ATV Winch Limit Switch

[RonL 5]

I've mounted an inexpensive Northern Tool ATV winch to my 310-8 to raise and lower my snowplow.  I'm looking for a way to connect a travel limit switch to prevent the plow frame from hitting the tractor front axle when the plow is raised. The switches on the wired remote (yellow housing as we've all seen) are integral with the contactor, making the wiring of a travel limit switch a real challenge.  Any ideas would be most appreciated.

[Tractor boy 239]

Cool! How did you attach the winch to the plow and tractor?

[Jerry77 1,218]

pix please - we will try to help...

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,295]

Yes please send pictures I want to mount a winch on my 416-8 to raise the snow plow.

[ACman 7,618]

I've seen YouTube videos of people bypassing that remote box . Don't know why the only give you a remote to operate that ATV winch  , especially with the easy fix .

[RonL 5]

On ‎8‎/‎6‎/‎2017 at 8:10 AM, Tractor boy said:

Cool! How did you attach the winch to the plow and tractor?

Removed pulleys, shaft, etc. from old mule.  Used 1/4" scrap metal, 2" square tubing, 1/2" bolt to keep assembly from pivoting. No welding.  See pics.

 

[Tractor boy 239]

hmm.....an old mule drive? and how big of a winch is that?

[RonL 5]

37 minutes ago, Tractor boy said:

hmm.....an old mule drive? and how big of a winch is that?

 

The mule drive came with the tractor and was used to drive the mower deck, which I sold.  The winch is rated at 2000 lbs.--- a lot more than what's needed to lift a plow.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,295]

I like what you have done , about how high does it lift the blade? How long is that 2 " square tube ?

[Jerry77 1,218]

57 minutes ago, elcamino/wheelhorse said:

I like what you have done , about how high does it lift the blade? How long is that 2 " square tube ?

and did you put a limit switch on it and how did you mount that?   

[R. L. Addison 299]

Any reason for not using lift lever on the tractor? Hydraulics, no problem. I've had front & rear blades on my C141 hydro since (91?).

Without putting a reversing relay controlled by limit switch in power supply line to winch,  I do not see how it can be done. Is such an animal available, and would it be compatable with control? From the little I know, it is a real challenge.

 

[RonL 5]

18 hours ago, Jerry77 said:

and did you put a limit switch on it and how did you mount that?   

 

Square tube is 14" long.  I'm looking for a way to install a limit switch.  The wired remote contactor has integrated up/down switches, which creates a serious challenge.  That's why I'm asking for assistance.

17 hours ago, R. L. Addison said:

Any reason for not using lift lever on the tractor? Hydraulics, no problem. I've had front & rear blades on my C141 hydro since (91?).

Without putting a reversing relay controlled by limit switch in power supply line to winch,  I do not see how it can be done. Is such an animal available, and would it be compatable with control? From the little I know, it is a real challenge.

 

 

 

I'm an old geezer and using the lift lever a lot gives me the opportunity to scratch my ankle without bending over when I'm done for the day.  The actual method of wiring a limit switch isn't a real issue in most cases, but the remote that was supplied with the winch integrates the up/down switches within the contactor assembly, meaning I can't access any typical "blue/yellow" wires mentioned in virtually all schematics.  Yes, it's a real head scratcher.

[R. L. Addison 299]

I keep telling people not to get old, but no one seems to listen to me, being the dummy that I am. I didn't listen too, and have two "store bought" hips, And two "store bought" shoulders and an ankle with a box of screws in it. 

 

I can't use the manual lift for anything very heavy, (garden plow, rear blade, front blade, etc),so I have hydraulic lift (two C141's) one with with rear hydraulic lift that I had built & installed in 91 or 92. Dual lift gets snow thrower & rear blade in the winter, & the stock one gets the snow blade. Summer stock gets mower deck & dual lift gets garden plow & tiller if needed.  Thus, I can sitll use the "toys the good LORD has granted me to keep me entertained (and active).

[Jerry77 1,218]

1 hour ago, R. L. Addison said:

and have two "store bought" hips

me too.   and a bad knee..   and at 77  I can't hear thunder....so I gave my 314-8 to my son - I couldn't handle the lift anymore - and bought a 516 with an electric lift ( so easy ! )... I believe they call these the golden years ,,

4 hours ago, RonL said:

I'm an old geezer

yeah, me too...It looks like to me that you could use an industrial type limit switch that uses a whisker ( or roller ) and strap the switch to the front axle and use the whisker to limit the up travel of the snowplow bar...just interupt the voltage going to the winch " up " wire  for up limit travel only.. I am assuming that it is a 3 wire system - common and dc+ and dc-, using the frame for common...If , for instance, the dc+ was the up wire, and you broke it with a switch, you would still have common and dc- to bring it down..
lots of them on this page : https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_9?url=search-alias%3Dindustrial&field-keywords=limit+switch+lever&sprefix=limit+swi%2Cindustrial%2C161&crid=1LD30RWZJDWF8  have to be waterproof of course...I'm sure you could rig up a clamp type arrangement to secure it to the axle..you shouldn't need to reverse....just stop the up travel by interupting the voltage to the motor. You did a really neat job on that...and I'm thinking you could even mount the switch on the bottom front of the vertical piece and let the rise of the plow break the connection with a roller switch...my  what am I missing?

[Jerry77 1,218]

14 minutes ago, Jerry77 said:

what am I missing

Oh, I see said the blind man.......only two wires....ok, back to the drawing board....

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,032]

I'm wondering if you could move the eyebolt back about 1/2 way down the A-frame and in it's place add a pulley. Run the cable through the pulley and back to a heavy spring hooked into the eyebolt. The spring would need to be heavy enough to lift the blade without extending but when the frame came up against a stop the spring would extend.

Garry

[ranger 1,746]

Nice use of a winch

Would it be possible to fit a limit switch in one of the wires so it breaks the circuit when raised, and add another button in parallel with the limit switch but the button would be "normally open". When the "up" limit is reached, the circuit is broken, release the up button, select down, and press additional button to re-make the circuit. The extra button could perhaps be foot operated ?

[Jerry77 1,218]

Since it is a two wire system out of the hand control, you are going to have to use relays to accomplish what you want....it would be simpler to set up a separate 12v supply out of your battery and use a limit switch to turn on a light or horn when the lift is as high as you want it to go.....don't get me wrong, the relays could accomplish it ...just a lot of trouble to do..

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,295]

How about an old school approach . Mount at piece of threaded rod to the frame of the snow plow , with some type of metal flag painted any color but red. When it blade is raised as far as you want , the flag would appear in front of the top or the hood alerting you to remove your finger from the up button.

[JPWH 6,032]

I could hook you up with a n/o n/c limit switch if you want to try it. When the limit is reached it would open one contact and close the other. Use a 12 volt rib relay for control switching. 

Edited August 9, 2017 by JPWH

[RonL 5]

Thanks to everyone for all of your input and suggestions!  The 2 wire system makes solving my issue a real pain in the lower hind quarters.  I wanted to find a clean way to accomplish the task and was contemplating wiring a switch in parallel with the "up" switch as a simple solution.  I'm sure it would function just fine and may give it a try since I already have an industrial duty NC switch.  While this may not be what I was hoping to do, I just may have to settle.  If not, I'll just have to carefully observe the travel of the plow frame.  Thanks again to all!

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,032]

In the winches' current configuration you would need a switch on steroids. It has the potential of drawing nearly 100 amps. To use common switches one would need to add four heavy duty relays in the form of starter solenoids to make it function like is used in higher capacity winches. Not economical.

 

Garry

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,295]

@RonL Just want to thank you for the pictures, your handy work will make my set up easier to build . I think I am going to put a flag on mime to alert me when the blade frame is close to the axle.