ATV/UTV Winch Troubleshooting

How to do basic troubleshooting with your ATV/UTV winch and contactor.

[davidlillie]

Perfect, thanks!! So much clearer than the dozens of other videos on Youtube.

[iseverynametakenwtf]

Thanks, exactly what I needed. I ran over some brush and later noticed it wasn't working. Wanted to see how a wench worked with supplying power to check it. Thanks so much

[shane_taylor]

Dude, well done. Helped me out tremendously.

[thomasdawkins]

I was trying too find a video too explain the right issues I needed to find and this was bang on cheers

[jeremytarpen]

Winch was only going in one direction and I found it was a bad limit switch where my snowblower attaches to the tractor. Video helped explain the wiring and troubleshooting method so I could find and fix the problem, thank you.

[bassjunkie]

Thanks for the video I'm a heavy equipment mechanic and my boss likes to ride around on a polaris ranger checking on the illegal help he has hired here but his winch was screwed up and you're video helped alot

[kingdomofheaven]

Thanks a lot from France. Great explanations

[mrtosh]

I have a Viper elite widespool 5k and it stops winching when there's a load on it. It just clicks. I had a Viper max prior and it did the same thing. This is on my Can Am Maverick. I've done all your testing as I did diagnosing the first winch. More than enough power at idle w/14.4 volts. Also my 6 month old Elite winch does not freespool...

[shoreangler]

You literally said if you hook all the wires up correctly and you should be fine. Lmao 🤣 Thank you for the pro tip.

[jacksonpowell]

My hand hit the winch switch and it locked in the on position. I was able to straighten the on/off switch but now my winch is super tight and I cannot get it to go in reverse. If I turn it on it makes as noise but still will not budge. I even hooked my winch from another atv to try and pull it out. Is there a way to get it out manually without taking the whole winch out. It is a polaris sportsman integrated winch kit. Thanks Troy

[conmanumber]

Hi from Oamaru New Zealand.please tell me if the breakers/fuses/ contactors (silver cases with 1 copper and 1steel terminal)...are they terminal sensitive, like terminals to be fitted 1 way or the other?.cheers carl

[kyleforte]

How did you connect the switch to the winch when it's hooked to the alternate power source. That part was not clear in your video!!!

[mapleridgefarm]

Thanks for sharing. What if you only got one switch?

[troythomas]

I placed my jumper cables to the winch terminals, like in the video. Winch turns slow and contacts got red hot, even flames plastic wire coating.

[RobCoop]

Hi there I have a Canadian tire atv/utv 3, 500winch and the free spool knob broke off the the side and I'm looking for a replacement and I can't find one and any information on how to get one would be much appreciated

[DeniseSlack]

My winch moves up and down just fine. The problem I’m having is when I raise the plow as I’m driving it will slowly go back to the ground. Why won’t it stay up until I put the plow down?

[do]

I still cannot get anything to happen even with a brand new winch, new battery, new solenoid and new rocker switch. I do know that the winch and battery are fine as they test ok separate so I guess the new solenoid or new rocker switch is bad?
Also what are you connecting the red wire from the rocker switch up to - do you test it with connecting it directly to the positive battery terminal?

[MCINpallet]

Hi I just hooked up a new warn 25 and it only goes in and not out with the switch. I switched the cables at the winch blue and yellow to opposite and then I have only out and not in. Hooked it back correctly at the winch and only in no out still. Any idea what it could be ? Tia

[Puce.C]

Great vid.
Anyone else notice that someone had to write down and do the math on the work bench for 10x12. Lol.

[josh]

I'm putting a wireless remote and handle bar rocker switch on my winch. My question is if by any chance the rocker switch is pushed in and the wireless remote is pushed out at the same time what would happen and would it damage or short anything out? I would never do this myself but just wondering.