Mounting a winch upside down?

[sixstringsteve]

Is there any downside (pun intended) to mounting a winch upside-down? Would this cause any lubrication or other issues?

If I can mount my winch upside-down then I can make my bumper a lot lower profile.

 

[BCGPER]

They can run upside down just fine. The downsides would be access to your engaugement lever, being able to see what you're doing when you spool it back in can be tricky too.

 

[TJDukit]

Mine isn't quite upside down but horizontal. Zero issues with it working, I like that it doesn't stick up above the bumper and I don't have to worry about the airflow. I still need to come up with a better mounting solution for my control box but that's no big deal really.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Got any pictures brian?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Which winch? It would not be advisable for an integrated style winch. On a remote solenoid setup it can be done and most high quality winches you can clock the clutch lever 360º to maintain access.

 

[TEAM FRED]

My Warn has worked countless times upside down.
The car was also upside down though!

 

[sixstringsteve]

Its a snotty x20 comp. I'll be mounting the controller inside the engine bay. I'm not sure if the clutch lever can be rotated. I'll look into that. Thanks everyone.

 

[Greg]

Its a snotty x20 comp...

I've never heard of that brand... Damn smart phones, eh?

 

[TJDukit]

No pics Steve, it is just bolted directly to the front plate of my bumper.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I've never heard of that brand... Damn smart phones, eh?

Good thing auto correct doesn't suggest profanity or that could have been bad.

We were able to clock the clutch handle. And we will be cutting the handle off and welding a but to it for increased clearance.

 

[UFAB]

No problems, I see people use them as cranes mounted upside down.

Make sure the fair lead is located correctly and you can access all your levers for function.

 

[jmaxj]

Don't mount a smittybilt upside down they won't work. Even if smitty tells you its ok. I have to redesign my entire front-end now because of that.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Seriously? What isn't working? I'm mounting it right side up anyway but I'm.curious why you say that.

 

[jmaxj]

It keeps breaking the gears in it, and won't lock. So winching ppl gets scary. I've talked to 4 different ppl at smitty and all but one said it was ok. The one said that they cant be ran that way. I wish I would have talked to him first. I would have built my front-end different.

 

[bryson]

It keeps breaking the gears in it, and won't lock. So winching ppl gets scary. I've talked to 4 different ppl at smitty and all but one said it was ok. The one said that they cant be ran that way. I wish I would have talked to him first. I would have built my front-end different.

Are you sure the mounts are flat and even? Breaking gears makes it sound like all 4 mounting bolts are not in the same plane, so when a load is placed on the winch, it is placed on the parts unevenly. Planetary winches don't care which side is up.

 

[rockdog]

My Warn has worked countless times upside down.
The car was also upside down though!

That has to suck hanging upside down worrying that you might ruin your winch if you run it that way!

 

[jmaxj]

Are you sure the mounts are flat and even? Breaking gears makes it sound like all 4 mounting bolts are not in the same plane, so when a load is placed on the winch, it is placed on the parts unevenly. Planetary winches don't care which side is up.

Yup its flush and flat, it just only likes being mounted one way according to smittybilt.

 

[Herzog]

Yup its flush and flat, it just only likes being mounted one way according to smittybilt.

Seems strange, because the nothing really changes... the direction and bind are pretty much the same, just flipped upside down. I wonder if we can source a diagram on their winch.

 

[jmaxj]

Seems strange, because the nothing really changes... the direction and bind are pretty much the same, just flipped upside down. I wonder if we can source a diagram on their winch.

Oh trust me it has been strange and Ya all of us that were there after it was built were baffled, there is no way it shouldn't be working but it dont work at that angle.

 

[sixstringsteve]

Could you have possibly spooled the wire backwards?