Winch quit pulling, mid-pull

Montanaorbust · Post by **Montanaorbust** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:27 am

A week or so ago, i was using the winch on the m37. It was under a normal load and stopped pulling.. The drive shaft is still turning. just not catching the gear anymore, or something. What could i do for troubleshooting? I dont even know where to start. Am i going to have to take it off for a better inspection?

cuz · Post by **cuz** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:27 am

I've never fooled with the M37 winch but I'd check the manual and see if it has a shear pin.

Chunk · Post by **Chunk** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 7:40 am

Check the shear pin on the front u joint where it connects to the winch input shaft.

Post by **Cal_Gary** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 5:41 am

Shear pin likely, for that very reason: to break before you do serious damage internally! That's why bolts, rods, and other hacker pieces shouldn't be used. Use the proper shear pin, and for extreme loads, add a snatch block or two.
Gary

Montanaorbust · Post by **Montanaorbust** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 4:55 am

Yes the shear pin on the front drive shaft and input shaft of the winch, had broke, looks like someone hed put a bolt through the two, which was all boogered up. Drilled all out cleaned it up, put a stainless steal grade 8 back in. Should hold up.. Thanks men. Everyone is so helpful..

Post by **Monkey Man** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:15 am

Don't use anything but a correct shear pin or at a desparate pinch a mild steel bolt for your shear pin as anything harder will allow excess torque to be applied to the winch, gear or housing faliure will surely follow!!
Remove the grade 8 bolt and contact VPW or someone similar and get the right part for the job and if your load is making the winch work too hard do as Gary says, divide your load with a pulley or two...

Regards - MM

pfrederi · Post by **pfrederi** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:31 am

Montanaorbust wrote:Yes the shear pin on the front drive shaft and input shaft of the winch, had broke, looks like someone hed put a bolt through the two, which was all boogered up. Drilled all out cleaned it up, put a stainless steal grade 8 back in. Should hold up.. Thanks men. Everyone is so helpful..

Grade 8 you are asking to break something inside the winch next time that will be very expensive to fix...get a shear pin they are only 1-2 bucks.... if you absolutely have to use it now put in a Grade 2 bolt......

Lifer · Post by **Lifer** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:12 pm

Grade 8 you are asking to break something inside the winch next time that will be very expensive to fix...get a shear pin they are only 1-2 bucks.... if you absolutely have to use it now put in a Grade 2 bolt......

Absolutely! Never substitute something harder for the shear pin. As I've previously mentioned, I used to live on the Mississippi River, where boats are a way of life. One fisherman got tired of replacing the shear pin on his outboard every time he went out with the boat. He learned the hard way when he used a grade 8 bolt for a shear pin and snapped his drive shaft inside the housing the next time he went over a wing dam. Cap'n Devore at the boat yard "told him where the bear sh!t in the buckwheat" as he tore it down and replaced the shaft.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 6:25 pm

ruined a perfectly good snowblower this way... guy before me put a hardened bolt in the wheel drive mechanism.... gearbox gave up before the bolt did. didnt know it was in there until after it was too late...