Winch Clutch issues (Superwinch EXP 12)

[Dongworth]

I was given a Superwinch EXP 12SI winch from a buddy who said it had a clutch issue and said it was mine if I wanted it. He couldn't remember the exact issue, but had mentally moved on from it and said it was my problem now. LOL. It needed a controller and rope, and I was able to procure each relatively cheaply. My biggest issue with troubleshooting this is the lack of information about the EXP series being how short they were out due to the acquisition of Superwinch by Westin. The EXP series wasn't included in the acquisition, so Westin has little to no information about it. That being said, here's where I'm at...

I disassembled the thing and didn't see anything obviously broken. It did look absolutely filthy inside, however, nothing looked actually damaged, or beyond a little degreaser. When I broke things down, I degreased it all, and re-greased everything with high temp grease, and reassembled. After laying out the winch rope, and as I hit the controller button to wind it in, I saw the clutch handle pop up, and rotate slightly, followed by some grinding sounds, like the clutch wasn't completely engaged. I rotated and pushed the clutch lever back into place, and tried again. Same thing. Popped up slightly and wouldn't engage.

So, I know this thing has a feature on it where it has an automatic clutch handle release, so I'm not sure if it's related to that. However, at this point, I'm not sure how to go about troubleshooting it. Schematics are hard to come by due to the lack of time this thing was out, so any advice anyone can lend would be greatly appreciated. Everything about this thing looks mechanically perfect, so tossing it would be a hard pill to swallow. :/

Edit: I've uploaded a youtube video to show what's going on in case anyone has any ideas.

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[Dongworth]

Ok, well, I fixed it (presumably). I removed the 4 allen head bolts on the clutch lever housing, and removed the entire mechanism. Once it was removed, I disassembled it, reassembled, and it was magically fixed. I wish I knew more about what the issue was, but I'll get an opportunity to test it again tomorrow when heading up the Naches Trail with some buddies. If it acts up again, at least I'll have others to help.

On a related note, it worked well enough to winch in 100' of rope under load without issue, so my fingers are crossed that the issues are over. And on the same subject - free winch!