Winch question

[poncho-mike]

I bought a used Superwinch X6 to install in my enclosed car trailer. The trailer has built-in cabinets at the front of the trailer. There is a 2x6 steel beam running down the center of the trailer about three feet back.

I am installing the winch under the cabinets so it is hidden, and so I can run a hat shape section of plate under the floor there. There is a cabinet door in front of the winch, which has a lip about three inches tall coming off the trailer floor.

When I install the winch with the cable feeding in the bottom, the cable will hit the lip of the cabinet frame. I bought a fairlead, but it looks like I need to elevate the winch to get the fairlead to clear the floor.

Is there a problem if I rotate the winch 180 so I feed the cable pulls from the top? I know I have to keep the rotation correct so the brake works properly.

I suppose another alternative is to buy about a one inch spacer so the fairlead will clear the floor.

I can make a plate to mount the winch and fairlead. If I feed the cable from the top, I don't need to do anything.

Any thoughts?

Mike

 

[JThomas]

The wench may not be structurally sound that way. But I would think that you could tell by looking at it... NO NO It gives it more leverage to tear off that way. Reversing the motor will shorten it's life, the brushes are not 90* from the arbor, if that was your next idea. I say lift the wench up, but you should not need the bottom roller onthe FL it should not be pulling down any lower than the floor