevor Packham David Bowyer owns Goodwinch, and has been involved with Land Rovers and winching for decades, even launching the UK’s first 4x4 magazine back in 1982.

Trevor Packham is carrying out the work on our TDS. He has years of experience rebuilding winches, and also helps David run the Goodwinch stand at shows all over the UK.

How to

HOW MUCH?l £120, plus carriage and any extra parts needed

HOW LONG?Four hours

HOW HARD?

Tools and kit usedn Spanner set n Allen keys n Screwdrivers n Plastic mallet n Circlip pliers n Parts cleaner n Brush

Safety advicen Disconnect the battery before removing the winch, and take care when lifting.

Winches are, without doubt, high up on most of our wish lists as Land Rover owners. Whether

used for work or play, having a winch on the front (or rear) of the vehicle makes it even more versatile, from dragging heavy objects around to recovering others, or yourself, from a sticky situation. As with any mechanical component, however, they must be maintained and kept serviced.

The mag’s long-suffering Defender 90 has had a Goodwinch TDS Goldfish fitted for some years now, and in that time it’s not

had an easy life. Between spells of being battered by the elements (we should really fit a cover...), it’s been fully submerged in the silty ponds of Tixover and Yarwell quarries, sustained blows from branches, covered in mud, and used in anger more times than we care to remember – but it still works perfectly whenever it’s asked.

Having subjected it to such abuse, we’ve loaded it up and headed to sunny Devon to see David Bowyer and his team to see what goes into servicing a winch, diagnosing problems and improving performance –

and we expect to pick up some valuable pointers along the way.

Undo earth wires

1 The first job is to undo the 13mm setscrew that secures the earth wires to the base of the motor.

A poor motor earth, caused by vibration or corrosion, is one of the most common causes of poor winch performance, so check this first if the motor is sluggish.

Disconnect electrics

3 There are four large electrical connections on the solenoid pack which feed in power from the

battery, then out to the posts on the motor. Undo the screws and nuts holding on the power bars, then wiggle off the three colour-coded spade connectors.

Remove solenoid cover

2 Undo the four screws holding the plastic cover on to the solenoid housing. This will be different to

a bridge-type TDS, as the solenoids are built into a housing between the drum supports. Lift off the cover, and place the screws somewhere safe.

Remove solenoid pack

4 Undo the two M5 nuts (8mm socket) that keep the solenoids secured down to the metal base

plate, then lift them off and out of the way. Clean out the heads on the four screws, then undo them to separate the base plate from the solenoid pack tub.

Slide motor away

7 Undo the two 11mm-headed long bolts that pass through the motor’s end cap and body, then

thread into the drum support. The motor is a snug fit in the housing and may need a wiggle to come free; when released, place the rest of the winch to one side.

Release lower housing

5 Two large hose clamps fix the solenoid housing and base plate to the top of the motor. Slacken

them until they are completely undone, then thread the clamp ends through the slots in the plastic housing and metal platform and remove from the motor.

Take off power bars

6 Now, the other end of the ‘buzz’ bars can be disconnected from the motor, along with the

motor’s armature cable. Trevor holds the stud steady with a spanner on the lower nut, then cracks off the upper one. The bars will be replaced on reassembly.

Pull brush assembly

9 The TDS uses a pre-built motor brush assembly, saving the need to replace them individually.

Three screws hold the brush pack on to posts on the motor, which also secure the brushes’ pigtail wires. Undo them and slide the pack off the commutator.

Remove end cap

8 In order to access the motor’s brushes, the end cap must be separated from the main body.

Trevor taps the end of the motor shaft with a plastic mallet, and the cap is gradually driven off the body, before being removed completely.

Trevor Packham services several winches a week

winch moTor

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Britpart, The Grove, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 8DA, England

How to

Shaft and adaptor

10 Back to the winch assembly, the driveshaft and motor coupling can be slid from the inside of the

drum. The cylindrical adaptor transmits drive from the motor shaft to the hex end of the main shaft; withdraw both parts, along with the bearing in the drum support.

Release circlip

19 Work can begin on the conical brake assembly. Trevor removes the two circlips on the end of the

splined shaft, which holds the two metal pieces responsible for actuating the brake. There’s a spring behind the cams, so beware when releasing the clip.

Freespool off

12 To remove the winch drum’s freespool lever and mechanism, first slacken off the grubscrew from

inside the housing. When the screw’s backed off a few turns, tap the freespool lever anticlockwise to loosen it, then spin it out of the threaded boss completely.

Pull old pads out

21 There are six separate pads that fit tightly inside the gearbox housing to form one large friction

surface. Trevor uses a pick to wiggle the first one free; the other five are easily removed once the tension on them is relieved. We’ll be fitting new pads.

Unscrew gearbox cap

11 Moving to the other end of the winch, undo the three socket-head screws securing the gearbox

end cap to the freespool housing. Give it a tap to break the seal, then remove it. Check the gearbox end bearing for smooth operation.

Withdraw brake parts

20 The outer cam piece can now be slid off the gearbox shaft, followed by the inner cam and

tapered brake ring part. Note where the spring pokes through the body of the inner ring, and the recess into which it must sit when it all goes back together.

Release drive coupling

13 The machined drive cup can be slid off the end of the gearbox shaft. This applies the brake when

needed – its teeth should be checked for wear when rebuilding, and the lugs on the brake pawl should be correctly aligned otherwise the brake will jam on.

Unbolt tie bars

22 With both ends of the winch stripped, the drum supports can be unbolted from the two tie bars.

The bars have flats ground on to them so they can be held still with a 14mm spanner. An 8mm Allen driver is used to loosen the set screws before the bars are lifted.

Withdraw thrust washer

16 The second and third gearsets are separated by a large white nylon washer, which helps keep

grease packed into each assembly and stops surfaces of the gears from touching. It’s an interference fit in the third ring gear, so can take a bit of persuasion to move.

Peel away seals

25 Next, the two V-ring seals can be pulled out of each drum support. These are stretched into

place, which makes them easy to remove but tricky to refit. The old seals are removed and thrown away, and all the separate parts are then inspected for damage.

Third set and ring gear

17 With the big white nylon washer out of the way, the third and final planetary gearset can be slid

out, followed by its outer ring gear. The third ring gear is an even tighter fit in the drum support than the motor, and needs a good few taps with the mallet.

Remove gearbox housing

14 The nine long screws can now be unwound from the gearbox casing and removed, the freespool

housing and gearbox end slid away, and the first gearset removed from inside. The brake is housed in this assembly, which will be stripped out for new parts.

Separate drum supports

23 The drum supports can be slid off the end of the winch drum. The seals have been doing a very

good job, as the grease inside the supports is nice and clean. This particular winch has a larger-than-standard drum, hence the spacers below the supports.

Second carrier out

15 With the freespool and gearbox casing removed, the second set of planetary gears can be slid out.

The grease looks dirty, but it’s still providing lubrication and Trevor assures us its colour is typical of a winch that’s seen fairly occasional but hard off-road use.

Tap out drum bushings

24 The drum spins on two large Nylatron bushes pressed into the supports. They have relief slots,

so it doesn’t take much tapping with a hammer and punch to remove them. The material used means they rarely wear, but we’ll be replacing them anyway.

Remove freespool gear

18 Working back outwards through the bits he’s just removed, Trevor slides the outer freespool gear

out of the freespool housing. Here, the holes into which the freespool lever’s pegs slot are visible – these must be correctly aligned with the lever when reassembling.

Deep clean!

26 All the disassembled bits and pieces are then placed into the Goodwinch workshop parts

washer, thoroughly doused in cleansing solvent and left for a while. Trevor then uses a soft brush to

loosen up any baked-on dirt and grease, as well as removing any traces of old gasket and sealant. When completely clean, the pieces are removed and dried ready to go back together.

GEarBox

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Britpart, The Grove, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 8DA, England

How to

Begin assembly

27 Trevor seats the new V-ring seals and installs the new Nylatron drum bushes to the supports. He

applies grease to the ends of the drum and fits the supports before joining the three components with new stainless steel tie-bars and checking the drum rotates.

Battery connections

36 If you’re using your winch in competitions or doing heavy recoveries, any weak spots in your

power supply will show up. Make sure the cables are attached firmly to the clamps, that the terminals are clean, and battery and alternator are in top condition.

New brake pads

29 A new set of brake pads is then slotted into place in the end of the freespool housing. It’s

important that they are pushed all the way home and sit flush around the circumference, or the brake won’t release properly and it may bind.

Isolate the problem

38 If your winch has stopped and the main feed and earth are OK have a look at the solenoids.

Bridge each outer solenoid tab to the positive post in turn. If the winch runs, the solenoid pack is OK, and there must be a problem with the controller.

Refit the gearbox

28 With the winch stood on its end, the three sets of gears can be stacked up and lubricated with

some, but not loads of, lithium grease. A new paper gasket is installed, then the third ring gear and freespool housings can be refitted and tightened down.

Earth issues

37 Many issues with winches on Land Rovers are easily traced to a poor earth. Vibration from a

diesel engine can loosen off the earth bolt, so make sure it’s kept tight, and give the motor can a good clean with some emery cloth when servicing your winch.

Refit brake and coupling

30 The inner brake cone can be located on the spring, and the outer cam slotted on to the

gearbox shaft. The main driveshaft and coupling can be re-installed, drive cup and bearing pushed over the top and freespool lever and gearbox end cap screwed on.

Test the remote

39 A multimeter can be used to check the operation of the winch remote, by testing for continuity

between the feed pin and the winch in/out pins while the switch is operated. Of course, if you know someone who has a TDS, borrow their remote and give it a try.

Buzz bars and platform

33 Three new power bars are attached to the motor, and the metal platform and plastic lower case

dropped into place before being secured with two new hose clamps. The solenoid posts’ threads are cleaned, and two new nuts prepared for fitment.

A freer freespool

42 The TDS freespool should be smooth, so the rope comes off the drum with minimal effort. If it’s

becoming stiff, remove the handle and pour a teaspoon of 3 in 1 into the mechanism, before refitting it. The oil is thin enough to lube the gear without gumming it up.

Refit the solenoids

34 Our solenoid is in rude health. It is lowered on to the mounting platform and secured, and the

power bars connected and tightened. The spade connectors from the remote control’s plug are slid on to their tabs, and the upper case is refitted.

Use it!

43 However you use your winch and regardless of how often you use it, keeping it maintained

is a must – be sure to keep on top of it and it will repay you with years of smooth and faithful service.

If it sees only occasional use, spool off a few feet of rope and wind it back on every few weeks to keep the gears lubricated and to stop the motor’s brushes from sticking. Happy winching!

Replace motor brushes

31 The motor’s brush contact posts are unscrewed from the can and given a thorough sanding, along

with the commutator surface. They are refitted and the new brush pack slid in and secured, and the retaining ties cut to allow the brushes to push on the comm.

Motor methods

40 If working, a series-wound motor will always spin in both directions. If faulting, suspect a

worn brush pack first, before ensuring that there is no continuity between the F1 and F2 terminals (shaft end) and A terminal (brush end) with the comm removed.

Seal the motor cap

32 The motor is slotted into its housing in the drum support, making sure the locating peg and motor

shaft line up. Trevor lubricates the end cap’s O-ring and runs a bead of RTV sealant around the body. Two long bolts are tightened to clamp the motor into place.

Field fix

41 If your Land Rover is stuck, and you’re unfortunate enough to experience solenoid failure, the motor

can be run by bridging the F1 or F2 terminal to the armature terminal and using the isolator switch for control. This trick is for emergency situations only.

Bench test

35 Trevor’s workbench has a battery rig and isolator switch installed, so the main feed and earth are

connected and the functions tested. The winch is quieter than before, and the freespool operation Is smooth, with the drum spinning freely in its supports.

FaulT-FinDinGrEaSSEmBly