I would like help concerning mounting the winch control box in the engine compartment. It is currently strapped to the winch motor in the bumper. My travels call for lots of creek crossings and this is burning up my solenoids (reverse doesnt work right now). I have cut holes in the box, but it didnt solve the problem.

I will be moving the box into the engine compartment, up very high. Hopefully up near my air compressor ( http://www.4x4runnin.com/pics/compressor.JPG ). I realize the need for longer cables. Looks like the power/ground wires are 4 gauge, but what are the others (i think there are 3 or 4 others)?

Just lookin for tips and pictures from those who have done this. thank you.

-RT

 

I have my control box mounted high inside the engine compartment, but on mine there are just the 2 power cables to the motor.

What kind of winch do you have?

 

The M8000 has a ground from the Winch Motor to the 4runner frame. The Solenoid Box has a Power lead from the battery, then three 4 gauge wires to the winch motor and a 10 gauge (i think) wire for the solenoid ground that attaches to the winch frame.

 

You can splice the wire of the proper gauage in or pop the box apart and run whole new cables.

Stick with welding cable, many strands so it bends better.

Mine was 2 gauge and it tucks up next to the ARB compressor.

 

Just carefully meaure the cable lengths and get them made at a good auto parts store. Or buy some cable and connectors from JC Whitney and solder them up yourself.

Are you going to make a bracket to mount it to the firewall or wheel well?

I was able to access and route my wires pretty easily. The only time-consuming part is getting the heavy-duty cables ready.

Have fun!

 

Mine's mounted in the engine compartment on the passenger side:

 

Great setup, thats exactly my plan. Hopefully after Thanks-taking i will get this done. Any comments or suggestions?

 

You guys sure have a lot more room under the hood than I do. Do you have ABS?



RT, are you planning to do an in-cab control?

 

Yes i have ABS and i have no room. guess i need to MAKE room

In-cab control? nah

 

I would encourage you to think about in cab. Something where there is a hard mounted switch, but some plug you can undo underhood. If you use it a lot, it is really convenient and if done cleanly is really neat and stealth.

Mine is underhood and I get annoyed snapping in, popping the hood and then having a cord running all over.

 

Go wireless.

Works great, and no wires.
I have only used it a few times, but it worked great.

For kicks I wanted to see how far away it would work too, and I was about 100' away and it still worked.
Could have gone further.

 

Those wireless winch controls are very slick.

I second Flygtenstein's statement. In-cab controls are much more convenient and I think safer. Even when hard-wired, you can always plug in the controller if you need to. Mine only cost $20 and took about an hour to wire up. It was a fun little project.

 

I have a tjm but I put mine in front of the grill on the pass side just inside the fat tube in the middle. I'll snap a pic and post if you want. I didn't want it in the engine compartment becaues then I'd have to pop the hood to winch. I also didn't want to mount it under the bumper like I saw on some dudes isuzu or something because then if it's stuck in mud I have to get under there somehow. so the plug is at the level of my grill emblem almost and perfect for me. it's wedged in there but it fits nicely. I just got a metal strap and bent it using the bench vice into the shape I needed. it's bendedable with a little persuasion too in case I needed to budge it to install the bumper.

 

yea i'd love a pic, that sounds great.

 

I'll get one in the morning and post it tomorrow afternoon.

 

here ya go RT:

 

thanks J

im hopefully tackling this project the end of this week, ill report back.

 

If you look closely you can see the galvanized flexible strap from Home Depot that I mounted it on. It kind of urked me that Warn didn't think enough of the consumer to include a universal mounting bracket that slides up and screws onto the back of the solenoid. They put flanges on there, but I guess that's for the special bracket made for ARB bumpers.

 

Today i took the bumper off :pat: and then took off the winch to correct the wiring troubles i was having :pat: Then i put the bumper back on :pat: and put the winch control box on top of the bumper in between the hoop and the grille. It will stay here until i decide i dont like it, then ill get longer wires to mount it somewhere else.

 

mount it on your dash, like a compass.

what's wrong with where it is now?