Pre departure & mid trip checks - Winch.

[Cuppa]

A small anecdote to remind anyone about to head out on a trip.

Yesterday I decided to check the operation of our front mounted Warn winch prior to us departing from Broome to more remote parts of the Kimberley next weekend. Prior to leaving home last July I checked it & it worked OK, although sometimes the controller need a second press on the switch to wind in the rope. I deemed it 95%+ ok & left it as it was. In hindsight probably not wise, but we've had no need to use the winch & thus got away with it.

After the car & Tvan have sat outside throughout the wet season, (high humidity but a very dry wet season) I found a degree of oxidation on aluminium components (eg the exterior of the intercooler) & more telling the momentary switch for the water pump on the Tvan was no longer functional. Not a switch able to be dismantled, cleaned up & put back together so it was replaced, but the most likely cause of failure is internal corrosion. So I guess it was no surprise to find the 95%+ winch controller to be far less reliable with the dodgy switch now exhibiting 50% or less functionality. At one stage I thought winding in the winch rope was going to be impossible, but multiple hard stabs on the switch got it in ... phew! Not a scenario anyone needs when under the pump of a real life recovery situation. The new replacement controller should be here a few days before we leave. I hadn't counted upon the effect of months of high humidity on things like switches.

Winches are an item easy to ignore if they aren't used on a regular basis. Not much help saying 'Well it worked the last time I used it" when it lets you down in time of need. Glad I checked whilst still somewhere I could get a replacement!

[PeeBee]

I raised exactly this check last year about periodic cycling of winches to remove condensation in another post. Glad you were able to get it going though.

[10G]

Yep, good post Cuppa. I'm 2 weeks away from a 4 week trip. Winch testing is this or next weekend.