Warn m8000 fried after rebuild?

[Metlic53]

I sent this m8000 to warn to have rebuilt back in july of 2012, i used it two times to unstuck two 4 wheelers which was real easy for the warn. I haven't turned it on sinch march of this year, before i went trail riding yesterday i spooled it out and spooled it in to make sure it would work because i knew i would get stuck. all electrical connections good, new alternator, new battery. Me and a grand cherokee, both on swampers are riding at the san jacinto river, i go under ih-45 at river plantation or i have a trail made back in river plantation that leads to the river.

we find a spot in the sand that is muddy sand, i go through it once with ease, he gets stuck, i pull him out and then i try to go through it again, i sank. so i hoooked my winch around a tree with my tree saver and pulley back to my jeep, started winching, about 15 seconds into the winching, right as my jeep starts coming out i smell burning, i stop get out and touch my winch, its so hot it burned me, i go to release and all i get is clicking....even today after being cooled off all it does it click in and out...by that time i look over and the ZJ is buried in the sand right next to mine......

i had to walk all the way home get my 97 XJ that i just DETAILED and waxed drive it down through the mud and winch myself out with its smittybilt 8000. the smittybilt didn't bog down and i've used it probably 100 times and half of those pulls i was pulling something i shouldn't have been. It only gets warm, never overheats. Anyways, i'm going to call warn and see if they will repair the thing, as much as it cost me it sure seems like a WARN should have withstood that and 100 times more...It never went under water or got mud on it at all...Sorry i don't have any pictures, we went down there at 8 and didn't get back home til 2am, our phones died and it was too dark to take pictures... What would you do?

[4.3LXJ]

I would certainly complain. A Warn is not supposed to do that

[Metlic53]

i emailed them, awaiting a reply.

[gary63]

I'm waiting to see the out come I have 3 warn winches now and other and they never did that hope there will stand by there stuff or the next winches may by a nother brand. good luck.

[BlueXJ]

As stated by Steve Warn should not do that. I would insist they at least look it over.

[bluedragon436]

Yeah I'd def call Warn and ask to talk to someone in charge if whoever you talk to seems to not want to help at all.. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see what the do for you... as I have been looking at a few different winches... but if the Warn winches aren't going to stand behind their winches any better than any other company, might as well save myself some money and pick up a winch from HF!!!

[Metlic53]

Been trying to get ahold of someone but they keep putting me on hold and never picking back up, I'll try again tomorrow

[Metlic53]

Well I finally fixed the winch, the ground wire was completely melted through, I found a guy at an old electric shop and he put heavier duty connections and cleaned it all up, best 60 bucks ever lol he said he had seen countless warns broke at the ground wire...

[cantab27]

I pull my winches down every couple of months and give em a once over....not hard to do and a few good write ups out there on how to...tis a good thing to learn how they work ......I have a warn sitting on my bench and a super winch on jeep which I just pulled to bits cause not going ....bit of a clean up in there and sweet as .....don't believe when they say these things are water tight .....