8274 cracks?

R Q

R Q

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Charlotte
Looks like I may have some cracks in the case of an 8274 I was going to rebuild over the winter. Are these common and/or even repairable?
I have filed them down then sanded smooth and am having a hard time deciding if they are cracks or imperfections in the casting.
8274%202_zpsomutuwfd.jpg

8274%203_zps2hoikhbf.jpg

8274%201_zpsohivsqiq.jpg
 
Is that the bottom of the gear box? I'm going with casting imperfections, but curious where you found them.
 
rockcity said:
Pick up a dye pen kit and test for cracks.
Click to expand...
You'll likely find a million bleeding cracks in a part like that. If the cracks are below the oil line and it doesn't leak, i wouldn't sweat it. If they are above the oil line and it still works, I wouldn't sweat it.
 
That just looks like a lot of shitty sand casting technique. There's some pretty visible sand compaction problems, and those raised cracks are shrinkage cracks in the compacted casting sand (similar to "veining" if I'm thinking about that correctly). Nothing out of the ordinary for high volume sand casting with poor quality control.

Whether the actual cracks are real or not I can't tell, but all of the raised "cracks" and flaws are explainable and nothing to worry about..
 
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Whenever I've seen a cracked 8274 case, it's been pretty obvious. Like major blowout obvious. You've got one of the toughest winches on the market. If it don't leak, it ain't a crack! And I've seen plenty of cast parts look like that. It's a little unnerving at first, but it's relatively normal.
 
What ^ he said. If its cracked you'd know it. likely from being dropped, crashed, or overloaded and obvious in nature.

Oh, I left out froze and busted....
 
Give ya 50 bux for it..then you can sleep easy at night..
 
R Q said:
Even though some of them are raised, some look like cracks. After sanding a bit I am thinking/hoping they are casting issues.
Click to expand...

I have two of these winches and both of them look like that. Don't sweat it.
 
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