70’s Hickey Sidewinder Winch score

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

PM DirtyLarry. He's the newfound keeper of knowledge when it comes to all things concerning Hickey Sidewinders. Actually, he's just got the wiring schematic, but I like busting his chops if you couldn't tell. He's currenty goofing off in Texas at Texas motor speedway watching the NASCAR festivities. If he is not completely wiped out when he gets back to his hotel he should be able to respond with the schematic. Just give him your email addy in the PM.

Yes, Zoo.....I sent Buddy the PDF file of Sidewinder instructions on Thursday. :m4: Thanks for keeping tabs on the thread.

................And the truck race at TMS was very cool to watch tonight. The Sat and Sunday race will be fun... Got Pit passes and infield passes! Will be in the suite 2 stories up from turn 1 all weekend long except when we are on the bus in the infield. Very crazy here.

[DirtyLarry]

Texas has been a good time… lost 35 bucks in the pool though. at least we have plenty of beer.

[masterbeavis]

I had gotten a hickey in a '71 I sold a while back. It looked like it was a big pain in the neck to operate. Who wants to open their hood to operate their winch?? I dumped that rig for $600 (or less, I don't remember the exact price.)

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by masterbeavis

I had gotten a hickey in a '71 I sold a while back. It looked like it was a big pain in the neck to operate. Who wants to open their hood to operate their winch?? I dumped that rig for $600 (or less, I don't remember the exact price.)

Um, I'm not sure you get the point of having a hidden winch then. Yes, to have the winch hidden you need to have it under the hood. So you got to get out to hook up the controller and plug it in, while you are there pop the hood pull the knob and commence winching.

Sure it's not as accessable as a bumper mounted winch, but it's not as much of a target for theft either. Even if one did notice it, it's sure not as easy to remove as a bumper mounted one thats for sure.

It's ok you don't like it.. Some of us do. Plus it's a pretty cool chunk of wheeling history that still works quite well. I'd love to find one for mine.

[franks72]

dirtylarry . I just got a sidewinder two days ago that I want to use on my car trailer . This thing looks like a great winch. I thought I would look on the web to see if I could find a wire diagram and It led me to here. The truck forum I'm on every night. I never thought to ask in the 4x4 section . Anyway I would like to know if I could get a copy of the instructions also. It would be a big help. I'll send a pm with my email. Thanks..

[masterbeavis]

You can at least give me credit for not cutting it off to help the chances of the truck selling.

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by franks72

dirtylarry . I just got a sidewinder two days ago that I want to use on my car trailer . This thing looks like a great winch. I thought I would look on the web to see if I could find a wire diagram and It led me to here. The truck forum I'm on every night. I never thought to ask in the 4x4 section . Anyway I would like to know if I could get a copy of the instructions also. It would be a big help. I'll send a pm with my email. Thanks..

Instructions have been emailed.

[Zoomad75]

Sidewinder sighting!!!! While sitting in front of the local Safeway this morning while the wifey went in for last minute turkey day prep, I saw a sidewinder. Funny thing was that it was on a 96 Z71. I was putting around the lot when I saw the cable hooked to the tow hook, but no visible winch. A quick look back found the vertical hawse slot just below the licence plate.

I never knew you could get a sidewinder for that body style of truck! Just another option to look for when looking for a sidewinder I guess..

[wolcotts1950]

I recently got a vintage Sidewinder that needs a new motor, i did find
the motor available online. I do need a wiring diagram if some one could
help me out.
Thanks, Jim

[DirtyLarry]

Originally Posted by wolcotts1950

I recently got a vintage Sidewinder that needs a new motor, i did find
the motor available online. I do need a wiring diagram if some one could
help me out.
Thanks, Jim

PM me with your email address. The file is in PDF format.

[baja1000]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

PM DirtyLarry. He's the newfound keeper of knowledge when it comes to all things concerning Hickey Sidewinders. Actually, he's just got the wiring schematic, but I like busting his chops if you couldn't tell. He's currenty goofing off in Texas at Texas motor speedway watching the NASCAR festivities. If he is not completely wiped out when he gets back to his hotel he should be able to respond with the schematic. Just give him your email addy in the PM.

I was searching Craigslist a few months ago and found a Vic Hickey Sidewinder winch, It was installed and never un spooled or used, The guy wanted $120.00 He took $100.00 Not a bad deal

[Yukon Jack]

What a bargain! So, about how much does a Sidewinder winch weigh?

[DirtyLarry]

That is a heck of a deal you got there Baja!

That cable definitely looks brand new. Did you get the skid plate, relays and all the other goodies as well? PM me if you would like a PDF copy of the instructions that I received from Advance Adapters.

Yukon,

My guess is they weight about 80 lbs or so. There not the strongest winch but are still pretty cool piece of GM truck history. I still want to mount a stronger winch on the rear bumper someday soon before I find myself in a sticky situation where the Sidewinder might get burnt up.

I noticed my Sidewinder is leaking so that will need to be dealt with once I get the 8.1L all buttoned down and situated.

[moonlight]

A Hickey Sidewinder w/cable weighs 122 lbs. (w/out skid plate).

An original skid / protection plate (for a '74 Blazer) weighs 19+ lbs.

[Daz']

welcome to the site Daz` please take a few moments to review the site rules about advertising
thanks
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a....php?f=30&a=17

[OrrieG]

I am getting ready to clean up the Sidewinder Winch I got. Has anyone been into one of these? Can I assume that you can just unbolt the cover plates and clean everything up without any hidden springs, etc. waiting to "jack-in-the-box"? Just don't want to get hurt...

If anyone has a set of original owners instructions with a blown up diagram they could copy that would be great! I got the wiring stuff from Larry, really helped with the the rats nest I got.

Also, it looks like you do not have to open the hood to use the winch if you set up the clutch lever to operate from underneath or through the grille and you locate the control cable connection in the grill or between the bumper and valence like you would a trailer electrical connection on the back bumper.

[Daz']

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

Yes, Zoo.....I sent Buddy the PDF file of Sidewinder instructions on Thursday. :m4: Thanks for keeping tabs on the thread.

................And the truck race at TMS was very cool to watch tonight. The Sat and Sunday race will be fun... Got Pit passes and infield passes! Will be in the suite 2 stories up from turn 1 all weekend long except when we are on the bus in the infield. Very crazy here.

Hi Larry
Could I get the same Sidewinder instructions you sent to Buddy?
Thanks
Daz

[1976K5CHALET]

I have one i drove to NM to snag. I posted it in the FS section but i think its time to clean her up and see if i can make it work and then mount it on the front of ole reliable herself....the chalet.

I have the original manuals that came with as well.

DW

[Daz']

Could not find in the FS section. What do you think it is worth?

[1976K5CHALET]

Couple hundred bucks i'd assume due to said winch being a rarity.
I'll clean her up this week and see if i can make her work...
Need to go thru all 8 K5's and start parting things out and such anyways.

DW

[Oilbrnr]

So, I'm bringing this thread back up from the dead in case someone does a search needing the installation instructions and/or original owners manual. My Dad had keep the info so I scanned it and converted to a PDF.

Follow the link in my sig. Hope it helps!

[OrrieG]

THANK YOU, THIS MADE MY DAY!!! FWIW I paid $150 for mine with a spare motor, full spool of cable and the Bronco mounting plates BUT so far I have not gotten either motor to work and think I have at least one bad solinoid. Its under the bench as a future project, emphasis now is to get the truck together and running. A link to my build thread is below in sig for the curious. Thanks again, if I get down that way I owe you a beer or two! I went to college in Tempe.

[Oilbrnr]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I went to college in Tempe.

ASU huh? That's too bad! I'll still take you up on that beer though! Glad it helps.

Now I need some help. I can't find the front or rear mounts, nor the skidplate at my parents house. I can't imagine my Dad (now deceased) chucking these items when he had a shop remove it from our '73 Sub so that it could be used as a receiver hitch winch, but they seem to be MIA. Dirty Larry was kind enough to take pics of his Sidewinder mounted, but I was wondering if anyone out there has one that isn't mounted that could give some detailed measurements of those three items so that I could have them reproduced. The front mount seems pretty straight forward, but the rear and skidplate are kind of a mystery.

Any help out there would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Don

Oh and Bear Down!

[OrrieG]

Don - my winch came off of a Bronco and does not have the skid plate so I am going to have to fab everything at some point to fit my 59. I would think that once you got the bracket made, fabing the skid plate would be a matter of making a cardboard template and establishing the mounting points. I still plan on playing with mine this winter and will not mind sharing what I come up with. I can take some dimensions off my 74 K10 parts truck before I crush it and see how close the one I fab for the 59 is. Front mount will be the same, rear attachment points will be different.

[FoxCustom]

Reviving this post because this tow truck is just too cool

Larry, are you able to recall what springs may have been used on this truck?? With the tire combo, I’m thinking it looks like 2-3” springs.

I’m planning on a small lift for my ‘87 V20 soon and am just tying to aim for a height like this. (Currently running 255/85’s with just an ORD add-a-leaf up front)