Gearmatic Winch on TD8E: Troubleshooting and Information Request

[MikePhua]

I have a TD8E dozer equipped with a Gearmatic winch, and I’m experiencing some challenges with it. The winch is having operational issues that I need help troubleshooting. It seems to be malfunctioning, and I’m trying to figure out the best course of action to get it back to working order.
Symptoms of the Problem

• The winch fails to spool in or out consistently.
  
• The winch lever seems to engage and disengage intermittently, and it doesn’t always respond as expected.
  
• There are occasional hydraulic noises, but no noticeable action from the winch itself.
  
• I’ve noticed that the winch is not holding tension when used for pulling loads, and it sometimes slips under strain.
  

Despite these issues, the rest of the machine operates normally, and the winch’s hydraulic system seems to be receiving power.
Steps Taken So Far
I’ve done a few checks and repairs in an attempt to identify the issue:

1. Hydraulic Fluid Level: I first checked the hydraulic fluid to ensure it wasn’t low or contaminated, which could affect the winch’s performance. The fluid level seems fine, and there’s no sign of contamination.
   
2. Inspection of the Winch: I’ve inspected the winch and noticed that the gearing seems to be intact, with no visible signs of wear or damage. However, I’m not sure if there’s an internal issue that’s preventing the winch from operating as it should.
   
3. Checking the Control Lever: I’ve looked at the control lever mechanism, but everything appears to be functioning. It engages and disengages as expected, but the winch still doesn’t perform reliably.
   

Potential Causes
Given the symptoms, I suspect a few possible issues that could be causing the winch to malfunction:

1. Hydraulic Issues: Although the hydraulic fluid level seems fine, there could be an issue with the hydraulic pump or the control valves, which is affecting the power being supplied to the winch.
   
2. Internal Gears or Clutch Issues: There might be a problem with the internal gearing or the clutch mechanism inside the winch. This could cause the intermittent operation or the winch slipping under load.
   
3. Winch Brake Problems: If the winch is not holding tension, it could be related to a brake issue, where the brake assembly isn’t functioning properly, causing the winch to slip when a load is applied.
   
4. Control Mechanism Malfunction: There might be an issue with the control valve or the linkage that connects the control lever to the winch mechanism. This could cause erratic performance.
   

Seeking Assistance
At this point, I’m hoping to get some advice from those who may have worked with Gearmatic winches or similar systems. I’m especially interested in the following:

• Common issues with Gearmatic winches: Are there any common failure points or troubleshooting tips that I should consider?
  
• Particular parts to inspect: Any specific internal components, such as seals, clutch components, or hydraulic valves, that tend to wear out and cause these types of issues?
  
• Repair or rebuild advice: If you’ve repaired or rebuilt a Gearmatic winch before, how did you go about diagnosing and fixing it? Any tips on disassembly and reassembly?
  

Any advice, suggestions, or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!