John Deere 4000 Series Winch Manual

Yes, you can get the parts from Deere. Hold on to your wallet, though. I haven't worked for a Dealer since 89, and at that time the part prices were crazy. Brake band was over $200, hydraulic pump was over $300, winch control valve was over $300, etc. Also, if your winch is an early one, the hydraulic pressure plate and seal was superceded to a newer style - and that was around $500. I can only assume the parts are more now, unless the Chinese are making them. I'd advise you to be very conservative with parts replacement. 99% of the time, the clutches and brake band in the winch get oil soaked and not worn. They can be cleaned, heated, and reused. Clutchs are rarely a problem. The brake band, however barely holds even when all is perfect. But . . . skid two trees at at time instead of four if it slips a little. The hydraulic pump is a little Webster and can be found by aftermarket suppliers. Same pump is used on snow plows on pickup trucks. If you're lucky, your winch is early enough to have a spool type control valve. They virtually lasted forever. Then, Deere changed over to a little square rotary valve, and they were garbage - expensive garbage at that. We changed them left and right on logger's machine. Finally, in the late 80s, Deere gave them up and changed back over to a spool type valve. If you had to replace a rotary valve, Deere would offer you a change-over kit for around $700 (back in 89). Considering you're using it on a small crawler, perhaps things won't be so bad. Years back, the same winches on the 350s were used on 440 and 540 skidders.

We just acquired a John Deere 450C with a winch. Does the tractor PTO shaft turn at all times when the engine is running? The winch seems to be broken as there are metal pieces and what looks like chunks of bearings in the winch case. The pto shaft connector between the tractor and winch is missing. The cable that goes from the winch control lever to the winch is missing. We can't find a pto engagement lever on the tractor so we are assuming the shaft turns at all times - right? We'll probably get into the winch more on Monday. We are hoping a bearing or something is binding things up, we'll see. The tractor is a late 70's model with 2400 hours. Looks bad but actually is in pretty good shape. We'd appreciate any info on how the winch unit is supposed to operate. Thanks

Hi JDEMARIS, have you a shop-manual for that winch? I own a JD winch, from a JD 350 crawler and i have to make some adjustement on it .I operate the winch with a farm tractor. Is that winch all JD? Mine pull ok but not hold load and it's hard to unroll the cable. Thank you. Bernard le mécano Québec Canada

No, I don't own a manual but the winch is pretty simple if it's a John Deere winch and not a Gearmatic or Cargo. Deere winch uses it's own hydraulic pump. The pump has to generate 1000 PSI at a fairly low speed. Most service problems I've encountered with the Deere winch (besides oil leaks) are #1 free spool stops working - especially at low engine speeds and #2 winch won't hold. Basically, two different problems that could be related. The little Webster hydraulic pump must put out 1000 PSI. It goes through a control valve. and sucks its oil through a pickup screen. So, a weak pump, bad valve, or clogged screen can cause free-spool problems. Pump pressure goes to a spring loaded hydraulic cylinder. So, pressure releases the winch (free spool) and spring pressure makes the brake band grab. If the winch won't hold, it's most likely the brake band got oil on it. It's possible the hydraulic cylinder that permits free-spool is leaking, but there are other problem areas. The cylinder has a piston in it with one o-ring - that's all. Also, if the control valve you're using is a small square valve (not a spool valve) then it's probably got problems. We had a high failure rate with them. Its rotary, and relies on brass sealing washers that tend to get scored. Best thing is operate the winch with the cover off and observe what's going on.

Hi JDEMARIS, mine have spool type valve. My tractor PTO run 540 RPM at full throtle. May be it's not enough for build pressure in the system.I think I can operate with oil supply from the tractor remote. With a flow-divider and a relief-valve, it may work. In the spoll valve, is there a relief-valve? The cover for adjustement is the left or the right, What type of oil is the best for this winch? Thank you Bernard le mécano Québec Canada

The JD winch uses 'HyGuard' or equivalent. It's just combination transmission & hydraulic fluid. When the winch is on a crawler it is powered by an engine-speed PTO. So, with a crawler at idle speed the winch input shaft is still turning around 800 R.P.M. and can go up to 2500 R.P.M. So, I can see why you you're having problems. Yes, there is an adjustable relief valve on winch - but I don't remember exactly where with the spool-valve setup. I think the new spool valves have it built in, but if you have the first and earliest model, I think it's inline somewhere. When the little rotary valve is used, the relief valve is built into it. I can't think of any reason why you can't use the tractor's hydraulics. The system on the winch is an 'open center' design. So, normally, with the valve in neutral, the pump pushes oil with no pressure through the valve and back to sump. When you put it into free-spool position, pump oil is routed to the the brake-hydraulic cylinder and pushes against the springs at 1000 P.S.I. When you put the winch into 'winch' position, oil is routed to the same brake hydraulic-cylinder and also the pressure plate on the clutch drum also at 1000 P.S.I. That's about it. Only probem to work around that I can think of is where your blow-off oil goes from the relief valve. Normally, the winch is a 'self-contained' system. It's oil reservoir is for gear lubrication as well as hydraulic functions. Since you want to use your tractor's hydraulics, you're going to have the winch and tractor's oil reservoirs separate. You have to, otherwise the winch would eventually get overfilled. Seems, as long as whatever 1000 P.S.I. relief valve you use sends its oil back to your tractor, you'll be okay. Main system oil, from your tractor, of course gets returned to the tractor also. I think, though, as a precaution, I'd make something so, in case the winch gets an internal leak somewhere, excess oil has a way to escape instead of filling the whole winch-case up with tractor oil.

Hi JDEMARIS, sound like that you learn my problem. I will try to operate the winch, with-out the internal pump nd check for internal relief-valve to prevent over-flow. I will try, by the Deere dealer, for some informations, for adjustements. Is the inspection cover, left or right? Thank you again. Bernard le mécano Québec Canada

You know, it's been so long since I've worked on one, I'm not sure I remember which side. Pretty sure if you're standing behind the winch, as if it was mounted on a crawler. your're facing towards the crawler, the inspection cover is on the right (like passenger side of car). If you pull off the wrong side, you'll have a mess since it holds in the ring gear and shaft and lots of oil. When you pull the correct cover off, it's supposed to be dry inside, but quite often it's not because of leaks. You should see a brake drum with a band around it, and the end of the band is connected to a little cast-iron hydraulic cylider with two springs on it.

Hi JDEMARIS, it's not a problem, it have too much model of equipment for each brand of machinery. I will fix the winch this spring. Thank you a lot. Bernard le mécano

I am confused.. I thought the winch turned by the pto all the time the crawler was running, and you had a lever with a slave cylinder on each end. the lever pivoted one way free spool one way wind I can't figure out where the hydraulic pump would be. My understanding is the harder you pull or push the lever for wind in the harder the clutch pushes to wind in the winch. The winch I have has no tag so I can't post any numbers but someone said it was a series 10 winch.

I got looking in my 1010 crawler book and I see the 10 series winch. You're right, no hydraulic pump. It's basically set up just like an older Gearmatic or Carco with a big, two-way master cylinder. I'm not sure if that winch was pure Deere design or not. As I recall, the 10s and 3310s were referred to as 'manual winches.' I never gave it much thought, but perhaps when Deere started calling the winches 'power winches' that's when they had internal hydraulic pumps and thus power clutching and free-spooling.

I got looking around and Gearmatic and Carco have their service manuals on line for free. I just looked at their Model 9 which I think Deere used on 1010s and such. It has the big two way manual master cylinder. It's at: http://www.bradenwinch.com/pdf/j-152c.pdf As I recall, a '10' winch IS a Deere, and has its own hydraulic pump, inside at the bottom of the winch, immersed in oil. But, I don't have a book that shows it so I'm not sure about the model numbers.

That's not a John Deere winch you're describing. Sounds like a Cargo or Gearmatic. We had them on a lot of older Deere crawlers. Used a big master cylinder, two way, with a big manual lever on it. Back it the 80s, parts for those things were getting priced ungodly high and many were becoming obsolete.

Hi Terry, may be your winch is a Gear-Matic. It's the system for the control of that winch.A friend of mine have a Clark skidder, it have the same control. Bernard le mécano Québec Canada