Long story short I'm able to get a Milemarker PE8000 winch from a guy at work that owned it for about a year for $75 bucks, he bought it new and it sat in the front his TJ and was never even unspooled <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />. The only problem is that he says it doesn't work, he says when he presses the controller it just clicks. I looked at it today and visually it looks new, he didn't have the controller with him today but is going to bring it to work tomorrow for me to look at. I did do a search but didn't really come up with anything specific. I also went on Milemarkers site and the trouble shoot says that it is either a solenoid ($24 bucks) or the motor ($100+ bucks). My question is, is there anyway I can test this winch to see whether or not it is a solenoid gone bad or if it's the motor. I mean he never even used it once or unspooled it, but he said it was working when he first got it installed, so I can't imagine that the motor went bad by just sitting there for about a year but hey you never know <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/notooth.gif" alt="" />. Thanks in advance for any help.

Fred R.

I'd check all the terminal ends of all the wires and cables. I'd also try giving the motor a couple of whacks with a hammer, it may have some stuck brushes. If it runs after a whack cleaning the brush holders will probably fix it right up. You should be able to bypass the solenoid box and test run the motor without too much trouble with some Jumpers. If it hasn't been used and hasn't been underwater it's unlikely the motor is bad. Use large gauge wires for jumpers and put the gearbox in freewheel for testing if you do. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Fred you could test it with a pair of jumper cables...
Big JIm <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

It's simple to check to see whether it's the solenoids or the sinch motor. Find the two electrical leads on the winch motor itself. Put a voltmeter across those two leads. Plug in the remote control cable.

With neither the "in" or the "Out" button depressed, there should be no voltage on either of the motor leads, In fact, each of them should be grounded.

With the "In" buttom on the remote control cable depressed, one of the motor leads should be grounded, and the other should read battery voltage. With the "Out" button depressed, the voltage on the motor leads should switch -- that is, the one that was grounded with the "in" button will now have battery voltage on it, and the one that was reading battery oltage with the "in" button will now be grounded.

If all of that works as described, and if the battery is fully charged, and the winch motor doesn't run (make sure the clutch is engaged), then the winch motor is the likely culprit. You can double check the motor by removing the solenoid wires from it, and use a set of battery jumper cables to directly apply battery voltage and ground to the motor terminals. Apply the boltage one way, and the winch motor should run in one direction. Apply the voltage the other way, and the motor should run in the opposite direction.

If the above results do not occur when you push the "in" and "out" buttons, it means that the solenoids are not doing their job. Bowever, they aren't necessarily bad -- the control voltage (or ground) could be missing to one or both of the solenoids. Check the input coil terminal on each solenoid. With neither button depressed, they should noth read 0 volts. With the "in" button depressed, one of the solenoids should have 12 volts on the input coil terminal. With the"out" button depressed, the other solenoid should have 12 volts on the input coil terminal.

Good luck -- and let us know what you find out.

Thanks for all the help, I will keep you guys posted. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again,
Fred R.