Smittybilt Gen 3 winch question.

[LittleDog]

Looking at the new Gen 3 winches, and though I am not a fan of the new ray gun-inspired remote, most everything else about it is appealing. Except the x 1.75 price.

My only worry is that nothing I see explicitly states that the control box is easily removable/relocatable. It does come with weird "armour" though!

I know that generation 2 control boxes could easily be moved to above the motor, albeit in a slightly half-buttocked, dangly fashion.

Does anyone have experience mounting the control box elsewhere?

Sponsored

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

I have the X2O 10k. The control box is easily mounted anywhere you’d like it. Plenty of room in and around the engine bay to stuff it. It’s not too big. I elected to leave it on top of the winch to save space in the engine bay for other accessories. Having it up front doesn’t bother me. It’s supposed to be a ‘waterproof’ winch, and in 3 years I’ve not had an issue with it. My only complaint about it, which may have been fixed on the Gen 3, is how the box mounts to the winch housing. It reminds me of a dovetail scope mount. Just the smallest bit of the steel tabs actually grab onto the winch. If the small screws come loose on one side, it’s easy to rattle off. That said, I used red loctite on the small clamping screws for the mounting brackets, and in 40,000 it’s still rock solid.

The winch is about 3 years old now, and still runs just like it did new. Wireless remote is still on its first battery. I did have to cut back about 2-3’ of rope from sun/ abrasion damage. Mostly from the exposed line hanging out of the fair lead to the hook clipped on to a bumper mounted shackle. I changed the hook out for a closed loop thimble, so now all the rope is safely on the drum. I do have a fitted cover I put on it in the winter months to prevent salty mist and ice from getting into the rope and winch.

 

[LittleDog]

@Fuel Fire Desire thanks for the reply. I've been looking at a 10k X20 for a long time, but just saw that a new version is out. The slight improvements seem worthwhile, but not sure yet if they are $250+ worthwhile.

Different mounting locations for the control box is what I'm trying to figure out for the 9.5 Gen3 (XRC?). Did you mount your Gen2 in an alternate location? How long are the battery wires? I did figure 3-4 years for the outside wrap on the synthetic.

Edit: sorry, reread and realised that you left it in the stock location.

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

@Fuel Fire Desire thanks for the reply. I've been looking at a 10k X20 for a long time, but just saw that a new version is out. The slight improvements seem worthwhile, but not sure yet if they are $250+ worthwhile.

Different mounting locations for the control box is what I'm trying to figure out for the 9.5 Gen3 (XRC?). Did you mount your Gen2 in an alternate location? How long are the battery wires? I did figure 3-4 years for the outside wrap on the synthetic.

Edit: sorry, reread and realised that you left it in the stock location.

Battery cable length was “perfect”. There was an exact amount of cable to run from the winch, vertically up the gap between the grill/ fender seam to the right of the radiator support, and back to the battery with about 6” to spare. I added a 800 amp relay between the battery and the control box so I could switch off the power to the cable in case it chaffed through over time or in an accident to prevent a dead short/ fire. The relay is mounted just to the side of the battery, so I now have a spare foot of cable.

 

[LittleDog]

Nice install; you've a bunch of stuff under your hood! Still debating relay-to-Aux or shut-off.

But seeing how thin/low profile your X20 is good, thanks.

 

[entropy]

i have the gen 3 XRC. I was able to mount mine with the control box on the standard location. But it can be moved to the side according to installation instructions. and it seems it would be trivial to do so.

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

Nice install; you've a bunch of stuff under your hood! Still debating relay-to-Aux or shut-off.

But seeing how thin/low profile your X20 is good, thanks.

It used to be a rats nest until I consolidated everything into a central fused/ relayed control center. Cleaned up A LOT of redundant harnesses, and is fed from a single power cable. The other smaller relay in the pic above behind the monster winch isolation relay is to cut power to that relay box. The relays are controlled by a computer (so the bank of 8 switches in the cabin can talk to it via a small computer data cable instead of a bundle of single analog wires). My high powered VHF radio overpowers the computer, and causes the relays to chatter, making all the Rigid lights strobe. So I have it wired to kill power to the control center when I transmit on VHF.

TLDR: it was a mess, it’s much cleaner now, and it keeps evolving.

 

[LittleDog]

i have the gen 3 XRC. I was able to mount mine with the control box on the standard location. But it can be moved to the side according to installation instructions. and it seems it would be trivial to do so.

That sounds great. How has it worked out for you?

Do you remember if the box is hardwired to the winch, or do they use ring terminals or plugs or something on the winch side?

 

[LittleDog]

It used to be a rats nest until I consolidated everything into a central fused/ relayed control center. Cleaned up A LOT of redundant harnesses, and is fed from a single power cable. The other smaller relay in the pic above behind the monster winch isolation relay is to cut power to that relay box. The relays are controlled by a computer (so the bank of 8 switches in the cabin can talk to it via a small computer data cable instead of a bundle of single analog wires). My high powered VHF radio overpowers the computer, and causes the relays to chatter, making all the Rigid lights strobe. So I have it wired to kill power to the control center when I transmit on VHF.

TLDR: it was a mess, it’s much cleaner now, and it keeps evolving.

That's hilarious, and a clever way to kill a gremlin. I was going to ask about that little relay.

Trying to stay away from any more wireless connections for the time being; the interference from my solar panel is still randomly messing with the radios, and I have yet to sort it.

That box of yours is definitely beyond my means. I was really happy today just attaching a quick release switch to a 12V water pump. I applaud your ability to stick with red/black wires.

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

That's hilarious, and a clever way to kill a gremlin. I was going to ask about that little relay.

Trying to stay away from any more wireless connections for the time being; the interference from my solar panel is still randomly messing with the radios, and I have yet to sort it.

That box of yours is definitely beyond my means. I was really happy today just attaching a quick release switch to a 12V water pump. I applaud your ability to stick with red/black wires.

Well.....except for that 6” black jumper coming off of the positive terminal to the smaller relay, lol. I needed a 2 pack, and they only came in red/ black pairs. Single jumpers cost as much as the 2 pack.....so I have one that’s out of color code, lol.

That relay box is made by Voswitch. Super simple to install. I just bought a 100’ spool of red and black wire and simply rebuilt the factory supplied accessory harnesses by routing everything in bundles where I could, and in out of the way areas. Really not a difficult install, took just a few hours. I think it took longer to install the winch.

Before the relay to isolate the winch, I used a wing nut to secure the power cable to the battery terminal only when I was actively using the winch. Super simple solution to add a bit of safety. Though, after 2 years of having to pop the hood to use the winch, I can say having a switch makes life much easier. That big relay is a marine starter relay, and I think it was only like $25.Steel housing, and waterproof.

 

[entropy]

That sounds great. How has it worked out for you?

Do you remember if the box is hardwired to the winch, or do they use ring terminals or plugs or something on the winch side?

The box isnt hardwired, you have to plug everything through ring terminals and they provide waterproof covers for te connections as far as I remember. the box is modular.

It is a really nice winch. Top quality. ive used it a couple times, pulls great. I got the 9.5k comp series, it is a solid winch for a light rig.

 

[LittleDog]

The box isnt hardwired, you have to plug everything through ring terminals and they provide waterproof covers for te connections as far as I remember. the box is modular.

Exactly what I wanted to know, thanks for the info.

@Fuel Fire Desire I'm thinking of a marine cut-off switch at the battery, but also having a quick disconnect at the bumper since the winch might sometimes move around. It's strange that everyone seems to use an Anderson 175 Amp plug when winches pull around 300 Amps.

But the next 350 Amp size is huge. Like, size 0 wire and belongs on a forklift huge.

 

[Fuel Fire Desire]

Exactly what I wanted to know, thanks for the info.

@Fuel Fire Desire I'm thinking of a marine cut-off switch at the battery, but also having a quick disconnect at the bumper since the winch might sometimes move around. It's strange that everyone seems to use an Anderson 175 Amp plug when winches pull around 300 Amps.

But the next 350 Amp size is huge. Like, size 0 wire and belongs on a forklift huge.

On the first wrap, with the line spooling freely, a 10,000 lbs winch draws about 400 amps according to the table published by Smitty below. I can’t find where I read that it sky rockets when stalled, close to 600 amps though. The jumpers I used for the isolation relay were 00 I believe. I think the factory cables supplied are 0.

https://b.cdnbrm.com/autoanything-website-images/info/smittybilt/smittybilt_x20_detailed_info.pdf

 

[LittleDog]

On the first wrap, with the line spooling freely, a 10,000 lbs winch draws about 400 amps according to the table published by Smitty below. I can’t find where I read that it sky rockets when stalled, close to 600 amps though. The jumpers I used for the isolation relay were 00 I believe. I think the factory cables supplied are 0.

https://b.cdnbrm.com/autoanything-website-images/info/smittybilt/smittybilt_x20_detailed_info.pdf

That's a useful chart, thanks.

I think it's because the 50 and 175A Anderson plugs are rated for 600V, so it is the smaller plugs that I see on trucks.

Still something fishy though, as the pre-made disconnects that I see for sale are mostly with a 175A Anderson and 2 or even 4(!) gauge. Not 2/0 and 4/0. Maybe people don't put them on larger winches.

I see the Warn quick disconnect is also for 2 or 4 gauge, but is only for up to 4,000lb winches, and it's only a foot or something long. I'll need to research more.

 

[LittleDog]

Thanks for the help guys, got the winch today. 9,500lb/synthetic.

Forgot to buy cables, even though I was just at the hardware store. Going to be a while before I get the rest of the parts anyway though.

Sponsored