Trailer Winch Wiring

[N80]

Get another piece of 2" receiver tube.
Remove the winch from the plate its currently on.
Weld the 2" receiver tube

I don't weld.

But, I had some old 2" receiver tubing lying around so I cut it to length and bolted it coming off the back of the pintle plate to hook onto my truck. Works well. A bit awkward but free.

 

[N80]

Here is my setup.

Nice. I've got to learn to weld. Although, I'm actually pretty pleased with how this turned out.

 

[terryknight]

Here is my setup. All of my standard jumper cables are 1 gauge CCA or solid copper 25' in length, with Anderson type QDs on both ends. My truck and Jeep batteries also have mating QDs and winches mounted. And the jumper cable alligator jaws also have QDs. Very flexible setups.

My 20+2 equipment trailer has a 9k# winch in a portable mount. The winch was used recently used to pull an old Ford tractor with low/flat tires that had been sitting in a field for quite awhile. Lots of physical resistance that really tested the 9k# winch setup. Less capable winches would be okay for ideal situations with a rolling load on a hard surface.

I welded a truck step bumper 2" 5000# receiver to the trailer's front structural assembly.

i just finished doing something similar.... i've never thought i/of doing it the way the OP did (and now it won't work with my tube on the car trailer). as for wiring i have an extra battery that i use and if i need more juice i have a set of long heavy duty jumper cables I can run to the truck battery

 

[N80]

I've ordered my wire and connectors for wiring up to my truck battery. Got all copper 2 AGW wire, a 300 amp fuse and holder, Anderson style quick connect and some ring terminals.

So my first problem is this: How do I cut 2-AWG wire?

My second problem is this: Crimping vs soldering wire ends on (ring terminals and Anderson terminals). I do not have a crimp tool that large. My soldering iron is cheap and I'm terrible at it. So here is a question: Could I make a DIY crimp tool out of a vice? I'm thinking that a nail on either side of the connector then squeezed in the vice. Would this work? Or, I might just have to buy a soldering gun but even the Weller guns like at the big box stores ($25-$30) get so-so reviews. Would prefer not to buy a crimp tool ($40) that I'll never use again. Would prefer not to spend $30 on a soldering gun that I wouldn't use often and which wasn't very good to begin with.

Open to suggestions here.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Use a propane torch to solder them.

Cut with good bolt cutters, hack saw, whatever.

 

[N80]

Use a propane torch to solder them.

Cut with good bolt cutters, hack saw, whatever.

I've got bolt cutters. No torch. I bought a bunch of ring connectors so I might try my DIY vice crimp tool or my sorry soldering iron.

The more time I spend on TBN the more I realize I don't have nearly enough tools.....and I have a lot of tools....

 

[aczlan]

I've got bolt cutters. No torch. I bought a bunch of ring connectors so I might try my DIY vice crimp tool or my sorry soldering iron.

The more time I spend on TBN the more I realize I don't have nearly enough tools.....and I have a lot of tools....

For a torch, just a basic 10 or $15 one from Lowe's, Home Depot or wherever should work fine. Just needs to be a basic propane torch.

Aaron Z

 

[newbury]

Use a propane torch to solder them.

Cut with good bolt cutters, hack saw, whatever.

Yup on the propane torch. I just went through this process last summer. Bought a bunch of Anderson style connectors off eBay and Amazon, a lot of #6 copper wire, a lot of #2 wire, some #6 jumper cables, a Harbor Freight Hydraulic Wire Crimping Tool (about $40 after discount), a pair of HF 10 in. Cable Cutters, miscellaneous ring ends etc.

I then proceeded to make about 5 different "cable sets" so I have flexibility to hook up my different vehicles and winches (I've a little 2.5K and a 12K) all which require drastically different lengths of cable.

Matter of fact just used a set today with the small winch.

The HF $40 crimper works well, but note although it may fit #0 gauge wire it definitely does NOT fit over the terminal that goes over the 0 gauge wire to insert into the connector.

I wanted the crimper to get better crimps on a lot of #6 through #10 stuff I'm wanting to do. If I was only going to do a few crimps it wouldn't have been worth it.

 

[Redneck in training]

I've ordered my wire and connectors for wiring up to my truck battery. Got all copper 2 AGW wire, a 300 amp fuse and holder, Anderson style quick connect and some ring terminals.

So my first problem is this: How do I cut 2-AWG wire?

My second problem is this: Crimping vs soldering wire ends on (ring terminals and Anderson terminals). I do not have a crimp tool that large. My soldering iron is cheap and I'm terrible at it. So here is a question: Could I make a DIY crimp tool out of a vice? I'm thinking that a nail on either side of the connector then squeezed in the vice. Would this work? Or, I might just have to buy a soldering gun but even the Weller guns like at the big box stores ($25-$30) get so-so reviews. Would prefer not to buy a crimp tool ($40) that I'll never use again. Would prefer not to spend $30 on a soldering gun that I wouldn't use often and which wasn't very good to begin with.

Open to suggestions here.

Standard electric solder gun woudn't touch it. You need propane torch. Crimping in a wise will not work well either. The idea is to have air tight conection and that would require pressure from all sides like crimping tool does.
Soldering is by far the most reliable connection. Heat the connector, give it dab of flux and saturate the end of cable with the solder. Alternatively you could use gas cooktop, gas grill etc. to heat it up.

 

[Fallon]

16 Ton Hydraulic Wire Terminal Crimper Battery Cable Lug Crimping Tool W/dies 16 Ton Hydraulic Wire Terminal Crimper Battery Cable Lug Crimping Tool W/dies - - Amazon.com I'm sure it's the same as the Harbor Freight crimper. Not great, but plenty to do a few crimps occasionally & is only $40. The hammer type crimpers or a vice won't do a good job crimping. Their crimps aren't air tight, damage the cable & result in a mechanically weak connection. You are better off soldering than using an improper crimp (not that soldering is the best way to do it).

A good lug that is sealed so there is only 1 opening (for the cable) that is properly crimped & then covered in heatshrink won't expose any cable at all. Corrosion is sealed out & the extra heatshrink support helps with strain relief a bit.

In high vibration environments especially, crimping is a superior connection to soldering. It creates an air tight connection between the wire & lug that is stronger than one made out of tin & lead, which are notorious for being soft metals. Also it lets the cable move & flex immediately after the crimp. Solder will wick up the cable a significant distance & turn your soft flexible stranded cable into a solid cable that will be much more prone to fatigue & breakage.