MKII Hydraulic winches

[22900013A]

On MKII winches there are stamps which show the serial number, and also stamps that show the date.

The serial number can be found just next to the breather on the drive casting (right hand side as you look at the front of the truck) this is a stamping into the casting.

The date stamp is harder to ID, as it is stamped into the bottom of the drive pump on the bottom of the winch, but will usually be hidden by the pipe unions on the bottom of the winch, and the protective plate that was fitted to the bumper.

What stampings are on yours?

The winch on SEB is stamped up 607.

[22900013A]

I am also told that the MK1 winch (as we now call it) was made by a different firm but I cannot remember the name. The MKII was made by Hill & Co.

[22900013A]

From what I can identify there were three types of fairlead fitted with the MKII winch.

The most basic type is a letterbox pattern, just a rectangular piece of iron really, the wire slides along it as required. SEB has this type of fairlead. This was the most basic and probably cheapest option.



The most common seems to be a much bigger fairlead with three rollers, one on either side and one at the top, ideal for overhead line work but lacking any facility for underground ducting work. This is fairly common on series IIIs but a similar type was also seen on IIAs going back to at least the mid-1960s. As the winch was mounted slightly further forward on Series IIIs the mounting brackets are different from the IIA version.



The third type is almost a combination of the two previous types, being a small opening but now with four rollers, quite similar to most modern winch fairleads seen on 4x4s. This type would be suitable for overhead and underground work. I have only seen this type on series IIIs, so at a guess it is a 1970s design.



Can anyone add anything further?

[22900013A]

IIA version can be seen here from 7:30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJzz8aU3Ztw

[22900013A]

Here a swb IIa (at a guess, its something of a bitsa) with a MK 1 winch -

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zacks_clas ... /lightbox/

On FC rims as well, possibly 569203s at that!

[Wheeledbeast]

Those rims look crazy Is it a perspective thing in the photo or is the offset enormous?

[22900013A]

Probably due to the smaller than expected tyres, they look to be 750R16 or 235s.

[22900013A]

I have never found any documentation of the pulling capacities of these winches, although all sorts of figures have been thrown around including upto 3 tons.
SEB is marked on the wing with a badge saying

SWL
Pull 30cwt
Lift 12cwt

In modern figures that works out as pull 1524KG, lift 609KG. I assume pull means a dead weight as the winch is quite capable of recovering the Land Rover.

[maudie]

I had a rivet counting moment the other day.

Serial Numbers currently in the collection:

Mk1's (AEH.HYD.***)

2, 72, 315, 564, 890, 1030, 1040, 1049, 148 FC, 275 FC

Earliest date: 1959
Latest date: Appears to be 1968 but not entirely convinced at the moment due to discrepancy in the pump number (could have been replaced) as 1030 & 1040 are dated 1965

Mk2's (introduced circa 1967 / 1968)

604, 812, 1005, 1007, 1064, 1092, 1169, 1362, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, PFL/103

It appears sometime between 1971 & 1974 they stopped stamping serial numbers on them. PFL/103 is the youngest in the collection dated 1980. Earliest date appears to be 604 (1968)

I'd like to know if anyone has a sub 600 number on their mk2. I have a theory the mk2's didn't start at 0. Also if anyone has a mk1 with any markings that would give it away as preproduction or higher than 1049. Although I'm not sure what the markings would be like for a pre pro winch?

Regards
Rob

[22900013A]

Very interesting, Rob. Does the "FC" on the serial number relate to a winch from a forward control?