Winch Woes

KyLogger · August 13, 2012, 10:22:36 PM

The winch on my Deere 450E was leaking (so I thought) out of the bottom left side (if you are standing behind tractor) I got down and noticed a threaded hole with nothing in it. The winch would only leak there if PTO was engaged. There is a drain plug located on opposite side of winch, in the middle of a rectangular plate. Anyhow I figured that I was missing a plug, picked one up put it in, than pulled a dumb A$$ moment, and overfilled the winch. Pulled out half a load then winch would not hold a drag. Figured out case was overfull, and drained to appropriate level, still will not hold a drag. Whats next guys?

Tom

stamper · August 13, 2012, 10:35:18 PM

clutch & brake may be on that side, if it is like a skidder there is a hydraulic line in there to run the clutch

Autocar · August 14, 2012, 08:55:00 AM

By over filling would it been possible the brake bands got oil on them and now they slip ??? ?

snowstorm · August 14, 2012, 04:49:58 PM

shouldnt be any oil on the left side. pull the cover off an take a look

KyLogger · August 14, 2012, 09:39:47 PM

Ok, got it figured out. Pulled side cover, oil coating everything. Took out my unnecessary drain plug in bottom. Had workhand fire up dozer and kick winch control into free spool. BINGO! Master cylinder seal.......GONE. Called up dealer in Pikeville (they specialize in forestry equipment) Said I had to purchase whole cylinder at a cost of $300!!! BULL, called our semi-local ag dealer and he said "What? I don't even show the whole thing as a part! I can get you any of the parts you need for the master cylinder." So a new o ring, and snap ring and I am good to go as of eight tomorrow morning (hopefully)

Anyhow the brake band was soaked in oil. I cleaned it off with brake cleaner, fired up the wood stove, stuck it on top, and cooked the oil outta it for a while, let it cool and cleaned it once more with brake cleaner. I hope that did it. I am gonna put her all back together in the AM and hope to get a load out in the evening. It's times like this I wish my skidder wasn't on another job site!

Thanks,
Tom

mad murdock · August 16, 2012, 04:17:27 PM

sounds like you got it all figgured out! Nice to know you can get sub assembly parts for your winch. That is usually the case, just that some parts houses would rather sell you the whole lit and caboodle rather than just the "kit". Hope it pulls good for you..

KyLogger · August 16, 2012, 09:17:18 PM

Well after torching the brake band once more and installing the $12 worth of parts I put it all back together and dusted it all with baby powder. Same as before! I adjusted and adjusted and adjusted the jam nuts and got it to hold a little but nowhere near good enough. Drove over to WV today to talk to a JD forestry expert. Of course he was outta the shop having some kidney stone removal done (OUCH!) Anyway his hired hand said that the band was probably shot, and showed me what I already knew about adjusting. $350 for a new band plus my core (valued at $200) of course I didn't have the band with me so I went back to the landing and messed with it a little more. Same old same old. Pulled master cylinder assembly and band out and leaving for WV again in the AM. Hope I get this thing figured out, load count is suffering terribly and I just can't afford to have much shut down time. I have to take off three days next week for the Kentucky Master Logger certification.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated as to the proper adjustment of the new band etc......

Thanks,

Tom

stamper · August 16, 2012, 10:05:52 PM

are the springs good? my winch quit holding [540b] the band is thin, probably 1/16 in the thinnest spot. The one spring "looked" funny on the end replaced both....problem went away

KyLogger · August 16, 2012, 10:13:58 PM

While monkeying with the tension on the assembly with it out of machine I noticed that the yoke that holds the springs on the end of the threaded rod was sitting a little crooked, looks like one spring was a little longer than the other? I am taking it to somebody considerably more learn-ed than I in the morning and am gonna have him evaluate all the components. So it could be a combination of things. I mean come on the thing is only twenty some odd years old right?

Tom

thecfarm · August 17, 2012, 09:46:33 AM

Down time is money. Probaly too late now,you are on your way over now,but take pictures of what you have on the skidder too. Yes,it may cost the hourly rate to look at pictures,but this way you will know what is going on and be able to get the wood out again.

KyLogger · August 17, 2012, 09:20:38 PM

Finally!! Got it. After another trip to West Virginia this morning and two new, used springs, (free of charge) and a new brake band (half of JD price!) another can of ether some paper towels and some adjusting and cursing I got the winch up and going again. Got one load pulled out this evening at first it didn't want to hold but I slipped it some and burnt it in (like the guy said) and it seemed to do pretty good! I really need to go get my skidder and bring it back to this job!! I hate skidding with the dozer, but I am building a road through blowdown to the gap at the top of the cliffs so I can get underneath to the good timber and it really is the tool for the job.

Now were loggin!

Tom