Member Since: 17 Mar 2014
Location: Bracknell
Posts: 1399
Check your spare wheel winch is working !!
Decided to swap over my winter wheels today and the spare was stuck solid - had no trouble turning the bolt but nothing was happening. It came down a couple of inches but that was it.
Fiddled with it for almost an hour, tightening and releasing to see if I could get anything to happen but nothing so had to resort to more forceful measured.
Squeezed the angle grinder in there and cut the cable and have just ordered a new winch.
Can't see any way of servicing it as it's a welded unit.
Moral of the tale - go check you can drop your spare from time to time as the last thing you want if you get a flat is no access to the spare.
If this had happened out and about - I'd have had to call out Green Flag to help me out which really is totally unnecessary with a working winch.
17th May 2015 8:08 pm
DDDad
Member Since: 10 Jan 2015
Location: Angus
Posts: 1201
The D3 winch is one of the cheapest, pieces of engineering I've ever come across. It jams at the slightest excuse and is nigh on impossible to fix. Land Rover seem to think that, whenever you need to change a wheel, one person should operate the winch while another crawls under the car to pull and jiggle the spare wheel. If the cable snags for even half a turn, it doubles back on itself and locks solid. Went for a job as a human cannonball. Not the right calibre.
Canadian Tire broke mine last week as well. Not surprising, they have the reputation for breaking stuff while you are in there.
18th May 2015 4:31 pm
dadon
Member Since: 06 May 2015
Location: Northants
Posts: 482
I will be on it today while installing fixed tow bar.
I will relate the findings later on.
18th May 2015 4:39 pm
Discogaz
Member Since: 17 Mar 2014
Location: Bracknell
Posts: 1399
Ordered a replacement from JGS 4x4, the supposedly tougher one wit the spring covered.
£46.00 delivered which I thought was fine.
Should be here tomorrow morning.
18th May 2015 5:01 pm
dadon
Member Since: 06 May 2015
Location: Northants
Posts: 482
So good I checked the spare wheel!!!
Winch worked fine but rope is in very bad state. That is not it.....
Spare wheel was bold on the hidden side in the wheel whel. It was flat. When trying to inflate..... Hmmm I couldn't do it as there was a gaping hole in the side of it, so I need a new one.
No good. But at least I can fix it and be safe!
Thanks for inspiring me to look under.
18th May 2015 11:23 pm
yaxman
Member Since: 02 Jan 2015
Location: pontyclun
Posts: 433
better off then tieing a bit of rope to it then putting it through the hole and tieing it off inside somewhere.
18th May 2015 11:26 pm
dadon
Member Since: 06 May 2015
Location: Northants
Posts: 482
Wheel in the boot ready for new rubber.
18th May 2015 11:35 pm
Discogaz
Member Since: 17 Mar 2014
Location: Bracknell
Posts: 1399
Well that was a disappointment.
Changing over to winter wheels and spare dropped OK but the the matching spare for the winters
wont go back up. As soon as there's any load, whatever gear is inside slips and the wheel just hangs there.
I'm going to have to remove the winch and see if I can get it apart to see what's happening but it looks very much like James at JGS 4x4 will be getting a call Monday.
Off for a week in Devon Monday so I fix it tomorrow or the spare is going to have to sit on the second row seats as the dogs are in the back.
Not happy.
21st Nov 2015 11:06 pm
Vespa72
Member Since: 30 Sep 2014
Location: Sandnes
Posts: 15
Had the same problem when trying to lower the spare tire. When turning the bolt it came down about 10 cm, then nothing. I gave the bolt a whack with the hammer, and the winch worked again.
24th Nov 2015 9:53 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
a significant drenching in easing juice (WD40), heavy handed hammer taps and some significant 'leverage' was required on mine last year - while off the car - to sort it eventually - but yes a poor design
Some time back by raising empty..
It then wouldn't come down...winch taken out
I liberally oiled & tried again....no change
The fix I worked out was it had to be wound down with a lot of weight on it.
Winch re installed on Disco
The solution was to use the step ladder that belongs to apartment I rent here..
Th some strong string attached to one end of the ladder then tied to the end of the wire rope wheel fastener.....I good as far up the steps (as near the disco back bumper) as I could whilst winding the winch down carefully...
Down it came....
I then wound it up & down with the wheel back on whilst oiling the winch & rope
It now works perfectly.
My rule is don't wind it up empty....ever....the rope needs to have weight on it to unwind
Get plenty oil in the actual winch - which means taking it off
OK only saved the cost of a new winch - but satisfied I had overcome the poor design & low cost manufacture.BREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
24th Nov 2015 10:22 pm
Discogaz
Member Since: 17 Mar 2014
Location: Bracknell
Posts: 1399
Mines coming off Saturday for a fettle and hopefully a refit
24th Nov 2015 10:26 pm
galwaygreen
Member Since: 30 Oct 2011
Location: plymouth
Posts: 6525
for a marginal increase in cost....given where it sits on the car you would think it be made of stainless....
With no wheel or weight on...
Waterproof grease (the stuff used in mountain bikes) is brilliant stuff & not that costly.....cheaper than anew winch.BREXIT - done properly.
Right now ...We need Government - not Politics
Save the Dipstick Flagbearer-keep it simple, less likely to fail campaign-agenda items:Starting Handles, Acetylene Lamps.
Founder: Dipsticks-R-Us Inc
D3 HSE-perfectly formed, passenger friendly...has real DIPSTICK
Jag XK-but sadly no DIPSTICK...HUGE design fault
FL2 has DIPSTICK..."real comfort in rear seats"
VW Golf wondermobile (?)..has real DIPSTICK
Morris Minor..original DIPSTICK technology..and a real KEY.
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pieces of engineering I've ever come across. It jams at the slightest excuse and is nigh on impossible to fix. 
Land Rover seem to think that, whenever you need to change a wheel, one person should operate the winch while another crawls under the car to pull and jiggle the spare wheel. 
