runva winch installation instructions

trailboss4x4 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-11-2011, 06:09 PM

I have been thinking about getting a new winch, my 05' sportsman 400 came with a 2000lb superwinch, and I questioned it's reliability, and wanted to replace it. Two weeks ago, I was at the cottage pulling a deck off and the cable snapped, that made my decision for me. New winch time! Now naturally, I wanted to get a warn. But they cost ALOT of money, especially here in Canada. And my dad had a 2500lb warn on his kingquad 750, and while it always worked, there was a few times when it just didn't have enough power. So I wanted more. After reading on here about winches, and other sites as well, I have heard good things about runva winches. Now I install winches all day at work on sportsmans, but I have never seen a runva... I usually would never touch an offshore brand winch, but I think these are built well. So, I ordered a 3500lb winch with synthetic cable, insured and shipped to my door for $259. They say it will not ship until tomorrow, so it should be 2-7 days from then. I will update everyone with first impressions and installation once I get it, and if I need to encounter customer service (for whatever reason) I will report about that also. Just figured I would start this so people would see it. Also, I would love to have people tell me if they have had any experiences with these, or even with other winches. Thanks, I'll keep you posted.

WilliamBos · #2 (**permalink**) 09-11-2011, 06:42 PM

Thanks a lot. Hope it works our, will get one if it does.

trailboss4x4 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 06:26 PM

Alright so, I got the winch yesterday. Everything was perfect, looked great. When I went to do the installation, I came to find out that the winch mount I planned on using was actually a home made one, and that the superwinch it was built for is much smaller than the runva. So an installation guide really isn't any good to anyone but myself, as this is a unique mount. However, I will try to show the wiring as best I can. The install was simple, only problem I had was stripping at nut on the hand controls (that holds the brackets together) however I could have done that to any of them, so be careful not to over tighten. First thing I did, was disconnect the negative terminal. On my machine I was unable to find the pre-run wires that are usually on sportsmans, so I had to run my own. I ran my positive from the top bolt on my solenoid beside my battery, and my negative to a ground I found not far from it (see pics). Then I removed the left side panel, and ran them behind where it would lay. Then, up under the fender, and up under the little cover under the front if the head light pod. I removed this cover, and pulled them through, until they were tight. And zip-tied the cables in a few spots along the way, careful to watch for fuel lines, choke cables, throttle cables, or sharp edges. Then I removed a bracket held on by two 10mm bolts to the frame under the right fender. This is ALWAYS my solenoid mounting spot on non-xp sportsmans. Works great. With the bracket off, there is a cable attached to it with a clip. Remove the clip and cable, be careful as this is your throttle. Then the bracket should be free. It has 4 holes in it, which the solenoid will bolt too. (the runva does, anyway. So will a quadrax) put the side of the solenoid with the hand control cable away from the high-side of the bracket. We can then attach our battery cables, red to red, black to black, and leave these loose. At this point, I took my winch cables, and ran them from the solenoid, along the frame, and then to the winch location. Now these must be routed on the inside of the frame, away from the wheel well. Tighten the cable and zip tie, and any excess cable we will leave where we had removed the cover below the headlight pod earlier. At this point we can tighten our solenoid connections and put the bracket back into place, pulling on all our cables in the meanwhile to prevent snagging. Dont forget to clip the throttle back in. The we can open the head light pod by removing the three philips head screws, and mount our hand controls on the handle bar. Go between the brake cylinder bracket and switches. You will have to cut previous zip ties on the bar, and unplug wires from the hand controls to get access. Once the hand control Is mounted, run the wire under the brake lever and against the bar, making sure it is tight and does not interfere with the operation of the brakes. Then zip tie, black looks alot tidier. Make sure to zip tie all the wires at once. Zip tie the wire all the way down, perhaps 2 or three ties. Make sure the cable is snug. The put the excess cable down through the bottom of the headlight pod, and into the area where the cover is removed, and through from there into the plug on the solenoid. Push it in, and screw on the cap. At this point remember to plug in the wires you removed at the factory hand controls, otherwise the machine will not start. leave the excess with the other wire excess, and zip tie it until it looks tidy. Then, put the cover back on. The front lines up, then the back pops in. now install your winch, using the correct bracket, bolting on the fairlead, and running the cable through the fairlead. Tighten the winch to bracket, and install the hook, and cable stop. Then attach the rubber boots to the end of the power cables, and attach the power cables. Then, mount the winch, and tighten. At this point, you can put the negative terminal back on. Now, check the operation of the winch. And there you go, it should work! I'll post pictures I took later.

trailboss4x4 · #4 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 06:53 PM

Pictures

trailboss4x4 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-14-2011, 06:58 PM

This is all I took, I tried to take pictures but I always forgot. Plus, I kinda wanted to get it done because it was late when I decided I wanted to do it, and I ended up finishing around 12, because the winch bracket was such a pain (for me). If anyone needs to see anything, I can take a picture. Just let me know

PolarisRich · #6 (**permalink**) 11-06-2011, 02:38 PM

So how about an honest opinion on the operation of your new winch?

trailboss4x4 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-06-2011, 07:56 PM

Well, I haven't really had enough chances to use it to pull the bike out yet, I haven't really been stuck. But from what I have used it for (chores, and being stuck twice) i have been very impressed. I can say I will never buy a winch with cable again, and that I have never been left wanting more power from the winch. Never had an issue with it so far, but winter will be the real test of it's reliability, as I use the quad for ice fishing, so it gets alot of exposure, even without use. But so far so good, and I'm
Amazed at how quiet it is also! As of now, I would recommend it, whole heartedly. And being as my job is installing winches, I hope that means something lol

pieguy03 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-07-2011, 10:59 AM

I installed a runva 2500 on my xp after my factory polaris winch packed it in.(My factory winch was not the warn version) I to was nervous about the quality, as they are inexpensive for a winch. Installed for about six months now and it has pulled me out of some pretty thick mud a few times with no issues. To me it seems more powerful than the factory unit ever was, also runs very quiet. So far a good product for the money.

WilliamBos · #9 (**permalink**) 11-07-2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieguy03

I installed a runva 2500 on my xp after my factory polaris winch packed it in.(My factory winch was not the warn version) I to was nervous about the quality, as they are inexpensive for a winch. Installed for about six months now and it has pulled me out of some pretty thick mud a few times with no issues. To me it seems more powerful than the factory unit ever was, also runs very quiet. So far a good product for the money.

Was it as simple as a remove and replace?? No wiring changes needed??

pieguy03 · #10 (**permalink**) 11-07-2011, 01:46 PM

I never changed any wires at all. I used the factory handle bar mounted switch. It also had the same bolt pattern as the factory winch. Made for a very easy swap.