Warn M8000 into ARB front bumper - 05 KJ

[spideyrdr]

The price on the Warn M8000 dropped by about $85 overnight, so I finally dove in. I will be putting it into my ARB bumper which is already mounted. Does anyone have any install tips or tricks for doing this on an existing bumper? It seems like I will be taking the bumper off, installing the Warn in it (or rather the bumper ONTO the winch), then putting the bumper back on, but is there anything tricky I should be on the lookout for? I've never installed a winch so I am looking for any tips to make it go smooth.

It appears I don't have the control box bracket that came with the ARB - the repair shop probably tossed it when they put the bumper on. Is it needed for the M8000? It looks like the control box is part of the winch, but wanted to ask in case.

Cheers,
Jamie

 

[tjkj2002]

You will need that control box mount or fab your own.Install is simple but you will have to re-drill the 2 mounting holes for the fairlead.It's all in the instructions for the ARB bumper.

When you get the winch there should be a yellow peice of paper in the paperwork inside explaining how and why you must rotate the winch motor for installing in a "feet 1st" mounting like the ARB on the KJ.You must rotate the motor 90 degrees for proper draining.

 

[spideyrdr]

Thanks for the input. The bracket seems pretty simple and I can likely rig something up temporarily if I have to buy a new bracket from ARB. Also, thanks for the heads up on the rotating - I'll watch out for a yellow piece of paper!

 

[spideyrdr]

Ok, the winch is here but no yellow paper or any other guidance on rotating the motor. The only thing I am finding about the feet forward install is a little yellow envelop with 2 bolts in it, instructing me to use them "to mount the winch and fairlead only, when the winch is in the feet forward position".

I sorta feel dumb - are you talking about just rotating the whole assembly 90 degrees to get the mounting holes (feet) facing forward? Or is there something else to that including disassembling the unit? The picture from ARB install guide looks like what I expect to end up with - spool release is toward the radiator, negative connection is 'down', the other 3 connects are 'up' as depicted in the ARB install guide. Am I over thinking this?

 

[spideyrdr]

I put in a call to Warn about this. The technician told me the drain hole issue is only a concern on some models like the 9.5XP. It's not a problem for the M8000.

I did get sorta a weird response to follow the ARB instructions and if there is no mention of rotating the motor then I don't have to. I would have though Warn would be the authority on that, but whatever. The install instructions I have from ARB don't mention anything about rotating the motor or anything, so I guess there is nothing to do. If I find out otherwise later, I will post back.

Cheers,
Jamie

 

[spideyrdr]

Another call was placed with ARB and the nice technician there confirmed I shouldn't have to rotate the motor. The M8000 doesn't appear to HAVE drain holes, and the clutch will end up facing toward the radiator rather than up, but will still be accessible.

I drilled the new holes in the fairlead a short while ago. It took some time and lapping oil, but the new holes are drilled. I hope to install the winch this weekend!

 

[tjkj2002]

It may not effect the M8000,it does effect the 9500XP.Just look at the motor end where it seals against the case,if you see drain holes,one will be blocked off with RTV,then you have to make sure one is pointing down,if no holes don't worry about it.

 

[spideyrdr]

Update: I got the winch installed without too much trouble on Saturday. I was helping my buddy put new sliders on his Rubicon and that took the majority of the day.

After removing the middle air deflector and the two side protectors from the ARB bumper followed by the fog-light covers, it was only a matter of disconnecting the indicator harnesses, removing 4 bolts, and pulling the bumper off.

I then set the winch up on a sawhorse type of thing with the winch feet facing up, lowered the bumper onto the winch, secured the top bolts, put the fairlead on, and secured the fairlead to the bumper / winch with 2 more bolts.

Once the winch was secured, the wiring from the control box was straight forward. 3 color-coded lines attached to the winch, the ground wire attached to the winch tie rod, and the battery connections were routed but not secured to the driver side of the bumper.

Putting the bumper back on was a bit of a bear since it now weighed 140lbs or so, but we managed to get it back on without too many swear words. The 4 bumper bolts were reinstalled, then the battery connections routed into the engine bay and they were connected to the battery. After a quick test to make sure the winch in / winch out worked, the harnesses were reconnected, the fog light covers were installed, and the deflectors / protectors reinstalled.

Overall I am glad I got the Warn and the install into the ARB bumper wasn't horrible at all. I don't have the control box bracket that should have come with the bumper, so I will probably fab up something to support the control box in the coming days. For now zip ties are securing the box in place (God bless whoever invented those things).

Here are a couple of pics. One showing just the winch installed and another at the track yesterday with the Hi-Lift in front of the winch via the 4XRac mounts. Admittedly the shot at the racetrack is just a glamor shot of the 'toys'.

 

[Samsolo49]

Update: I got the winch installed without too much trouble on Saturday. I was helping my buddy put new sliders on his Rubicon and that took the majority of the day.

After removing the middle air deflector and the two side protectors from the ARB bumper followed by the fog-light covers, it was only a matter of disconnecting the indicator harnesses, removing 4 bolts, and pulling the bumper off.

I then set the winch up on a sawhorse type of thing with the winch feet facing up, lowered the bumper onto the winch, secured the top bolts, put the fairlead on, and secured the fairlead to the bumper / winch with 2 more bolts.

Once the winch was secured, the wiring from the control box was straight forward. 3 color-coded lines attached to the winch, the ground wire attached to the winch tie rod, and the battery connections were routed but not secured to the driver side of the bumper.

Putting the bumper back on was a bit of a bear since it now weighed 140lbs or so, but we managed to get it back on without too many swear words. The 4 bumper bolts were reinstalled, then the battery connections routed into the engine bay and they were connected to the battery. After a quick test to make sure the winch in / winch out worked, the harnesses were reconnected, the fog light covers were installed, and the deflectors / protectors reinstalled.

Overall I am glad I got the Warn and the install into the ARB bumper wasn't horrible at all. I don't have the control box bracket that should have come with the bumper, so I will probably fab up something to support the control box in the coming days. For now zip ties are securing the box in place (God bless whoever invented those things).

Here are a couple of pics. One showing just the winch installed and another at the track yesterday with the Hi-Lift in front of the winch via the 4XRac mounts. Admittedly the shot at the racetrack is just a glamor shot of the 'toys'.

I just got my arb bumper, is it difficult to install or pretty straight forward and I didn't think to check when I bought it but will the smittybuilt xrc 9.5 bolt to the bumper without a problem?

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[Renedave]

The XRC 9.5 will fit right in, the tough part is getting the winch and bumper combo mounted to the Jeep.

 

[Damotee]

My previous winch was a Warn 9.5XP. It failed after water got inside it. I opened it up and all the cogs were corroded and stuffed. My new winch is a pretty cheap one (Grande Mk3 12000lb) but hasn't let me down yet.

 

[Samsolo49]

The XRC 9.5 will fit right in, the tough part is getting the winch and bumper combo mounted to the Jeep.

That's pretty much what I was guessing, what's the biggest pain involved?

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[Samsolo49]

That's pretty much what I was guessing, what's the biggest pain involved?

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And it was advertised as being more water resistant, I didn't buy it much more than a year ago. It was on my tj before I let it go bye bye.

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[Samsolo49]

And it was advertised as being more water resistant, I didn't buy it much more than a year ago. It was on my tj before I let it go bye bye.

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Is there a certain fairlead roller set I need to get? I forgot to pull that off my tj :/

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[Renedave]

Is there a certain fairlead roller set I need to get? I forgot to pull that off my tj :/

Any standard 10" roller fairlead will work. Stay away from ATV and Hummer ones. You'll need to drill new holes to mount it, the holes in the bumper are too low. The instructions tell you to drill new holes in the fairlead, but we installed a hawse fairlead for synthetic rope, so the bumper got drilled instead and a cover plate made to cover the holes.

We had a couple other minor disagreements with the instructions, such as using waterproof solder connecters instead of the scotch taps that came with the bumper.

The biggest pain is putting/holding it in place while getting the wheel trim and mounting bolt holes lined up and making sure the bumper is centered. The owner and his son held it while I went around and tucked trim and threaded bolts. Be prepared to adjust it (up/down/left/right/level) several times before you do the final tighten down and start drilling holes.

 

[Samsolo49]

Any standard 10" roller fairlead will work. Stay away from ATV and Hummer ones. You'll need to drill new holes to mount it, the holes in the bumper are too low. The instructions tell you to drill new holes in the fairlead, but we installed a hawse fairlead for synthetic rope, so the bumper got drilled instead and a cover plate made to cover the holes.

We had a couple other minor disagreements with the instructions, such as using waterproof solder connecters instead of the scotch taps that came with the bumper.

The biggest pain is putting/holding it in place while getting the wheel trim and mounting bolt holes lined up and making sure the bumper is centered. The owner and his son held it while I went around and tucked trim and threaded bolts. Be prepared to adjust it (up/down/left/right/level) several times before you do the final tighten down and start drilling holes.

Yea sounds like fun, about what I expected. But it looks damn cool.lol

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[tjkj2002]

My previous winch was a Warn 9.5XP. It failed after water got inside it. I opened it up and all the cogs were corroded and stuffed. My new winch is a pretty cheap one (Grande Mk3 12000lb) but hasn't let me down yet.

If you had it mounted in the ARB for the KJ and did not rotate the motor end 90 degrees for proper draining it will fail,see the 2nd post.

 

[Samsolo49]

If you had it mounted in the ARB for the KJ and did not rotate the motor end 90 degrees for proper draining it will fail,see the 2nd post.

Ok good info, thanks

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[Renedave]

Ok good info, thanks

Which reminds me in case you haven't done it already, with the traditional grease Smittybilt uses you'll want to open up the gear side and change it out before you tuck the winch in the bumper. I literally threw my back out trying to free spool cable and that was the last straw. Even if it free spools now, there'll come a day when it freezes stuck.

 

[Samsolo49]

Which reminds me in case you haven't done it already, with the traditional grease Smittybilt uses you'll want to open up the gear side and change it out before you tuck the winch in the bumper. I literally threw my back out trying to free spool cable and that was the last straw. Even if it free spools now, there'll come a day when it freezes stuck.

Gotcha

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