Suzuki 4WD Club of Victoria

Hi guys,

just became a member over the last few days, and already asking for your advice!

I have recently purchased a Suzuki X-90, that among other things has a Warn 6000lb winch. The winch was bought in June 2010 (I have the receipt), so is a little over a year old. It has had very little use, as I am told.

Anyway, last weekend I was helping a mate out shifting large rocks, I pulled three of them about 10m each, and tried the fourth and I got was a "click" in the box where you plug the controller into. It spools out via the switch OK, but won't pull even with no load. I pulled the black box apart to see if there were any loose wires, but to my limited knowledge everything looked OK.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

I know zilch about winches.

But maybe it has overload protection,
or overheat protection,
a fuse or similar.

Somebody with real help will come on soon.

Nup sounds like your battery is just shit or the alternator cannot charge properly. if' its a new winch with little use then I'm guessing the battery after a few winches probably didn't have charge in it to activate the solenoid properly. Thats the clicking sound you heard...not enough juice.

Another thing to check it every terminal connection. Sometimes they build up a white powdery crud which you cant see unless you actually undo each terminal and check and clean. If you do this then put a coat of some battery terminal sealer or a bit of grease or something to protect it. Not that I do it with mine but it might be worth doing.

You should run no less than a 650CCA battery. In saying this I run a 550 CCA battery and it does the job. but any less than that and you are asking for poor winching performance.

he stock alternator probably wouldn't be able to keep the charge up. A falcon 110/100 amp Alternator pretty much bolts into the G series blocks so look at that as a cheap upgrade. I haven't found them overly reliable in the mud so build a shroud at the same time to stop direct mud splashes onto the alternator from beneath.

I think its the battery too. But I also have a warn m6000 that you're welcome to come and look at the wiring of for trouble shooting purposes.

Battery is a new Blue Top Optima. if it is the battery, why is it spooling out via the switch? The battery has enough power to do that, so it should have enough power to pull under no load. Looks like a visit to an auto electrician...

maybe dodgy solenoid? i have heard of it before on warn winches but to be honest i know about as much as Christover about winches