WARN 9.5 XP HARD TO FREE SPOOL
- Thread starter mrchips
- Start date
Thirty-Nine
Explorer
I don't have the answer to this, but I know Warn will help you troubleshoot this kind of stuff for free. Their number is 800-543-9276.
Andy
Andy
Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
If it's not old and dirty then find a gentle slope and connect to a tree. Let the weight of the vehicle pull it out. Do it a few times. It will break it in if in needs it but no matter what you do some free spool better than others. I have a super winch and the same Warn as you. Both are stiff but the super winch is so stiff I only power out but that's not good to do on a Warn. Somthing to do with Warns break but maybe somebody can explain? Make sure you crisscross your winch line when you spool it as well so the line does not burry itself in the wraps. That also makes them hard to unspool. That Warn is under rated and it basically won't stop pulling untill something breaks. Be carfull with it.
How old is the winch? Is it hard to free spool no matter how many wraps are on the drum? Is this a constant problem or only after an actual recovery?
We had over 30 winches on school trucks and the older ones were always a little "finicky" to free spool. The winch gear box will also act like a truck drive-line and get all "tight" and "tensioned-up" after a hard pull. Get all but the last wrap on the drum and then see if it can be free-spooled from there easliy. If so, re-spool the winch all the way loosely and then free-spool it again quickly sometimes I've had to do this 2 or 3 times. After that re-spool correctly (with some tension) and see if that doesn't fix it. I've also seen many-a-student tighten up a safety thimble waaaaaaay too much against the fair lead and that can be hard to free spool.
We had over 30 winches on school trucks and the older ones were always a little "finicky" to free spool. The winch gear box will also act like a truck drive-line and get all "tight" and "tensioned-up" after a hard pull. Get all but the last wrap on the drum and then see if it can be free-spooled from there easliy. If so, re-spool the winch all the way loosely and then free-spool it again quickly sometimes I've had to do this 2 or 3 times. After that re-spool correctly (with some tension) and see if that doesn't fix it. I've also seen many-a-student tighten up a safety thimble waaaaaaay too much against the fair lead and that can be hard to free spool.
XJINTX
Explorer
Not a WARN but it's a know issue with XRC Smittybuilt winches. I just, this past weekend, took out the planetary gears, cleaned and regressed with new higher grade grease. It was hard to impossible to free spool before this. Now it free spools almost as easy as it did with gears out 
Was a messy job but easy... take good notes and pictures removing gears so you can reverse engineer I used Mineral spirits to clean and grease removed pretty easy.
Was a messy job but easy... take good notes and pictures removing gears so you can reverse engineer
I used Mineral spirits to clean and grease removed pretty easy.
XJINTX
Explorer
Mobil synthetic but I am sure any high quality industrial type would do. The stuff that was in mine was like paste or glue. Not sure if cheap or if heat broke it down. I had found this post http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-ge...-write-up.html
I Leak Oil
Expedition Leader
Does the 9.5XP have the cone, in drum brake? If so it may be gummed up or starting to rust a little. My XD9000i did this same thing.
soonenough
Explorer
Warn recommends Aeroshell 17 for the M8000, not sure if it's the same for the 9.5XP. Cheapest place I found it was www.AircraftSpruce.com.
Sorry don't know that info, appreciate the help, will take it apart and see what is going on
Thirty-Nine
Explorer
Yes, it does. All WARN truck winches use an in-drum cone brake. It could be possible the brake is simply dragging, I suppose.
- Andy