DIY auto winch repair

In detail: do-it-yourself auto winch repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

  • We repair the electric winch ourselves
  • 1. The principle of operation of the electric winch
  • 2. Malfunction of the electric winch
  • 3. How to repair an electric winch yourself

Image - DIY auto winch repair

A winch for a motorist is an almost irreplaceable thing. This is especially true for those motorists who are used to driving not on highways and highways, but on off-road and mountains, those who like to overcome all kinds of obstacles and obstacles to achieve their goal. Thus, this device is intended for real men. However, many motorists who love this kind of extreme are afraid of winches.

Of course, they do not run away from a taut cable and are not afraid to use such a necessary mechanism, this is not the point here. The fear of a winch in a motorist arises at the moment when the winch ceases to function normally or completely ceases to function. Most of the car enthusiasts will seek help in such situations, which, of course, cannot but be upsetting. With all this, most of them do not even think that this kind of device can be repaired and brought into working order, if only in order to return to camp or continue the race.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

The main components of a standard automotive electric winch are: gearbox, main and auxiliary drum, starting equipment and the electric motor itself. The device of the main drum is the leading working element. The whole principle of operation of an electric winch boils down to the following: when the shaft rotates directly clockwise, the cam clutch will be activated, through which torque is transmitted through the gearbox to the main drum. Thus, the rope will be wound and the load will be lifted.

When the drum is directly rotated counterclockwise, it keeps the direction of its movement in the opposite direction, as a result of which the cam clutch device will be disconnected, and all contacts of the switch will close. During this kind of contact closure, voltage will be applied directly to an electric magnet - part of the auxiliary drum.

Under the influence of a magnet, the main drum clutch device will turn on, and rotation will be transmitted to the drum itself. An auxiliary cycle of twisting the main drum to the starting position will also take place. The main drum device will rotate under the influence of the auxiliary mechanism.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

If you do not take into account that there are many serious differences between mechanisms from different manufacturers, all the main details and layout of the vast majority of modern electric winches will be very similar. Like all other traction mechanisms, the winch will have two unequal parts. The mechanical part will consist of a motor, a gearbox and a shaft that connects them, a brake device, a drum with a cable and a housing.

The on-board network of the car, the control unit, the remote control and the electric motor will relate directly to the electrical part of the winch. Any of the above elements may fail. Nevertheless, if the motorist has at least a minimal idea of ​​their structure, then most of the faults will be very easily eliminated on their own, without the need to resort to the help of specialists.

Video (click to play).

So how can you identify a broken piece of machinery? For example, in the event that, due to the activation of the winding mode, the winch does not work, many motorists will assume that the electrical part has not worked. But at the same time, they will not check if the wires are connected to the battery, if it was accidentally planted. If everything is fine here, then it will be necessary to check the entire electrical circuit, and you should start directly from the remote control.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Regardless of the appearance of the console, it will be a low-current three-position switch to which three separate wires will be connected. Two wires will be routed to the contacts in the control unit to the power relay, and the third will supply "plus". If the switch is out of order, then the non-positive wire should be closed, one of the controllers, after which the work can be continued.

All radio consoles will have rather complex designs, nevertheless, even such a detail can be duplicated by means of a conventional remote control. In the absence of a tester, the operability of the remote control device is checked by closing the contacts in the located connector on the solenoid block. However, only two of the three contacts need to be closed. In order for the winch device to work in different modes, you just need to swap the contacts. In cases where the check of the control panel will show that it has a working state, it will be necessary to proceed with the power control unit.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Before the motorist starts work, you need to figure out how exactly you can connect the winch. It is important to do this without fail to study all the diagrams of its connection, after which it will be necessary to connect all the wires of the device in accordance with these diagrams. If the connection is to an electronic network, the voltage of which is 220 V, then three wires will be connected to the mounting block. If the connection is carried out to a three-phase network, then four wires will be connected.

In the event that the motorist has connected the winch, and its drum starts rotating in the wrong direction at all, the two extreme wires to which the "phase" is connected will need to be reversed. It is the correct connection that will play an important role in the normalized and reliable operation of the winch. Any motorist will be able to independently disassemble the connection diagram, if it did not work out, then you should contact a specialist.

Read also:  DIY tennis table repair

The electric winch will be powered from an alternating current network with a voltage of 380 V and 220 V. In addition, the equipment used can have 360 ​​V. It is the last winches that are most often used on cars, since other analogues cannot be connected to the vehicle's on-board network. After the motorist has figured out the principle of operation and with the winch device, you can proceed to the next stage of the description. Sometimes situations arise when the motorist needs to completely disassemble the winch for troubleshooting or cleaning.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Repair of an electric winch can be done by hand if the motorist knows exactly how to disassemble the device. Thus, the analysis of the apparatus will proceed as follows. First, it is necessary to disconnect the cable by unscrewing the retainer and the bolts of the tie rods directly on the gearbox. Further, the gearbox is disconnected from the housing.

In order to disassemble the gearbox itself, it is necessary to remove the brake cover. After that, you also need to remove the brake drive clutch. Standing on a bearing, it rotates with the shaft. Next, you need to remove the drive shaft and, using round-nose pliers, remove the brake shaft and brake drum. Next, you simply need to unscrew all the bolts of the gearbox and disconnect it.

It is important to note that all certified winches should not be disassembled and repaired by hand, but rather they should be handed over to a workshop. That's it, the disassembly is complete and now you can fix the damage that has arisen. After completing all the above work, the assembly will take place strictly in the reverse order. In addition, partial disassembly of the winch can be done in order to carry out preventive work: removal of dust, dirt, lubrication renewal. It is important to do this in accordance with the operating instructions for this unit, as this will allow you to use the device, avoiding all sorts of failures.

Using a car starter is the most popular and effective way to make a homemade winch. The device is distinguished by a powerful traction electric motor, the supply voltage of which is 12 volts. These characteristics make it possible to use the manufactured winch on an off-road vehicle. How is a do-it-yourself winch made from a starter, and what needs to be done for this?

The winch is the most demanded hoisting device. Its purpose is to move the load horizontally. Drivers of off-road vehicles need this mechanism first of all, since such vehicles are used to move on roads without asphalt coverage and urban comfort. Such conditions lead to the fact that the machine can get stuck in sand or mud, and will fail when climbing a hill. For such situations, SUVs are equipped with a winch on the front bumper, but if it is not there, you can do it yourself. How is a do-it-yourself winch made from a starter, and what recommendations should you follow?

Depending on the situation, different types of winches can be used, which differ in the energies driving the mechanism. The principle of operation in this case is the same - a steel cable is wound on a drum, which can be rotated manually or by means of a motor reducer. Both a factory and a home-made winch from a starter can be manual, hydraulic or electric. Let's consider them:

So, how to make a homemade winch, what restrictions need to be taken into account? Here they are:

  1. The automobile starter is started by means of a solenoid relay with a bendix. There is no need for a solenoid, but a contact starter will not be superfluous. This will provide more current to the contacts. It is better to leave the switching circuit as standard. The fixation of the bendix is ​​carried out by welding in the position of maximum adhesion, but, depending on the gearbox used, it can be removed from the solenoid relay.
  2. Starter operation cannot be continuous. But this does not mean that prolonged loads will lead to its immediate combustion. However, the motor housing will not provide sufficient cooling to the winding. Regular operation of the winch, taking into account long periods of operation, should provide the mechanism with additional cooling. Aluminum corners welded onto the body are suitable as cooling fins.
  3. It is allowed to independently manufacture a gearbox for a winch, but you can choose a suitable one from an electric tool, taking into account the required load.
  4. To prevent overheating, make sure that the supply wires are of large cross-section.

The following is a detailed instruction on how to make a winch with your own hands, using a starter from "Zhiguli". The choice of this starter is due to the fact that it is as compact as possible and has a high degree of reliability. An additional advantage is the ability to purchase it practically for a song in any spontaneous automotive market.

The long operational life of a home-made winch directly depends on the observance of the following conditions:

  • high-quality bearing lubrication;
  • reliable fixation of the mechanism on the foundation;
  • installation of chain pairs in one plane;
  • checking parts before starting;
  • watch the load and do not exceed the permissible limits;
  • control the movement of cargo;
  • do not touch the cable if it is under load;
  • watch the turns as the cable is wound around the drum.

A driver with basic car repair skills will be able to make a winch on his own and not worry about the vehicle's cross-country ability in off-road conditions. Use only proven and high-quality consumables, since the reliability of the mechanism and the duration of the winch's operating life directly depend on them.

Read also:  DIY apartment renovation studio

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Homemade winch from a starter: drawings of an electric winch, a photo of making a homemade product with your own hands.

For the manufacture of a home-made winch, the author used a starter from a VAZ 21015. The engine from a car starter is designed for short-term operation and quickly overheats, but it is quite suitable for making an electric winch.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

We also need a reduction gearbox from a perforator, you can find a gearbox on the flea market, in this homemade product the author took a gearbox from an old Soviet-made drill with a gear ratio of 1 x 20.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

The motor shaft must be connected to the gearbox shaft; this can be done using an adapter coupling and cotter pins, or simply welded by welding.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Now let's make a drum for the winch from a piece of metal tube and sheet metal - 3 mm thick.

A bolt is fixed in the pipe for fastening the cable.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Cut out two circles from the metal with a hole in the middle and weld them to the pipe.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

A gear with a shaft must be welded to the drum. In this homemade product, the gear shaft is taken from a decommissioned oil pipeline valve mechanism.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

The drum rotates on two bearings which are welded to the winch frame covers.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Drum with gear assembly.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Alternatively, you can take the drawings of the manual winch drum.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

To prevent the cable from flying off the drum, we weld the guide lug to the winch body.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Image - DIY auto winch repair

The gearbox is fixed on the winch frame, the author attached the gearbox using a pipe die for threading.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

We compare the gear of the gearbox shaft with the gear of the drum. Gear ratio 1 x 5.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Reverse connection diagram on the winch.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

We wind the cable onto the drum, the thickness of the cable is 6 - 10 mm.

Image - DIY auto winch repair

Advice! Do not connect the electric winch to the car battery with the engine off, the battery will be discharged in a few minutes.

Also, you cannot cling to a metal cable a car from which the electric winch is powered, as an option, you can use a fabric cable or redo the brush assembly on the electric motor, isolate the mass on the winch itself.

A homemade winch from the starter will calmly pull a passenger car out of the mud, including the UAZ "loaf".

Homemade author: Nikolay Evdokimov.

Interesting video: the author shows his homemade winch from the VAZ 21010 starter