Outing For Big Blue or Blue?

[Gary Lewis]

Looks nice!

Thanks. I centered the winch in the top plate, but if I had to do it over again I'd move it farther back so the line would clear the bar better. The way it is there's a chance that the line will touch the bar as the vehicle gets close to the front. But I'm going to try it this way and find out. Maybe I'll have to re-drill.

Tomorrow I'll pick up the connectors and bolts at Grainger, and hopefully the shackle at 4WD Parts. But their site doesn't show the Smittybilt shackle in the above pic. Instead, they are selling a Pro-Link unit that is $142 as opposed to $64 for the Smittybilt.

[Nothing Special]

.... it looks like I need the connectors shown below, which are in stock at Grainger in Tulsa. They are good for 350 amps and they take the 2/0 wire I have for Big Blue's transformation. I'm thinking I'll pick 4 of them up when we go to into town on Friday. That way I can put a pair on the existing wiring on Big Blue and then make a jumper with the other pair. Move the winch to the trailer, plug in the jumper, and away we go.

Thoughts? Better ideas?

Those are the connectors I have on my receiver-mount winch. I used 5 of them for what I wanted to do. I put one on the winch mount, with really short wires going to the winch solenoid box. That way I don't have long power leads dragging around when I move the winch. I put a second under the hood, and then put the third and fourth on either end of about 4 feet of cable. So when I'm not actually using the winch there's no connection from the winch to the battery, but it's just plugging in both ends of my "extension cord" to get it live. The fifth connector went just inside the tailgate so I can do the same when the winch is in the rear receiver.

Yes, this means that I have the potential (pun not intended, but it was recognized) to forget the power cord. But I keep it with the winch controller, and I'm pretty much dead in the water if I forget that anyway. And they are with my tree saver strap, leather gloves and clevises, so I really just need to remember the one container.

[reamer]

Thanks. I centered the winch in the top plate, but if I had to do it over again I'd move it farther back so the line would clear the bar better. The way it is there's a chance that the line will touch the bar as the vehicle gets close to the front. But I'm going to try it this way and find out. Maybe I'll have to re-drill.

Tomorrow I'll pick up the connectors and bolts at Grainger, and hopefully the shackle at 4WD Parts. But their site doesn't show the Smittybilt shackle in the above pic. Instead, they are selling a Pro-Link unit that is $142 as opposed to $64 for the Smittybilt.

I'm leaning toward Big Blue: Brute force may be required, even at the expense of gas, less prep work, and manual, aka "I know they are locked" hubs...

[Gary Lewis]

.... it looks like I need the connectors shown below, which are in stock at Grainger in Tulsa. They are good for 350 amps and they take the 2/0 wire I have for Big Blue's transformation. I'm thinking I'll pick 4 of them up when we go to into town on Friday. That way I can put a pair on the existing wiring on Big Blue and then make a jumper with the other pair. Move the winch to the trailer, plug in the jumper, and away we go.

Thoughts? Better ideas?

Those are the connectors I have on my receiver-mount winch. I used 5 of them for what I wanted to do. I put one on the winch mount, with really short wires going to the winch solenoid box. That way I don't have long power leads dragging around when I move the winch. I put a second under the hood, and then put the third and fourth on either end of about 4 feet of cable. So when I'm not actually using the winch there's no connection from the winch to the battery, but it's just plugging in both ends of my "extension cord" to get it live. The fifth connector went just inside the tailgate so I can do the same when the winch is in the rear receiver.

Yes, this means that I have the potential (pun not intended, but it was recognized) to forget the power cord. But I keep it with the winch controller, and I'm pretty much dead in the water if I forget that anyway. And they are with my tree saver strap, leather gloves and clevises, so I really just need to remember the one container.

Glad to know those connectors work. And I like the idea of disconnecting the power to the winch until ready to use it.

As for forgetting the jumper, it'll be in the tool box on Big Blue with the control, clevis, hook, and snatch block. However, I don't have a tree saver, so will probably pick one of those up today when I'm in 4WD Parts to get the shackle. Glad you mentioned that.

And you are right, Ron, brute force may be needed. Last time I was on that property was when we pulled the '50 Chevy out, and I was using Rusty, the 1981 F150 to tow with. The '50 was sunk to its hubs in the ground, and wasn't coming out. So we chained from the trailer to it and jerked it out by getting a bit of slack - several times. I'd rather not do that with my new truck, but don't think it'll bother Big Blue at all.

[Nothing Special]

Glad to know those connectors work. And I like the idea of disconnecting the power to the winch until ready to use it....

For what it's worth (and somewhat off topic), I also have my winch wiring powered through a relay, so the big heavy cables that run the length of the Bronco for the rear connector aren't live all the time. That wasn't real cheap (I bought a Warn kit that included the relay, cable to run to the back and a couple of the connectors), but it seemed like a good idea.

[Gary Lewis]

Glad to know those connectors work. And I like the idea of disconnecting the power to the winch until ready to use it....

For what it's worth (and somewhat off topic), I also have my winch wiring powered through a relay, so the big heavy cables that run the length of the Bronco for the rear connector aren't live all the time. That wasn't real cheap (I bought a Warn kit that included the relay, cable to run to the back and a couple of the connectors), but it seemed like a good idea.

Interesting approach. I do have a relay that should be good for that much current, but at this point I don't think I'm going to have a need for the winch to be mounted on a receiver. I'm thinking that mounted on either the front bumper or the trailer will be enough.

Having said that, I won't have a way to use the winch with Blue unless I wire up a connector on it. But, it doesn't have near the battery capacity that Big Blue does, although it has a lot more alternator. Hmmmm...

[FuzzFace2]

Interesting approach. I do have a relay that should be good for that much current, but at this point I don't think I'm going to have a need for the winch to be mounted on a receiver. I'm thinking that mounted on either the front bumper or the trailer will be enough.

Having said that, I won't have a way to use the winch with Blue unless I wire up a connector on it. But, it doesn't have near the battery capacity that Big Blue does, although it has a lot more alternator. Hmmmm...

I don't think that Big Blue's 460 will be all that bad on fuel if you keep the speed down and it will have no issues pulling anything.

I used a 460/C6 in a 76 E350 to pull a 35'+ 2 car trailer most of the time, once in a wile a 1 car. Yes the 460 liked fuel, duel tanks, but when looking at the weight of the 2 cars & the trailer I don't think it was all that bad.

Now for batt. power for the winch, I don't see an issue with the 2 batt. & 1G ALT. Keep the motor running when winching and the amount of driving you will be doing in between winching will re-charge them.

Even if you had 1 batt I still don't think it would be an issue just little more work for the ALT sooner than with 2 batt.

It might be nice to have the comfort of blue for the drive but you need a real truck like big blue for field work. Oh that C10 will be heavy, I towed one on my trailer with a utility body on it.

Dave ----

ps I don't have to worry of power to my trailer mounted winch.......it's a hand winch!

Mine is mounted on something like your trailer jack. If you mounted yours there the spare would be in the way.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think that Big Blue's 460 will be all that bad on fuel if you keep the speed down and it will have no issues pulling anything.

I used a 460/C6 in a 76 E350 to pull a 35'+ 2 car trailer most of the time, once in a wile a 1 car. Yes the 460 liked fuel, duel tanks, but when looking at the weight of the 2 cars & the trailer I don't think it was all that bad.

Now for batt. power for the winch, I don't see an issue with the 2 batt. & 1G ALT. Keep the motor running when winching and the amount of driving you will be doing in between winching will re-charge them.

Even if you had 1 batt I still don't think it would be an issue just little more work for the ALT sooner than with 2 batt.

It might be nice to have the comfort of blue for the drive but you need a real truck like big blue for field work. Oh that C10 will be heavy, I towed one on my trailer with a utility body on it.

Dave ----

ps I don't have to worry of power to my trailer mounted winch.......it's a hand winch!

Mine is mounted on something like your trailer jack. If you mounted yours there the spare would be in the way.

I'll keep the speed down, but that means I'll be that guy in the right lane going far slower than anyone else. I say that because I usually take the turnpike and the speed limit is currently 75 - and the traffic runs 80. Maybe I'd better rethink that?

Hand winch - ouch! That's what we had the last time I went to that piece of property, which was to get the '50 Chevy pickup. As said, it had sunk into the ground up to the hubs, and the tires were D-shaped. Getting it broken loose from the ground, even with a lot of shoveling, was a huge chore. But winching it by hand was a major problem. We'd get it rolling and then all 4 flat spots on the tires would hit the ground at the same time. That's the day I vowed to have a serious electric winch.

As for the batteries, the driving will certainly charge them up nicely. And I will keep the truck running while winching. But, I need to come up with a way to raise the idle speed to get more charging from that 1G as it just doesn't do much at idle.

Anyway, today I'm hoping to try to crimp the connectors into Big Blue's wiring. And then determine how long my extension cord/jumper cable needs to be and make it. But Scott's coming over w/his '78 and we are going to replace the water pump, so we'll see how much I get done.

[85lebaront2]

I'll keep the speed down, but that means I'll be that guy in the right lane going far slower than anyone else. I say that because I usually take the turnpike and the speed limit is currently 75 - and the traffic runs 80. Maybe I'd better rethink that?

Hand winch - ouch! That's what we had the last time I went to that piece of property, which was to get the '50 Chevy pickup. As said, it had sunk into the ground up to the hubs, and the tires were D-shaped. Getting it broken loose from the ground, even with a lot of shoveling, was a huge chore. But winching it by hand was a major problem. We'd get it rolling and then all 4 flat spots on the tires would hit the ground at the same time. That's the day I vowed to have a serious electric winch.

As for the batteries, the driving will certainly charge them up nicely. And I will keep the truck running while winching. But, I need to come up with a way to raise the idle speed to get more charging from that 1G as it just doesn't do much at idle.

Anyway, today I'm hoping to try to crimp the connectors into Big Blue's wiring. And then determine how long my extension cord/jumper cable needs to be and make it. But Scott's coming over w/his '78 and we are going to replace the water pump, so we'll see how much I get done.

Gary, use the fast idle cam on the Carterbrock, I use to do on Darth with the Holley 4180, works good and will cancel as soon as you tap the gas. I need to find out what the PTO terminal on the 460 EEC-V does, whether you ground it or apply 12V to it as I'll bet it raises the idle speed.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, use the fast idle cam on the Carterbrock, I use to do on Darth with the Holley 4180, works good and will cancel as soon as you tap the gas. I need to find out what the PTO terminal on the 460 EEC-V does, whether you ground it or apply 12V to it as I'll bet it raises the idle speed.

Good idea, Bill. I'll have to pull the air cleaner to set it, but that's not a problem.

As for the PTO terminal, if you only had a 1996 EVTM.

By the way, the outfit that sent me the second poorly-printed one told me to keep it. So I'll probably cut the pages out and scan the ones I need for the EEC-V upgrades to both my trucks, and they'll become part of my documentation.