Topic: Hydraulic Power

[arkypyro]

I just wanted to get some input on an idea I had recently.  Maybe some of you guys have experience on this or have tried it.  I have been contemplating a hydraulic winch, but I don't have power steering.  I don't want to add a full timej power steering pump because i feel underpowered already.  Inspiration.... Is there a way to put an electric clutch like from an AC compressor onto a power steering pump.  Then you could flip a switch and power a winch and turn it off the rest of the time.  I think it could work.

[Chad]

I was a dam builder
across a river deep and wide
where steel and water did collide
A place called Boulder, on the wild colorado
I slipped and fell into the wet concrete below
They buried me in that great tomb that knows no sound.... But I am still around.....

Sorry i can't help you with your power steering pump idea, but I'll raise my glass to a fellow Highwayman

[Bounty Hunter]

Why would you want a hydraulic winch?  Get an electric and be done with it.  Even the cheap import winches are better than hydraulics.

[arkypyro]

I question that.  I have a Magnum (WARN) 9K that bogs my electrical down like there is no tomorrow.  Without major battery and alternator upgrades this is just a fact of life with an electrical.  A good hydraulic can pull for longer periods of time, will not kill my electrical system, and they are pretty good in the power to weight ratio.  Only real drawback I know of is that the engine must be running to operate, but most winches will kill a battery alone before they can do any real amount pulling anyway so you still need the engine running to kepp the charge up.

[Chad]

no shout out to the highwayman arkypyro, i see how it is

[Chowmaster]

check out northern tool and equipment.  they have all kinds of hydraulic stuff.

[Jesse-James]

I have a little experience with hydraulics as I work at Poclain Hydraulics. I am not sure of the exact setup you are trying to work with, but if you were to  use a two way spool valve you could have a power steering pump and put the valve on the output and run one line to the winch and the other T into the return line. Make sure the valve has a 12V coil and hook it up to a toggle switch in the dash. When the coil is disengaged the pump would simply return to tank and you should have very little if no power loss on the engine since it would put a zero load on the pump so it would take almost nothing for the engine to turn it. I could probably point you in a direction of a valve and scribble a quick diagram if you wanted to try it.

[Jeffy]

The winch in question is most likely a 2-speed Mile Marker 9000.

The main problem with the MM's is that the stock P/S pump ins't really up to the task.  Since the Jeep in question currently does not have PS, that would be an added expense.  Are you running a stock battery?  Have you upgraded the alternator?

The magnum winches are built by Warn but are using older technology.  They use the older motors that Warn used back in the 80's and 90's.  This isn't a bad thing, it jsut means it will take a bit longer.  If you're stalling it out, we've got to wonder if it's being used properly or if you're trying to tug a cement truck with it.  If you're only using the first or second wrap then you're not using the winches full potential.  I believe it's something like less then half strength.  With the use of blocks and pulley's, you shouldn't  have any problems with lack of force.

Here's something to consider.  Most of the guy's out west who do the trails in Johnson Valley, use Warn's.  I don't think anyone uses a MM.  For a trail like Suprise Canyon (closed) it was a winchfest.  Basically all you were doing was winching.  The majoriety of winches out there are Electrics.  Although there was a time when the Ramsey PTO 8000 was very popular with Jeeps.  They are rugid and practically bulletproof.  The cool thing with a PTO is that the winch line is assisted by the wheels and tires.  They will turn at the same rate if setup on the transfer case PTO.  I'd take a PTO over MM's hydraulic anyday.

Oh and there's one more option.  You can run a electric powered hydraulic pump.  This really complicates the whole system and would most likely affect reliability.  You'll probably want to run a inline P/S cooler so you don't boil the fluid.  (A good idea anyway)

I've got a trusty Warn M8000.

[Bounty Hunter]

I question that.  I have a Magnum (WARN) 9K that bogs my electrical down like there is no tomorrow.

I question your setup.  I've got an OEM alternator and single Optima bluetop and it runs my Warn 8274 just fine.  If hydraulics were the answer, you'd see a whole lot more of them out there.