A broken cable on your Warn winch can spell disaster if you are stuck and need to pull yourself free. Luckily, you can replace the cable in your winch easily at home and save the expense of letting a specialty shop do the replacement. Replacement cables come in many variations, including synthetic rope or wire. Select the cable you prefer for your own application. The procedure to replace your existing cable will not vary based on the type of cable.
Set the clutch on your Warn winch to the freewheel setting. Spool the remainder of the broken cable off the winch drum. The end of the cable secures to the drum with a bolt.
Remove the bolt from the winch drum with a socket and ratchet. Remove and discard the broken cable. Set the bolt aside somewhere safe, and clean the mounting point with a wire brush and a clean, dry rag.
Stretch out the new cable so it is as straight as possible. Feed the cable end through the winch's fairlead. Make sure the cable end feeds in so that it spools from the bottom of the drum. Secure the loop at the cable end with the bolt. Tighten the bolt with a socket and ratchet.
Wind the rope by hand until the a layer of cable covers the entire drum. Wear gloves. Keep the cable as taut as possible, and wind it tightly together. Wind the rest of the cable into the winch while keeping slight pressure on the cable. Make sure the cable feeds through evenly and does not bunch when it winds.
