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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 335
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I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Hello, folks -
So, I'm in the middle of rebuilding the Hickey Sidewinder winch that had been installed on my '78 Jimmy since at least 1978. I bought the rig in 1989 and was the second owner. Sadly, in 1998 or so circumstances conspired against me (Ice, the Bilderburgers, and the Illuminatie) and I fatally shock-loaded the winch while sliding down an icy logging road. Pro-tip for those of you who own or intend to use a Hickey Sidewinder - don't shock-load the cable. The bull-gear simply won't stand for it, and the first picture shown below is the result; many, many stripped teeth. Probably not bad advice for any winch, I suppose. Some years later I acquired a "parts Hickey" from a local seller via Craigslist for the sole purpose of acquiring a new bull gear. Now, many years later I've finally tackled the project of changing out that bull gear. But of course once I've got it opened up I figure I should make as many improvements as possible. At the very least I thought I should replace the cable, but it seems to be keyed into the drum in an fashion I'm not familiar with. See the final photo. Has anyone replaced the cable on a Hickey Sidewinder? How the heck did you do it? I have the drum removed, and I still can't figure it out. I can't imagine how I might accomplish it if the winch were still installed.
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1980 K10 Suburban Silverado, original 350 w/Qjet swapped to 406sb, TH350C swapped to TH400/205 |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 335
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Well, not a lot of interest in this subject here. Perhaps I'll try again over in the 4x4 section.
But for the purpose of helping somebody who may find this via a search, I did find the answer to my question about how to replace the cable. There is an allen-head set screw just upstream from where the cable enters the drum. In my case, the head of the set screw had been obscured by wear over the decades and was very difficult to identify. But rest assured, it will be there. The cable end appears to have been soldered to facilitate stabbing it into the small opening and also to give the set screw something to work against. Hope this helps somebody, SilverMiner
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1980 K10 Suburban Silverado, original 350 w/Qjet swapped to 406sb, TH350C swapped to TH400/205 |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Louisville,Ky
Posts: 5,811
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Going by this http://www.supermotors.net/registry/21979/81387-2 looks like it has a small set screw next to the hole the cable is stuck in.
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: edgartown mass
Posts: 852
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
i just wish i could find one.
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1986 c20 "the hillbilly" 350 sm465 3.42gears 21mpg at 70mph 1985 k30 "the ice cream truck from hell" no rust az truck 197-8??? c30 "ramp truck" 454 1978 monte carlo 350 350th with 2.73 gears. no rust. sc car |
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#5 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Phoenix AZ
Posts: 4,564
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
SilverMiner, I am in the same position as you. I bought a Sidewinder off Ebay and the gear was stripped I bought another one at a local auction and I am hoping the gear in it is good. I need to replace my cable as well so I will be watching this post
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AZPartsLocators on Instagram 1972 Cheyenne Super Short Bed big block "Blackie" 1977 Crew Cab GMC Short bed with 4BT Intercooled Cummins Diesel and a 4L80e "The Junkyard Dog" 1985 Crew Cab Chevy dually with 5.9 Cummins "The Big Dog" This is what my dad liked to be called by the grandkids before he passed so it seems fitting for his old truck. |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 335
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
1774btcrew - as I said in my first post, while these old Sidewinder's may be stout as can be, their real weak link is the teeth on the bull-gear. They absolutely cannot withstand ANY shock loading. It took me quite a while to locate a "parts winch" via craigslist that DIDN'T have the gear stripped the same as mine. After being burned by the first one, I made sure to pop the top and inspect the gear before exchanging any cash.
There seems to be two failure modes that cause folks to throw their old Sidewinder up for sale - either a stripped gear or a dead motor. The gear can be tough to hunt down, but fortunately the motors can still be relatively easily purchased. BUT BEWARE: Not all the gears are the same, despite having identical part numbers HE101371A cast into them! See the pictures below - fortunately the outer teeth are identical, but the inner hub gear can have a different spline count. This dismayed me greatly, until I realized how simple it was to swap the correctly splined axle from the "parts winch". More good reason to buy an entire parts winch versus attempting to hunt down individual parts. There are a number of other very small but potentially fatal incompatibility issues between my two winches that are a real surprise in otherwise visually identical units. I haven't found or figured out where a serial number might be located, but clearly changes occurred during the production run.
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1980 K10 Suburban Silverado, original 350 w/Qjet swapped to 406sb, TH350C swapped to TH400/205 |
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: North Idaho
Posts: 335
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Well, a bit of a hitch in the process. I was at the final re-assembly step of installing the top plate on the drum, and it just won't seat flush. The drum axle is sitting too high, and in fact the clutch part of the drum axle won't depress far enough to allow the drum to free-spool.
So, everything comes back apart again because I think I may have an obstruction in the cup on the bottom frame that the drum and axle sits on. I'm putting the "parts winch" axle into my existing drum and cup, so I hope there isn't any difference between the replacement and the original because I have to use the replacement in order for the splines to match the bull gear. Fortunately, they aren't too hard to disassemble. I quit tonight to prevent bad decisions due to frustration.
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1980 K10 Suburban Silverado, original 350 w/Qjet swapped to 406sb, TH350C swapped to TH400/205 |
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#8 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Lehi,Utah
Posts: 1,330
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
I wish I would have found this thread earlier. I could have helped with the cable set screw question. I did not have to loosen the set screw on mine the cable pulled right out. I have both the coarse and fine spline center shafts they look like they should be interchangeable.
Paul |
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#9 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Lehi,Utah
Posts: 1,330
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Here are the center shafts I have side by side.
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Clive Alberta
Posts: 5
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Digging up the past...
I am trying to rebuild a sidewinder as well. Can anyone tell me how to get the drum shaft or " center shaft like in the pic above " out of the drum. I looked at all the info could find on the internet, but just don't see how? I don't want to destroy the hub.
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77 k20 454/465/208 Dean |
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#11 | |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Lehi,Utah
Posts: 1,330
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Quote:
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#12 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Clive Alberta
Posts: 5
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Quote:
I got it yesterday...it was stuck. A dead plow hammer got it to move. The winch I got doesn't look like it has worked in many years. Almost everything was seized up. I got it completely apart now. I can start cleaning and getting it back together.
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77 k20 454/465/208 Dean |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: thomastown mississippi
Posts: 1,261
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
I remember the adds for these winches, they had winched a K5 Blazer up a tree!
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Clive Alberta
Posts: 5
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
I had the same problem, mine was stuck real good too.
That shaft comes out from the bottom of the spool up. There is really nothing but friction holding it in... I just got a bit mad with mine! Carefully mind you! Lol!
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77 k20 454/465/208 Dean |
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#15 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: West Iowa
Posts: 1,106
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
If you want to get the original shaft apart, soak it under water in a pail for several days or weeks. What ever it takes. I don't have any parts, they are like hens teeth. Sometimes you have to buy a whole spare winch. Pop it open before you buy it. Bruce
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#16 | |
Moderator
![]() Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Wentworth, NH
Posts: 4,951
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Quote:
I have a buddy that repaired a starter ring gear ona D7 Bulldozer by welding up the missing teeth and grinding them back to profile with a Dremel and files. If you don't have lots of patience and very steady hands don't try that one at home kids.... Shaking my head. ![]() ![]() ![]() I've seen lathe and milling machine back gears brazed back up with set screw cores and silicon bronze rod then machined back into shape. They were only missing parts of a few teeth not an entire section of gear like my lathe and that winch gear.
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1959 M35A2 LDT465-1D SOLD 1967 Dodge W200 B383, NP420/NP201 SOLD 1969 Dodge Polara 500 B383, A833 SOLD 1972 Ford F250 FE390, NP435/NP205 SOLD 1976 Chevy K20, 6.5L, NV4500/NP208 SOLD 1986 M1008 CUCV SOLD 2000 GMC C2500, TD6.5L, NV4500 2005 Chevy Silverado LS 2500HD 6.0L 4L80E/NP263 2009 Impala SS LS4 V8 RTFM... GM Parts Books, GM Schematics, GM service manuals, and GM training materials...
And please let us know if and how your repairs were successful. |
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#17 | |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Phoenix AZ
Posts: 4,564
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Re: I'm rebuilding my Hickey Sidewinder
Quote:
I think there are enough of us that need these gears that someone should make them. I can't help but think CNCed aluminum would be better than these cast aluminum pieces. It is a shame to have such a cool item that can't be used.
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AZPartsLocators on Instagram 1972 Cheyenne Super Short Bed big block "Blackie" 1977 Crew Cab GMC Short bed with 4BT Intercooled Cummins Diesel and a 4L80e "The Junkyard Dog" 1985 Crew Cab Chevy dually with 5.9 Cummins "The Big Dog" This is what my dad liked to be called by the grandkids before he passed so it seems fitting for his old truck. |
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