How to Repair a Worn ATV Winch
After years of pulling your ATV out of the mud and hauling trees from the woods, the wear and tear can wear out your winch. Instead of taking your worn ATV winch to a dealer or repair shop to be repaired, save some money and learn about your machine by doing it yourself. More than likely you can fix the winch in an afternoon and be back on the trail knowing if you get stuck, your winch will pull you out.
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Instructions
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Repairing Your Worn ATV Winch
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Diagnose the problem. Find out exactly what is wrong. It may be that some bolts are simply loose and need to be tightened, or it could be that the problem is more serious and the winch needs reinstallation or replacement.
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Assess your options. Will it be cheaper to fix or replace the winch?
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3
Replace the mounting bolts. It's common for the bolts that hold the winch onto the mounting plate to have vibrated over the years and elongated the holes. This can be fixed by replacing the bolts with a size bigger to match the hole. Washers on both sides of the bolt can prevent further elongation.
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Replace old fasteners. A common problem is the connections on the winch have either become corroded or the fasteners have worn out. If so, replace them with new parts.
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Install a new winch. Sometimes due to the nature of a winch's job, the winch wears out to the point of no repair. At this point, replacing the winch is your best option. If you were happy with the winch brand's performance, purchase a replacement and install.
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