tigerz11 winch issue

[Dan_86]

Ok before this turns into a "you get what you pay for" scenario. Im on a budget. So if thats all your going to say, piss off and waste your time telling your dog or someone else.

Now for the people who are more serious, I have just bought a tigerz11 12000lb hercules winch. Went to fit it today, and noticed the free spool lever is really difficult to get to engage. its not stiff, it is just extremely difficult to get it to line up. you have to turn the drum back and forward while trying the lever it seems it just wont mesh with the gearbox. I decided to pull the gearbox off and see if there was any obvious issues, but when its not attached the the drum it works perfect. and of course i found this out 10 minutes after the shop had shut. not looking forward to driving 3hrs back to brisbane to take it back. but if its a warranty issue i guess i will have to, and i might upgrade to the grande whie im there.

Anyone have any ideas as to what it could be??

 

[robmacca]

Not sure what it can be but most people recommend b4 installing this cheaper style winches to pull them apart and clean and replace the grease with some better grade grease..... I'm yet to mine but I guess I will have to at some stage.....

 

[nathand22]

Have you tried to run it to unspool it?
from what i have been told they like to run for a little bit before you nock them out of gear and use the free spool, something to do with letting the grease ect work through and warm up a little almost like running it in.

 

[Geoff3DMN]

I've got a 12000lb Hercules winch on mine and my winch does exactly the same thing unless it's warm.

My is really only fitted for emergencies so doesn't get much use so it's something I can live with given the price I paid for the winch.

 

[Mahooody]

if its similar to the warn low mount gear boxes then if there is thick sticky grease in the freespool then you will have trouble.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I have the same winch and mine does the same thing. I just put it down to being new and needing to wear itself in a little .

 

[4x4 ST-R]

We have winches on most of our vehicles at work, some of them are hard to engage too. We find the best way to engage the gear after being in free spool is to - slowly pull outward on the winch cable/rope, the the same time pushing on the clutch lever, this way the gearing will align and then it's just up to u to fully engage it.

 

[Krankin]

recommend to pull them apart and clean and replace the grease with some better grade grease.....

DO this regardless of brand!

 

[Krankin]

Mine is not a tiger, but still needs to have the spool rocked to engage gear...they dont have synchromesh and being new...this is what happens.

 

[ben85]

yeah mate i think this is normal, ive got the tigerz hercules winch and its exactly the same, doesnt bother me as long as it pulls.

 

[ttt87]

So what type of grease would people recomend to replace the standard. I was about to fit mine up until i read this thread

 

[Mahooody]

In all the winches I have serviced ad rebuild I have used castrol high temp bearing grease and a real light liquid oil in the free spool otherwise the free spool is sticky and hard to use with a thick grease