My buddy and I were out yesterday and I hooked onto his '07 Yamaha factory-installed Warn 2500 lbs winch to get out of a hole (a deep, deep hole) and when he first started pulling his winch was very weak and then it went into freewheel mode. We were messing around with the "wheel" on the right side that selects freewheel or engaged mode but couldn't get it to engage. The motor was running fine, we just couldn't get it to engage.

Anyone seen this? Any ideas before he has to bring it to the dealer? I couldn't find any old posts addressing this issue.

Thanks.

When you rotate that "Wheel" it pushes on an inner rod which disengages the "right side" planetary gears. Sometimes if you do not have tension on the Drum, then you can't re-engage the motor...

I would have about 6 feet of cable out... and turn the "Wheel" to the engage mode. Then I would pull outward on the cable to put tension on the Drum and press the out button to activate the motor... it SHOULD catch... If not... that winch might be done..

Just don't be putting your hand / fingers on the drum when engaging hence my recommendation to press the Out button....

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CraZy Steve
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2007 Grizzly 450 4x4
- Warn 2.5ci Winch w/20 foot remote
- GYTR Deluxe Rear Rack Extention
- GYTR Skids (Belly, Rear, Front A-Arm)
- CSS (CraZySteve Skids) Footwell Rock-rails
- CSS Front CV Boot Extenders (attached to GYTR A-Arm Skids)
- Garmin GPSMap 60Cx w/R.A.M. Mount W/Topo 2008 USA Maps
- Snorkle for front of Belt Drive

yeah i have a gorilla 300 lb xt winch and the same thing happened to two of them actually . On those the selector for freespool and engage is made out of plastic and when they have the least little bit ofdebris in them then the plastic selector gear just shears off . But thats just two stories although it may be worth checking out