How did you route your winch wires on your CJ?

[Turbogus]

Howdy folks, since I'm neck deep in an electrical upgrade cleaning up my wiring and such I'm considering re routing my winch wires I have directly connected to my secondary battery. I've presently got it under the radiator and while it's a tight fit am protecting the wire with a length of heater hose to prohibit abrasion. While it's been working well since I installed the winch a couple of years ago I'm sure someone else must have a better idea.

Thanks and a lift of the lynch lid for your responses.

 

[IOPort51]

I run the pos. cable in front of the radiator and through a 1 1/2" knock out hole with a close chase nipple in it to cut down on the abrasion on the sheet metal of the grill.

I have always grounded to the block but I think I am going to try running a heavy ground to the frame and grounding the winch on the outside of the grill. Just to cut down on the cable running through the grill.

 

[csuengr]

Through the grill for 7 years now. No signs of abrasion.

 

[IOPort51]

Through the grill for 7 years now. No signs of abrasion.

so did I, and for a lot longer. But I got to thinking that that cable is the positive terminal of enough amperage to blow the side out of my block and I thought it best to take a precaution or two to avoid it.

 

[Turbogus]

Right! Thanks IO and csuengr. Mine is presently routed through the grille and I have the negative going right to the neg battery post of my secondary battery, but it is that pinch point I'm referring to that is between the bottom right side of the radiator and the radiator support. Will post pic tomorrow if I can.

 

[PaRenegade]

Mine go into the grille on the pass. side and up the side (in front of the radiator) to the big oval hole right above where the fender mounts, then to an Anderson disconnect plug, then to the battery. A couple zip ties keep it where you want it.

 

[IOPort51]

do you know the amp rating on the connector you are using??

any corrosion problems?

Mine go into the grille on the pass. side and up the side (in front of the radiator) to the big oval hole right above where the fender mounts, then to an Anderson disconnect plug, then to the battery. A couple zip ties keep it where you want it.

 

[PaRenegade]

Yes, it's a red 175. Some have said you need more, and I've never done a single wind pull with it which draws (according to the Sbilt. specs.) more than that. However I see that even Warns offering for those connectors are 175. So I'll wait till it becomes an overheating issue before I go bigger. Some folks think overkill should be the norm!
No corrosion problems that I had seen but it was only on the Jeep a year before disassembled it all almost 2 years ago.

 

[Turbogus]

Mine go into the grille on the pass. side and up the side (in front of the radiator) to the big oval hole right above where the fender mounts.

I wonder if this passage is available on a '78?

 

[IOPort51]

should be, it is on the 77.

I wonder if this passage is available on a '78?

 

[PaRenegade]

You can see the hole I'm talking about at about 2 o'clock from the center of pic, on side of grille, around the corner from the rectangular air intake hole.

 

[csuengr]

I run my cables through the same hole. Both + and - go straight to the battery. The winch came with long enough cables, so why not. I actually have many wires run through that oval hole.

 

[tarry99]

Howdy folks, since I'm neck deep in an electrical upgrade cleaning up my wiring and such I'm considering re routing my winch wires I have directly connected to my secondary battery. I've presently got it under the radiator and while it's a tight fit am protecting the wire with a length of heater hose to prohibit abrasion. While it's been working well since I installed the winch a couple of years ago I'm sure someone else must have a better idea.

Thanks and a lift of the lynch lid for your responses.

I like to use 1/0 Welding cable from the Battery............and crimp and solder the ends on...and always run the ground directly back to the battery of equal size.........Going through the grill I use Grommets of the proper size to shield the cable........... I also use a heavy duty 12 volt continuous relay on the Battery hot lead triggered from a separate key switch inside so that there is no chance of someone playing with the winch controls.......and ripping your bumper off in the process.

 

[Turbogus]

Right on~! Thanks IO, I know I can count on you

 

[IOPort51]

I have always used that same hole but decided to free it up with the idea of using it for the carb air intake. It is just an idea so far.

 

[Turbogus]

'Easy Bake' has a factory fresh air intake that takes a tortuous route to feed the air cleaner on top of the YFA carb. It's surprising how quickly that air filter gets crummy, and 'Easy Bake' sees no off road use like 'Black Betty' that I'm running an oversized K&N on.